What Changed When I Stopped Fighting My Body
Lessons inspired by Dr. Sarah E. Hill’s research and lived experience
For years, many of us have been taught to override our bodies. Push harder. Train more. Sleep less. Eat the same every day. If something feels off, assume it’s a lack of discipline.
Dr. Sarah E. Hill—a psychologist and leading researcher on hormones, women’s health, and the brain—offers a radically different message: your body isn’t the problem. It’s the guide.
Through her research and her own daily habits, she shows what can happen when you stop forcing and start listening.
I Thought Exercise Only Counted If It Was Brutal
Turns out, I was wrong.
For a long time, fitness meant sweat, intensity, and pushing through discomfort. Hardcore cardio sessions, multiple times a week. If I wasn’t exhausted, it didn’t “count.”
Now? My main form of cardio is a morning walk.
The shift started small. Coffee outside. Morning sunlight on my face. Then a short walk before the day really began. Over time, the walk replaced the gym session—and something surprising happened.
I felt calmer. More grounded. More ready for the day.
And here’s the thing: my fitness didn’t decline. If anything, it improved. Brisk walking—especially in hilly areas—naturally places the body in what’s called “zone two” cardio: low to moderate intensity that’s incredibly effective for cardiovascular health and sustainability.
Add sunlight, greenery, and fresh air, and you get a practice that lowers stress while supporting long-term fitness. No burnout required.
I Stopped Training the Same Way All Month
And I Got Stronger
Instead of lifting heavy all month long, strength training now follows my cycle.
During the first half—when oestrogen is higher—I lift heavy and train consistently. After ovulation, I ease off. Sometimes that means lighter resistance, longer walks, or full rest.
The result? Better mood. Better recovery. More strength.
I used to dread weight training in the second half of my cycle. Now, by stepping back when my body needs it, I come back stronger and more motivated. Over time, this approach has helped me move past plateaus and increase the amount of weight I can lift.
The science supports this too: oestrogen plays a key role in muscle building and tissue repair. When it’s higher, the body is more primed to adapt and grow.
But beyond the science, there’s something deeper at play—respect. Training starts to feel supportive instead of punishing.
Hormones Change How Much Sleep We Need
Ignoring That Comes at a Cost
In the second half of the cycle, the body works harder. Heart rate and respiration increase. Recovery slows. Sleep needs go up.
Instead of fighting this, I plan around it.
That might mean winding down earlier, protecting my evenings, or avoiding late meetings that would push dinner and bedtime too far back. Life is busy—no one gets this perfect—but small adjustments make a real difference.
When I honour the need for more rest, everything improves: mood, resilience, energy, and focus.
Hunger Isn’t a Failure—It’s Information
In the latter half of the cycle, resting metabolic rate increases. That’s why hunger does too.
For so many women, this is where guilt creeps in. We’re taught to follow rigid, one-size-fits-all nutrition rules—most of which were never designed with female physiology in mind.
But hunger during this phase isn’t weakness. It’s biology.
When my body asks for more food, I listen. Not with ultra-processed snacks, but with real, nourishing meals. If I’m hungry, I eat. Full stop.
There’s no strong evidence that women need very specific foods at precise cycle phases. What does matter is being consistently well nourished—without shame.
About Supplements: Be Honest and Be Practical
Some supplements are well supported by research. Others… less so.
Vitamin D, omega-3s, magnesium, creatine, and zinc (especially during travel or illness) are solid, evidence-backed choices for many people.
Others—like NAD boosters or certain probiotics—have promising theories but less definitive evidence. They’re also expensive. If your budget allows and you’re curious, fine. But they’re not magic, and they’re not essential.
Supplements should support your health, not create financial stress or false hope.
One Thing I Wish I’d Done Differently
I stayed on hormonal birth control for over a decade without truly understanding how deeply hormones shape the brain, mood, and sense of self.
Looking back, I wish I’d been more informed. I wish I’d given myself the chance to experience my natural cycle and make choices from a place of knowledge rather than convenience or habit.
That doesn’t mean birth control is “bad.” It means it deserves informed, conscious decision-making—not autopilot.
The Most Powerful Tool? Knowing Your Own Hormones
If there’s one investment worth considering (if it’s accessible), it’s tracking your cycle with real data—even for a month or two.
Hormone tracking isn’t about fertility alone. It’s about self-knowledge.
When you track hormones alongside mood, energy, hunger, sleep, and desire, patterns emerge. You start to understand what’s normal for you. That baseline becomes incredibly valuable—especially as hormones shift with age or during perimenopause.
With that information, conversations with doctors become clearer, earlier, and more productive.
The Bigger Lesson
Your body isn’t inconsistent. It’s cyclical.
It’s not lazy. It’s responsive.
It’s not broken. It’s communicating.
When you stop demanding that your body perform the same way every day—and start working with it instead of against it—everything changes.
Strength becomes sustainable. Rest becomes productive. And health stops feeling like a constant battle.
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