Question for the ladies!

Stay in the red tent until your female curse is over.

Seriously, exercise is always good for you. I'm not sure where you ever got the idea that it wasn't safe or that you could injure yourself.

I exercise every day of my period. I have found though that if I think my period is done (the first day it's done) and it is a run day I will flow for about 2 hours again after during and after the run.

I just sit in the bleeding tent out back for that 3 day span, but maybe that's just me.

Just wondering how old you are?

OP, I apologize for all of the people giving mean responses in here. I think sometimes we all forget that we all started with a lot of questions. You should be ok to exercise that time of month, maybe take it easy until you know how your body will react. Let me suggest some videos to try for some gentle toning:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-50GjySwew (I don't recommend wearing these pants, though!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndVjwkaLGDk

Welcome to MFP and good luck on your journey!

My Gyno encourages plenty of exercise even on heavy flow days. I have horrible cramps and backache and that is what she told me to do to help ease the pain. It has helped so much and it seems when I stick to my workouts through my period they are shorter than when I used to just laze around on the couch with a heating pad.

She also mentioned trying to get a little extra iron and taking B-vitamins for PMS and fatigue. It really helps me to feel less tired and get going.

Awe, "Have a Happy Period" ladies.

I do what I can during my period. I get really symptomatic and at times have trouble even getting out of bed - so exercising is out of the question for about the first 3 days. It does help with the cramps - but it's finding the energy to do it that I struggle with. However, I have found that if I am exercising regularly the rest of the month, that week isn't as bad for me (still not normal, but not as bad as it could be).

No pads here! I hate the feeling of sitting in a sloshy diaper. I use a cup. divacup.com *angels singing*

I always exercise during the Red Plague of Death. It actually helps with the cramps.

Tampons, girl. Tampons.

I work out on my period all the time. I find it helps with my cramps!

You can work out through all of your period even the heavy flow. I was in the military for four years, I didn't get to go up to the DS and tell them 'sorry can't do that obstacle course today I'm on my period' and I never got hurt. I'm not sure how you'd even sustain an injury just because you're on your period...any injury you get while on your period is an injury you could have gotten in every day life.

I workout sometimes during my period. If I don't workout it's because I am having exceptionally heavy flow or feeling burned out enough to not be able to function. Otherwise, I've found that lifting weights helps immensely with the moodiness, bloating and cramps.

I keep up the cardio, but I will often skip my weight session during TOM. For some reason as I lift, I feel like I'm pushing (like when having a baby), and I always feel like I have to run to the bathroom.

Hi! I find that exercising helps my cramps (which are pretty brutal, at times). I use the Playtex sport tampons. They are comfy and work really well. On those days where I feel really dehydrated, I drink Gatorade (but only during that time since I don't like it and prefer water) to replace electrolytes.

Unless you experience debilitating cramps, being on your period is NO reason to skip exercise (and it can, in fact, help relieve cramps). I've run, biked, swum, done a triathlon, danced, kickboxed, weight lifted (including power lifting), done HIIT and other plyometric workouts all during TTOM. I have NEVER had an issue, outside of sometimes having slightly less energy than normal. So just do your normal, regular, everyday workouts....and if you need to take it down a notch energy-wise, do so.