TOM help.

MaddiJoseph
MaddiJoseph Posts: 117 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Alright ladies. I need to know how everyone out there handles this terrible issue. I have been committed and kicking butt at 30 day shred, then I started. Yesterday it was all I could do to make myself give it an effort. All I really wanted was to curl up on the couch with a bag of skittles and some painkillers. Don't get my wrong, I did do my workout, but I phoned it in. I didn't want to move let alone do planks. So how do you all handle it? How do you find the motivation and strength to avoid the junk food craving and work out? I only have 10 days left of my shred and I don't want to phone it in. Anyone have some advice?

Replies

  • jesscod
    jesscod Posts: 98
    Well, everyone has their own thing that works...but when I was doing the 30 day shred and it was that TOM, I just took some advil like an hour before hand and went to work....you either do it or you don't. If you don't put your best foot forward, at least you did it.
  • Meganalva
    Meganalva Posts: 282 Member
    I agree with her!!! ^^
  • Cambury108
    Cambury108 Posts: 13
    I am having this exact issue RIGHT now! :(
    The last to days leading up to this I have not worked out and I can't really count the calories I burn from work all day towards my work out either sadly. So I just don't exercise. I go into it everyday with the intent to do it but I just don't. When its not this time of the month I have no problem finding the motivation so I don't have any advice. Just want to let you know others feel the same.
  • Nteeter
    Nteeter Posts: 190 Member
    I never wanted to ask what TOM was, didnt want to look like the newb. I just figured it out.


    side note: my wife uses aleve :) good luck and hope you can power through your last 10 days!
  • georgie_lou
    georgie_lou Posts: 225 Member
    Take a look at the fattest and most horrible photo you have. That's what I do! It works lol. I want to move away from that look!
  • Mummyadams
    Mummyadams Posts: 1,125 Member
    You know that exercise actually helps? Or ... take the painkiller, wait 15 mins and then go for it!
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    I agree, you need to at least try it. My daughter's doc suggested 800 mg of ibuprofin on the worst days (every 8 hours). Take it an hour before, with some caffeine if you can, and curl up around a heating pad for 30 minutes. Then give it your best shot.

    The good news - many studies suggest that as you get in better shape, it makes TOM less dreadful in general, and even exercising during TOM can reduce the symptoms.
  • fleur_de_lis19
    fleur_de_lis19 Posts: 926 Member
    They say if you cut back your coffee/tea intake, it can help with cramps. Its really tough for me, mostly the week leading up to TOM. My best advice is ti hit the gym as early as possible. The sooner you get your workout over with the better, and less chance that you'll give up and not do it at all. I work out every single day of my period, helps me stay honest, plus it means i can eat those cookies and not feel bad about it. Also up your dairy intake..they say that helps as well.
  • maggie2731
    maggie2731 Posts: 51
    i am going thru TOM right now. I'm in pain i want raspberry chocolate cake and junk food and I DO NOT want to workout. Not to mention the hormones and stress level. So instead of doing all these things I woke up at 5:30am took some pain killers and forced myself to go workout. it was hard untill i started after that i just kept going. As for food i stayed away from all that junk food and no cake for me, thank you very much. I know it's only a phase and it will go away. I eat lots of protein so it keeps me full and i bought some sugar free chocolate ( 5 pcs only 150 cal and some sugar free hard candies 5 pcs only 30 cal) so i had my sweets. I'm still in pain but tomorrow at 4:45 am i will get my butt off that bed and i'm going to the gym. Good luck to you. I know what you are going thru but its only temporarry and you worked too hard to give up only because it TOM time.
  • tamtamzz
    tamtamzz Posts: 142
    Is it because of the pain or because you simply do not feel like it? Most people equate TOM with being in pain and no other symptoms. I get horribly anxious and irritable. And nope, exercise doesn't help with none of it unfortunately BUT losing weight has. It's not as intense as it was. For me, there is a definite correlation between weight gain and PMS.

    I know for me, it's about motivation, and the lack of it. It's like my whole entire moods shifts, and I fall into this deep, dark hole for seven days out of the month. Willpower simply doesn't cut it. I crave carbs, so I TRY to choose complex. I am extremely tired and exhausted, and I generally get hormonal migraines. I do work out though. It's not at my usual intensity, but I still get it done.

    I chart the times I ovulate so I can create a "bank" of calories because chances are, I will go over. I also take a magnesium/zinc supplement because it helps with the cravings. It's definitely doable, you just have to know how to work with it.

    I wish it were only cramps; I can handle that with no problem at all!
  • jennaworksout
    jennaworksout Posts: 1,739 Member
    I just do what I can....I have not started the 30ds, I am soon, but the week before TOM , I am lazy, tired, don't want to move ...but I force myself and just move....it sucks...but you get through it..not to mention the 4 pound weight gain grrrrrrrrr
  • DaysFlyBy
    DaysFlyBy Posts: 243 Member
    For me, the week BEFORE is infinitely worse than Shark Week itself lol. I'm SO hungry and SO pissed off and touchy. I find pushing myself through intense workouts really helps and I permit myself to eat at TDEE which also helps. Once AF actually starts I'm actually relieved because the voracious appetite and *****itude rapidly decline from that point on. I usually have brutal cramps the first day or two so I may half my workout intensity for up to 2 days and after that I'm back to 10% cut and resume full workout regimen. For me I just have to roll with it like this so I don't kill anyone lol.
  • GrandmaPeridow
    GrandmaPeridow Posts: 84 Member
    Thankfully, I don't have that problem anymore. I used to get verry bad cramps; to the point of being in bed for a day. Labor wasn't bad because I was used to bad cramps. Now I have arthritis and other simptoms of ageing. Working out with my daughter today helped relieve the hip pain. I really do know how you feel.
  • klewlis
    klewlis Posts: 79 Member
    I used to get really horrible cramps, back aches, moodiness, headaches, bloating, etc... it was awful.

    Then I went on the pill (Marvelon) and it was night and day. Now I hardly have any symptoms at all. I know that's not an option for everyone but it's something to consider.

    My worst cravings come in the week before my period, not during.

    As for motivation, make sure you get lots of sleep and drink lots of water. Take some ibuprofen (not just for pain but for inflammation) and cut back on salt and sugar... then just do the workout. If you cut it short or do it half-heartedly, that's still better than nothing at all!
  • MaddiJoseph
    MaddiJoseph Posts: 117 Member
    thanks for the advice girls! I did push my way through, it just made me sad that I couldn't find it in myself to really push. Just doing it was really a push. I think the cramping for me isn't the worst of it, it's the mood. I'm exhausted and can't for the life of me find motivation. I pushed and got it done. It was only 2 bad days. hopefully this gets easier to cope with. Actually after I finish shred I'm planning on cutting back to 4 or 5 workouts a week instead of 7 so I can take the worst day off and not feel as guilty. Here's hoping that we can all get through it every month and come out stronger on the other side.
  • klewlis
    klewlis Posts: 79 Member
    There's nothing wrong with taking a day off, either! Especially if you're doing a 7 day/week program.
  • TracyDiva28
    TracyDiva28 Posts: 26
    All of your posts really helped me. I stepped on the scale early and saw that I didn't lose/gain any weight. and I ate really well this week. It's all TOM :( But I see that it happens to the best of us, and I only have one more day to go. After that, Im kicking butt, and working out 6 days a week, and going to the gym.

    I really haven't started exercising yet, im a little afraid of the gym I hate to admit. But I pay every month, so I NEED to go! I know if I was exercising this week, during TOM, I probably wouldve lost something I bet. Oh well, tomorrow is a new day :)
This discussion has been closed.

Categories