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

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Replies

  • Lunira
    Lunira Posts: 33
    Sugar free Jello chocolate pudding for the chocolate cravings -- In terms of calories it's not bad, and you get calcium and etc. from the milk.

    Lots of ibruprofen, it's the only thing I've ever tried that actually helps with cramps.

    It's pretty heavy flow-wise for the first few days, so nothing strenuous during that part.
  • WonderWoman_5
    WonderWoman_5 Posts: 101 Member
    I am going through it now!! The first 2 days of my period I am extremely in pain and sick, after that I push through the pain on the ellipitical :)
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    It's going to be different for everyone. I have a cousin with extreme periods (long, heavy, painful) and I certainly wouldn't blame her for sitting it out. I, myself, have been blessed with short, light, easy periods, so exercise is no problem for me. It's just a minor inconvenience, really. Rarely, I will experience some cramps and I find that exercise actually helps.
  • hilts1969
    hilts1969 Posts: 465 Member
    Sugar free Jello chocolate pudding for the chocolate cravings -- In terms of calories it's not bad, and you get calcium and etc. from the milk.

    Lots of ibruprofen, it's the only thing I've ever tried that actually helps with cramps.

    It's pretty heavy flow-wise for the first few days, so nothing strenuous during that part.

    wow wow wow heavy flow too much info, know your audience this isn't Jerry Springer
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    Sugar free Jello chocolate pudding for the chocolate cravings -- In terms of calories it's not bad, and you get calcium and etc. from the milk.

    Lots of ibruprofen, it's the only thing I've ever tried that actually helps with cramps.

    It's pretty heavy flow-wise for the first few days, so nothing strenuous during that part.

    wow wow wow heavy flow too much info, know your audience this isn't Jerry Springer

    Not sure you're in the target audience. :huh:
  • 19TaraLynn84
    19TaraLynn84 Posts: 739 Member

    i refuse to copy and paste can't you do it it where i can just click on it, i am a very busy man

    But plenty of time to comment on a topic you know absolutely nothing about, obviously.????
  • hilts1969
    hilts1969 Posts: 465 Member
    Sugar free Jello chocolate pudding for the chocolate cravings -- In terms of calories it's not bad, and you get calcium and etc. from the milk.

    Lots of ibruprofen, it's the only thing I've ever tried that actually helps with cramps.

    It's pretty heavy flow-wise for the first few days, so nothing strenuous during that part.

    wow wow wow heavy flow too much info, know your audience this isn't Jerry Springer

    Not sure you're in the target audience. :huh:

    I am being unfairly attacked by the sisterhood of my fitnesspal here, for all the men looking on and keeping quiet shame on you, gary cooper would turn in his grave, you are all yella i tell you
  • 19TaraLynn84
    19TaraLynn84 Posts: 739 Member
    Sugar free Jello chocolate pudding for the chocolate cravings -- In terms of calories it's not bad, and you get calcium and etc. from the milk.

    Lots of ibruprofen, it's the only thing I've ever tried that actually helps with cramps.

    It's pretty heavy flow-wise for the first few days, so nothing strenuous during that part.

    wow wow wow heavy flow too much info, know your audience this isn't Jerry Springer

    Not sure you're in the target audience. :huh:

    I am being unfairly attacked by the sisterhood of my fitnesspal here, for all the men looking on and keeping quiet shame on you, gary cooper would turn in his grave, you are all yella i tell you

    Lol! Well, you asked for it!! What were we supposed to do - just let you insinuate that we're drama queens and say that paper cuts hurt worse than period pains? The other men are just being cautious! And rightfully so. Hell hath no fury like a pms'ing woman.
  • hilts1969
    hilts1969 Posts: 465 Member

    i refuse to copy and paste can't you do it it where i can just click on it, i am a very busy man

    But plenty of time to comment on a topic you know absolutely nothing about, obviously.????

    i have a wife mother sister and several nieces and although none of them speak to me anymore i can safely say i am in the know on all female related subjects
  • Arranna1212
    Arranna1212 Posts: 143 Member
    Go and workout even if you feel like poop. Do something full bodied like, aerobics or zumba. It stretches those stomach muscles and warms them, making the cramps go away. Plus if you do it long enough you will release serotonin and will feel happy and not so cranky.
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member

    i refuse to copy and paste can't you do it it where i can just click on it, i am a very busy man

    But plenty of time to comment on a topic you know absolutely nothing about, obviously.????

    i have a wife mother sister and several nieces and although none of them speak to me anymore i can safely say i am in the know on all female related subjects

    :D You are pretty funny. I like hearing from you much more than some women all high and mighty who think their periods are like mine because we're both women. I swear it's like someone is trying to remove my uterus piece by piece with a melon baller. Yeah, take an ibuprofen for that. Riiiiight ;)
  • Iwantchange_22
    Iwantchange_22 Posts: 49 Member
    I'd say its a legitimate excuse for some people. If your lucky and have a light period you can easily continue exercising. But for some people its extremely painful and heavy, and you really don't want to exercise through that.

    its not however an excuse to eat poorly.
  • Karlayito1
    Karlayito1 Posts: 6 Member
    Not for me, I worked out, it helped with cramps and I felt like nothing could stop me, not even aunt Flo... she can go @#$$% herself, I need to loose the weight!
  • fujiko
    fujiko Posts: 58 Member
    Yoga and Pilates do wonders for any PMS or period pains. They even have special exercises for it, so give it a try. I go as often as I can during my period! It also helps with relaxing so I always feel so much better walking out of the studio.
  • Zoejohnse91
    Zoejohnse91 Posts: 227 Member
    My TOM always sees me gain nearly a stone! (14lbs) Truly horrid! And I get tired and cravings, i just NEED sugar :laugh: ~
    I stick to what ever work out day im on, if its a rest day thats great but usually this lasts more than one day so I stick to my routine, be it swim or weights or cardio. I just pay more attention to my aches and if it gets too much i'll take a break then get back to it.

    Its a rubbish time :heart: :flowerforyou:
  • Zoejohnse91
    Zoejohnse91 Posts: 227 Member
    Not for me, I worked out, it helped with cramps and I felt like nothing could stop me, not even aunt Flo... she can go @#$$% herself, I need to loose the weight!

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
  • MarKayDee
    MarKayDee Posts: 196
    The last two days I've been shoveling Lindt truffles and jelly beans like a gum popping tween. Today a coworker pointed out it was my turn and like clock work I got home and BAM. During my lady time (I also refer to it as Baking Time) is upon me. I don't plan on doing any workouts tomorrow or the day after. I see some pancakes and a lot of ibuprophen(I have to take like six at a time to cut the edge off) in my future.

    Do whatever you want, so long as you keep the sugars in moderation.
  • Lunira
    Lunira Posts: 33
    Sugar free Jello chocolate pudding for the chocolate cravings -- In terms of calories it's not bad, and you get calcium and etc. from the milk.

    Lots of ibruprofen, it's the only thing I've ever tried that actually helps with cramps.

    It's pretty heavy flow-wise for the first few days, so nothing strenuous during that part.

    wow wow wow heavy flow too much info, know your audience this isn't Jerry Springer

    It's a basic biological process that is quite familiar to many of us, and can indeed temporarily influence our weight measurements (via water retention) and our ability to exercise vigorously. Frankly, this is Fitness Pal. Questions of weight and exercise are absolutely relevant for this audience, and this question is particularly relevant for those of us who are female and of childbearing age.

    If you are not a female of childbearing age (or menstruation squicks you out just in general), why are you on this thread in the first place?
  • Lunira
    Lunira Posts: 33
    The deal with Ibuprofen is basically this: Cramps are actually caused by a chemical called prostaglandins, which tell your uterus to rhythmically contract in order to help shed the old lining. Past a certain point of being worked like this, lactic acid will start building up in the uterine muscles, just as they do in your biceps, quads, and other muscles when you're working out and feel "the burn". (This buildup is what "the burn" of exercise is.)

    Ibuprofen is a chemical antagonist of prostaglandins, so it helps stop the actual rhythmic contractions that are causing the pain, rather than just masking the pain. If you have underlying health conditions which would be aggravated by the use of NSAIDS, you might not want to go this route, but during the first couple days when the cramps are particularly bad I'll take up to 600-800 mg every 4 hours. I've done this for years, and have yet to experience any adverse health effects from this practice.

    A caveat, though. Aggressively medicating one's cramps in this fashion does seem to lengthen the duration of the period itself by a day or so, as the internal cleaning process is not being helped along by vigorous uterine contraction. Or this has been my experience, at any rate.
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
    The deal with Ibuprofen is basically this: Cramps are actually caused by a chemical called prostaglandins, which tell your uterus to rhythmically contract in order to help shed the old lining. Past a certain point of being worked like this, lactic acid will start building up in the uterine muscles, just as they do in your biceps, quads, and other muscles when you're working out and feel "the burn". (This buildup is what "the burn" of exercise is.)

    Ibuprofen is a chemical antagonist of prostaglandins, so it helps stop the actual rhythmic contractions that are causing the pain, rather than just masking the pain. If you have underlying health conditions which would be aggravated by the use of NSAIDS, you might not want to go this route, but during the first couple days when the cramps are particularly bad I'll take up to 600-800 mg every 4 hours. I've done this for years, and have yet to experience any adverse health effects from this practice.

    A caveat, though. Aggressively medicating one's cramps in this fashion does seem to lengthen the duration of the period itself by a day or so, as the internal cleaning process is not being helped along by vigorous uterine contraction. Or this has been my experience, at any rate.

    Wow, this makes a great deal of sense. I had fibriods in the lining of my uterus, making it ungodly painful when it would contract to shed the lining, to the point that I was on prescription medication and my periods would last 8 to 10 days. So I guess for me it would be a catch 22, there is no way I could manage to live with out the meds either. Oh well, not my issue anymore. My hysterectomy is one of the best thing I ever did.
  • ickleprincess
    ickleprincess Posts: 5 Member
    Hey I have PCOS and a hormone in balance so my periods are horrendous! I feel fatigued too. I know all DR's say it and you want to slap them but your weight does effect them! Its a vicious circle for me, PCOS makes it difficult to lose weight but being overweight worsens the periods.

    I lost a couple of stone two years ago and my periods got less painful and more tolerable. (tolerable to me maybe not to others lol)

    I've put weight back on and they have gone back to painful. I want to lay on the sofa moan and eat chocolate however I took some advice off a personal trainer (female) who has the same condition.

    I take buscopan (which I find amazing) and ibuprofen and then I exercise! Something I would have said no to initially but I gave it a go, nothing too vigorous but get on the bike and do twenty mins at a moderate pace, this definitely has reduced my pain and I drink double my normal water intake to reduce my retention and boating.

    I know how hard it is to even consider moving but if you can try a bit of exercise it really does help!
  • WannabeStressFree
    WannabeStressFree Posts: 340 Member
    I used to let go and eat a ton and feel so lethargic and achy.

    Once I started eating a highly nutritious diet and sleeping better, as well as exercising, the symptoms and cravings are mostly gone. It's amazing onsidering I was the queen of sugar cravings.
    I believe cravings happen because our bodies are lacking in nutrients.
    So I recommend to take it easy in this time and eat well. If you can muster energy, exercise always helps, though I believe once our lifestyles are healthier, energy levels go up. It's happened to me and I still can't believe it.
    good luck!
  • toronto_j
    toronto_j Posts: 206 Member
    Periods are not a disability so unless there's a serious problem such as fibroids, let's stop treating it as such. I've found I get massive cravings for meat and feel a little less energetic but I stick to my workout. I used to have wicked cramps until I discovered naproxen/Aleve...only thing that works.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    My hysterectomy is one of the best thing I ever did.

    My mother says the same thing. I went for a D&C and they had me confused with a hysterectomy...Unfortunately, the hysterectomy patient had penicillin for their post op antibiotic, so I had to set them straight :(

    Even though it is just Tylenol, I find that Midol helps more than anything else I have tried, I assume because of the antidiuretic, the cramps are horrible and all, but it is the bloating that makes me barely able to walk.
  • FindingAmy77
    FindingAmy77 Posts: 1,268 Member
    I have found that pushing through exercise during my period helps relieve cramps and pain. I don't take nearly as much ibuprophen for cramps as I used to. I can be sitting in my recliner, feeling yucky and thinking I don't want to workout, but if I just get up and go for my run, or do my weight workout, within a few minutes of starting I'm not even aware of any cramps, and I feel a thousand times better when I'm done. :bigsmile:

    As far as cravings and eating during that time - those have lessened as well. Probably partly due to learning new habits, such as measuring out a portion of potato chips and putting the bag away rather than sitting down with the entire bag and eating as much as I want. :tongue:

    Good snacks
    - portion out a zip lock bag of raw almonds and toss in a few chocolate chips
    - a few pita chips and some crunchy veggies (baby carrots, sugar snap peas, red bell pepper slices) with hummus
    - stir a spoonful of Nutella into a half cup of plain Greek yogurt
    - dip sliced apples in peanut butter (or half peanut butter and half Nutella!)

    These are decent snacks with a bit of the salty/sweet/chocolately flavors you might be wanting - helps satisfy the cravings.

    Just make sure you ignore the scale during that time - I always go up as much as 5lbs during the week, but I know it's just temporary, it's not fat gain, and it will drop back off again in a few days.

    all of this and just a sidenote: I found that the more I have lost, the less severe my period and pms symptoms have been. Just push through it. Swim, walk, yoga on the real bad crampy days. Your body will reward you by feeling a lot better after you have worked out. THat is a promise
  • 33Freya
    33Freya Posts: 468 Member
    I have found that going anyway helps the cramps etc. get some cardio- you'll feel better for it. Now If I could just stop gaining. 3-5lbs around that time...
  • margannmks
    margannmks Posts: 424 Member
    [quo
    Menopause never looked so appealing as when you're shedding your insides.
    [/quote] Im 53 still having those visits too, i think everyone will be the last then here we go again, my mom says aunt doris was still having them in her 60's yea great! But im supposedly not losing my bones and drying up so im suppose to be happy, well i aint feeling the love today, Went to boot camp tonite but bowed out of zumba, just wasnt feeling the "shake what your mama gave ya". Oh i also ate 4 pb2 balls covered in chocolate.
  • PrettyPearl88
    PrettyPearl88 Posts: 368 Member
    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?

    If I have cramps, I skip my workout. I only get cramps for 1-2 days of my cycle though and the other days I'm perfectly fine, so it's never a big deal if I skip a day or two. Our bodies need rest anyway. I work out based on how I feel: whether it's pain from cramps or fatigue and dizziness because I only got 1 hour of sleep the night before (not that uncommon because I'm a law student), if I'm truly feeling horrible, I won't work out. Simple as that. I refuse to make myself sick.

    I do try to eat healthy during that week though, even if it's just eating at maintenance on the crampy days. Sometimes I do overeat a little on one or two days of my cycle, but I just make up for it the next day (or the next few days). No big deal! I don't use my cycle as an excuse to be be a sloth and pig out, but I don't believe in "powering though the pain" to the point of making myself sick either. I believe in a happy medium. I do what I can to stay healthy and in shape but if I don't feel good, I don't feel good; I just give myself some extra rest. :smile:
  • PrettyPearl88
    PrettyPearl88 Posts: 368 Member
    Periods are not a disability so unless there's a serious problem such as fibroids, let's stop treating it as such. I've found I get massive cravings for meat and feel a little less energetic but I stick to my workout. I used to have wicked cramps until I discovered naproxen/Aleve...only thing that works.

    Naproxen/Aleve has been my lifesaver too! It's seriously prevented me from losing jobs and failing my classes! Lol! Praise God for that stuff, I swear! :laugh:
  • redheadmommy
    redheadmommy Posts: 908 Member
    Since when it is a crime to skip a day or two from working out? Our bodies need rest anyway. I do not feel super energetic either, and i do not like to do really hard- core excersice on the first 2 days. No biggie, I do it on the 3rd or the 4th day.
    I started p90x3 almost 3 weeks ago, which is 90 day program with workouts every single day. I deliberately scheduled my start the way that my period always will fall on transition week. Transition week are the easiest an mainly contain just stretching/ yoga no brutal strength training or over the board cardio.