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The Phillips
Cycle-Sync Reset.

A one-cycle protocol for cycle-aligned eating, training, and energy management — for women still cycling and for women in early perimenopause. Based on the four-phase hormonal rhythm of the menstrual cycle.

Protocol summary · 1 cycle (28-32 days)

A one-cycle protocol for cycle-aligned eating, training, and energy management — for women still cycling and for women in early perimenopause. Based on the four-phase hormonal rhythm of the menstrual cycle.

Overview.

A woman's menstrual cycle is a 28-32 day rhythm divided into four distinct hormonal phases. Each phase has different metabolic needs, different optimal foods, different ideal training intensities, and different cognitive strengths.

Most women have been taught to ignore this rhythm — to eat the same diet, do the same workouts, and operate at the same intensity every day. This works against women's physiology and produces the predictable mid-cycle fatigue, pre-menstrual crashes, and chronic underperformance that defines so many women's lived experience.

The Cycle-Sync Reset is the structured protocol for living in alignment with this rhythm over one full cycle. It's delivered inside the Fast Like a Girl 90-minute intensive and is also relevant to women in the Menopause Mastery programme working with a more irregular perimenopausal cycle.

The phases.

Phase 1 · Menstrual (days 1-5)

Lowest energy. Warm, mineral-rich foods (bone broth, dark leafy greens, root vegetables). Gentle movement only — walking, restorative yoga. Sleep prioritised. Reflective work, journalling, planning.

Phase 2 · Follicular (days 6-14)

Energy rising. Light, fresh foods — sprouts, fermented vegetables, lean protein. Build-phase training: strength, new movements, learning new things. Cognitive peak — best phase for hard creative or strategic work.

Phase 3 · Ovulatory (days 14-18)

Peak energy and confidence. Cooling foods, lots of vegetables. Highest intensity training. Social connection peaks. Best phase for hard conversations, presentations, networking.

Phase 4 · Luteal (days 19-28)

Energy gradually drops. Warming, grounding foods (sweet potato, butternut, complex carbs, magnesium-rich foods). Moderate training, less intensity in the final week. Detail-oriented work; not the time for big new starts.

Indications.

This protocol is appropriate for women who present with one or more of the following:

  • Predictable pre-menstrual energy crashes or mood drops
  • Cycle-related sleep disruption
  • Trying intermittent fasting and feeling worse
  • Wanting to optimise training results across the cycle
  • Planning conception and wanting to support fertility nutritionally
  • Early perimenopause with shifting cycle length or symptoms

Evidence base & references.

The protocol draws on published research and clinical practice across functional medicine, women's hormone health, and nutritional science. Selected references:

  • Pelz M. Fast Like a Girl: A Woman's Guide to Using the Healing Power of Fasting to Burn Fat, Boost Energy, and Balance Hormones (2022).
  • Vitti A. WomanCode: Perfect Your Cycle, Amplify Your Fertility, Supercharge Your Sex Drive, and Become a Power Source (2014).
  • Sims S.T. & Yeager S. ROAR: How to Match Your Food and Fitness to Your Female Physiology (2016).
  • Hackney A.C. Sex Hormones, Exercise and Women (2017).
  • McNulty K.L. et al. The Effects of Menstrual Cycle Phase on Exercise Performance. Sports Med 2020;50:1813-1827.

Frequently asked.

Do I need to track my cycle?
Yes — at minimum, day 1 of your period and the gap between periods. Apps like Clue or Natural Cycles work well. Within one tracked cycle the patterns become clear.
I'm on the pill. Do I have phases?
Not in the physiological sense — hormonal contraception flattens the cycle. You can still use moon phases as a proxy rhythm, which works surprisingly well for energy and food planning.
I'm in perimenopause and my cycle is irregular. Does this still work?
Yes — the principles adapt. We work with whatever rhythm your body is offering, or use moon phases. Many perimenopausal women find this framework deeply stabilising.

How to begin.

This protocol is delivered inside a structured programme — typically one of the six on this site. Book a free 20-minute discovery call to find the right programme for your situation.

Your next step

Twenty minutes. No cost.

If the work fits, we map the right entry point together.