Is it okay to not work out on your period?

rhinomidget

SO...

I am 19 years old, 5'2, and 99 lbs
.
I'm not looking to lose/gain weight - I'm just looking to maintain.

Not to get too gross, but I get extremely bad periods...to the point where I can barely walk from the pain I'm in (I can't take most pain medication (unless it's "all natural/herbal"...which don't really work that well) because I'm allergic to one of the ingredients found in almost all pain meds).

I don't count calories - I've tried in the past (with the help of a professional dietitian) and It really messed up my body (I'm only just getting back to normal after a year of suffering).. so, my diet is basically just vegetarian/clean/gluten free.
The days where I'm practically a corpse are usually days 1 - 3..

I usually work out 6 days a week and sometimes I'm able to force myself to work out, but it never really improves my pain...

Anyway, I'm still a little bit new to all of this and I was just wondering if taking an extra 1 - 3 days off will make me gain weight? Nothing in my diet will change that dramatically (during this time I just up my rice intake because the extra carbs help keep my energy up), I just won't be moving that much..

(also, sorry if my English wasn't that great - it's not my first language)

jemhh

It is absolutely fine to take a few days off. Fat gains are the result of eating more calories of food than you expend, not the result of taking a few days off from the gym.

I hope this gets better for you. I had extremely painful/terrible periods when I was young and I know how awful they can be.

Natalierae886

It sounds terrible. I used to suffer badly but its calmed down abit as ive got older.
Take the worst days off and the only thing I would say is drink plenty of water to flush out water retention and also if you feel your craving something have it, just dont go mad with the wrong foods.
I do this every month and because I weigh everyday I notice the scale goes up around 2lb so I drink lots of water and im back to normal in a couple of days.

Treece68

You should be fine and try Camomile tea for the pain it is a natural inflammation and pain reducer.

mkakids

Its fine.

Have you seen a gynocologist for your periods? There may be something going on that you are not aware of, or something that can be done to help.

amusedmonkey

I never workout on my period. I also have recurring back pain issues where I go weeks without working out (like currently). It's not going to affect your weight if you calculate your calories appropriately. Just eat your sedentary maintenance. In my case, I need to eat even less than my sedentary maintenance because I barely make it to 1000 steps when I'm in pain, and even that is pushing it. I would eat 100 or so calories under maintenance if you are not moving at all (currently my fitbit is adjusting me to about -100 or so calories)

Edit: just noticed you don't count calories. Just don't worry about it. It's only a couple of days. Try to lighten up your meals a bit if you are concerned. I doubt you will be able to gain anything significant in a couple of days unless you consciously overeat.

A side note: has your doctor looked into it? It could be normal, but it could also be caused by endometriosis. If it's endo, there are medications that are not painkillers that may make things a bit easier like certain birth control pills.

Francl27

I get horrible cramps too and I can't even imagine what you must be going through if you can't use pain meds! I'm so sorry!

RoxieDawn

No you will not gain weight eating at maintenance calories and not working out for 1 - 3 days during your TOM.

Sounds like you may still be a wee bit skiddish after having your body really messed up (not sure what messed up means in your post), but I think I can guess.

So no you are fine to not workout, a lot of women have issues during this time, I personally do not.. but you will not gain any fat.

VintageFeline

Reiterating it's totally fine and won't impact your weight. I sympathise, before I went on the pill I'd nearly faint and vomit from the pain and have been sent home from school work many times because of it, it's truly awful. I'm assuming it's all been investigated and like me, you just got unlucky in the period pain stakes. Hopefully it will get better for you as you get older.

koslowkj

mkakids wrote: »

Have you seen a gynocologist for your periods? There may be something going on that you are not aware of, or something that can be done to help.

I agree with this. I always had really bad cramps all through middle school and high school (to the point where I would sometimes have to go home in the middle of the day). For me, going on birth control was enough, but there's always a possibility there is something more serious.

To answer your actual question, not working out on your period is totally fine. If you really feel like you should work out, yoga is always a good option when you're not feeling up to something intense or high impact.

RoseTheWarrior

I concur with seeing a specialist. However, there's absolutely no necessity to work out if you're in pain. You're talking about just a few days a month. Make sure to eat at maintenance during those days, and you'll be fine.

Machka9

I get my periods when I work out ... exercise triggers them to start. Plus I have a couple other issues that get them started too. I would miss half a month of exercise if I didn't work out during my periods.

Machka9

rhinomidget wrote: »

SO...

I am 19 years old, 5'2, and 99 lbs
.
I'm not looking to lose/gain weight - I'm just looking to maintain.

...

The days where I'm practically a corpse are usually days 1 - 3..

In your case, I don't think missing 1-3 days of exercise each month is going to make that much difference.