The Femtastics by Eszter Harazdy

Random facts about me You didn’t ask for 😜

Hello WEDNESDAY! ✨ And if it’s Wednesday, it’s time for your MIDWEEK SPARK! ⚡️🩷

Today’s practice is ridiculously simple — but it can be surprisingly effective when you feel like your whole body is holding onto stress.

Here’s what you do:

Tense almost every muscle in your body at once.
Scrunch your face. Tighten your shoulders, arms, core, pelvic floor, glutes and legs.

Squeeze, squeeze, squeeze… and then RELEASE everything at once. 😮‍💨

Why can this feel so good?

It uses one of the basic principles behind progressive muscle relaxation: intentionally creating muscular tension and then releasing it can make it much easier for your body to actually recognize and experience relaxation.

That physical release may help reduce muscle tension and support your nervous system as it shifts out of that constant “on” or fight-or-flight mode.

Because sometimes you don’t need to think your way into feeling calmer.

Sometimes you need to start with the body and let the nervous system follow. 🩷

Try it with me. ⚡️

Hot flashes? 🔥 They’re not just a menopause thing.

During the luteal phase — and especially with PMS — some women may also experience feeling unusually warm, increased sweating, or even hot-flash-like symptoms.

Your body’s temperature regulation is controlled by the hypothalamus and the autonomic nervous system. Sympathetic neurons are also located in the thoracic region of the spinal cord — including the area we’re working around with these shoulder blade squeezes and arm circles.

That’s why this specific exercise is taught to help support the body when dealing with hot flashes. 🩷

🌀 The neurological pathways involved in temperature regulation are well established, but clinical research has not yet confirmed that this particular exercise works directly through this mechanism.

IT’S MONDAY AGAIN 🩷
And if it’s Monday, it’s time for our Monday Check-In 🌱🪴🌸☀️🌊🍄🍂🍁☃️❄️

A little connection and motivation to start the week. ✨

Because every Monday feels different!

Your
⚡ energy levels
🩷 mood
🍓 appetite
😴 sleep
🌿 overall well-being
💪🏻 and even how your muscles feel

can all shift depending on where you are in your cycle and which phase you’re in. 🩷

If you’re around day 10, for example, you might feel way more energetic and upbeat than you did last Monday.

But if you’re around day 22, you might want nothing more than to curl up at home with a big mug of hot cocoa and binge-watch your favorite show… ☕️🛋️

And that’s totally okay! 🙌🏻

You don’t have to be the same version of yourself every Monday. 🩷

So tell me: Where are you in your cycle right now? 👀

What do you do when you literally have NO time to focus on your female health today? 👀

Do this ONE exercise.

It only takes a few minutes, but it works on several things at once: it supports hormone production, helps release tension in the hips, helps calm the nervous system, and stimulates digestion.

Here’s how to do it:

✨ Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you and lean back onto your hands. Leave at least one foot’s width of space between your feet.

✨ Bring your big toes together, then let your feet fall outward in opposite directions. Repeat 8× slowly, then 8× at a faster pace.

✨ Next, lift your straight legs off the floor, point your toes, and start sc******ng your legs up and down in the air. Repeat 8×.

✨ Continue the same movement for another 8 reps, but this time let your heels gently tap the floor each time.

✨ Finally, return to the slow foot movement: bring your big toes together, then let your feet fall outward again.

Repeat the entire sequence 3–4 times in a row.

That’s it. No hour-long workout. No “I’ll do it when I finally have time.” Just a few minutes you can fit into even the busiest day.

I really, really recommend coming back to this exercise whenever you have a few minutes to spare. It’s one of those amazing go-to exercises for days when you want to do something for yourself but simply don’t have time for a full practice.

Save this for one of those days when you catch yourself thinking: “I seriously don’t have time for ANYTHING today.”