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Original poster

C'mon, who REALLY feels like exercising when they have their period?

143 replies

Careersytype · 09/02/2020 20:55

Not really a TAAT but...

After looking at the #thisgirlcan ad with the tampon string hanging out.... how many people feel like exercising when they have their period? Not when its tailing off, but when it's full flow. I don't- I just want to sit around in loose, warm clothes and drink tea.
YABU= I totally feel like exercising during my period
YANBU= Nope, don't feel like exercising

OP posts:
Highonpotandused · 10/02/2020 10:05

YANBU, I felt like my insides were being ripped out when I ran for the bus during my period. Never again (for me).

Flavabobble · 10/02/2020 10:09

In the days when I still had periods, I always found if I’d been able to bring myself to exercise a day before I was due, it staved off the cramps and it was so much easier. Last thing I felt like doing, but paid off massively.

Ponoka7 · 10/02/2020 10:12

In the advert the women seem to be involved in sport groups, so it'll be regular attendance. In which case you just get on with it.

I've done martial arts and weight lifting (so does one of my adult DDs) and none of us stop for our periods. Likewise just general gym attendance.

FormerlyFrikadela01 · 10/02/2020 10:20

My normal periods are very heavy for the first 2 days at least. I get stomach cramps, backache, bloating and a feeling like I've been kicked very hard in my vagina. I do occasionally force myself to go to the gym in the first days however whilst the pain is less when I'm actually there I pay for it later, it completely wipes me out for the rest of the day.

Hopefully I'll be pregnant soon then back on the pill afterwards, these past few months have been a stark reminder of how awful my teenage years were before I started on any contraception.

Luckystar777 · 10/02/2020 10:27

nope, i have endometriosis, can't even do the dishes sometimes with the pain :(

Goatinthegarden · 10/02/2020 10:41

I feel so sorry for women who struggle with their period pains. I’m an active person all the time and most months am barely affected by my period. I only use tampons and wouldn’t cancel any normal plans. On occasion, when the cramping is too much, I chug some pain killers and get on with my day. I mountain bike and occasionally riding for hours with a period can be pretty uncomfortable, but again, not so bad that I would cancel a day out in the hills.

I work with lots of women and the ones (I know) who complain about periods the most, are noticeably the less active people anyway. Obviously there is no science here, just an observation, but as a previous poster mentioned, maybe being fit and active has a positive effect on periods. Or maybe people with worse periods are less fit and active as a result of their body and hormones making them feel sluggish. Who knows?!

Notso · 10/02/2020 10:55

My periods have become more painful as I've got older. I've tried exercising to help but it doesn't seem to make a difference.
I never feel good after exercise though. DH cannot understand it, when he exercises he feels great for days, more energetic and happier.
I can go for a run and get straight back in bed and sleep, if anything it makes my mood quite low.

motortroll · 10/02/2020 10:58

I don't want to but I know it will make me feel better so I drag my arse out the door anyway!

Just been for a run in fact!!

It dies sometimes feel like wading through treacle so I just take easier options like less hills, maybe some walk running etc.

ChickLitLover · 10/02/2020 11:24

I work with lots of women and the ones (I know) who complain about periods the most, are noticeably the less active people anyway. Obviously there is no science here, just an observation, but as a previous poster mentioned, maybe being fit and active has a positive effect on periods. Or maybe people with worse periods are less fit and active as a result of their body and hormones making them feel sluggish. Who knows?!

This isn’t the case for me or many women I know. I’ve always been very active, I run 3 times each week and do a couple of classes at the gym. We also have dogs which we take on nice long walks. In my early 30s my periods began getting more and more painful and I got diagnosed with endometriosis and adenomyosis. The pain is incredible. I never suffered with heavy or painful periods before and this came seemingly from nowhere. Now I have to spend a couple of days lying down each month and between 4 and 10 days taking painkillers as well as medication to reduce bleeding. I’ve had treatment which has helped for a while. The only cure adenomyosis is hysterectomy but there’s no guarantee that will help as I would still have endo. When it first happened I felt quite depressed at how my life had to change, all the people saying ‘You just have to get on with it’ like a few on this thread just made it worse. They don’t know what I and many women go through each month. I would never have imagined periods could be so painful. I’m a few years down the line now and I’ve accepted that I can only be active for 3 weeks out of every 4. I have to plan my life around my periods. Work, my relationship, going out with friends, holidays, doing things with my kids etc are all affected so exercise is the least of my worries at that time.

I’ve found some other women, including doctors to be quite dismissive. Honestly, they don’t have a clue.

Youngatheart00 · 10/02/2020 11:28

In the couple of days prior to my period, with PMS symptoms like cramps, heaviness, irritability and extreme fatigue, no way. Once my period starts properly I usually feel ok about exercising. Would be nervous to swim though.

RufustheLanglovingreindeer · 10/02/2020 11:40

I dont like to exercise for the first day...maybe two

I don’t like the gushing flooding feeling, it’s usually fine after the first day

toomuchtooold · 10/02/2020 11:48

I always struggled with the getting off the sofa part, but sorted that out by stopping going to the gym. All I do now is hiking. It starts slow so there's not that sort of massive hurdle to get over.

I get terrible period headaches these days though as I get older. Quite hard to exercise through them, I find.

caramelbun · 10/02/2020 11:55

I like to continue exercising because it gives me a boost and keeps me fit. But I don’t suffer with very heavy painful periods- if I had endometriosis or adenomyosis I would probably struggle, the sofa would look a lot more tempting than the running shoes I’m sure.

Luckystar777 · 10/02/2020 13:03

no to the pp saying about maybe it's cause we're not that active anyway. When I was in high school and had just started my periods and was trying my best to take part in P.E. I hurt like HELL and would have to stop and then every time had to bring in a note to get out of it instead. In my teens, the pain was sheer hell, I was walking bent over sometimes even to get to the loo at home. Ibuprofen didn't help. They tried me on the Pill, that only made me have mild pain the whole month instead of severe pain for 4 or 5 days :(

I loved cycling, swimming, climbing trees, football, running around right up until I started having periods. They were debilitating right from my very first one. :(

I miss being active :(

ElderAve · 10/02/2020 13:06

I'm surprised to hear that people change their usual routine so much. I get bad pains for the first 24 hours but I still go to work so I'm blowed if I'm going to stop doing the things I enjoy.

Besides which exercise really does help.

Housewife2010 · 10/02/2020 13:07

I never feel like exercising at any time, but the time of the month would make no difference to me. I never have period pain.

ElderAve · 10/02/2020 13:13

Paul Radcliffe says in her book that she set the Marathon World record on the day her period arrived.

Luckystar777 · 10/02/2020 13:14

Forgot to add that it's not just the pain that stops me, it is utterly physically draining. I don't know if it's because of losing iron over years and years.. I always have low iron levels even when I'm taking supplements :(

I never even realised until recently that not all women get this hellish pain and exhaustion. At least now I'll know to spell it out if I'm unsure if I can make it to appointments etc. I used to just assume other women would ''get it''. Ugh. Some must have thought I'm a right bloomin' wimp or something.

RufustheLanglovingreindeer · 10/02/2020 13:15

Yes i don’t generally get period pain either housewife

Its just the gushy floody manky bit I don’t like

professionalnomad · 10/02/2020 13:21

Erghgh

I pushed myself through a workout on the second day of my period
I got through the first 17 min and then spent the rest of the session vomming into the toilet

My uterus wasn't having it

CountFosco · 10/02/2020 13:27

Nowadays I exercise everyday (swimming and yoga) and my period doesn't stop me. I feel like I'm slower in the pool when I'm on my period and stronger mid cycle but have never done any quantitative analysis of that. But that's me post children since my horrendous period pain stopped. Prechildren I had dreadful cramping on the first day of my period that meant I didn't want to eat and regularly vomited. Mum had the same, hers also stopped post pregnancy but she was mid 20s when she had me whereas I was mid 30s when I had DD1. Work was horrendous when I felt like that, never mind exercise.

lettersbyowl · 10/02/2020 13:28

I often don't feel like it, but feel much better physically and mentally if I do!

Winesalot · 10/02/2020 13:31

Nope. I wish I could when I was younger - the cramping was so intense and often brought on with exercise that exercise was not an option for me in full flow. I was in envy of anyone who did not have this pain and was told by doctors (male) that it was probably pyschological rather than physical..... just take Panadol.

Now in perimenopause, I flood so much that I cannot leave the house for a day, sometimes two.

adaline · 10/02/2020 13:37

If I try and do too much on my heaviest days, I'll just vomit. I have a really sensitive stomach on those first couple of days.

But I walk dogs for a living and doing that helps a lot. The gentle exercise and the staying busy makes a huge difference to how I feel overall.

adaline · 10/02/2020 13:38

I'm surprised to hear that people change their usual routine so much. I get bad pains for the first 24 hours but I still go to work so I'm blowed if I'm going to stop doing the things I enjoy.

Not everyone has a choice.