HORMONE

HEALING
BLUEPRINT

Vanessa Pozos
@vanessagfitness
Hey there!
My name is Vanessa Gilette Pozos.

You may also know me as

@vanessagfitness on Instagram. I’m

a big fan of sweet coffees, greasy

pizza, fun crop tops, and riding

horses or playing with my dog... yet I

haven’t always been able to have, wear, or do these things. When I found myself with

terrible hormone health, my entire world was rocked. I didn’t have the energy to do

anything I loved. I definitely wasn’t about to cram the extra 30lbs I put on into a crop

top. And I hated the fact that every “expert” said I needed to cut out gluten, dairy, and

caffeine (I had already tried that to no avail!). It was so frustrating when everything I

had learned about nutrition & fitness as an online coach wasn’t working for me

anymore!

Once I figured out the secrets that I’m going to share with you in this guide, I got my

energy back and finally ditched those pesky hormonal pounds (without restrictive

diets). I’ve since devoted my career to helping other women do the same!

Me and my team at Vital Spark Coaching (including Registered Dietitians, Certified

Functional Health Experts, Certified Pre & Post Natal Experts, Certified Mindset

Experts, and Certified Personal Trainers) have simplified the foundational pieces of

our process into a blueprint that you can follow on your own! Read through this entire

guide and be sure to click the embedded links for additional resources to help you on

your journey. Wishing you health & happiness!

Step 1: Determine what you’re
dealing with.

While the foundational things I’m going to teach you in this guide will apply

to any hormonal imbalance, I find that it can be very helpful to understand

WHAT specifically you are dealing with. While the OPTIMAL way to figure

that out is via functional lab testing (see my TOP 3 LABS TRAINING HERE),

you can assess your symptoms to get an idea of what is going on under the

hood.

Start by looking through the list of symptoms of some common imbalances

to see which ones stand out to you the most. Note: you do not have to show

every symptom on the list for it to be a concern. You will also notice that

there are symptoms that cross over between imbalances. This is because

when one hormone/system is off, that affects your other hormones, so it’s

likely that multiple are off. If you’d like to dive further to better understand

the EXTENT to which you may have a hormonal imbalance, as well as

potential gut dysbiosis, etc. fill out our HAQ (Health Appraisal Questionnaire)

to rate and score your symptoms across various systems of the body. I will

explain exactly how to do that on page 3.

Symptoms of a Cortisol Imbalance:

Fatigue (even with 8 hrs sleep) Loss of muscle tone

Tired but wired Anxiety

Weight gain in midsection Depression

Puffy, rounded face Irritability

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 Sugar/salt cravings Waking up in the night

Low libido Still feeling tired after full night’s sleep

Joint aches Dizziness upon standing

Increased thirst Brain fog

Poor memory Feel bad/off after exercising

See more symptoms, and get further explanations of symptoms listen to

Episode 154 of the Vanessa G Fitcast Podcast (also available on Spotify).

Symptoms of Estrogen Dominance/ Low Progesterone:

Weight gain in hips/thighs Low Libido

Unusually heavy or light periods Sugar cravings

Painful periods Low energy

Breast tenderness Cysts

Irritability Acne around period

Depression Endometriosis

Anxiety Headaches

Cry easier than normal Bloating

Symptoms of a Sluggish Thyroid:

Weight gain Cold sensitivity

Constipation Poor memory

Tiredness Thinned eyebrows

Depression Tingling or numbness in hands/fingers

Dry skin Round face

Brittle nails Muscle aches or weakness

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Symptoms of Testosterone Imbalance:
Excessive facial/body hair Hot flashes

Acne Vaginal dryness

Irregular/absent cycle Muscle weakness

Dry/brittle skin Weight gain or loss

Night sweats Low libido

Assess Your Symptoms With Our HAQ

The Health Appraisal Questionnaire is what we use to rate and score

symptoms for our clients to assess which systems of the body we

need to work on in which order. You will see a section for the main

systems of the body: Gastrointestinal (gut health), Liver, Endocrine

(thyroid & adrenal hormones like cortisol), Glucose Regulation (insulin),

Cardiometabolic (heart health), Mood, Immunological, Urological

(kidneys), Musculoskeletal (muscle & bone), CNS / Brain, and Male &

Female Sex Hormones. Follow the steps below.

Step 1: Create a copy of the HAQ form to your own Google Drive

Step 2: Read the instructions at the top, and go line by line on the

“Initial HAQ” tab to rate your symptoms according to the instructions.

Note- this is easiest to do on a computer.

pg 3
Step 3: Click over to the “HAQ Graph” tab (shown at the bottom of the

screen) and read the instructions at the top. Highlight the rows

accordingly to get a visual of how your symptoms score for each

system of the body. The final result should look something like the

below example.

Step 4: Now you know how severe or not severe your symptoms are

and which areas of the body to focus on first!

Note that if you have a lot of yellow or red, I highly recommend you

work with a coach 1-on-1, like our team at Vital Spark Coaching, so

that you have an individualized strategy! You can apply to work with

our team by filling out the brief application HERE.

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Step 2: Relax the nervous system
so you can heal.
Your body cannot heal in a stressed state. When the nervous system senses

stress, it goes into what is called a Sympathetic state, also referred to as

“fight or flight mode.” Your primitive body can’t tell the difference between

your crazy busy schedule and running for your life from a tiger, so it has the

same chemical and physiological response- putting any healing and repair

on the back-burner and preparing for the worst by storing body fat.

If you want to heal your hormones and lose weight, you have to start by

getting your nervous system into a Parasympathetic state (rest & digest

mode). Below is a list of habits you can work on to help support your nervous

system. You don’t need to tackle them all at once (that would be

overwhelming!) but check off a few that you want to work on and build from

there!

pg 5
Select a few habits to start working on!
Goal: Create a parasympathetic morning routine
Sun exposure first thing upon waking

Go for a walk

Ice roll face and/or gua sha facial massage

Cold plunge or cold shower: work up to 5 min, incorporate Wimhoff breathing

Drink electrolytes - water w/ LMNT or water w/ celtic sea salt + lemon

Macro-balanced, nutient-dense breakfast

No or minimal caffeine within 90 minutes of waking up

Goal: Create a parasympathetic bedtime routine

No screens 60 to 90 min before bed

Wear blue light glasses

Dry brush before shower

Create a calming environment - essential oils, dim lighting, etc.

Journal

Drink chamomile tea

Goal: Manage daily stress

Gratitude journal

1-5 mins of breathwork - box breathing, wim hoff, 4-7-8 breathing

Body scan with progressive muscle relaxation

Guided imagery meditation- picture soothing scenes/places

Guided mindfulness meditation (Try Calm app, Insight Timer, Youtube)

Nature walk

Listen to calming music

Creative activity to get you out of your head- paint, draw, play instrument...

Fun activity that makes you feel playful- try a hobby, laugh, talk with friend

Sit outside in the sun and doing nothing

Overwhelmed by information? Want help with the actual

pg 6 implementation? Apply to work with our team HERE.
Step 3: Replenish key nutrients &
nourish your body.
So many women make the mistake of cutting foods out and eating less

when trying to lose weight or balance hormones. This is a time when your

body needs MORE food, not less! Eating more will restore key nutrients your

body needs to build hormones, fire up your metabolism to burn more

calories, and tell your body that it is SAFE to let go of body fat. Not to mention

that unnecessary restriction creates MORE stress on the nervous system,

and like we’ve talked about... the body cannot heal when stressed! The

below contains simple guidelines to stick with when choosing how to fuel

your body.

If you want to dive even further, I recommend calculating your maintenance

calories & macros, and tracking your food with the intention of getting

within 100 calories of your maintenance. This is the best way to ensure you

are eating enough to nourish your hormones, but not too much to where you

will gain excess body fat. You can check out this guide I made several years

ago on how to calculate and track your macros!

pg 7
Simple Nutrition Guidelines to Follow:
Focus on WHOLE FOODS. 80% of what goes in your mouth should be

nutrient-dense whole foods.

Be mindful of added sugar intake. Keep added sugar to below 50g/day.

Increase fiber intake. Aim for 25g+ per day of fiber

Ensure adequate protein intake. A general guideline is 0.7-1g of protein

per pound of body weight

Eat a fruit or vegetable at ever meal (eat the rainbow!)

Eat every 3-4 hours during the day to keep blood sugar stable.

Eat within 90 minutes of waking up.

Try cycle-syncing your nutrition. Eat foods in relation to your cycle

(check out our cycle syncing guide)

Drink over 100oz of water per day

Add high quality salt to meals and/or electrolytes (such as LMNT)

Enjoy your favorite foods with mindfulness. It’s important not to be

restrictive to prevent binge eating! When indulging in foods, try to focus

fully on the food and savor it. Put your fork/food down between bites.

Notice the tastes, textures, and sensations of the food. Check-in with

yourself throughout the meal/food to notice changes in fullness.

Eat when you are at a 3-4 on the hunger scale, and push your plate

away when you are a 6-7.

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Eat More of These Foods:
Flax Seeds- flax seeds are rich in lignans, which are plant compounds

with estrogen-like properties. They can help balance estrogen levels in

the body. Additionally, flaxseeds are a good source of fiber and omega-3

fatty acids, which can further support hormonal health.

Leafy green vegetables- Leafy greens like spinach, kale, and swiss chard

are packed with nutrients like folate, iron, and vitamin B6, which are

essential for hormone synthesis and regulation. They also contain indole-

3-carbinol, a compound that aids in estrogen metabolism.

Wild caught salmon- fatty fish such as salmon are excellent sources of

omega-3 fatty acids. These healthy fats are crucial for hormone

production and regulation. Omega-3's also possess anti-inflammatory

properties, which can help alleviate symptoms related to hormonal

imbalances.

Avocado- avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats, which support

hormone production and absorption. They also provide Vitamin E, an

antioxidant that promotes hormonal balance. Avocados are also a good

source of fiber, potassium, and other essential nutrients.

Fermented foods- fermented foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, and kimchi

contain beneficial bacteria that promote gut health. A healthy gut

microbiome is essential for hormone metabolism and overall well-being.

Consuming fermented foods can help maintain a balanced hormonal

environment.

Cruciferous Vegetables- cruciferous veggies such as broccoli contain a

compound called Diindolylmethane (DIM) which has been shown to

reduce high estrogen levels and support estrogen detox in the liver. This

helps to balance estrogen levels overall.

pg 9
Step 4: Exercise appropriately for
your sensitive hormones.
I wanted so badly to believe that my body could heal while I continued to do

HIIT workouts, go for runs, and try to out-lift my husband... but my hormones

told me otherwise. Unfortunately, our sensitive hormonal system doesn’t

respond well to working out too hard or too much. Exercise is a goldilocks

situation... can’t workout too little or too much, we need to exercise “just

right.”

For. most of our clients, that looks like 2-4 days of strength training. Most of

our clients get incredible results from just 2 at-home workouts per week!

This is largely because of the reduced stress both physically and mentally,

which lowers inflammation and allows our body to heal. The following page

contains tips and guidelines to follow when it comes to exercise.

If you aren’t sure what to do for your workouts, below is a 3-day workout

program download you can follow. It will not be as effective as having a

coach create a custom-for-you strength training program that takes into

account your hormonal health, body type, fitness level, personality,

preferences, and schedule... but this is a great place to start on your own!

DOWNLOAD MY FREE 3-DAY

AT-HOME OR AT-GYM
WORKOUT PROGRAM HERE

pg 10
Simple Exercise Guidelines to Follow:
Trade random workouts for science-based progressive overload

strength training programs.

Lift weights 2-4x/week

Limit cardio to walking or fun activities like casual hikes/bike rides

Aim for 8-10k+ steps per day

Reduce exercise intensity the week before your period, and consider

trying low-impact pilates or yoga in place of strength training that week

What about recovery?

When dealing with a hormonal imbalance, it’s also very important to support

your body’s ability to recover alongside your exercise routines. Below are a

few examples of habits you can implement for a recovery routine.

Castor oil pack

Lymphatic massage

Epsom salt bath

Acupuncture

Chiropractic care

Sauna / coldplunge

Dry brush

pg 10
 A Final Note
I hope this guide has given you clarity on how to begin healing your

hormones! Now I want to say... When you are dealing with low energy, mood

swings, and/or low-self confidence, it can be hard to do this stuff on your

own. I’ve been there. I get it. I believe that you are capable of turning your

health, body, and life around by simply gaining control over your hormonal

system. However, it’s okay to ask for help. I ENCOURAGE you to ask for help.

Whether it’s the help of your spouse with navigating some nutrition

changes, or the guidance of a coach on how to implement things into YOUR

life... Support might be exactly what you need to make this a transformation

that lasts.

If you want the 1-on-1 guidance of a coach to teach you exactly what you

need to implement and exactly what you don’t (you may not need all the

things in this guide!), along with direction on all the things I didn’t get into,

like ordering and interpreting functional labwork, creating a custom

supplement regimen, and more... then I invite you to apply for our 90-Day

Metabolic Reset Method. Fill out the application HERE and we’ll hop on a no-

obligation consultation call to see if it’s a good fit!

-Vanessa

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BONUS RESOURCES:
Why Fat Loss is Harder With A Cortisol Imbalance

How To Find Out If You Have Hormone Issues

Why Your Calorie Deficit Isn't Working

How Your Hormones Are Contributing To Your Weight Gain

What To Do If You Have Metabolic Resistance

The Secret Ways Stress Causes Belly Fat & What To Do About It

8 Simple Changes To Balance Your Cortisol

Not Toning Up? Why Your Workouts Aren't Working For You

Your Step-by-Step Plan to Lose Weight For Summer

Gut Health Masterclass

6 Simple Habits for Better Hormone Health

How to Know If You Have a Food Sensitivity, Intolerance, or Allergy

What is Insulin Resistance And How Do You Know If You Have It?

How To Balance Your Blood Sugar for Easier Fat Loss

*Note: all of the above link to Apple Podcasts, but are also available on

Spotify or Youtube. Search the title above along with “Vanessa G Fitcast”