That time of the month...an excuse or legitimate?

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  • SundayGirl1989
    SundayGirl1989 Posts: 94
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    If i used my period as an excuse to over eat or not workout then i would be seriously screwed. Since having my contraceptive implant fitted i have been constantly having a 'period' so it really would wreck my efforts. Luckily i still only have the painful cramps/bloating feeling a couple of times a month so i'm still able to do a fair amount of exercise. Although sometimes on heavier days it makes sense to not do anything.
    Like many have already said, a little exercise goes a long way so something as simple as going for a walk is great.
    Also, if you crave chocolate or crisps then have them, but measure them out and work them into your daily limit. It will only bum you out more if you overindulge or restrict yourself altogether.
  • edwardkim85
    edwardkim85 Posts: 438 Member
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    hmmmm.. I didn't know 'that time of the month' was that tiring for women....

    I always thought they should just ' man' up but I guess

    1. women are not men, thus they can't man up

    2. I'm a fool
  • fbmandy55
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
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    Why is a guy responding, three sisters, a wife and daughters. I believe that TOM, OTR, periods are very real, you might be like, duhhhh ; ). Your bodies are collecting every nutrient if can muster to jump start a living incubator and everything is affected. I have several friends here who go through this and some of them work through it, others cannot. If you want me to, I can send the name of one or two and you can ask them how they deal. Good luck lil one.

    That's funny. MY fiance doesn't mind the talk either. He always says " I was raised by a single mom and 3 older sisters. I know everything."
  • loconnor466
    loconnor466 Posts: 215 Member
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    I just started exercising regularly in the past 6 weeks, and that is only 2-3 days per week, but it was 2-3 days more than I was doing in November. I will add to that soon.
    I can attest that my aunt flo was a lot less painful this past month and I attribute it to exercising. Unfortunately I am at an age where it is starting to become less reliable, never know when it will come, or not. I miss being able to track it on pretty much exactly 28 days.
  • InForBacon
    InForBacon Posts: 1,508 Member
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    Real men don't mind a little (or a lot for them heavy bleeders) blood.

    I don't see how this added to the conversation in a constructive way at all. Men don't have a uterus so their opinions don't count.
  • Sparlingo
    Sparlingo Posts: 938 Member
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    Since I'm 5 months pregnant, this thread isn't super relevant at this *exact* moment, but is pretty real to me the rest of the time. Periods suck.

    My approach to periods during weight loss is this:

    1) soften the expectations (I may get tired quicker during exercise, not be able to lift my maximum or run my fastest,etc.)
    2) keep moving.
    3) keep to my calorie allotment (make it a "maintenance" day or two if I have to, but log it and be honest)

    Exercise actually curbs cravings and appetite for me, so keeping moving helps with the food side of the equation in addition to burning calories. Plus, I know myself and it's never good for my momentum in life on the whole for me to take a whole week off from anything.

    So that's basically it for me. I reduce my expectations that week to just move. If I'm moving, I'm winning.
  • SCV34
    SCV34 Posts: 2,048 Member
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    Men might not want to keep reading if they are squeamish! So it is almost my time of the month and I get extremely painful cramps and other side effects. Usually I am so fatigued that I truly cannot get the energy to do almost anything, especially exercising. Do you guys (girls!) work out on your period? If you do, how do you deal with cramps / fatigue? I also have a bad habit of overeating on my period. Again it's the same old "I can do whatever I want because this is living hell and my insides are being ripped apart" excuse.

    Any advice for not falling off the bandwagon for a week every month?

    I still workout when Aunt Flo is visiting. I actually feel better when I continue exercising through my cycle. I have severe cramps and quit the heavy flo(anemia) but I keep on trucking. Like I said I feel better when I do!
  • sewerchick93
    sewerchick93 Posts: 1,440 Member
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    Exercising is good, just don't sneeze

    IMG_57808106882463.jpeg
  • SCV34
    SCV34 Posts: 2,048 Member
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    Real men don't mind a little (or a lot for them heavy bleeders) blood.
    A little lubricant never hurt anybody.

    Ya'll went there?
  • Sovictorrious
    Sovictorrious Posts: 770 Member
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    During my TOM I lay in bed all day. I do not move anything. I also cry, eat, and attempt to murder my husband. I am never successful at murder because that requires moving...as I stated before...during my TOM I DO NOT MOVE.
  • SkinnyRach22
    SkinnyRach22 Posts: 55
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    Real men don't mind a little (or a lot for them heavy bleeders) blood.
    A little lubricant never hurt anybody.

    Omg that is ridiculous.Hahaha
  • silver_arrow3
    silver_arrow3 Posts: 1,373 Member
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    First day, I'm usually in the fetal position. Hurts so bad that if I don't sit quite gingerly enough, it feels like a red hot poker is being shoved through my uterus. Therefore, I do as little movement as possible. However, that's the first day. Every other day, there is no excuse for me.

    As for cravings, I look at my calories. If I can fit it in, I eat it. If not, I suck it up and move on and maybe cry a little because I'm a little emotional basket case, but I can usually manage not to feed the monster.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    That sneeze meme is both disgusting and hilarious!!

    Some use it as an excuse but some legitimately need a break due to horrible cramping, and other symptoms.

    I work through it but I might take it a bit easier on the days where I'm cramping bad or just have no energy. Like instead of running I'll walk or bike.

    And for the cravings, I think that gets better with time. Remember we do need a tiny bit more calories during TOM so don't beat yourself up if you go over a couple hundred calories a few days a month - it's not going to make that big of a difference in the long run. I find sometimes it's best to just go ahead and have a cookie if that's what your'e really craving because if you're like me, you're just going to end up eating everything else in sight and eat just as many calories but still feel unsatisfied. Make the best choices you can.
  • CompressedCarbon
    CompressedCarbon Posts: 357 Member
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    A lot of women use it as an excuse. For a few women, it's legitimate (but they should really be seeking a doctor's help, if the pain is that bad. Srs. It's not 'normal' to be in that much pain.)

    +1. Being a girl is not an excuse for anything. Bad mood? Hit something -- maybe a heavy bag. Run -- away from your problems and crappy mood. Lift -- heavy and often. Struggling to lift a bar is an excellent distraction from pain radiating from anywhere else. I really like running as a way to dispel crappy attitudes/moods because if I'm struggling to breathe, I don't have a lot of energy to focus on anything else. And if I'm really lucky, my brain will disconnect from my body and I'm free to contemplate world domination or whatever else I feel like thinking about.

    An added bonus of extra workouts that week is that it gives me more calories to eat chocolate, salt, or whatever else I'm craving.

    But if you are in so much pain that you can't exercise your way out of it, you really might want to chat with your doctor to rule out any issues.
  • Poofy_Goodness
    Poofy_Goodness Posts: 229 Member
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    Excuse.

    I was on the rag this week. I chose to not work out. I chose to eat a lot. My choice, not my period's.

    Just pop some ibuprofen and exercise your free will muscle. I wish I had done that!
  • BetterThanExpected
    BetterThanExpected Posts: 104 Member
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    You people are probably gonna hate me for this, ha ha, but I seldom if ever get cramps while on my period. As for the fatigue and occasional dizziness, I up my iron intake and it usually helps with both. Calcium and magnesium can be good for cramps and PMS, though.
    As for the exercise thing, for the most part I'd consider it an excuse.
  • benefiting
    benefiting Posts: 795 Member
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    I personally don't like exercising (like classes and such) while on mine but I use pads only so you could see the issue there. That doesn't mean you couldn't go for a walk. It's at least something.
  • abickford82
    abickford82 Posts: 207
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    To me, if I DO NOT work out...I'm more irritable to be around and I suffer from post tubal ligation syndrome. I love lifting heavy, but for me I stick to cardio only those days b/c I find it keeps the cramping at a minimum w/o having to take midol or other pain medication. Painful and inconvenient but not an excuse to eat through house and home, IMO.
  • fairygirlpie9
    fairygirlpie9 Posts: 288 Member
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    I am currently on and I have been ravenous. I knew I would beat myself up about not exercising yesterday when I wanted to eat ice cream so I made myself do it and now I can rest today and enjoy a family meal out for my dad's birthday. The moment you start to make excuses, the more excuses keep creeping in.
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
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    I exercise as usual but my TOM isn't bad at all. I don't even get cramps. Have you thought of planning your workouts around your TOM? As in working out hard the three weeks leading up to it, then taking your TOM week as a recovery week and doing things like yoga and light cardio? That way you stay in the routine of exercising, are still burning some extra calories to combat the TOM-related overeating, but aren't working out so hard that you would be tempted to blow it off if you feel lousy.

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