For girls only: Burning calories during our period ?

serenere

Ok question for the girls...during our period the metabolism increase? Because everytime I have it I feel so week with a terrible back pain and cannot exercise at all. I was at least hoping that my body would burn more on its own maybe it's just a dream?

greypilgrimess

I haven't heard anything to support that idea, except my own wishful thinking. I only have personal experience, which is that I feel much more lethargic and lacking in energy during that time, which would appear to be a lower metabolism!

kristy6ward

Any extra calories I may burn I make up for by giving into cravings and ravenous hunger.

blossomnu

There's a study which suggests you burn 10-20% more cals.

sunglasses_and_ocean_waves

There's a study which suggests you burn 10-20% more cals.

Please dont take offense, but a link would be useful.

I've never heard you burn more cals during menses. It's like running in the humidity. It sucks and things aren't terribly comfortable, but it's not a better workout. I just like the sudden bloat drop.

Fruitcake1972

.
There is NO evidence that shows you burn more calories,

You need to understand the process behind the period;
A period = the body cleaning out the womb so that it is ready to receive the next egg which might get fertilised.
Your body will try to maintain just a basic standard of hormones required to function during this flush out, it does not need to produce any that are needed to build a "nest". It is trying to preserve energy for the next egg.
This is why during the next Egg release you feel energised and have splurges of cleaning and nest building, Cooking etc.


Athough you might not feel like moving it is actually the best way to get rid of (or at least lessen) period pains, other good ways are,
making sure you drink plenty of fluid (6-8 glasses of water a day) -you will notice that you are in need of the toilet more as part of the bodies cleansing process-.
Drink Echinacea tea to boost your immunity system upping your energy levels.
Replace sugar with Honey for energy.
Have a look at your posture and try to stay up/ Sit up straight.

neandermagnon

You need to eat more iron because of menstruation, but not necessarily more calories. And when you're having your period is not the time when the body's actually using iron to build up your uterus lining... that happens between day 14 and 28 (in an average cycle) - if there's any time you need more calories, it'll be then. But only marginally more (probably not more than a few calories a day if that), and iron is the more critical nutrient anyway.

A lot of women (including me) find that doing exercise while menstruating actually makes the pains less. If you haven't tried this to see if it works for you, give it a try. It doesn't work for everyone but you won't know if you don't try.

blossomnu

There's a study which suggests you burn 10-20% more cals.

Please dont take offense, but a link would be useful.

I've never heard you burn more cals during menses. It's like running in the humidity. It sucks and things aren't terribly comfortable, but it's not a better workout. I just like the sudden bloat drop.

My bad, I got the numbers wrong, it was 5 - 10%.

I guess I was too lazy to put the link in and other people are too lazy to search, so we're quits

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/319206-burning-more-calories-when-you-re-on-your-period

mayonie1

I thought it was me, I also feel tired during that period I dont do any work out.

ameryati

Never heard anything about this. I tend to lose my appetite during my period. I also exercise (though a bit uncomfortable) because it seems to reduce my cramps.

vanillacoffee

You burn more cals? Thats interesting. I work out but it feels twice as hard as when I am not, and I always gain a stupid amount of weight- between five and ten pounds, which disappears after.

andiebaco

A lot of women (including me) find that doing exercise while menstruating actually makes the pains less. If you haven't tried this to see if it works for you, give it a try. It doesn't work for everyone but you won't know if you don't try.

This.

I usually have really strong cramps (to the point of having to go from the office due to pain!) and since I started regularly working out the cramps almost dissapear.


However, I tend to give in into cravings. So, I never weight myself the days before my period and only after the second half of that week.. I always tend to gain weight pre and the first days of my period, and with the hormones I get utterly depressed...

ELEANOR43da

.
There is NO evidence that shows you burn more calories,

You need to understand the process behind the period;
A period = the body cleaning out the womb so that it is ready to receive the next egg which might get fertilised.
Your body will try to maintain just a basic standard of hormones required to function during this flush out, it does not need to produce any that are needed to build a "nest". It is trying to preserve energy for the next egg.
This is why during the next Egg release you feel energised and have splurges of cleaning and nest building, Cooking etc.


Athough you might not feel like moving it is actually the best way to get rid of (or at least lessen) period pains, other good ways are,
making sure you drink plenty of fluid (6-8 glasses of water a day) -you will notice that you are in need of the toilet more as part of the bodies cleansing process-.
Drink Echinacea tea to boost your immunity system upping your energy levels.
Replace sugar with Honey for energy.
Have a look at your posture and try to stay up/ Sit up straight.

ELEANOR43da

I love this ,thanks. Needed to hear it today. Been a rough one but seem to have way more energy to actually work out and do things around my house. I find since beginning the program in June I don't crave the salt as much or run for junk!!

serenere

thanks guys for all the advices so unfortunate that after all we don't burn more calories during these days!
Talking about the pain my main problem is the lack of energy. I can feel the difference because when I have my period if I get up too quickly I feel dizzy and my blood pressure is lower than normal (and normally is very low). That's why I cannot exercise...I'm doing some yoga, it's better than nothing I guess and helps with the pain in my back. I remember while I was a teen I could barely notice when my period arrived I was moving around all the time. I don't know what changed now that I'm 28 but I just can't lift anything...in the morning I have troubles opening a new bottle of water, just to give you an idea

smesche

I definitely have to push myself to go to the gym that week. I also feel extra sore afterwards, but I KNOW I am not pushing as hard. Go figure. Thanks Mother Nature!

Thank goodness my 2 year old loves the daycare there. If I'm sluggish and not feeling it, he is right behind me "Mommy, get changed. Time for gym." My little motivator :laugh:

SezxyStef

we can only wish....there should be at least one good thing happening while it's that TOTM....jeez the only calories I burn is from the ranting and raving I do at my 19 year old and husband during that time...:explode:

neandermagnon

if you're feeling that ill and in pain during your periods, you should see an ob-gyn. Some amount of pain, discomfort, irritability and so on is normal, but there are some conditions such as endometriosis that cause extreme pain during menstruation, so you don't have to just assume that it's your lot in life, get it checked out as it may be a medical issue and if so, there may be some kind of treatment for it.

cinannk

This is my first post ever on this site and it happens to be this subject, oh well. I have been on diets my whole life and always had 1 week a month where I would seem to lose more. I finally after some time realized it was when I was ovulating. I would always take off at least a pound or two or more during this time so I always utilized it. I just recently read that a women's metabolism does increase during this time. These were not fly by night sites. Studies have been done at the Mayo Clinic, etc. which state that as the body prepares itself for the egg it goes into overdrive to bring it all together. I don't know if this works for others but it is definitely something I use and have used for years to whittle away a few pounds each month. Now when I get my period thats a whole different thing, I have a fight on my hands to keep from pigging out but if I can maintain and not go over board the ovulating pounds stay off. I am now reaching an age where that will soon no longer be an option so I must get this weight off before my body decides to make me fight for every pound. LOL Good luck to everyone and maybe now that I have made my first post I can get into the habit and get some support and give some to others which in the end is why we are here.

popsicklestar

Yes, some medical studies have shown that BMR increases in some women before their period. Here's a link for a scientific study:

journals.cambridge.org/article_S0007114589000279

If you google "BMR increase menstruation" you will find more.

smalls9686

Another reasson I love Seasonale, a period only 4x's a year! I hate it, I don't want to do anything but I have to push through, I hold extra weifght but notice that after my cycle is done it does seem like I lost an extra 1.5-2 pounds.= beyond the water weight.

jbell77

BAM , my body is right on track , idk what you fools have against it , so true! Coming from someone who doesn't have any painful period symptoms ... This routine described in link is how you should behttp://www.livestrong.com/article/295115-calories-burned-while-on-your-period/#page=4

spiffychick85

I have always had an initial bloat during the beginning...but by day 4 Im down the bloat and then a little more...so Im burning extra calories somewhere along the line...Im surely not exercising them off during the first 3 days:laugh:

Pandora_King

You need to eat more iron because of menstruation, but not necessarily more calories. And when you're having your period is not the time when the body's actually using iron to build up your uterus lining... that happens between day 14 and 28 (in an average cycle) - if there's any time you need more calories, it'll be then. But only marginally more (probably not more than a few calories a day if that), and iron is the more critical nutrient anyway.

A lot of women (including me) find that doing exercise while menstruating actually makes the pains less. If you haven't tried this to see if it works for you, give it a try. It doesn't work for everyone but you won't know if you don't try.

Yeah, I just double up on my womens one a day.

cafeaulait7

thanks guys for all the advices so unfortunate that after all we don't burn more calories during these days!
Talking about the pain my main problem is the lack of energy. I can feel the difference because when I have my period if I get up too quickly I feel dizzy and my blood pressure is lower than normal (and normally is very low). That's why I cannot exercise...I'm doing some yoga, it's better than nothing I guess and helps with the pain in my back. I remember while I was a teen I could barely notice when my period arrived I was moving around all the time. I don't know what changed now that I'm 28 but I just can't lift anything...in the morning I have troubles opening a new bottle of water, just to give you an idea

This really sounds like me a few months ago, including the low blood pressure. Right about then my doctor found out my hemoglobin was down. I had to get gastro tests for a possible bleed there (I have an ulcer), but it turns out it really was my period doing it! Well, that and not eating much iron and other irony sorts of issues with my meds, and drinking coffee when I eat (hurts iron absorption).

Some women don't get diagnosed until they need a transfusion! I had no idea I wouldn't know better that I was anemic, but there ya go. You might want to suggest your doc check it (and make him do it; I can't believe some docs let someone get to the point of needing a transfusion by not doing a simple test.)

I've been low on iron for literally years and my docs never mentioned it, btw. The ER didn't either. So don't assume all your levels are fine just because you never heard otherwise. Apparently that one doesn't always get mentioned to the patient. I wish it did; the megapills are awful on the stomach

My periods didn't strike me as heavy the way they talk pads per hour, btw. But they went on for a long time and clotting was always quite noticeable, which can mean 'heavy' even without soaking through pads.