girls: does your period get in the way of your progress?

If I am late it does, I am late atm and I have eaten 9 chocolate bars in 4 days! OMG!
I also get really sluggish, but I am always feeling like that so I just go for walks if I can't bare to do more hardcore exercises.

be nice to yourself during this time. 1 bar of chocolate won't affect your long term progress, so just relax and enjoy the chocolate, rather than feeling so guilty. Exercise usually helps as it releases endorphins which can for many women relieve cramps*. Sometimes focusing on the outcome helps give you the motivation when you don't feel like doing something. Focusing on how hard the workout is going to be tends to lower motivation, but focusing on feeling good afterwards can be a lot more motivating. If you need to eat more calories during this time, then eat more calories. You won't gain fat if you don't go over your maintenance/TDEE calories. (any scale weight gains during this time are from water weight so ignore them).


*disclaimer: yes I know it doesn't work for everyone, but it works for a lot of women so it should be suggested when giving advice. If it doesn't work for you and your cramps etc are that extreme that you can't workout at all, it's probably better to just rest on those days and focus on getting back into it as soon as you can. A couple of days resting won't do any harm to long term progress if you're working out consistently the rest of the time. Rest days can actually do you good.

I unfortunately seem to reach a much slower point when I get mine. I used to gain between 5 and 8 lb in a single 7 day period (haha double meaning), water retention and giving in to my cravings. This time my weight loss slowed right down and instead of mirroring last weeks' successful 5lb loss I ended up just losing 1.2lb (even though I also have the bouncing bomb of bugs which keeps on giving me the illusion of being better but in actual fact is still there and keeps coming right on back. I also, during this time, want nothing more than to stuff my face with lbs of chocolate and ice cream, I have managed (to a point) to resist but only because I haven't left the house in nearly a week and have nothing in the house.
I think that this is the problem with that particular time of the month for me and though it's awful I am glad I am not alone.

Doesnt stop me! I still go but not as strong! I do shorter times but light cardio like jogging on spot i still do strength training like squats and all

Yes! I'm new to this and only been tracking and exercising for going on 3 weeks. Last week was dreaded week 2 AND that time...a double blow to my motivation. I'm committed for the long term though, like you ladies, so I'm taking the 2 bad days I had on the chin and moving on.

Yes, I get disabling migraines that affect my vision and balance and cause generalized weakness and drowsiness, so I end up spending a lot of time in bed. It sucks. I'm debating on not doing my Monday weigh-in this week because I haven't exercised very much and any water weight is probably going to discourage me. Blaahhh. Thank goodness it's only a few days.

well it just gives me a speed bump in my efforts so to speak. I been at this for some time now and I have come to expect a one to two lb gain, bloating, emotional issues, tiredness, headaches, and extra hungriness. I found that even though I don't feel like exercising that its the one thing that keeps me in control of my emotional feelings and how my body feels and most importantly if I exercise I know that it is okay to eat more and to eat yummy things. I do try my best to shy away from carbs, well I eat vegetables and my whole wheat bread but not pasta or rice, and I shy away from too much fiber. A little of it is great but too much just intensifies the bloating and gassiness around this time. sad but true. I don't like chocolate, so I don't have that problem but I do not buy trigger foods or keep them in my house at all especially around this time. My trigger foods are cheese and peanut butter. Green tea or herbal tea non caffeinated seems to help with pain and munchies. It isn't a bad idea to add in a baked potatoe around this time too. I definitely up my water and stay away from too caffeine. I think it helps out a lot if you try your best to stay away from the scale for a week or so around this time as well. It will only upset you. Make sure you get enough sleep too. If its not in the house, then you cant eat it.. so either include the chocolate bars into your days calories or get rid of it. It helps to keep track of your montly cycle on an app on your computer or phone so you know which days will be more challenging and can make a preplan for the day. That is what helps me. I feel your pain, this is day two of pms week for me. Feeling a bit tired and blah and bloated but it will get better once I head out for my walk and swim. Be strong. :drinker:

Periods are a bloody nightmare, They come around once a month & mess everything up. I get really hot & sweaty when I am on, and I crave carbs & crap for the whole period...

But what I also try to do, is keep on top of my workouts.. Yes I am bloated and look pregnant, but I feel great after. I also drunk tons of water to flush everything out, and try and get some good fruits and veggies in.

I do save some treats though... Just don't be harsh on yourself... Its once a month

Years and years and YEARS ago I read somewhere that exercise helps with period cramps. I don't know if it's true, and maybe it's a placebo effect, but when I get up and move I seem to feel better. Knowing this - and wanting to see the huge number drop on the scale when my period ends - really helps me stick to my goals. The more I exercise, the better I feel, and the more I can eat guilt-free.

...and please don't hate me, but I'm one of those women who can't eat anything for three days after their period starts, because it makes me feel like a demon is trying to claw its way out of my uterus. So there's also that.

But exercise!