Can I Train During That Time of the Month?
Training when it’s that time of the month. Should I, shouldn’t I? At Workouts By Katya we get this question often and with good reason! The answer to this question is not straightforward and will depend on a couple of things that I will explain below.
Training when it’s that time of the month. Should I, shouldn’t I?
At Workouts By Katya we get this question often and with good reason! The answer to this question is not straightforward and will depend on a couple of things that I will explain below.
Assess the severity of your symptoms
Some lucky gals don’t feel very affected by PMS or the likes and can just go about with their day! Others are not so lucky and may be affected by severe PMS or conditions such as PCOS or Endometriosis. In the latter cases, if your pain is very severe we recommend taking a rest day and doing a bit of self-care. One day of missed training will not impact on your overall results.
Modify your training
If you’re feeling up to it, you can still continue with your training session. You may want to change your session from a strength-based training session to light cardio just to get your body moving. If you’re experiencing painful cramps you might want to modify your session. For example, if your training session has ab exercises that you think might be too painful to complete you can simply swap your exercise in the app to choose an exercise that will be easier to complete such as swapping bicycle crunches to a forearm plank.
Take it easy
Go easy on yourself if you need to! You may want to change the training session by slightly lowering intensity, or by not lifting quite as heavy. See how you feel, you never know you may be able to lift as you normally would! Take it day by day and don’t beat yourself up if you need to modify the intensity of your training.
Fuel up properly
Getting the right nutrition when you have your period is absolutely crucial to help you in feeling your best!
Iron is important during your period as a lot can be lost due to blood loss during this time. Try to pile up your plate with iron-rich foods such as lentils, kale, spinach, dried apricots, cashews, and tofu.
For even better absorption eat Vitamin C containing food with iron-rich foods. Vitamin C rich foods include citrus fruits, kiwi fruit, strawberries, and red peppers.
If you experience bad cramps magnesium-rich foods can help to relax the muscles and reduce the severity of the cramps. Magnesium-rich foods include dark leafy greens, dark chocolate (as if we needed an excuse to eat it!), pumpkin seeds, cashews, and almonds.
Having your period is just part of being a woman! Don’t let it get you down or get you thinking that it will hinder your results. It actually is a sign that your body is performing at optimal health! Embrace it ladies and take a little time for some self-care too! YOU EARNED IT!
Katya xx