How to stay on track while on your period?

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AutumLeaf
AutumLeaf Posts: 126 Member
in Motivation and Support
So I'm due & not looking forward to being hungry 24/7 & no matter how much I eat, I could seat the kitchen sink lol.
Also apparently exercise is meant to relieve period pains but not in my experience 🙈. I've started Pilates classes & not looking forward to my pad being extremely visible through my exercise leggings. I hate tampons & not tried the moon cup (I'm happy with my reusable pads so don't plan on investing in a moon cup).
My period pain can bed bound me & the nausea can make it almost impossible to even move a little bit.
I don't want to fall off the bandwagon while on my period.
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  • Running2Fit
    Running2Fit Posts: 702 Member
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    If you really struggle while in your period it may help to just eat at maintenance during that time rather than eating in a deficit. Or create a smaller deficit than usual.

    I typically give myself at least one day where I eat at maintenance so I can have whatever it is that I’m craving.
  • LovelySavannah
    LovelySavannah Posts: 145 Member
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    I perfectly understand. My problem with my period is serious bloating and cramps, it makes me feel terrible and not want to work out, especially ones where I have to jump around. So when I'm on my period, I don't go and workout around people, I follow youtube videos usually. But I'm guessing you're paying for those classes so don't want to miss them. A trick I do so people don't see my pad, wear two pairs of pants (that are both dark, of course). I wear my gym shorts under my leggings and you can't even tell. Also, could try to go towards the back of the pilates class so not many people will notice. If your period really is bothering you so much, which I know it can, you can always give yourself a rest day. I do it sometimes when my period gets the best of me and it's just what I need to get right back to work the next day.
  • AutumLeaf
    AutumLeaf Posts: 126 Member
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    @running2fit, thank you I was thinking of eating at maintence but felt bad about it but feel a lil bit better having someone suggest it :).
    @LovelySavannah thank you for the tips :) I didn't think of wearing shorts above the leggings. I'll try YouTube vids. I find though I procrastinate them and never do them so I'm hoping paying for classes will motivate me. Although I have skipped on classes while I've paid for them 🙈. Spent my life doing anything to avoid exercise lol. I spent so much time in dentition in school for refusing to do PE.
  • LovelySavannah
    LovelySavannah Posts: 145 Member
    edited February 2019
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    AutumLeaf wrote: »
    @running2fit, thank you I was thinking of eating at maintence but felt bad about it but feel a lil bit better having someone suggest it :).
    @LovelySavannah thank you for the tips :) I didn't think of wearing shorts above the leggings. I'll try YouTube vids. I find though I procrastinate them and never do them so I'm hoping paying for classes will motivate me. Although I have skipped on classes while I've paid for them 🙈. Spent my life doing anything to avoid exercise lol. I spent so much time in dentition in school for refusing to do PE

    Glad that helped :)
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,742 Member
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    on my two heaviest days I never exercise beyond a brisk walk outside. I feel bloated and/or crampy to some extent and have moderate flow...just feel so yucky and meh, and I feel like, "eh what's two days in the grander scheme of things?" But the rest of my period is pretty manageable so I continue as normal. I think it's good to give yourself a break if you need it.

  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
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    I'm sorry... is there a rule that people have to wear tight leggings to an exercise class? ;)

    I like to encourage people to know their maintenance number. You can adjust your settings to "maintain current weight" to see it, and then change it right back. Any day you are under this number, you are making progress towards your goal. On the occasional day you are over it, you will likely see that you are doing very little damage in the grand scheme of things. A person can still be "on track", but may just slow down a little to allow for adverse conditions. :)
  • HeliumIsNoble
    HeliumIsNoble Posts: 1,213 Member
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    Eat at maintenance, for the love of cute furry things!

    Personally, I often go over maintenance for those days, and I flick my hair and don't care!

    A few days over in the context of a month of general deficit does. not. matter.
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    edited February 2019
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    I've noticed that when I'm on my period, I tend to crave salt and starch. Mostly, I substitute lower-calorie options. Popcorn and roasted chickpeas instead of potato chips. Fiber One bars (while I don't get intense chocolate cravings, the fudge brownie variety is MOST welcome at this time) and dry cereal. All weighed, measured, and pre-logged.

    The other thing is that as I've stepped up my fitness, especially core-strengthening exercises, I've found that my symptoms have been much less intense. Less cramping, less bloating, less hunger, fewer cravings. That's probably not going to do you much good now when you're facing an immediate issue, but consider it for down the road as a long-term measure.
  • Silkysausage
    Silkysausage Posts: 502 Member
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    That's why I take the contraceptive pill for life long pain, PMS, bloating and all that goes with it. I no longer have to put up with any of it and feel free.
  • whatalazyidiot
    whatalazyidiot Posts: 343 Member
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    I just fit in more sweets with my calories, don't exercise during the heavy/painful days, and will eat maintenance on the one extra hungry day I know I'm going to have.

    The first one after starting I had was in December, days before the holidays, so I ended up eating at maintenance for like 4 days because.. chocolate. It was fine though. I didn't gain anything (the bloat weight goes back down).

    Just take care of yourself and take it easy!
  • angelsja
    angelsja Posts: 860 Member
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    Silkysausage wrote: »
    That's why I take the contraceptive pill for life long pain, PMS, bloating and all that goes with it. I no longer have to put up with any of it and feel free.
    Silkysausage wrote: »
    That's why I take the contraceptive pill for life long pain, PMS, bloating and all that goes with it. I no longer have to put up with any of it and feel free.
    Just FYI having the pill doesn't stop everyone's periods I have been on it for 8 years didn't have a period for 6 years but the past 2 years my body has gone "oh yeah we forgot about these" and now it feels so much worse because I've not had it for so long
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    There are leggings with skirts that might help you feel more comfortable.
  • AutumLeaf
    AutumLeaf Posts: 126 Member
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    Thank you everyone for your responses :) the dreaded period work out came today, wore shorts over my leggings. I have long legs so shorts are like hot pants on me so I don't know how much cover of the pad it made 😆.

    I've actually had nothing but bad experiences with the pill. Makes me bleed everyday between each periods and does nothing for the pain. I've come to sort of accept that a week a month I may be in agony and just hope those agony days don't fall on a work day. I envy people who have good experiences with the pill @Silkysausage but glad you have good experience any way :)
  • gallicinvasion
    gallicinvasion Posts: 1,015 Member
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    You use reusable menstrual products? Me too!! I love cloth pads so much.
  • AutumLeaf
    AutumLeaf Posts: 126 Member
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    Yup :) they're a bit chunkier than disposable so not a good look with leggings lol but would rather that then go back to disposable stuff going to landfills 🤢. It's nice to meet someone else who uses reusable pads only ever met one person irl who uses them. @gallicinvasion
  • gallicinvasion
    gallicinvasion Posts: 1,015 Member
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    Without a doubt! I have bought a bunch on Etsy but I’ve also sewn my own, which I find super fun 😂
  • Opalescent_Topaz
    Opalescent_Topaz Posts: 130 Member
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    Hey, so I see you went to exercise class and I admire you for that! If you ever feel like taking a rest day instead but still feel like fitting in some gentle movement, I recommend a Yoga With Adriene for Cramps and PMS on YouTube. When I'm having a particularly rough TOTM, it helps me. I even do it in addition to other exercise sometimes before bed during that dreaded time.
  • ExistingFish
    ExistingFish Posts: 1,259 Member
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    I think Thinx makes a legging with a pad built right in. Or Dear Kate.
  • kimkimcoleman
    kimkimcoleman Posts: 105 Member
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    I recently realized that taking magnesium supplements everyday can really lessen my cramps. Maybe worth a try for some people!
  • Cahgetsfit
    Cahgetsfit Posts: 1,912 Member
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    the most wonderful invention since sliced bread is PERIOD UNDIES. If you're in USA www.shethinx.com - not sure that www.modibodi.com (australian) does posting but they are the ones I have.

    Anyway - they are gym proof. I now happily lift away in these undies that look and feel just like normal undies, not like i'm wearing a nappy and doesn't leak and no need for tampons or those cup things.

    I have found that when I am more active I get less symptoms of PMT/cramps etc. the more active I am the less symptoms. I still get a ravenous beast day when I do want to eat the kitchen sink - so I do. For one day. And it's now enough for me, it doesn't keep going on and on for ages.

    Did take time though to get so much better.

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