Women's Bodies, Women's Fitness
I’m no stranger to women’s hormones. I’ve been a longtime researcher. From the tender age of 21, it became clear to me that my life was going to be one wild ride if I didn’t try to understand how mine functioned. Thankfully, this has segued me into a rewarding career assisting other women in understanding their own natural fluctuations.
Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom by Dr. Christiane Northrup was one of my first escapades into this knowledge, along with several others that I cannot recall from the earlier internet days. But, as an avid exercise enthusiast, my one complaint about Northrup’s book was that it didn’t delve much, if any, into the science of active women who enjoy pursuing fitness as a means to quality of life.
Changing Active Women’s Lives
That’s why Dr. Sims’ book, ROAR, which was released in 2016, was so life-changing for me personally, as it not only addressed these questions, but it was written by someone who enjoys the healthy pursuit of high-level fitness, and is a hard-core athlete at that!
Nowadays, there are a myriad of hormone-type books out there, many written by hormone experts, which, by definition are people who have studied hormones extensively and are sharing that knowledge with the world.
Although it is true that endocrinologists are the only type of doctors who are “true experts” in hormone levels and health, this does not mean that books written by people other than endocrinologists won’t hold anything of value for you.
Become Your Own Researcher
If you are interested in learning more about your hormones, I recommend doing a little research on your own by discovering books, blogs, and websites that cover the topic and you can decide for yourself if there is anything in each source that resonates with you.
For example, one hormone expert recommends taking time off for self-care when you get your period each month. While this may work really well for one person, it might not for another, and with time, you may even come to conclude that some months it works, while others it doesn’t. In fact, some women have even been known to break world records while they were on their periods! The takeaway is that we all have a natural pattern; and discovering yours is one of the secrets to healthier living and stronger endurance training.
You Know Your Body Best
I encourage empowerment of each individual to decide what works best for them in this arena. We must never take a “cookie cutter” attitude to our health. Instead, I create an environment where women are trusted and empowered to take care of themselves in the way that each needs to do so.
We can work together to discover a system that works for you. Let my years of experience in coaching, hormone research, and endurance training assist you in discovering what works best for you for reaching your endurance goals.
Talitha Vogt is a certified endurance and behavior change coach with an elite racing background. She has 22 years of experience as a mountain biker, including 13 total years of racing and other endurance events including Xterra triathlons, uncountable cyclocross races, a little dabbling in road racing, and even some trail running. She provides custom-tailored, accommodating coaching locally in the front range of Colorado and online internationally.