(LADIES) Working Out on Our Periods? Limits?

RosemarieSenpai
RosemarieSenpai Posts: 85 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
How hard are we allowed to workout?
I noticed yesterday that I'm starting to "PMS" but I don't want to resort to a corner with a chocolate bar in hand and perhaps a small tub of ice cream. :grumble:
There are some people who has told me not to push myself too far or it'd have that "ketchup bottle effect" or releasing more than I should.

What should I do?
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Replies

  • Joreanasaurous
    Joreanasaurous Posts: 1,384 Member
    Uhh... What?

    I don't think I have ever heard that one before.
  • sukisuki410
    sukisuki410 Posts: 5
    It happens to me.. my flow seems heavier on the days I work out but I push through.. I loose more weight... rid the body of water weight.
  • alfiedn
    alfiedn Posts: 425 Member
    My cramps are less on days I work out with my period.
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
    You can't release more than you should. Your uterus is sloughing off the unused lining, it's all coming out, and some days more comes out than others (heavy flow days). It's going to keep going until it's all out, it doesn't retain some for later.

    As for exercise, the only limitations are not exercising so hard that your tampon pops out, because that would be awkward and potentially messy.
  • egelinas0502
    egelinas0502 Posts: 3 Member
    Working out will actually help alleviate the effects of PMS...it's a fact.
  • DamianaKitten
    DamianaKitten Posts: 479 Member
    How hard are we allowed to workout?
    I noticed yesterday that I'm starting to "PMS" but I don't want to resort to a corner with a chocolate bar in hand and perhaps a small tub of ice cream. :grumble:
    There are some people who has told me not to push myself too far or it'd have that "ketchup bottle effect" or releasing more than I should.

    What should I do?

    Umm... what?

    Okay. My birth control prevents my periods (I love it). However, since I started working out, I've noticed that sometimes I do get breakthrough bleeding due to the increase in hormones from my workouts. However, what you expel during your period doesn't magically change amounts because you're moving around. You just expel what your body has to release. Unless you get some serious internal tearing from something, you shouldn't be concerned.

    I always found that when I did have periods, exercise while I was bleeding relieved cramps and foul moods. Can't say I have had a "ketchup bottle effect" from my exercise. What kind of people are you talking to???
  • summertime_girl
    summertime_girl Posts: 3,945 Member
    Work out as hard as possible. Every single time you work out. Periods are no exception.
  • 19TaraLynn84
    19TaraLynn84 Posts: 739 Member
    There are no rules. Do whatever you can. If you aren't curled up in a fetal position, work out. ;) A lot of women say that helps them. It's always made my period pain worse, but it's definitely worth a shot.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    There are no workout limits based on having your period.

    I mean, I would probably do something other than swimming if my flow was super heavy, but you can even swim with a tampon under most conditions.

    It helps alleviate symptoms to workout. If you feel like you just don't want to and would rather take a rest day, that's fine too. But it's your choice, not an excuse like you can't work hard because you have your period.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    I have a lighter flow while I am working out, but then make up for it later.

    Once you are bleeding, nothing is going to have much effect on the total, because your body spends the other three weeks of the month creating that lining that you are shedding.
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
    How hard are we allowed to workout?
    I noticed yesterday that I'm starting to "PMS" but I don't want to resort to a corner with a chocolate bar in hand and perhaps a small tub of ice cream. :grumble:
    There are some people who has told me not to push myself too far or it'd have that "ketchup bottle effect" or releasing more than I should.

    What should I do?


    What an outdated stereo type .....sorry.
    I remember when I started my period in the late 50's that all exercise was absolutely " verboten ". But somehow I thought that limiting a woman's activities during those days had been left behind in the middle of the last century. Imagine, all of a sudden the female athletes participating in the Olympic games limiting their activities, because they had their period.....
    What those people tell you is utterly uninformed. Only your choice and how you feel is the limit on how far you can " push " yourself. If you are otherwise healthy there is no reason ( except personal preference ) why you need to limit yourself.
  • Waggoner83
    Waggoner83 Posts: 112 Member
    Working out will actually help alleviate the effects of PMS...it's a fact.
  • toiletski
    toiletski Posts: 126 Member
    My cramps are less on days I work out with my period.

    This. As much as I'd like to use my period as an excuse not to work out, I go and I feel much better. As for the "ketchup bottle effect", maybe the strain of the workout pushes "stuff" out faster but not more than normal. That's impossible.
  • Rachelc1992
    Rachelc1992 Posts: 246 Member
    Working out makes me feel better and stops my stomach pains!! You can do anything :) x
  • Waggoner83
    Waggoner83 Posts: 112 Member
    You will be fine. I have always worked out on my TOM. If these woman are having periods as worse as the ketup bottle affect they need to see a dr. I hardly ever notice that I am on my TOM when I work out because I am focused on my workout. Also for some reason I hardly ever know when my TOM is arriving because working out makes the cramping process easy coming and going.:wink:
  • RunMyOregonBunsOff
    RunMyOregonBunsOff Posts: 862 Member
    Sorry for the TMI but I just came off my first since having a c-section four months ago. It was crazy heavy and I literally was afraid I was on the verge of hemorrhaging. It was like that for about 2 days and on the morning of the 3rd. I was scheduled to run 9 miles that day and I was a bit hesitant about it but decided to go for it any way. It actually got much lighter after running and I felt a lot better. There is evidence that working out during TOM will make shorter, lighter cycles. You should be fine, but just to be safe you could use a tampon and a pad to reduce your chances of leaking.
  • Brown523
    Brown523 Posts: 112 Member
    It completely amazes me that in this day and age people are still so concerned about their periods and what they can and can't do. Really its just a little blood. Nervous about it....use a pad with a tampon and move on.
  • sizzle74
    sizzle74 Posts: 858 Member
    I started my period Saturday morning. I worked out vigorously (sp? lol) for 3 hours.
  • LeanButNotMean44
    LeanButNotMean44 Posts: 852 Member
    It completely amazes me that in this day and age people are still so concerned about their periods and what they can and can't do. Really its just a little blood. Nervous about it....use a pad with a tampon and move on.

    Preach it, sister! Suck it up and work out, ladies!
  • kiittenforever
    kiittenforever Posts: 478 Member
    Makes no difference to me.
  • Zomb1eMummy
    Zomb1eMummy Posts: 104 Member
    The only issue I have when I am on my period and working out is that I am lightheaded and dizzy. I can be doing the exact same workout I always do but for some reason I get light headed when I on my period. Was actually gonna post a topic about it.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    The only issue I have when I am on my period and working out is that I am lightheaded and dizzy. I can be doing the exact same workout I always do but for some reason I get light headed when I on my period. Was actually gonna post a topic about it.

    Your period can affect your iron levels and your blood pressure, which could in turn lead to these symptoms.
  • Zomb1eMummy
    Zomb1eMummy Posts: 104 Member
    Thank you for telling me this. Maybe I need to talk to my doctor then.
  • 125KC
    125KC Posts: 71 Member
    I'm with the above posters - workout...it's just another day. I do have to add one caveat though, and that is i avoid sustained inverted poses in yoga. That will cause, due only to your body position and gravity, a "gush" once you return to your normal body position - aka upright. And this only happened to me once on a "heavy" day.

    Otherwise, i push just as hard as any other day.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    Everyone is different. Some of us have uncomfortable but tolerable periods, some of us have rediculous horrible cramping ugliness every month, and anywhere in between. So it's up to you. If you feel you can workout, then workout. If you're a bit tired and crampy, still workout but maybe take the intensity down a notch or two (ex: walk instead of run). If you're in a bunch of pain and can hardly walk, it might be best to just rest up and try again tomorrow.

    The one thing to be cautious of is taking something like Advil or Aleve for cramps and then deciding to workout - the meds can mask the typical pain warnings that signal if you're pushing too far or have bad form (risking injury).
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,064 Member
    You can workout the same as you always do.

    Just take some pain killers if needed prior, that is what I do. It's business as usual.

    Edit: And wear heavy flow protection.
  • ShibaEars
    ShibaEars Posts: 3,928 Member
    Work out as hard as possible. Every single time you work out. Periods are no exception.

    This.

    Sometimes I may have to take a bit longer break due to cramps, or if I'm really tired I may not be going as fast or as hard as normal, but I still push myself.
  • AusAshMommy
    AusAshMommy Posts: 845 Member
    It's just another week/day for me - my period has actually gotten lighter since I've been working out consistently...not sure why but it has.

    If you are feeling light headed slow down some, consume more protein, stay hydrated and push on!
  • RosemarieSenpai
    RosemarieSenpai Posts: 85 Member
    My family from a different culture thinks if I workout too hard on my period I get more "blood loss" if I'm shortening my cycle that way by working out... Which I think is weird since I do get light headed sometimes but that's the norm.
  • RosemarieSenpai
    RosemarieSenpai Posts: 85 Member
    Working out will actually help alleviate the effects of PMS...it's a fact.
    I wish I had the house to myself so I can do my usual workout routine without having people hog my living room.
    It completely amazes me that in this day and age people are still so concerned about their periods and what they can and can't do. Really its just a little blood. Nervous about it....use a pad with a tampon and move on.
    Ha! Not a little in my case on the first to third day -- hate it! I actually do the pad and tampon thing because I sometimes wake up to a murder scene and my flows have always been heavy. :sad:

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