ladies, is it okay to workout while you have your monthly th

sonyachan

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Are you a doctor? This is something that I've been thinking about a lot lately as the last time I got to 20% body fat my periods stopped for 3 months (I was still eating healthy, just have a body that builds muscle easy. At 20% body fat I still weighed 72kilos), and it scared the crap out of me. To me, if my period stops for reasons other than pregnancy, it doesn't seem natural or that healthy hormonally. I'm not there yet, but I really want to get my body fat % down, but feel like it might be a trade-off? Should I talk to my doctor about it? I don't think my trainer is fully qualified to offer advice on this. Not to mention he's a young male.....
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I'm a nurse practitioner and certified nurse midwife, so I do a lot of gynecology. I would talk to your doctor. If you shut down your cycles by malnutrition, that's one thing. If you are eating plenty of calories and purposely getting down to a very low body fat percentage, then you are actually turning off your ovaries. This is not in itself harmful. If you are doing it for a limited amount of time, then I would tell you not to worry about not having a period. But definitely talk to your doctor about it.

Generalle

Are you a doctor? This is something that I've been thinking about a lot lately as the last time I got to 20% body fat my periods stopped for 3 months (I was still eating healthy, just have a body that builds muscle easy. At 20% body fat I still weighed 72kilos), and it scared the crap out of me. To me, if my period stops for reasons other than pregnancy, it doesn't seem natural or that healthy hormonally. I'm not there yet, but I really want to get my body fat % down, but feel like it might be a trade-off? Should I talk to my doctor about it? I don't think my trainer is fully qualified to offer advice on this. Not to mention he's a young male.....
[/quote]

I'm a nurse practitioner and certified nurse midwife, so I do a lot of gynecology. I would talk to your doctor. If you shut down your cycles by malnutrition, that's one thing. If you are eating plenty of calories and purposely getting down to a very low body fat percentage, then you are actually turning off your ovaries. This is not in itself harmful. If you are doing it for a limited amount of time, then I would tell you not to worry about not having a period. But definitely talk to your doctor about it.
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thanks! It's definitely not from malnutrition I can assure you!!! lol and shutting down my ovaries isn't such a big deal either, but still a concern. Will see how I go and talk to my doctor if it happens again.

SAC0O3

I say work out if you can. I have not had my period yet since my son, but I used to throw up the first few days of my period it hurt so bad. I don't think I could possibly work out the first few days I am cramping. That is just me though. When there are no longer and cramps and I just bleed then heck yes, I will be working out!

JenGrape

I have found the week before my TOM is worse than during my TOM. My heartrate and temperature is much higher the week prior to it and I can't push as hard. I can always tell when TOM is getting close because my normal workouts are more difficult.... as in that last 15 minutes of my 60 minutes of my elliptical workout is MUCH more of a struggle to endure through it. I just push through it knowing what the issue is.... usually I still get a loss that week as well. (when in the past I'd be up from bloating up to 5lbs!)

zoom2

but having fewer periods in your life is actually healthier (less exposure to estrogen) so if it happens again, as long as you know you're not pregnant, don't worry about it at all.

This is only somewhat true. If a person stops having periods because they are underweight, then...no, it's not healthier. As long as your calorie intake supports your activity, I don't see why exercising on any day of your cycle would be less desirable than any other day. For a lot of us exercise can help ease cramps (at least once we're able to drag ourselves away from the heating pad).

zoom2

This is not true. If you are working out to the extent that you have no periods, you're most likely overdoing it. Unless you're training for a marathon, you should not miss periods. Missing periods, especially 5 in a row, is definitely cause for concern. I would not want any of my patients thinking that missing periods because they working out so hard was a good thing.

Even the average marathoner should not be missing periods. Elites, perhaps, but for 99% of the women toeing the line periods shouldn't really be affected. I don't know any women who have stopped having periods while marathon training, with the exception of a HS classmate who has qualified for the US Olympic marathon trials for the last 2 Summer games.

thinnerisstronger

Just go light. As long as you're eating enough, your monthly buddy should stick around. And plus, working out helps with cramps!

Kimsied

i have heard of women/girls who work-out so much their cycles stop as you described. but having fewer periods in your life is actually healthier (less exposure to estrogen) so if it happens again, as long as you know you're not pregnant, don't worry about it at all.

This is not true. If you are working out to the extent that you have no periods, you're most likely overdoing it. Unless you're training for a marathon, you should not miss periods. Missing periods, especially 5 in a row, is definitely cause for concern. I would not want any of my patients thinking that missing periods because they working out so hard was a good thing.

I suppose that is something to ask a doctor about. It is probably okay if the cause of no periods is birth control as it is with some methods. I am not sure if it is good if it is from a too much exercise/too little body fat or poor nutrition (as sometimes is the case). I am not sure the problem is lack of periods, but my understanding is the lack of period is caused by stress to the body which is not good. There is an ongoing issue with some women linking lack of periods, bone density issues and eating disorders. So for someone moving in that direction, it is probably best to moderate enough for the period to return. I stopped having them for about five months in my late teens and had to take a course of hormones to restart them. Of course, we can't give medical advice on a forum and I am not qualified to anyway. Just saying... Here is one article on the subject, it mentions the bone density thing as an issue: http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=1143

Congrats to the OP though! And I still agree exercise during TOM is healthy and beneficial!

BeautyFromPain

Light exercise helps with cramps.

josavage

It has never occurred to me to not work out because of my period. Exercise definitely helps with my cramps. I'm older than you and I'm done having kids so this is different but I was thrilled when my period disappeared during marathon training. It came back about a month after the race but it was wonderful being period free for the summer!

silhouettes

I do.. it's kinda gross though... lol. I hate riding the bike while on it.. real gross... but I don't mind walking so much.

zoom2

I do.. it's kinda gross though... lol. I hate riding the bike while on it.. real gross... but I don't mind walking so much.

Menstrual cups are a beautiful thing for long bike rides while TOM is visiting. I never had any luck with the $$ silicone ones I'd tried (tried a couple and couldn't find one to fit--at $40 a cup I decided to stop experimenting), but the disposable Instead cups work fabulously (for me). I was able to do a century ride without bringing a ziplock baggie full of tampons along, since the cups can be worn for up to 12 hours! :glasses:

Elizabeth_M

Just make sure you wipe down the machines when you're done

How crude.