When Alisa Vitti was diagnosed with PCOS while she was a student at Johns Hopkins, her doctor painted a grim picture of her future. Looking for an alternative to the birth control offered as the only treatment, Alisa went on a quest to find a way to heal. As a result of her experience, she has gone on to become a thought leader for women’s hormonal health, a pioneer in femtech with her successful brand, US patent holder for her tech, and advocate for gender equality in nutrition research. As a researcher and author, Vitti has published 2 best-selling and beloved books WomanCode and In the FLO. She uncovered the Infradian Rhythm and created The Cycle Syncing Method® which has become a viral wellness movement on social with 125M #cyclesyncing.
As a thought leader over the last twenty years of her career, she has spoken on every stage from TED to SXSW and has been featured in every major platform from the NYTimes to Forbes to Vogue as well as hundreds of podcasts – all of which has resulted in moving the needle in the cultural conversation around hormones – from the memes about the color of your period to gender inequality in research and biohacking – Alisa is leading the way to a better future for women’s hormone care.
Unlock the power of Cycle Syncing® with Alisa Vitti in this exclusive interview. She spills expert insights on hormonal health, syncing with your body’s natural rhythms, and living in flow—because your cycle should work for you, not against you.
1. Can you share a bit about your background and what inspired you to dive into the world of women’s hormonal health?
I've been on a mission for the past 20 years to transform first line hormonal healthcare. As a former PCOS sufferer myself (no cycle from age 12-22, 50lbs overweight, painful cystic acne, depression, anxiety, hair loss) I saw first-hand how the conventional model of care falls short not only for women with PCOS but for women with all hormonal issues due to the lack of understanding of root causes of hormonal dysregulation, the long lead to diagnosis (average of 7 years) and the "one size fits all" approach to treatment - AKA ubiquitous prescribing of birth control as a solution.
I’ve written 2 best selling books – WomanCode and In the FLO, built a top menstrual health app, MyFLO, had a family and run my company as CEO. I share all of this, to say that I’ve absolutely had to find a different way to be productive to protect the hormonal balance that I fought so hard to achieve. It was my research into biological rhythms that led me to the secret key that I’ve been using for years, but that ultimately is the basis for the Cycle Syncing® Method that I created.
I have personally been using the Cycle Syncing® Method for the past 20 years. It has been the reason I've been able to keep my PCOS in remission and been able to get pregnant at an advanced maternal age, and even to be going through perimenopause more slowly. It's also how I'm able to do as much as I do as an entrepreneur, mother, wife, friend, author, and speaker without burning myself out. I compare it to a yoga practice, it's not about being perfect, it's just about coming back to the practice every day and being willing to try and learn more about my cycle phases and myself.
Unexpectedly for myself and for so many women who use this method, it has an added benefit of being a practice that heals a lot of the cultural conditioning we receive as women about doing it all and being in constant "go mode." It has been a method that has both physical and emotional benefits.
2. What is the infradian rhythm, and why is it crucial for women’s health and well-being?
Cycle SyncingⓇ is the method I created after discovering the infradian rhythm and its impact on women's systems. Much like the circadian rhythm needs specific support, our infradian rhythm needs to be supported for it to perform optimally. The problem I also found was that everything women have been told to do—from eating the same calories daily to working out the same way every day, to waking up at the same time every morning—is not only based on research done on men that actively excluded women, but fundamentally disrupts this infradian rhythm and causes all sorts of hormone issues that affect a woman's cycle, immune response, stress response, brain, and metabolic health. I detail all of this in my bestselling and seminal book on this subject, In the FLO.
This is because women have an unknown second biological clock called the infradian rhythm, which we experience over the course of our monthly cycle. But it affects way more than your period. It affects key systems of your body, from your metabolism, brain, immune response, stress response, libido, fertility, and your cycle. So, your diet is a key tool that you must use to support this infradian rhythm. You have to change your self-care routine to match your changing hormones, while men need to keep theirs the same daily to match their hormonal patterns. I created the method to optimize this called The Cycle SyncingⓇ Method.
There are 3 pillars to my method:
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Change the foods you eat and caloric levels to match the 4 phases of your cycle, optimize blood sugar stability, and hormonal balance.
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Change the workout type and intensity to match each phase to optimize metabolism and fat use as fuel.
- Organize your project/time management around each phase to reduce cortisol and stress.
3. How can cycle syncing and aligning lifestyle choices with each phase of the menstrual cycle enhance overall well-being?
From a functional medicine perspective, it supports more balanced blood sugar levels, more balanced cortisol levels, better progesterone levels, improved elimination, and estrogen metabolism—creating the optimal environment for your endocrine system to thrive and your whole cycle to be healthy.
From your own lived experience, initially, you’ll notice symptoms around your cycle dramatically improve— as in way less to no more PMS. Then, you’ll notice more consistent mood and energy. This means your hormones are starting to get to their preferred optimal balanced levels. Then, things start to get interesting. Once you have that foundation down and you add the productivity piece into it, you start to get more done, but with less of that sense of stress and pushing. Eventually, you can even get to the place where you start to become more discerning about what you will do, and gasp—start to prioritize your pleasure and joy. Now, what would a world full of healthy and happy women get up to? Could be game-changing... just saying.
4. How can syncing workouts with each phase of the cycle optimize fitness results and prevent burnout?
When you sync your workouts with your cycle phases, you are prioritizing the prevention of destabilizing blood sugar and cortisol levels - and we're primarily talking about cardio type and intensity across the cycle here. You can strength train and get your steps in every day of the month!
You’ll leave each workout feeling energized, not drained, and not launching yourself into overeating to compensate for a hypoglycemic drop. You’ll reduce inflammation from overexercising. And you’ll prioritize strength training over cardio – an important switch to make to build metabolism-enhancing lean muscle. Finally, you’ll be cross-training and reducing injury.
Follicular and Ovulatory Phases: Cardio and HIIT – Because metabolism is slower (you need fewer calories) and resting cortisol is lower, you can use cardio to burn stored fat as fuel.
Luteal Phase: Studies show that because metabolism speeds up and resting cortisol is higher during this phase, you need 279 more calories per day. You should focus on strength training to burn fat as fuel, build lean muscle, and keep blood sugar stable – which will help eliminate PMS during this phase as well as optimize your workout results. It also means you must NOT do HIIT workouts during this phase, as it will turn on fat storage and muscle wasting. You can do steady-state cardio for shorter periods – no more than 30 minutes is ideal.
Bleeding Phase: All hormones are at their lowest levels, so try restorative cardio like walking, yoga, or pilates.
5. Each phase of the cycle brings different strengths. Can you share tips on how to harness those hormonal shifts for energy, creativity, and productivity?
Follicular Phase: Plan out the month ahead and try new activities.
Ovulatory Phase: This is when you're most verbal and social, so it's the perfect time to give a presentation at work, go out with friends, ask for a raise, or go on a first date.
Luteal Phase: Progesterone is a powerhouse productivity hormone, so focus on getting big projects done at work, cleaning your home, and paying bills. Avoid meetings and social events—stay focused.
Menstrual Phase: Introspection is your superpower during this phase. Evaluate how each aspect of your life is going and decide what you want to change in the next cycle. No need to wait until New Year's—you get a fresh start every cycle!
6. What are some signs women might have a hormone imbalance, and what first steps can they take to start balancing naturally?
Your cycle is your fifth vital sign (alongside blood pressure, temperature, etc.). So, anything—PMS, irregularities, heavy bleeding, cramps, acne, mood swings, etc.—is a sign that your hormones need attention. The best place to start is by taking the free evaluation on the FLO Living website to understand what your symptoms mean and get guidance on which supplements to take for your specific situation.
7. What are your go-to foods or supplements to support hormone balance and overall vitality?
The cornerstone of my hormone biohacking and everything we do at FLO Living is a combination of macro and micronutrient therapy. I use food strategically during my cycle and incorporate essential supplements that the endocrine system needs to function. This includes the non-negotiables I formulated in Balance, along with other key supplements:
- Myo-Inositol, Melatonin, and Vitex – To support ovulation
- B6, Vitamin C – To support progesterone levels
- Methylated Folate, B12, Omega-3s, D3, Magnesium Glycinate, Probiotics – For overall endocrine support
For food, I prioritize whole, home-cooked meals every day, including:
- Vegetables with three of my daily meals
- Whole grains and root vegetables
- Avocado and olive oil as my primary fats
For my activity level with strength training, I aim for 30g of protein at each of my four meals per day.
8. How can wellness tools like infrared therapy or PEMF mats enhance hormone health and support the body through cycle changes?
In the first half of your cycle (follicular and ovulatory phases), you can use the sauna to support muscle recovery from workouts and aid in estrogen detox.
During the luteal phase, I recommend shorter sauna sessions for lymphatic support. In the menstrual phase, the sauna can help relieve cramps—but be mindful that your heat tolerance is lower during both of these phases. So, don’t go as hot or as long.
9. If you could share one piece of advice with women looking to take control of their hormonal health, what would it be?
- Download the MyFLO Cycle Syncing® app and start your Cycle Syncing® journey today. Get your first month free with code "HIGHERDOSE."
- Pick up the book In the FLO to dive deeper.
- This isn’t a diet—it’s a lifestyle. Pace yourself and do what you can each day. Take the pressure off yourself to get it perfect!
- If you're struggling with hormone issues like PCOS, fibroids, heavy bleeding, infertility, or perimenopause, visit FLOliving.com and take your free hormonal assessment to get started.
To learn more about the Cycle Syncing Method® and tips from Alisa Vitti, follow her on her Instagram @alisa.vitti.
Legal Note: CYCLE SYNCING® is the proprietary method developed and owned by Alisa Vitti. The term “CYCLE SYNCING” was coined by Alisa Vitti and her company, Flo Living LLC.
