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

jess135177

I agree with everyone that says its just an excuse. Work out and eat like you normally would. Take some Advil if you have cramps. There is no reason to lay on the couch all week eating chocolate covered potato chips. (unless of course it fits in your calorie allowance for the day, then party on!)

kittenful

My ToM isn't too bad. I only take the second day (my heavy flow, super cramping, I hate the world and everything makes me cry day) off to veg out and watch old movies. This is my necessary ritual to sate my angry uterus. The rest of the week I resume as usual. To each their own, you know?

Stinkerbelle84

My strategy is mind over matter. Exercise usually helps. Also, if I think about wanting to eat everything in sight, it is much worse. If I tell myself that it is just another day, the cravings are not nearly as bad. If I crave chocolate, I have a slim fast, lol. Fortunately, I don't have a rough TOM. I feel terrible for those ladies who do.

animatorswearbras

OP only you now how you feel, if you can't you can't, if you're in agony then that's a legitimate excuse to take it easy.

You'll get all spectrum's of fatigue and pain of the PM scale on here, I can cure mine with a couple of over the counter painkillers (and to be fair most of my PMS is crying at dog food commercials if the puppy looks sad and craving chocolate), whilst to some it's so debilitating they've had to have a hysterectomy which just goes to show how legitimate the pain some suffer is.

I feel you think just because it's a womens issue (and nearly every women menstruates) doesn't make it legitimate, but it's no easier to quantify than asking someone else if you should take it easy if you have a headache and we don't know if it's a skull splitting, nausea inducing, sit in a darkened silent room migraine or a mild throb that will clear after half an asprin. xxxx

perseverance14

That may or may not be a problem for me much longer, my body is sort of on the fence about it.

Anyway, unless it is a really "messy" day, even if I feel crappy I exercise anyway, just do as much as you can, even a walk helps.

bc2ct

Exercise is proven to reduce the less pleasant side-effects of menstruation. I find that active recovery (long, low-HR workouts) helps me get over cramping, nausea, and exhaustion. Usually after some active recouvery I am able to do a more intense workout.

NatalieG525

I suffer with endometriosis, so my periods are extremely painful at times. If one month is particularly painful, I stick more with low impact cardio. The exercise helps relieve some of the pain. So if it is painful, try and do something and make sure you don't eat sugary crap that you may crave. Stay healthy, and push through it good luck!

aliencheesecake

I feel like this is entirely dependent on the individual. Some women's pain is relatively minor, then there are other women that are vomiting and practically bedridden every month. Some (like my stepmother) used to get migraines every month with the period. I think whether or not to work out depends on the person, type of workout, and situation. Most of the time, I can work out, but every couple of months or so, I get cramps worse than usual and I don't even bother trying to "push through it."

IOW, you do you, OP!

PS, for all the people that think it's an excuse, must be nice to have *kitten* all figured out... Like because it's okay for you, you know how it is for everyone else... smh

40andFindingFitness

It may depend on how bad you get them whether it is a true excuse. I have a friend who needs heavy prescriptions during hers.

I used to feel the same as you; tired, sluggish, and didn't want to do anything during that time. I'm finding that if I take my vitamins (I often forget) and drink double the water while on it, I can exercise through it without much issue. Good luck.

wonderwoman325

If I'm not curled up in the fetal position and hugging a bowl because I'm puking from the pain, I will do some light exercise and stretching. Also, it's a great time to sit in the chair and work with my free weights.

Also, water is very important and I try to drink more than usual since I bloat like a rotting corpse. And NEVER weigh myself around that week and a half.

Menopause never looked so appealing as when you're shedding your insides.

dym123

I'm on board with exercising through TOM. I used to have very painful cramps along with throwing up, but when I started running and working out regularly, I noticed that the cramping became less and less and now no longer exists. Also drink a lot of water to keep bloating down

Stripeness

I am the same exact way! Its before my period thats worse than my actual period time lol.

My issue isn't while I'm bleeding- it's the 7-10 days beforehand. I get cranky, emotional, irritable and crave every salty and sweet thing in sight. The moment aunt flo gets here, I'm good. I know this, it's been this way since my teens, and what makes it more bearable is working out. I don't often get cramps, but when I do, exercising is what seems to help most, even more than a heating pad.

It's the PMS days that are worst for me - not craving sweets, just HUNGRY. Okay, tbh, HANGRY!
:embarassed:
And like most others here, exercising seems to be useful on the rare occasion that I have cramps, although if they're really bad, I might do something low impact instead of high.

And just as a nice "you're not imagining it" note: it's not weird at all to have appetite fluctuations. Not that I cycle my calories, but I do like it when science agrees w/my experience:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7282607

Jerrypeoples

lkeverett1

I've tried it both ways, not exercising and exercising during that TOM and the months that I exercised (even lightly) I could really tell a difference physically and emotionally. Physically the cramps were't that bad, I wasn't as tired, and I didn't eat everything in sight. Emotionally it was better also. The big black cloud wasn't severe (usually I can feel it coming on), and the crying jags weren't as seldom. I do go lighter on the exercise for a couple of days. I find even if I just walk, however slowly I need to, it helps a great deal. Also, I do allow myself a little more chocolate, but only on what I think is the worst day and I divy it out and put the bag away!

liesevanlingen

Every time I have my period, I think, "Can't wait for menopause!" I used to get really sick, as a teenager, vomiting, passing out, migraines, etc. I must add though that after having children, somehow that made things much better. Still feel like cr@p, still get migraines and painful cramps, but the nausea and the fainting doesn't happen anymore. And my chiropractor can put a stop to a raging migraine within about 5 minutes.

As far as working out goes, it depends.. Not usually the first day, but after that, it's pretty much okay, I just take it a little easier that week. You have to do what works for you.

capnrus789

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?

idontcarroll

Walk through mud?
F _ _ _ through blood?

Jerrypeoples

i changed it...i hate that the site doesnt resize pics automatically

19TaraLynn84

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

You're not a fool. You're just not a woman and have never experienced the living hades that is menstruation. BUT, never underestimate us. We women are tough and can absolutely man up! (You've also never given birth - talk about "manning up"!)

In response to the OP, whether you can push through it or not is up to the individual. As a teen, I would not have been able to exercise. There were many times my school called my mother to come and get me during my TOM because I'd throw up and get light-headed and/or pass out. Two of these instances actually occured during PE, so come to think of it, moving may have made it worse on me. Anyway, for those women who have it that bad, they absolutely should discuss that with their gyno. Whether it's an excuse or legitimate really can't be answered by anyone other than you.

Breylin

Walk through mud?
F _ _ _ through blood?

I love the direction this thread has taken XD

I think cardio is a little too intense for me, atleast for right now because I am not used to an exercise routine. I will do yoga, stretches and do weights..As for the eating, I've found a few different snacks that take my pain (hunger) away....pickles are my salty crunchy go to snack now!