Exercise when you have your period

Perhaps you should speak with your healthcare provider about the symptoms you are having.

While I agree it's always worth getting things checked out, I don't think her symptoms are in any way out of the ordinary. Most people feel pretty grotty on their period, I know people who faint, throw up, all sorts of things. Period pains can be very severe if that's the way you are.

It may be "Just the way you are" but it doesn't have to be.

I found that out the hard way after starting B/C. I didn't have to suffer through debilitating cramps, nausea and extreme fatigue, when there was a pill I could pop and be fixed.

For the people saying push through:
Until you've been there, there is no way I was ever pushing through. When cramps are starting in my stomach, wrapping around to my lower back and down into my tailbone, the last thing I want to do is exercise... let alone move.

This may have already been said, but for me it helps to exercise just before the cramps come, if you can anticipate their arrival. This was always hard for me, as my periods have always been irregular, but when I was lucky enough to have done some sort of physical activity before it started, the cramps weren't nearly as bad. This really only works if cramps are your problem though; it doesn't help with bloating or crabbiness.

I am really not trying to be mean but suck it up and go to the gym. We are women in the 21st century and we aren't sent to the red tent. It's just a little annoyance once a month. It will actually help you feel better.

I don't think this in neccessary. I know the variance in discomfort during a woman's menstural cycle. I, myself, have experencied different levels of pain. Some months I can hardly stand to be awake, while others are nothing more than one day of cramping.

You shouldn't call people lazy if you have no clue what they are going through. Your experience might just be "a little annoyance", but some other women's are a lot more than that.

If you speak to a doctor, yes they will say that exercise has the potential to make you feel better because the extra blood flow can soothe the tightened muscles (as can hot water). But if you are in an excessive amount of pain it will only reduce (if that) the discomfort. Some women may find it impossible to get to moving due to how tense their musles are.

This may have already been said, but for me it helps to exercise just before the cramps come, if you can anticipate their arrival. This was always hard for me, as my periods have always been irregular, but when I was lucky enough to have done some sort of physical activity before it started, the cramps weren't nearly as bad. This really only works if cramps are your problem though; it doesn't help with bloating or crabbiness.

I'm going to have to try this! I, too, suffer from irregular periods from time to time due to the stress of a job and school.

I sooooooooooooooooo wish I could have an easy period like some of you ladies. When advil, pain killers, morphine, BC pills, and a heating pad don't help....I'm sure going to the gym and pounding out 20 squats and running 4 miles won't either.


I've been to the Dr. for my symptoms and they've all said I just have to deal with it, nothing is wrong and that it's normal. Yeah ok.....

And working out on my period only aggravates my symptoms, leaving me walking out of the gym in terrible pain that I can hardly walk. So no, never again.

I know for me, I tend to use it as an excuse......Not saying others do this, but I know I do.

I feel like I am in labor my cramps are so bad.....and sorry, I know TMI, but a super plus, plus a pad and I may have to change both every hour for the first day......so gross.

But, like I said that is for only a day, usually the second day is bad too, but not quite that bad.....by day 3 it is definatley tolerable, but again, I use it as an excuse. LAME!! lame for me that is

I'm a man, so I'll assume that I'll have daggers thrown at me and just deal with it. But, as an objective observer, it seems to me that there has to be a significant portion of attitude and environment involved. If not, women's college sports teams all across the country would never get anywhere. A significant portion of the military would be indisposed a good part of the time, too.

I think that no matter who you are, if you've been in an environment where you learned to "suck it up" no matter what, it's what you learn to do. Conversely, if you've been in an environment where you can make excuses for yourself, it's what you do.

Or could be that people who are that debilitated each month don't sign up for any of that. I have not signed up for any sports teams because I would not be able to compete. My home environment was a "suck it up" environment when my mum married a useless waste of oxygen (married to a lovely man now thankfully) and he constantly screamed that I was faking, dragged me out of bed, threw my hot water bottle away, hid the painkillers, etc. If anybody should have learnt to pretend there was nothing happening it was me, if only so I could take the painkillers since they were not hidden normally, I'd end up hunched over and almost crawling to the kitchen to get them. It just hurts so badly that there's nothing I can do, I can barely speak without grimacing when it gets bad, it's like I've been repeatedly kicked in my stomach and lower back and the pain is the immediate after effect of that only it doesn't lessen. The combination of cramps in both stomach and back combine to force my GI tract to get rid of everything from both sides and I spend a lot of time either in the bathroom or carrying a bucket around and brushing my teeth.

I've been to the doctor, like other people have said. I don't have anything wrong with me, hormones normal, no cysts, system looks normal on an ultrasound, not tilted. If they can't find anything wrong, there's nothing they can do for me really.

I'm not throwing daggers at you, I know that it's physically impossible for you to know what periods can be like and that's really lucky for you :laugh: Some people just have really sucky cycles while others are lucky and barely feel a thing.

Like someone else said, it's not just the cramping or headaches, it could be an issue with a very heavy flow. I do go to the gym during my TOM however if I feel the flow is heavy enough that it could result in leaking, I won't risk that embarrassment. No need for a repeat of an embarrassing high school memory! :bigsmile: :blushing:

I am really not trying to be mean but suck it up and go to the gym. We are women in the 21st century and we aren't sent to the red tent. It's just a little annoyance once a month. It will actually help you feel better.

In fairness, some women have what is considerably more than "a little annoyance" monthly and it's pretty obnoxious to suggest someone in severe pain "suck it up." Exercise may or may not help, it really depends, and women whose menstrual pain is severe should work with their gynecologists to ease that pain as much as possible. I always know when someone starts a comment with "I'm not trying to be mean" or "I don't mean to offend you" they're about to be mean and/or offensive.

Lucky for you your periods are merely " a little annoyance!" Be appropriately thankful, and understand it's not universally the case.

I used to have no problem periods. No pain. Nothing. They were a little long but nothing serious. In the past 2 years my periods have gradually turned evil. Ridiculously heavy. So much so, that it feels like I need to run to the restroom and change my protection every hour. At the beginning I'd have one day like that, but in recent months one day turned into 5-8 of them and a 2 week period in November. One of the impetuses for my weight loss was to get my period back on track, it was debilitating to not be able to be far from the bathroom all day.

I got on the pill, and I am 6 weeks in. The first period on was the heavy side, but much more tolerable. I only had 2 evil days, and the rest were do able. I was able to be fairly active.

My sister has horrible periods with nausea, cramping and exhaustion. The only thinkg that keeps her from being out of commission every month is going on the pill.

I know it seems horrible, but exercise, even light exercise helps. There are also some period friendly yoga poses, but I forgot which ones.

I, too, have very bad periods, but do my best to get to the gym. If I am in so much pain I actually would try Bikram Yoga (hot yoga) or something completely different to keep me moving to get my mind off of it and focus on something new.

I go to the gym anyway and just have an "easy on myself" attitude those days... Ie the plan is 20 minutes of easy cardio. Even if ALL I do is that, it's still 20 minutes more then the NOTHING I feel like doing. And it keeps your momentum up through the week. Inevtably thougj, I start feeling better about 15 mins into the workout and end up being able to actually do a normal workout. Hope this helps!

When you exercise on your period, you release endorphin's, which help you feel good about yourself. And I don't know if you're anything like me, but I feel down and depressed when I'm on mine. I know it sucks, but you'll appreciate it a lot more, especially since you'll keep your rhythm going. Just try to keep yourself motivated, give yourself small incentives to make that week a little more bearable.

Just got mine today, still went to the gym. Cramps and everything.

Mind
over
Matter.

I sooooooooooooooooo wish I could have an easy period like some of you ladies. When advil, pain killers, morphine, BC pills, and a heating pad don't help....I'm sure going to the gym and pounding out 20 squats and running 4 miles won't either.


I've been to the Dr. for my symptoms and they've all said I just have to deal with it, nothing is wrong and that it's normal. Yeah ok.....

And working out on my period only aggravates my symptoms, leaving me walking out of the gym in terrible pain that I can hardly walk. So no, never again.

Isn't it maddening how doctors don't listen to their patients? I had endometriosis, and your symptoms sound like mine did. I would seek out a different doctor. Exploratory laparascopy was scary, but it worked for me!