Women problem

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zahra59
zahra59 Posts: 55 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I hate when I'm on my period I can't work out I feel sluggish I'm craving for a lot of food and I gain water weight or whatever it's called on the scale

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  • skyhowl
    skyhowl Posts: 206 Member
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    I hate it too. just not being able to workout. i know that lots of people say that working out will actually help you (less cramps) but i don't really have awful cramps (i take pain relief first day) and i am fine. I just feel like my battery is completely drained, i get dizzy whenever i stand up and i just don't feel like working out is going to help me in anyway, i tried it once though. i don't have lots of cravings at that time really and if i do i can help myself with small portions of anything i want. so no problem there.

    lastly, i don't think women gain water weight during their period. we actually lose water weight during period. but we do gain weight before.
  • olymp1a
    olymp1a Posts: 1,766 Member
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    I guess I'm lucky somehow. I am not lethargic on the contrary, I have tons of energy this time of the month but in a negative way. I am constantly doing something and 99% of all the times in my life that I have overtrained or injured myself while exercising were when I was on my period.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,598 Member
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    It's okay to take a break during your monthly. Be good to yourself and get back to working out when you feel all right again. Maybe just go for a walk rather than being totally sedentary, at least when you aren't cramping too bad.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    zahra59 wrote: »
    I hate when I'm on my period I can't work out I feel sluggish I'm craving for a lot of food and I gain water weight or whatever it's called on the scale

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10359984/women-menstrual-cycle-weight-and-fitness-matters/p1

    Eat at maintenance for a few days.
    Get plenty of protein, fruits, vegetables.
    Exercise if you feel up to it. Walk if you can. If you can't don't stress about it for a few days.
    Watch your sodium intake.
    Try taking some supplements like magnesium, B vitamins, calcium, etc.
    Eat some dark chocolate.
    Water weight goes away. It is normal for many women to retain water before or during their period. Know what is normal for you and don't freak out.

    http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/condition/menstrual-pain
  • zahra59
    zahra59 Posts: 55 Member
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    Very informative replies and thank you so much.for the ones who don't go through the same things you ate lucky
  • mysticwryter
    mysticwryter Posts: 111 Member
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    zahra59 wrote: »
    I hate when I'm on my period I can't work out I feel sluggish I'm craving for a lot of food and I gain water weight or whatever it's called on the scale

    Don't worry about what is said on the scale at this time. Aunt Flo likes to mess things up for you. If you aren't feeling a workout on a day, don't do it; give yourself rest. Then go harder the next day.
  • Shadowmf023
    Shadowmf023 Posts: 812 Member
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    Keto has reduced my "binges" around that time. I usually had a whole week where I would eat 200-800 calories over maintenance. Now I just have 2 days where I eat at maintenance and it's enough.

    As far as the pain goes, I just take a mix of Ibuprofen and Paracetamol (the best for me, because it doesn't make me sleepy) and get back to exercising. My mood suffers too much if I skip it, and I feel even more fatigued then.
  • lilstry
    lilstry Posts: 120 Member
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    It is perfectly normal to have cravings before, and even during, your period. It will not make you sick but it may cause some bloating or minimal weight gain. . .however, once the period ends you will no longer be bloated and the extra pound or two will come off in a snap. Cravings are triggered by different hormonal changes that are taking place while you're body is getting ready/going through the menstrual cycle. While the food may not be the healthiest, you are putting a little extra into your body which will be losing a lot of blood and other nutrients for a few days. So don't be alarmed...you are in good company (pretty much every other woman on earth) ;-) haha. Also, I agree with shadowm. I have noticed that taking ibuprofen can make my flow lighter at times and also eliminates fatigue. Hope this helps!!
  • jdhcm2006
    jdhcm2006 Posts: 2,254 Member
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    I think the most important thing to do is just accept it. Accept that for 2-3 days that you're going to be not at your best b/c of hormones. My 2-4th days are the days that generally give me the biggest blues. But I just accept that that's the way my body operates, do my best with my workouts and try to keep my eating in control as much as possible.
  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,339 Member
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    gothchiq wrote: »
    It's okay to take a break during your monthly. Be good to yourself and get back to working out when you feel all right again. Maybe just go for a walk rather than being totally sedentary, at least when you aren't cramping too bad.

    This. If you need a break, take the break. It's your body, you deserve that much! xo
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,981 Member
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    I eat at maintenance for a few days and do what exercise I can, which is not much during my heavy days as I am sleep deprived and lose a scary amount of blood due to my fibroids. But I feel better if I at least move around a little - maybe pick up sticks in the yard or do some gentle yoga.

    I don't feel like cooking but do feel like eating so when I feel premenstrual stock up on easy meals and high volume, low calorie snacks. It's a rough three days but afterwards I have a nice weight loss whoosh to look forward to, as long as I didn't use this time as an excuse to #eatallthefood.
  • MrsKila
    MrsKila Posts: 320 Member
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    skyhowl wrote: »
    I hate it too. just not being able to workout. i know that lots of people say that working out will actually help you (less cramps) but i don't really have awful cramps (i take pain relief first day) and i am fine. I just feel like my battery is completely drained, i get dizzy whenever i stand up and i just don't feel like working out is going to help me in anyway, i tried it once though. i don't have lots of cravings at that time really and if i do i can help myself with small portions of anything i want. so no problem there.

    lastly, i don't think women gain water weight during their period. we actually lose water weight during period. but we do gain weight before.

    I actually gain on my period. Always did. I wish it was the other way around for me!
  • kristinaserrano23
    kristinaserrano23 Posts: 9 Member
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    Looking for some insight from others. I am 48, 49 in October. I think I may be in early stage of menopause, whatever that means. For many months no period. I lost almost 50 lbs since March and all of a sudden, here comes my period. I told my husband that maybe it had stopped because I was too fat! LOL. Well now, it seems like I have it all the time. Over the past ,onto it has been very hard to loose any weight despite increasing exercise, logging food, not going over daily calorie allowance. Any feed back is appreciated.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
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    I find eating at maintenance REALLY helps.

    And, exercise can make me feel a bit better, too. Even if it is just a walk.

    Water weight comes and goes. No biggie!
  • jdhcm2006
    jdhcm2006 Posts: 2,254 Member
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    MrsKila wrote: »
    skyhowl wrote: »
    I hate it too. just not being able to workout. i know that lots of people say that working out will actually help you (less cramps) but i don't really have awful cramps (i take pain relief first day) and i am fine. I just feel like my battery is completely drained, i get dizzy whenever i stand up and i just don't feel like working out is going to help me in anyway, i tried it once though. i don't have lots of cravings at that time really and if i do i can help myself with small portions of anything i want. so no problem there.

    lastly, i don't think women gain water weight during their period. we actually lose water weight during period. but we do gain weight before.

    I actually gain on my period. Always did. I wish it was the other way around for me!

    I gain the day before my period and it doesn't disappear until the day after it ends.
  • archermfp87
    archermfp87 Posts: 8 Member
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    I have very irregular periods, so it's hard for me to tell if gains on the scale are from me messing up my calories or if I'm bloated/holding onto water weight. It sucks. I gained 6lbs out of nowhere a couple of weeks ago and it took over a week for it to disappear, but I didn't have my period at the time and didn't know if it was going to start soon so it was really hard not to get discouraged. I had to keep reminding myself that 6lbs of true weight gain (fat rather than water) would need about 21,000 calories of food over my maintenance level and I had not eaten that much, even if I'd given in to cravings. I track my weight once a week but only log it once a month. It helps me to see that each month the scales ARE moving in the right direction even it midway through the month it had all gone to hell. Some people find similar help from logging daily, and learning to understand their different fluctuations through the month.

    As long as you're in a regular and consistent deficit, the water weight will come off eventually. Look at the over all trend of your weight loss chart. If it's in decline, you're on the right track. :)
  • JenniferNoll
    JenniferNoll Posts: 367 Member
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    I had horrible period problems. Awful cramping and then I would start bleeding until I needed a blood transfusion. I got an IUD that helped for a while, and then I had to have it removed due to a medical issue. We tried an ablation, but the doctor actually couldn't get into my uterus! I wound up having to have a hysterectomy, when they discovered a grapefruit sized non-cancerous tumor in there. Since the hysterectomy, I've been doing much better. I didn't realize how bad my periods were making me feel until my parts were finally gone.

    Even periods that aren't as bad as mine were suck. You'd think that something that is normal to our biology wouldn't make you feel so miserable. Increasing your fluids might make you feel better. If you can't manage your regular workout, maybe some gentle walking may make you feel better. Yoga was pretty much the only exercise I could do during my period. The stretching may help to relieve some of your discomfort. A square or two of dark chocolate may help with cravings for sweets if you are able to limit it and eat a small amount without losing control.

    A warm bath can also make you feel better, or a heating pad set on low on your belly.

    If you're receptive to using herbal remedies, valerian root, passionflower, and cramp bark were life savers for me. You can usually find them in capsule or tincture form at the health food store.

    Good luck, and I hope you feel better soon.
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
    edited September 2016
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    I hate TOTM. I too find myself feeling very sluggish, heavy and crampy. I know they say that exercise is good for you when you're on your period but for me, it's the last thing I want to do - and so I don't do it *Hangs head in shame*! My mood is bad enough around that time.. If I force myself to jump up and down and puff and pant, It's gonna' be a whole lot worse and my boyfriend doesn't deserve that ;) - But seriously, do what feels right for you. Exercise can help ease the cramping but if you are simply not up to it, don't worry for that week. Keep your food in check and relax.
  • SarahxApple
    SarahxApple Posts: 166 Member
    edited September 2016
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    I had a copper IUD fitted in January and definitely get the same sluggish/lack of energy thing, try B vitamins during your period? They don't make me feel like exercising but I definitely feel less sluggish. I am struggling to find some balance personally as with the IUD my period now lasts 7-10days and for at least 5 days I don't feel like exercising, went for a run and my limbs felt like lead. However, due to adverse affects of hormonal contraception the IUD works best for me so....

    Perhaps see your GP/nurse and rule out any underlying issues. Eat at maintenance, get plenty of water and sleep, treat the pains, hot water bottles, painkillers whatever works. Don't stress if it's only a couple of days without exercise. If you are worried, get a period tracker app, identify the week before and perhaps (if capable/time allows/is safe) step up your activity that week, then you might feel better about having some days off or at the very least feel like you have banked calories for the extra snacks.

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