Ladies: are u able to lift same during TOM

Yes!

Cardio suffers, lifting suffers, work suffers,

My body just doesn't want to do anything, or at least, not with any grace or speed. I go a bit easier on it at TOM. More so to save time. It can take me an additional 20% more time to do anything for a day or two at TOM.

Sometimes being a woman is ****e.

Some months the first day or so its seems harder but I battle on.

I might be completely alone in saying this, but I actually avoid exercise for 3 days at TOTM. combination of cramps and feeling light headed make the gym not a nice place to be. I actually passed out a couple of months back with hot flush & pain - I wasn't working out, just standing in a shop que - very embarrassing:-/

On the rare occasion I did go to the gym at TOTM - I would feel bloated, dizzy and generally yuk......I wouldn't get a good workout, so it just seemed pointless. Don't get me wrong, I would never miss a days work with it, but I don't see the point in making myself feel even more dreadful, just to prove a point to myself.

I can actually lift more during TOM.. Weird but true. Maybe it's just me though :laugh:

^^^ I was going to say this.... usually I don't notice a difference but if anything I can lift more

yes I can lift the same amount but i want to cry all the way through it, it s an emotional roller coaster.

Weirdly I was going to post a similar thread to this. I'm sure I can lift more then, but I find that my cardio suffers at TOTM - I get exhausted after about 10 minutes of running whereas I can easily run for half an hour at other times in my cycle.

I'm sure I once read about differing hormone levels meaning certain times of the cycle are "better" for strength and certain are better for cardio, but I'm not sure if this is BS or not. Has anyone else heard similar?

in women, testosterone levels are constant (albeit quite a lot lower than men's testosterone levels) while other hormones (progesterone, estrogen) rise and fall at different times of the month. When the actual menstration period starts, both progesterone and estrogen levels are low. While testosterone levels are not actually higher in absolute terms, they are higher than the progesterone and estrogen levels at that time, i.e. relatively higher. this *may* result in better athletic performance. but if you're feeling crap because of cramps that's probably going to have a much greater negative effect on performance than any marginal increased from having relatively higher testosterone.

I've only heard this theorised, not seen any actual studies on it. maybe there have been studies that I don't know about.

Weirdly I was going to post a similar thread to this. I'm sure I can lift more then, but I find that my cardio suffers at TOTM - I get exhausted after about 10 minutes of running whereas I can easily run for half an hour at other times in my cycle.

I'm sure I once read about differing hormone levels meaning certain times of the cycle are "better" for strength and certain are better for cardio, but I'm not sure if this is BS or not. Has anyone else heard similar?

in women, testosterone levels are constant (albeit quite a lot lower than men's testosterone levels) while other hormones (progesterone, estrogen) rise and fall at different times of the month. When the actual menstration period starts, both progesterone and estrogen levels are low. While testosterone levels are not actually higher in absolute terms, they are higher than the progesterone and estrogen levels at that time, i.e. relatively higher. this *may* result in better athletic performance. but if you're feeling crap because of cramps that's probably going to have a much greater negative effect on performance than any marginal increased from having relatively higher testosterone.

I've only heard this theorised, not seen any actual studies on it. maybe there have been studies that I don't know about.

Thanks - this makes sense.

*wanders off to google like I should have done yesterday before posting...*