Trimming Orchid Before Flowers Drop?

[lostsailors]

Hello! This is my first post, though I have read and read the forums in fits of orchid fever!

My question is, I have a phal which is like my Audrey II. It's always been super big and super healthy. Each year it puts out two spikes full of flowers.

This year was no different, it's had its two flower spikes, full of blooms, for a couple months now.

But recently I noticed the leaves were looking kind of peaked-- the green looks a lot lighter (as if preparing to go to yellow, though none have gone that far) and the leaves don't seem as turgid. I've looked over all the roots, nothing seems amiss, everything is green and fat. No fungus, I can't see anything that looks like rot. The center-most leaves actually seem fine, just the outer three look weak.

I wondered if I should cut the flowers to let the plant recover? I've searched all over and everything says to cut after the orchid has dropped its blooms but the flowers show no signs of even wilting- so they aren't going anywhere on their own anytime soon.

Any advice? Should I leave the flowers and just let nature do its thing? Should I prune back the flowers?

Thank you so much!