This question is *really* for the ladies
Replies
-
I'm joining this club! I feel like my cravings (especially for sweets and cheeseburgers) are just mind bending. I agree with some of the other ladies who were making the point that you have to go hard sometimes and push yourself through. Another option is to find a balance - if you give into a craving but don't have the energy for a full workout, maybe just go for a walk (and not to the bakery
) 0 -
I don't work out on day 1, or sometimes day 2 if it's really that bad. "But exercise makes it feel better!" does not apply to me. I've tried.
Don't fight yourself. If it really feels bad to exercise, then don't. If you feel incredibly unmotivated, then resolve to use these couple of days as "maintenance days", just eat to maintain your current weight and don't worry about losing weight. You can get back on track when you feel better.0 -
If I have cramps that are excessive I will take it easy. I do not take meds, as I just don't need them. The cramps are gone pretty quickly anyway. But if it happens to be a day I'm lifting weights, I just play it by ear... if I can I can, If not... oh well. I do it the day after. No biggie.
I am NOT one of those who must fight through it. It's just not necessary. Listen to your body, but don't make excuses.0 -
Yup! totally get that feeling..........I have found backing off on sodium helps, and just pushing through that work out. I'm doing Insanity too, so I sooooo hate Shaun T for a few days!!! I do find that I at least feel better if I work out. You got up and pushed play, next time just promise yourself 5 more minutes...just 5 more minutes.......Thank God this only happens once a month otherwise I would NEVER get out of bed, EVER!0
-
I always have at least one serious fatigue day before it begins where I can barely get out of bed. It's like having narcolepsy and trying to recover from stomach flu at the same time... so yes.
LOL, I sooo get this! I feel the exact same, like I can just fall over and sleep wherever..... I also run a low grade temp and body aches...0 -
I feel thee exact same way!!!!!! I just wanna cuddle up with a heating pad and a good tv marathon~}}}...That's my plan for this weekend~0
-
geez, lol my bad, I forgot that women chasing the cotton mouse only want to hear what they want to hear.
sorry about the real info.
Eat whatever you want and go back to bed!!!0 -
I'm right there with you. I've been on track calorie-wise, but I've had no motivation to workout at all. This morning I got up at 6am to workout, but instead I laid in bed for an hour thinking about how I should go workout. I just felt very blah and unmotivated. Glad Im not alone!0
-
Rest, your body needs it. No harm in trying to exercise but if you are drained to some easy enjoyable exercise like walking. It only lasts a day or two for me and then I return engergized.
Music help if you need to push through it. but is 2-3 days a month of rest going to de-rail you?0 -
Definitely... I am always so low energy and have such a hard time motivating myself... I also always feel famished, which certainly doesn't help with the food aspect of things. It's terrible. I just try to push through and remember that giving into those things (not working out, eating bad foods) will actually just make me feel worse!0
-
1. take an iron pill for energy to compensate for all the blood loss and possible mild anemia
2. up your calories because
a. your BMR is higher (usually around 8-12% higher than normal) (more if you commonly have a fever during your period)
b. undernourishing yourself during such a hormonal time can cause your moods to get even wackier
3. eat healthy sources of fat to help your body repair itself quicker
4. add an extra hour of sleep to those days
5. workout to flood your body with the good drugs, the endorphines and testosterone that make you happy and motivated
DONT WAIT FOR MOTIVATION. YOU DONT NEED IT EVERYTIME.
Its waiting 6 minutes into your workout.
If you're cramping, do something low impact. Just dont let your period brain make excuses. Get mad at it and explain that this is your body's business, not your brain's.
Thanks for the tips! Unfortunately iron pills make me sick even if I eat a solid meal before I take it, and I'm mildly anemic- enough to where eating a lot of iron-rich foods still isn't enough to get my hemoglobin levels high enough to donate blood. Any suggestions?
Also, I have another question since you seem to know how our crazy female bodies work during TOM- the "weight gain" that happens during that time is due to retained water, right? (Assuming what I eat/drink does not change during that time). If that's the case, when does the gain happen, how much gain is normal, and when can I expect it to drop back off? (Again, assuming I stick to a healthy, low-sodium meal plan). I'm sure everyone is different to an extent but I I'm sick of TOM interfering with my goals (and therefore my head!) so I want to understand it.0 -
Definitely in the same circle!
A few gals have offered some great ideas about how to help through this time. Duly noted. Will try some things b/c it just sucks sooooo bad to feel this off!
I've found that walks help me a great deal. Typically I do a fast paced 40 min walk after lunch; when I'm not quite feeling up to that, I have to talk myself into doing "just a walk". Even if it ends up being only 20 min, at a slower pace, I've found I feel much better.
Haven't yet been able to totally fight the cravings though. Some I can talk myself down from, others not so much (salt & sweet salt & sweet salt & sweet). I try not to be too hard on myself & make up for it by eating as healthy as possible the rest of the time & taking an extra walk throughout the day.0 -
Are there any other ladies out there that loose motivation or feel completely drained during your "lady time"? I could not even workout yesterday nor could I get past the warm up of my Insanity today. Not like me at all. I HATE this feeling. I REALLY want to get back on track!
Unfortunately, I'm the COMPLETE opposite. It's my 'lady time' the last day or two and so far I've painted a bedroom, had 3 long walks, cleared out a shed, cleared out the kitchen presses, and completely re-organized our bedroom and wardrobe. It's like I'm hyper, I can't stop going?!
Haha when it's over I'll be like.... nah, can't be bothered...0 -
Yep - useless for the first day. All I want to do is sit in a jaccuzi with a tub of ice cream and cry. Painful as it is, I have found that I do feel better after some light exercise, like walking the dog.0
-
Me toooooo! Drained. Tired. Lethargic. Whiney. Cranky. Bloated. Hmm. Can we tell what I am going through right now?
Some great suggestions though.
I had "forgotten" that if I just "go for a warm up and if I still feel like not working out I wont" tricks me every time and I end up getting a great warm up in.0 -
If I waited to feel like doing exercise I would never start.
Feelings are not always good things to follow!!0 -
yep. i skipped tae kwon do last night, then i made it to the gym today and got through my whole workout, but it took me a bit longer than usual to get it done.0
-
I get really sick for the first 2-3 days, so I can't exercise or eat properly and it sucks. I am usually bed ridden and can't even go to work. At least I am not over-indulging, but it still interferes in my nutrition/exercise schedule.0
-
yes... give it 3 days lol you'll be back on track0
-
just stay within your calories0
-
It's my favorite time to work out because it takes away my horrible mood and cramps.0
-
I don't lose motivaiton or eat more/less, however, I hurt like a S.O.B0
-
It's my TOM now. I totally binged last night. I just crave chocolate and salt. I did manage to drag my body on the treadmill for 30 minutes, though. Towards the end I am just mush!0
-
your BMR is higher (usually around 8-12% higher than normal) (more if you commonly have a fever during your period)
Not to be rude, but can you post your source for this information? Someone made a similar claim a while back, and I did a lot of googling to try to determine if it was true or not, but the only reputable studies (not from Yahoo Answers) were either inconclusive or completely refuted the claim that metabolism is faster during menstruation.0 -
geez, lol my bad, I forgot that women chasing the cotton mouse only want to hear what they want to hear.
sorry about the real info.
Eat whatever you want and go back to bed!!!
Um...I was interested in the real info and asked you a couple questions before you posted this...I feel the same way other people on this thread feel (crappy, unmotivated, moody, tired) so I'm not going to judge anyone like you are doing, but that doesn't mean I want to resign myself to those feelings which is why I thanked you for the tips and asked for some advice....0 -
I never WANT to workout during shark week. as a matter of fact, it always seems like an awful idea. but then when i've finished working out, i always feel so damn good. those endorphins do wonders.0
-
Cramps get to me..... I load up on the advil. I might take it down a notch or just go for a long walk instead. I still try to exercise because my metabolism is up during my TOM. So I try to take advantage of it an hopefully lose an extra 1/2 lb when it's all over with.
But lots of water, some advil, a little extra exercise so I can eat a little extra more for the cravings etc. I work through it like anything else and listen to my body.0 -
This happens to me, but it usually the week before i actually start and than the week of i have energy!0
-
1. take an iron pill for energy to compensate for all the blood loss and possible mild anemia
2. up your calories because
a. your BMR is higher (usually around 8-12% higher than normal) (more if you commonly have a fever during your period)
b. undernourishing yourself during such a hormonal time can cause your moods to get even wackier
3. eat healthy sources of fat to help your body repair itself quicker
4. add an extra hour of sleep to those days
5. workout to flood your body with the good drugs, the endorphines and testosterone that make you happy and motivated
DONT WAIT FOR MOTIVATION. YOU DONT NEED IT EVERYTIME.
Its waiting 6 minutes into your workout.
If you're cramping, do something low impact. Just dont let your period brain make excuses. Get mad at it and explain that this is your body's business, not your brain's.
I try do this as much as possible. Mine vary each month it seems but have found it really does work. When I start getting my anger issues the week before I prep for the next week. Lots of water during the anger issues and yoga helps alot.0 -
your BMR is higher (usually around 8-12% higher than normal) (more if you commonly have a fever during your period)
Not to be rude, but can you post your source for this information? Someone made a similar claim a while back, and I did a lot of googling to try to determine if it was true or not, but the only reputable studies (not from Yahoo Answers) were either inconclusive or completely refuted the claim that metabolism is faster during menstruation.
besides my doctor - which isnt a reputable source for the experts registered here on MFP, this is what I got, which isnt as igh a number, but its still the increase
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&
TermToSearch=2706224&ordinalpos=48&itool=
EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
link is too long, it goes off the page, if you can copy it and paste it together yourself, then have a blast0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.4K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.2K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 426 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions