Birth Control Isn’t the Enemy, It’s Just Misunderstood

I see it all the time with the women I coach.They tell me they feel “guilty” for being on birth control, like they’ve chosen the easy route or done something wrong.

But birth control isn’t bad. It’s just misunderstood.

It gives women freedom, choice, and control over their bodies — yet most of us were prescribed it as teenagers without ever being told how it actually works.

The Truth About Birth Control

Most contraceptives work by preventing ovulation, which means your body doesn’t release an egg and that natural rise and fall of estrogen and progesterone disappears.

Your hormones stay steady, which can stabilise your mood and energy, but you also miss the natural “high-performance” peaks that come mid-cycle with a natural rhythm. That doesn’t make birth control wrong. It just means you have to train and fuel differently.

What It Means for Performance

When you’re on hormonal birth control, your natural production of oestrogen and testosterone is lower - both of which are key for strength, recovery, and lean muscle growth.

It’s not a huge disadvantage - but it does mean you need to support your body intentionally.

✅ Lift weights. Strength training improves hormone balance, bone density, and metabolism.

✅ Eat enough. Restriction increases stress and inflammation. Nourish, don’t punish.

✅ Focus on key nutrients.

- Omega-3s for inflammation & mood 

- Magnesium for sleep & recovery 

- B vitamins for energy 

- Zinc for hormone detoxification & skin health

✅ Track your own rhythm. Even without a natural cycle, track patterns in motivation, recovery, and energy.

✅ Support your gut & liver. They metabolise synthetic hormones - fibre, hydration, and colour matter.

The Real Problem

The real issue isn’t the pill, the coil, or the implant. It’s the lack of education that comes with them. We were never taught how they affect performance, how to track symptoms, or how to support our bodies while on them. You can absolutely perform, recover, and build strength on birth control. You just need to understand how it changes your physiology - and how to work with it, not against it.

Because empowerment doesn’t mean coming off the pill.It means knowing your body well enough to thrive, no matter what you’re using for contraception.

💊 Birth control isn’t bad, it’s just misunderstood.

If you'd like my free cheat sheet to birth control then