Working out during period (for ladies)

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Replies

  • helenwilliams78
    helenwilliams78 Posts: 46 Member
    I'm lucky that I don't get period pains anymore (the glorious pill!) but i do feel bloated and just heavier generally and this makes me want to work out. I feel a lot better for it too!
  • thegeordielass
    thegeordielass Posts: 208 Member
    I don't for the first 4 or 5 days anyway. I'm really heavy and get very bad cramps (and sickness) so I can barely get dressed most days! Also, I use pads not tampons so when I have tried before it's all just ended up a bit of a crime scene - not nice to clean up after (sorry if that's TMI!).
    I felt I wasn't giving my best either so I decided I'm better taking some days off and letting my body have a total rest then going at it extra hard after with renewed energy. Seems to work for me. It's the week before I have issues - when I'll eat everything in sight.
  • vicky1804
    vicky1804 Posts: 320 Member
    For me its not the cramping but I get very tired verging on exhausted for the first 2 days. I feel very sluggish and lathergic.
    I still stay within my calories I just dont exercise those two days but I will the rest of the week
  • Kadinh
    Kadinh Posts: 6 Member
    In general I don't workout on my period. If I do it's very light. I have very painful periods and tend to bleed very heavily for the first few days. I took the pill for about 6 years & it helped so much but they took me off of it because of migraines. I have always had intensely painful cramps since I was 11 years old. I usually missed at least one day of school a month. It's also not just the first day. I'm currently on day 5 and cramped really badly for all 4 days.

    After reading this I may push myself and workout more if it can help ease the cramping. Alieve helps a little bit but I'm willing to try anything to help with the pain.
  • MSeel1984
    MSeel1984 Posts: 2,297 Member
    I usually do my workout as always. I do notice that I feel more sluggish (duh) and tired, but I feel better after I go...

    Then I can treat myself to a little chocolate :)
  • vallemic
    vallemic Posts: 278 Member
    My workouts are the same no matter what time of the month it is.
  • gemdenham
    gemdenham Posts: 12 Member
    I have to force myself to exercise during my period but find that once I'm into it I forget about it all together and always feel better for exercising.
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    I carry on as normal. However, it does have an impact on performance. I tend to run slower just before and for the first few days, and I generally feel a bit blah. But on the plus side, exercise eases menstrual pain, and helps you feel less bloated and nasty.

    But then I generally try not to let a period get in the way of living.
  • laurenz2501
    laurenz2501 Posts: 839 Member
    I agree that exercise does help the cramps., especially walking Just pop a couple ibuprofen or advil during the worst cramps and work out when they're not as bad. I did that yesterday and was fine.
  • TheLessOfMe
    TheLessOfMe Posts: 71 Member
    when i get mine the cramps for the day before, the first day, and the second day are awful so i don't do anything which heavily involves my stomach! but if I do a little bit like Just Dance on the wii or something similar the pain gets a little better :)
  • mrowrmeowmrowr
    mrowrmeowmrowr Posts: 288 Member
    I try to work out during TOM; I find that it totally helps with cramps and that I usually lose more weight if I am perfect with the diet and exercise.
  • kwin91
    kwin91 Posts: 128
    When I get my period, I just stop thinking that I have it. Its hard because of the cramps and back pain.
    But when I start to exercise a lot of that goes away and then I feel better afterwards for a while too!

    Just try not to think OMG I have my period and don't want to do anything. Push yourself because if you take off a week for your period (that's about how long mine is) then that's 12 weeks of not exercising.

    If you don't put yourself outside your comfort zone, you wont make progress.
  • mary_kate23
    mary_kate23 Posts: 156
    i'll push through it because it helps with the cramps :)
  • xxcandywrathxx
    xxcandywrathxx Posts: 200 Member
    for the first two days I dont do any exercise, but i do exercise for the remaining days. My workouts are definitely not as intense as when im not on my period.
  • Gioooo
    Gioooo Posts: 301 Member
    I try to workout the same but sometimes i lower the intensity. makes me feel better.. also stay away from caffeine and greasy foods
  • bonniegettingthinner
    bonniegettingthinner Posts: 1 Member
    No way for me during the first three days, I am just far too uncomfortable, in pain and bloaty to think about doing exercise, not to mention sweating ridiculous amounts and feeling faint. The one time of the month where I give myself three days to rest and reflect.
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    My workouts are the same no matter what time of the month it is.

    THIS... I don't think I have taken a day off due to TOM in 6 months.
  • oboeing
    oboeing Posts: 1,816 Member
    I take an Advil, and then I go to the gym. The way I try to look at it is "If I can make it through a class when I'm feeling my worst, then I know it will be easier when I'm feeling my best".
  • DelilahCat0212
    DelilahCat0212 Posts: 282 Member
    2-10 tbsp???? AHAHAHAAAHAAAAAAAA Try 2-10 cups. If it were just cramps and bloating, I'd be fine.

    I've had every test/biopsy/ultrasound known to man - there is nothing wrong with me, it's just how I am. Some people are saving money for a tummy tuck or boob job? I'm saving up for an ablation/hysto. (I have insurance but with a huge deductible...)

    To answer your question, I don't do jack that week.
  • toxicsgrl
    toxicsgrl Posts: 12
    i suffer badly with dysmenorrhea and menorrhagia each and every month and im taking tranexamic acid and mefenamic acid, which lessens the amount of blood lost and goes someway to help the pain. i dont do any excerise when it my period, which it is at the mo, because even just sitting down i feel dizzy and very very weak. so for me, it is an illness and a disability for 5 days a month :(

    but, it is only 5 days, so if u eat right and get back into exercise when you period ends then you should be ok :) good luck xx
  • clairereds
    clairereds Posts: 23
    I don't really exercise, I put on spotify, get some upbeat tunes on and dance like mad for around 10 mins at a time, do it twice a day. Its so manageable. Just make sure you don't let your neighbours see you, especially when you are doing it in your bra and knickers, and like me resemble a dancing whale.
  • nrd2212
    nrd2212 Posts: 128
    I still do workout. I might not get in as many reps as usual but I still do it. Of course, I'm on the pill and my period's only every 3 months.
  • Jennvandemark
    Jennvandemark Posts: 179 Member
    On the first day its like pulling teeth to get myself to the gym. So i normally work out but not push myself to hard. By the second day i am back to normal and can go back to hard core work out. I also have bed cramps and thats why i take it easy the first day.
  • 47feeling60
    47feeling60 Posts: 20 Member
    2-10 tbsp???? AHAHAHAAAHAAAAAAAA Try 2-10 cups. If it were just cramps and bloating, I'd be fine.

    I've had every test/biopsy/ultrasound known to man - there is nothing wrong with me, it's just how I am. Some people are saving money for a tummy tuck or boob job? I'm saving up for an ablation/hysto. (I have insurance but with a huge deductible...)

    To answer your question, I don't do jack that week.

    HAAAAAAAA!!!! OMG, thats too funny. Good luck with that.
  • Quasita
    Quasita Posts: 1,530 Member
    It doesn't change my routine. Right now I'm not working out because I actually just had surgery on my lady plumbing, but when I was doing daily workouts... I take an aquatics class, so I'd be in a pool, but I just popped in a tampon or softcup and went about the workout like I normally would.

    I think all too often, women let it be an excuse to kick back and eat whatever. Well, exercising has affected my cycle drastically and in some pretty serious ways, but I keep going because... Well, if I laid around 1 week out of every month, it would be a potential great hurdle to any success!

    Siding with one of the other commenters here. If you are debilitated by your cramps or something, I get that. Otherwise, gotta suck it up if you want to see forward movement consistently. If it's so bad you truly can't work out, it's time to see your doctor.
  • Byemma
    Byemma Posts: 55
    I wouldn't do anything before I signed up. But now (last week!) I decided to do a work-out anyway (on the worst day!). I started dancing and didn't want to stop anymore, because everything hurt less. I do crave more junk during that time, so I work-out and allow myself a little bit of junk.
  • cmeade20
    cmeade20 Posts: 1,238 Member
    Depends. I have endometriosis so I can get real nasty cramps to the point of being sick. And it can be really heavy to the point where I feel physically drained. If it gets that bad I dont workout. Occasionally my uterus will have pity on me and give me a normal period and I can workout.
  • dreamsofescaping
    dreamsofescaping Posts: 206 Member
    I'm not going to lie either: For me there is no difference. None at all. Why would I work out less or do anything different? On the first day I might have some cramps, so I try to not work out exactly when I have them (they usually only last an hour or so). But besides that... all the same. I don't feel bigger, I don't retain water (at least not that I know of), I don't think the period is an illness or disability.

    I know people who have terrible cramps and can hardly walk. Of course for them it's different. But in general I think we (meaning women) make way too big of a deal out of losing 2-10 tbs of blood...

    Is that all women lose haha here I thought it was like niagra falls.... You sneeze niagra falls....You cough...Niagra Falls....

    I have a question but I was too shy to post it but meh what the heck you have inspiried me OP thanks! :)
  • Lyerin
    Lyerin Posts: 818 Member
    When I don't feel like working out because I'm crampy and grumpy, I force myself to do it and promise that if after 10 minutes I am still feeling badly, I can stop. I have never stopped after the first 10 minutes. Usually by then, I think, okay ten more minutes, by the end of 20 minutes I'm almost halfway there so why stop?

    If I'm feeling really awful (sick, for example), I give myself a break and curl up with a good book.
  • beckajw
    beckajw Posts: 1,728 Member
    I have terrible cramps the first 2 days. If I work out, the cramps get worse, a lot worse, I have passed out. So, no the first 2 days I do not. After that, I do.

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