Staying healthy during THAT time

ChubbyRose84
ChubbyRose84 Posts: 48 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am having the hardest time staying on track during my time of the month.

Cramps, sleepy, tired and sooooo many cravings. I can't bring myself to exercise much at all.

Any ideas?

Replies

  • sbrooks0387
    sbrooks0387 Posts: 167 Member
    this month was a hard one for me. I tried to eat at maintenance and had ice cream all but one night. i only sorta tracked, but you know what choices you should be making. my bowl of ice cream was small, and besides some graham crackers one day i didn't have anything else snack like. mentally i felt great. i was also very surprised for my weigh in this morning and to see i lost 1.4 pounds (i am set at lightly active, but could prob be active, with the garden in full production and all the work that is right now).
  • ChubbyRose84
    ChubbyRose84 Posts: 48 Member
    Nice to know I'm not the only one here that gets blown by there cycle. I also have pain during my cycle, so I know that's part of it.
  • Candyspun
    Candyspun Posts: 370 Member
    I exercise if I can, and if I can't, I just stay within my minimum calories.
  • RelCanonical
    RelCanonical Posts: 3,882 Member
    I have a lot of trouble too. I actually get the worst cravings the week before my cycle starts. This last one I actually did well with avoiding cravings purely by not allowing myself the time. I spent a lot of time working outside and doing house painting that I couldn't eat during.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,889 Member
    ChubbyRose84 wrote: »
    I am having the hardest time staying on track during my time of the month.

    Cramps, sleepy, tired and sooooo many cravings. I can't bring myself to exercise much at all.

    Any ideas?

    My fatigue at that time is because of massive blood loss due to uterine fibroids. I'm now taking tranexemic acid, which has reduced my blood loss 25-50%. Lighter bleeding = less interrupted sleep, but if I get more than 2.5 hours at a stretch I'm doing good.

    I'm anemic, and in addition to supplementing iron I eat liverwurst for lunch and steak for dinner for a week.

    I eat at maintenance for the few days premenstrually that my appetite spikes up and during my two heavy days.

    When I stop feeling like a zombie I resume exercise.
  • Lillymoo01
    Lillymoo01 Posts: 2,865 Member
    If you are hungry around that time of the month just eat at maintenance. Your NEAT increases slightly during that time of the month also. I am normally extra hungry in the days leading up to my period but have a loss in appetite during the first day or two so it evens out in the long term. I do find though that foods high in sugar actually make me feel worse rather than better. Nuts and dark chocolate, with plenty of green leafy vegetables seem to help more. I am guessing that maybe the body is wanting extra magnesium or something while craving sugar.
  • rose2_0
    rose2_0 Posts: 150 Member
    I have trouble but I don't have normal periods. My periods leave me screaming in agony on the floor, not able to sleep a wink at night. Feeling like I need to vomit. Basically, my own personal hell.

    I workout though. This period was the first time I COULD NOT. I've never been this sick from it in my life. 5 nights in a row, no sleep.

    When they're not as bad, I can control my diet by eating at maintenance for a day or two. I might hit a few low calorie days prior, or on days I don't feel as hungry, to help it even out. I try to PLAN lower calorie, high volume things that taste good so I can munch throughout the evening.

    But yeah, I don't skip workouts due to my period. I've changed my programming a little but once exercise is a way of life, it's harder NOT to workout than to skip it.
  • hpurtee1hp
    hpurtee1hp Posts: 42 Member
    I definitely struggle with this too! Good to see everyones advice. I do ok through the day because I can keep myself busy, but once the kids are in bed the cravings are out of control! Haha
  • DebTavares
    DebTavares Posts: 87 Member
    I really love workouts and look forward to them so I don't skip unless I am feeling over-trained. What I do though is if it is one of my 2 heavy days I will do a class that is not as hard. So I will do bodycombat instead of bodystep. I also sometimes add an extra snack like a piece of fruit or half a protein bar.
  • rose2_0
    rose2_0 Posts: 150 Member
    DebTavares wrote: »
    I really love workouts and look forward to them so I don't skip unless I am feeling over-trained. What I do though is if it is one of my 2 heavy days I will do a class that is not as hard. So I will do bodycombat instead of bodystep. I also sometimes add an extra snack like a piece of fruit or half a protein bar.

    How do you eat half of a protein bar? I eat two in a row on the regular. But I'm a fat *kitten* so....nevermind.
  • DebTavares
    DebTavares Posts: 87 Member
    rose2_0 wrote: »
    DebTavares wrote: »
    I really love workouts and look forward to them so I don't skip unless I am feeling over-trained. What I do though is if it is one of my 2 heavy days I will do a class that is not as hard. So I will do bodycombat instead of bodystep. I also sometimes add an extra snack like a piece of fruit or half a protein bar.

    How do you eat half of a protein bar? I eat two in a row on the regular. But I'm a fat *kitten* so....nevermind.

    LOL it takes A LOT of restraint to refrain from eating the entire bar, but I do half because of calories.
  • rose2_0
    rose2_0 Posts: 150 Member
    DebTavares wrote: »
    rose2_0 wrote: »
    DebTavares wrote: »
    I really love workouts and look forward to them so I don't skip unless I am feeling over-trained. What I do though is if it is one of my 2 heavy days I will do a class that is not as hard. So I will do bodycombat instead of bodystep. I also sometimes add an extra snack like a piece of fruit or half a protein bar.

    How do you eat half of a protein bar? I eat two in a row on the regular. But I'm a fat *kitten* so....nevermind.

    LOL it takes A LOT of restraint to refrain from eating the entire bar, but I do half because of calories.

    Oh yeah...because calories.
  • Stellamom2018
    Stellamom2018 Posts: 120 Member
    I almost posted this question. I am only making it through because I'm shamelessly keeping a huge chunk of calories for ice cream. I'm not hungry during this week I am just wanting to eat crap. I am keeping it within my calorie goals and today is the least amount of steps I've had since this time last month, but hey, we have to survive somehow!
  • ChubbyRose84
    ChubbyRose84 Posts: 48 Member
    Thank you guys for the advice. I still can't workout much, other than some impulsive dancing in the kitchen. I rest a lot.
  • confidenceinrain
    confidenceinrain Posts: 104 Member
    My mom implemented this rule when I was a teenager and it still works today: you can eat anything you want on the first day of your period. Knowing I can have a burger or ice cream or something (I go to maintenance calories on that day only) helps.

    I have to cut out alcohol during my period (I don't drink a ton but I have a couple a week maybe) so last time I ended up eating almost my exact calorie goal that week anyway.

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