For many years, women have been taught to work out the same way each day no matter where they are in their menstrual cycle. As a fitness enthusiast, I’ve recently been trying a workout trend called cycle syncing, which focuses on customizing exercises according to your hormone levels during different phases of the month. The premise of this type of fitness routine is that it’s designed to unlock maximum fitness results with less energy expenditure and even reduce PMS symptoms! Cycle syncing exercises can help us maximize our body’s potential each month.

The Origin of Cycle Syncing

As explained by The Everygirl, “Functional nutritionist Alisa Vitti first introduced women to this concept in her book WomenCode. She’s since trademarked her hormone balancing protocol called the Cycle Syncing® Method. The Cycle Syncing® Method helps menstruating people move, eat, and work in a way that respects their hormones through each phase of their cycle. People who practice cycle syncing workouts often experience mental and physical benefits, including better sleep, reduced PMS, and increased energy.”

Drawing upon the idea that our bodies experience fluctuating hormonal and physical shifts throughout our menstrual cycle, we can maximize the effectiveness of exercise by tailoring our routine to these changes. Through cycle syncing exercises, you can enjoy optimal results from your workouts.

Here’s an example of a cycle-syncing fitness routine that you can follow, including a variety of exercise types that are ideal to do during each phase of the menstrual/hormonal cycle throughout the course of each month.

Menstrual Phase (Days 1-5):

During this phase, you may feel exhausted and experience cramping and bloating. It’s essential to be mindful of your body and allow yourself to rest, while still engaging in light physical activity to encourage blood circulation as well as ease any discomfort that arises. Yoga, walking or gentle Pilates are excellent choices during this period.

Follicular Phase (Days 6-14):

As your estrogen levels elevate, you will likely find yourself feeling more invigorated and inspired to be active. This is the perfect opportunity to begin strength training and HIIT in order to build muscle mass and enhance metabolism.

Ovulatory Phase (Days 15-18):

Now is your chance to take full advantage of the natural energy boost that comes with this phase in your menstrual cycle. Ramp up your workout routine by including more vigorous activities such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or cycling, which can not only help you burn calories but also improve cardiovascular health and endurance.

Luteal Phase (Days 19-28):

During the period when progesterone concentrations are at their highest, you may find yourself exhausted and experiencing PMS. To relieve stress and help your body relax, try doing low-impact exercises such as yoga, or Pilates or going for a leisurely stroll.

By synchronizing your exercise routine to fit within the context of your menstrual cycle, you can maximize your physical fitness and energy levels while decreasing PMS symptoms. Nevertheless, it’s essential to heed what our body is telling us– everyone’s cycle is one-of-a-kind, so a regimen that works for someone else may not be suitable for you.

To make the most of your exercise routine, tune in to your body and give it what it needs. Cycle syncing exercises can help you better understand the natural rhythm of your menstrual cycle, assisting you as you work towards optimizing fitness levels and maintaining energy throughout. Give cycle syncing a go; you may be astounded at how much difference this strategy makes!

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From discovering diet and nutrition tips (that boost your immunity, optimize your cellular renewal, rev your metabolism and burn fat) to learning supercharged ways to tone and sculpt your physique, amp up your energy, and even reverse the visible signs of aging, this easy-to-follow 5-day action plan will help you kickstart the New Year in a powerful way. This exclusive challenge is designed to inspire you to start doing healthy lifestyle habits while teaching you science-backed strategies to get your body into peak performance mode.

For these reasons and more, I’m excited to invite you to join this 5-day challenge, to get 2022 off to an amazing start.

Starting the morning of January 1, 2022, you’ll receive an email each day for five days.

Each email includes an Inspiration + Action Plan, complete with ideas, tips, and fun activities. This 5-day challenge is designed to inspire, educate, and empower you. You’ll discover expert ideas, daily practices that will transform your mind, body, and soul, and much more.

To sign-up for this FREE 5-Day Health & Wellness Challenge, enter your Name + Email address below. I encourage you to share this invitation with family and friends too. Let’s all get excited to make 2022 our best year yet!

The post Inspirations & Celebrations is Launching a Free 5-Day Health & Wellness Challenge To Kickstart The New Year appeared first on Inspirations and Celebrations.

From a must-have foam roller (which relieves sore muscles) to helpful health supplements (that naturally boost energy), learn how these effective tools and products can help you look and feel your best. Plus, I also showed a few of my go-to exercises (for toning and strengthening), as well as foam rolling moves that alleviate tight or tense muscles.

What is foam rolling?

Whenever my muscles feel tight, sore, or achy, one of the first at-home exercise tools I reach for is the foam roller. This easy-to-use tool is especially handy when I don’t have time to book a deep tissue massage, as it helps to alleviate tightness. It’s helpful whether I’ve been working out a lot, or even just have muscle tension (due to a stressful week).

As reported by Healthline, “Not just for avid exercisers, foam rolling is a type of self-massage that allows you to alleviate tightness or trigger points — a super focused spot of tight muscle, aka muscle knots — by using a piece of equipment known as a foam roller. According to Nicole Davis, ACE-certified personal trainer, it’s great for people who sit at a desk all day, has poor posture, joint issues, or bad form while exercising.”

During my recent Amazon Live Stream, I shared a few simple, yet effective, foam rolling moves that help to relieve upper and lower back tension. If you’re curious to learn more about how foam rolling can truly help you feel better, check out the Foam Roller Exercise Series on Inspirations & Celebrations.

Why are Epsom salt baths helpful?

As my Chiropractor (Michael Agrella, DC) explained to me, he always encourages his clients to do regular Epsom salt baths, especially if they exercise or are athletic. Not only do Epsom salt baths help to relax sore, tight muscles, but they’re reportedly helpful in eliminating toxins from our bodies. This helps to naturally stimulate healing and restoration, especially when we’re feeling sore. He told me that it’s just as effective to do a 20-minute foot bath (using hot water and 1-2 cups of Epsom salts).

As reported by WebMD, health benefits (of Epsom salt baths) include:

• Relieves stress and helps you feel relaxed
• Eases pain and muscle cramps
• Boosts nerve and muscle function
• Helps prevent blood clots

How can natural pain-relief creams help?

Instead of reaching for an OTC medicine (like Tylenol or Advil), I prefer to opt for non-toxic body creams, such as this Hemp-based pain relief cream I found. Made with USDA-certified organic ingredients, this effective pain relief cream is non-toxic, won’t irritate your skin, and is Paraben and Dye-Free. It glides on easily, quickly helps to relieve sore, tight, or achy spots, and smells refreshing. It also infuses energizing orange ginger essential oil, so it’s ideal before working out.

In addition to these must-have tools and products, I also believe in the efficacy of health supplements to boost our well-being. Since CoenzymeQ10 (also known as CoQ10) is a compound that helps generate energy in our cells, it’s essential to keep us energized. However, as we age, our natural CoQ10 levels start to decrease. That’s why taking a supplement (such as MitoQ) can help.

As reported by Healthline, “CoQ10 is a compound made by your body and stored in the mitochondria of your cells. The mitochondria are in charge of producing energy. They also protect cells from oxidative damage and disease-causing bacteria or viruses.” The report also goes on to explain that “health conditions like heart disease, brain disorders, diabetes, and cancer have been linked to low levels of CoQ10. It is not clear whether low levels of CoQ10 cause these diseases or are a result of them. One thing is for certain: plenty of research has revealed coQ10’s wide range of health benefits.”

To learn more about these (and other products I recommend), I encourage you to watch the recent Amazon Live Stream called “Inspiring Wellness”. You’ll discover a variety of helpful exercise and health products that naturally boost your energy, help you get fit and toned, and enable you to more easily relieve muscle tension.

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[Disclosure: This post is brought to you in partnership with Amazon. Affiliate links included. The information provided on this site and in the Amazon Live Stream is intended for educational purposes only, and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional or healthcare provider if you’re seeking medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment.]

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