Mark: Most productivity advice is designed to make you fail. Not because it's bad advice, but because for half the population, it's based on the wrong biological clock. It’s like trying to run a marathon using a stopwatch that only measures seconds. Michelle: That hits home. I mean, the whole "rise and grind" culture, the constant push for peak performance every single day... it feels completely unsustainable. You have a great week where you're on fire, and the next you feel like you're wading through mud, and you blame yourself. Mark: Exactly. And that's the core argument in Alisa Vitti's book, In the FLO: Unlock Your Hormonal Advantage and Revolutionize Your Life. Michelle: Right, and Vitti isn't just a wellness influencer. She's a functional nutritionist from Johns Hopkins who actually healed her own PCOS with these methods, which is what led her to create this whole system and even the first-ever cycle-syncing app. Mark: Precisely. She's coming from a place of deep personal struggle and rigorous science. And her central idea is that many women are living with a kind of biological jet lag, every single day. Let's start there.

Michelle: Biological jet lag. I love that. It perfectly captures that feeling of being out of sync with the world. What does she mean by that? Mark: Vitti explains that we all know about the circadian rhythm, right? The 24-hour clock that governs our sleep-wake cycles. It's like our internal sun. But women of reproductive age have a second, equally powerful clock: the infradian rhythm. Michelle: Infradian... okay, that's a new one for me. Break that down. Mark: Think of it as your internal moon. It's a roughly 28-day cycle that governs the menstrual cycle, and it has a profound impact on your brain, metabolism, immune system, and stress response. Vitti breaks this down into four distinct phases, which are easiest to understand as the four seasons. Michelle: Oh, I like that analogy. Give me the seasons. Mark: Okay, so Phase One is the Follicular phase, right after your period. That's your 'Spring.' Estrogen is rising, you're full of creative energy, open to new ideas, and ready to initiate projects. Then comes the Ovulatory phase, your 'Summer.' Estrogen peaks, you're magnetic, your verbal and social skills are at their highest. This is the time to negotiate, collaborate, and be seen. Michelle: That makes sense. Those are the weeks I actually want to go to networking events. What about after summer? Mark: After summer comes 'Autumn,' the Luteal phase. Progesterone rises, and your energy starts turning inward. You become more detail-oriented, focused on finishing tasks, organizing, and nesting. And finally, you have the Menstrual phase, your 'Winter.' All your hormones are at their lowest point. This is a time for rest, reflection, and intuition. Your right and left brain hemispheres communicate more powerfully, giving you access to deeper insights. Michelle: Wow. Okay, but 'infradian rhythm' and 'four seasons' sound a little bit like a wellness concept. Is there hard science behind this, or is it more of a metaphor? Mark: It's deeply scientific. Vitti cites research showing the female brain can change by up to 25 percent over the course of the month. Rising estrogen in the first half boosts synaptic connections, literally making you sharper and more creative. Your metabolism also speeds up in the second half of your cycle, burning up to 279 extra calories a day. Your immune system shifts. It's not a feeling; it's a profound biological reality. Michelle: My brain changes by 25 percent? That's wild. And it explains so much. It also makes me think about the book's reception. It's been highly rated but also polarizing. Some readers find the constant framing of this issue around 'the patriarchy' to be a bit much. Mark: I can see that. Vitti argues that our modern world—the 9-to-5 workday, the constant demand for 'summer' energy—is built around the male 24-hour hormonal cycle. And because of that, women's cyclical nature has been ignored, medicalized, or treated as a problem to be solved, rather than a strength to be harnessed. For some, that framing is empowering; for others, it might feel a bit heavy-handed. Michelle: It's a fair point, though. If you're being judged on a system that doesn't match your biology, you're set up to feel like you're failing. So if our bodies are changing this dramatically, it makes sense that what we eat should change too. This is where the book gets really practical, right?

Mark: Absolutely. This is the heart of the Cycle Syncing Method™, and Vitti calls it the 'undiet.' The idea is to stop fighting your body with restrictive diets designed for a male-centric, 24-hour metabolism and start partnering with it. Michelle: An 'undiet.' I'm already sold. So what does that partnership look like on a plate? Mark: It's about giving your body the specific micronutrients it needs in each of the four phases. It's not about calorie counting; it's about strategic nourishment. The book has a fantastic case study about a 26-year-old organic chef named Allie. Michelle: Oh, I love a good story. Tell me about Allie. Mark: Allie was doing everything 'right.' She was a chef, eating healthy organic food. But after she quit the pill, her period went missing. She was relying on caffeine and sugar for energy, then crashing. She felt awful. So she started cycle syncing her food. Michelle: And what happened? Mark: Within two months, her period came back on a regular 28-day cycle. Her bloating and breast tenderness vanished. She said the discomfort she used to feel transformed into a 'buzzing, singing sensation rather than cramps.' All from changing what she ate and when. Michelle: That's incredible. But what does that actually look like? Are we talking about a whole new grocery list every week? That sounds exhausting. Mark: It's simpler than it sounds. Vitti provides charts, but the principle is intuitive. In your 'Spring' and 'Summer' phases—follicular and ovulatory—you focus on fresh, light foods that support rising estrogen. Think salads, lean proteins, fresh vegetables, smoothies. Things that feel vibrant. Michelle: Okay, that makes sense for high-energy phases. Mark: Then, in your 'Autumn' and 'Winter' phases—luteal and menstrual—when your body needs more support and your metabolism is higher, you shift to grounding, warming foods. Think roasted root vegetables like sweet potatoes, complex carbs like quinoa and brown rice, and hearty soups. You're essentially matching your food to your energy. Michelle: So it's less about restriction and more about rotation. That feels so much more sustainable and, frankly, more respectful to your body. It's not about forcing it into submission; it's about listening to what it's asking for. Mark: That's the entire philosophy. It’s an additive approach. You're adding in foods that support you, not taking things away. And this idea of rotation and syncing applies to so much more than just food. Vitti argues it's a blueprint for your entire life, especially your career.

Michelle: Okay, I'm fascinated by this. Using your cycle as a productivity planner. How does that work in a real-world office job where deadlines don't care about your luteal phase? Mark: Vitti calls it 'right-timing.' You can't always control your deadlines, but you can control how you approach your work. For example, use your follicular 'Spring' phase for brainstorming and starting new projects. Your brain is primed for it. Use your ovulatory 'Summer' phase for big meetings, presentations, and collaborations—your communication skills are at their peak. Michelle: And the second half of the month? Mark: That's for deep work. Use your luteal 'Autumn' phase for editing, data analysis, and wrapping up details. Your focus is naturally more inward and precise. And during your menstrual 'Winter' phase, use that time for evaluation, strategic planning, and reflection. You're not trying to do less work, you're just doing the right work at the right time. Michelle: That's a game-changer. But it brings up a huge question. What about the millions of women on hormonal birth control? The pill essentially flattens those hormonal peaks and valleys. Mark: You've hit on one of the most controversial parts of the book. Vitti is very critical of hormonal birth control. Her argument is that it shuts down this natural infradian rhythm, so you lose access to these cyclical superpowers. She cites research linking the pill to micronutrient depletion, increased risk for depression, and even autoimmune diseases. Michelle: Whoa, hold on. That's a huge statement. Women rely on the pill for contraception, for managing conditions like endometriosis, for so many valid reasons. Is the book saying they can't benefit from this at all? Mark: It's a nuanced position. She says that if you're on the pill, you can still follow a 28-day cycle with your food and lifestyle to help mitigate some of those side effects and support your body. But she's clear that you won't get the full cognitive and metabolic benefits of your natural hormonal fluctuations. Michelle: It really highlights a gender bias in medicine, doesn't it? The book mentions a study where a male contraceptive injection was halted because men experienced side effects like mood swings and acne. Mark: Exactly. Side effects that women have been told are just part of the deal for decades. Vitti's point is that women deserve better options and more information about how these synthetic hormones are truly affecting their bodies long-term.

Michelle: This is about so much more than just periods, isn't it? It's a fundamental reframing of female power and productivity. The idea that our cyclical nature is a feature, not a bug, is genuinely revolutionary. Mark: It is. It’s about shifting from a mindset of enduring and pushing through to one of aligning and flowing. It challenges the cultural narrative that says we have to be the same person every day to be successful. Michelle: And it feels like it gives you permission to be human. To have days where you're outgoing and days where you need to be quiet, without judging yourself for it. Mark: And the book makes it clear you don't have to be perfect. Vitti suggests starting small. Just try rotating your vegetables for one cycle, or pay attention to one task you feel great doing this week and note where you are in your cycle. It's about awareness, not perfection. Michelle: I love that. It’s not another thing to add to the to-do list, but a new lens through which to see your life. It's a fascinating and, for some, a controversial read. We'd love to hear what you think. Does this resonate with your experience? Find us on our socials and let us know. Mark: This is Aibrary, signing off.