Ladies, what if I told you that it’s okay to cancel on plans because you are feeling burnt out and just need a night at home to snuggle into bed early? What if I told you that you will thrive and have more energy if you honour your energy levels around your cycle? What if I told you that being drained IS a good enough excuse to swap your cardio session for yoga instead?

Our bodies and the cycle of our hormones are not meant to be hitting cardio/weights 6 days a week. There’s a time of the month for high impact and there’s a time of the month for yoga.

How does one work in flow with your cycle to feel like that sexy radiant energetic goddess that you are?

Since going off the Pill last month, for the first time in 10 years, I’ve been learning TONS about how to honour my body’s natural cycle and hormones and how to support my body in this process as it figures its hormones out on its own! This means I have been learning what foods to eat during each phase of my cycle, what workouts to do per phase, where my energy levels are with each phase and how to maximize that for creativity, community and self care.

I did not take the decision to go off birth control lightly. I am no where near ready to start having babies in the next couple of years… I have so many places in this world I want to go see before I start that phase of my life. However, my body had been plagued with a golf ball ovarian cyst for 3 years that despite having surgery to remove it, it grew back right away. No method I tried would get rid of this, the only method left was to go off the estrogen chemical bomb that I was putting in my body every morning. Against my doctors recommendation of course.

Going off the Pill has deepened my relationship with my body as I now am aware of where I am in my cycle for fertility to prevent pregnancy by taking my temperature every morning and checking my cervix. I recommend the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Tony Weschler to teach you this, no matter if you are wanting to get pregnant or not. If you have a vagina you should read this book.

Before, I used to take a pill every morning and it would tell my body when it was time to bleed based off of the hormones in it’s chemical composition and I would go on about my day and not think twice about it. Now, I am aware of what foods to feed my body to honour it in hormone production based on where I am in my cycle. I am aware of why my energy levels are spiked or low. I am honouring my body and the magic it does every day by moving it accordingly. If I am drained, I’m no longer going to be that person that puts my body through an intense 45 minute weight lifting session just because I think I have to…’cause you know #fitspo. I’m in align with this beautiful, curvy, body that is my home in this life for my soul. I’m going to take care of it, nourish it, and love it. Thanks to the book Woman Code (once again, if you got a vagina, you should read this book) written by Alisa Vitti, I am able to do so in a soulful way.

Here’s how!
🦄 Phase 1: Follicular phase. The 7-10 days after your menstruation and before ovulation.
You will be more energized during this time, so now is a great time to be hitting those more intense exercise sessions. Take advantage of that boost of energy by frolicking in the sheets with your SO. As you approach ovulation, you may find your sex drive starts to increase.
This is a time to create! This is a new beginning of a cycle, so now is the time to harness your energy to do projects at home or at work.
This is a time to fill your social calendar up because you have an upbeat outgoing energy in this phase.
Feed your body with fresh vibrant foods that are light! Plenty of colourful salads, lean proteins, sprouted beans and seeds, and dense grains will support your body in this phase as your body starts to increase the estrogen hormone to prepare you for ovulation.

🦄Phase 2: ovulation! This lasts 3-4 days generally. You are super fertile right now, estrogen is high and testosterone takes a quick peak and drop. Some pelvic pain is natural at this time and each person is different, either you will get a surge of crazy energy or feeling really drained at this time. Cravings and headaches are natural around this time. You might be a bit moody because of this – I know I am more of a hissy lioness around this phase than my actual menstruation.
You will have heightened communication skills at this time so now is a good time to have those difficult conversations you’ve been putting off. Ask your boss for a raise. Fess up to your partner that it was actually you that left only a spoonful of cereal in the bottom of the box. You will feel drawn to community activities. This is a great time to go on a first date with someone because your energy is going to be so connection and communication based. Also – unconsciously our energy is looking for a mate at this time, which makes our radar for finding a partner on ultra alert. Just remember ladies, you are ultra fertile right now so maybe save that for the 2nd date, you frisky goddesses!   Feed your body with lots of steamed/raw veggies and fruit and stick to lighter grains right now such as quinoa. Now is a great time to do a group cardio workout to feed into the community as well as your body’s energy levels are craving high impact workouts right now.

PS: I have been off the pill for 45 days, and my ovarian cyst is gone! 🙂 <3