To Train Or Not To Train, During That Time Of The Month!
I´m probably not alone thinking it was JUST ME, who just got in the rhythm of working out and eating well THEN struck by cravings, extreme fatigue and feeling lethargic..... not to mention the mood swings and emotional roller coaster to following being swung back up to extremely energetic on top of the world for a few weeks…. to then crash again.
Turns out I am not alone, many of us struggle with this, and it is all controlled by our hormones inside our bodies. YIKES!
The more I coach women in 1:1 coaching sessions exploring limitations, obstacles and challenges…… The more I realise how much our periods and hormones control and influence our moods, emotions, workouts and energy!
This is for many is a very difficult trigger, causing some to fall out of routine with nutrition and training habits. And since it tends to happen..... just about 1x each month it can be a good idea to have thought out some options on how to tackle this if you want to be successful at changing your “period workout and eating habits”
I felt like I something more substantial to advise clients than just yeah you’ll be fine. So I looked at some research, dug into it a bit and asked a lot of women about this topic to validate the research and this is what I found out.
After reading this post will know the pro´s and con´s of working out with your period, and also know have an idea on what kind of workouts are good for YOU during that time.
What is happening inside?
Gynaecologist and most girls (from own experience) already understand that the period is a complex time from a hormonal standpoint. “Both progesterone and estrogen are at their lowest during the entire length of the period phase of the menstrual cycle, which can make people feel tired and less energetic”.
And I ask myself often, should I listen to this “feeling” like I have less energy, and will it make me “feel” better by skipping a workout?
Here are some of the documented, positive effects of Physical Activity during your period:
Decrease PMS symptoms: If you experience fatigue and mood swings in the days leading up to your period and during your cycle. Regular aerobic exercise helps you control your blood-sugar better and relief you of the worst highs and lows, helping you feel more balanced - and ZEN!
Release Your Own Endorphins: One of the things that happens when we exercise is relese of Endorphins. They are a natural painkiller, and when they release during exercise, you may feel relief from uncomfortable periods. They are also related to our happiness and can elevate your mood and actually make you feel better.
Experience more strength and power: The first two weeks of your menstrual cycle (day one being the first day of your period) the low levels of female hormones may allow you to experience greater gains in strength and power. Strength athletes and world class performance have tested this and use this to their advantage.
Enhance your mood: Most women experience that exercising at this time will enhance your mood and increase circulation. This increased blood-flow and circulation tends to alleviate cramps, headache, or back pain associated with your period.
Combat painful periods: For those who experience painful periods, also called dysmenorrhea. The good news is that exercises such as light walking and conditioning training may help you decrease these symptoms.
Downsides of the period, and how to adjust your training to be successful.
The big issue with training and that time of the month is for most the pain, low energy, fatigue and mood swings. Its important to remember that training isn´t just training, there is just so many different activities and intensities you can do your workouts at.
There are certain activities may be more appropriate to participate in during your period, there are also some exercises you may want to avoid or change slightly. Most women will be able to continue with their normal exercise routine with just some minor adjustments.
The body reacts to your period and pain like any other "pain" "stress" or "strain" so during this time many women report experiencing an increase in Rate of Perceived Exertion. (RPE).
This means that exercises that are moderately difficult feel much more difficult during this time. If you notice that you need to push harder to maintain the same performance as before, allow yourself to just roll with it and decrease the speed/intensity slightly for a few days.
For those that experience very low energy and fatigue it can be recommended to reduce training stress and volume during this time. This doesn’t mean to stop training — to the contrary, this just means to cut back a little bit on the intensity of your cardiovascular or endurance-type training.
Other complaints are that certain movements feel uncomfortable and painful during this time, and for some it may be reducing impact like jumps, sprints and deep squats during the days of discomfort and pains.
What You May Want To Consider To Be Successful
The first few days of your period may be the most uncomfortable, especially if you tend to bleed a lot during this time. That’s why a focus on gentle movements and exercises should top your list of activities.
Your period may be a good time to reduce your exercise intensity, give your body bit more time to adjust to the load for the past weeks. Also so you can return with even more energy after this week is over. With that in mind, here are a few ideas for exercise while on your period. This is HIGHLY individualised, so feel free to test and try this on your own body and find what works best for you.
Light walking or other light cardio
Keep your cardiovascular or aerobic exercise at a lower intensity or back off on the amount you do.
Working out in Z2, PRE 6 or at a lower cardiovascular output can be beneficial for all of the reasons mentioned above. You can run, cycle, walk, do crossfit training and met-cons but take the foot of the gas a little bit and allow your self to just breath heavy and not be in PAIN the whole time here.
Low-volume strength training and power-based activities
Due to the potential for an increase in strength during this time, including low-volume (less total amount of repetitions than normal) resistance training and power-based activities can be a good move. In fact, many women feel like this is a great time to do longer flow sessions that involve a mix of strictly strength work and cardio.
Yoga and Pilates
The two to three days leading up to your period is a great time to engage in activities like stretching, Flow and Yoga. All of these can help relax your body and potentially reduce symptoms like cramping, breast tenderness, and muscular fatigue and soreness.
SUMMARY:
Just because our hormones are low, the physical and mental benefits of exercise don’t stop just because you have your period.
Turns out that most women report that avoiding exercise isn’t really going to save your energy or make you feel better. And sticking with a regular exercise routine can actually help ease some of the common complaints that accompany menstruation.
So instead of ceasing all activity during your period, use this week as an opportunity to take advantage of the lower levels of hormones and perhaps try some new workouts.
Last but not least, If you’re not experiencing any discomfort from your period, feel free to continue with your regular exercise routine. Just be mindful of the adjustments your body makes during this time.
If you find that your body isn’t performing like it usually does, give yourself a break and ease up on the intensity.
