What do you do during that time of the month?

Me, I just push through it and work out. Sometimes, not quite as hard, because I have noticed my energy level is usually down too. But I really think that the workout makes the cramps so much more bearable. Take Care, Donna.
 
Me too, I just push right through them. Now, I'm weaker than normal which makes me grumpy ... like I'm not grumpy during TTOTM. *giggle* :p

Keta. :D

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I find that working out often helps especially doing crunches. I find that now what I have to work against if fatigue so what I do is cut my workouts down for that week to 45 min workouts.

Your body will tell you how much it can take I do take it easier lift lighter and cut down my cardio. Although I have sometimes started working out done the warmup and then had to stop. I recommend stopping if you body tells you to and let it rest (there is no harm in resting) that way you can return.

You just have to get to know your body and be able to judge what you as an individual can and cannot do. Remember it is only a week so don't over do it.

Babs
 
I agree with you--I do the same thing although it is tougher to convince myself to start my workout when I'm not up to par! I'm fine once I get moving!

Leslie
 
My cramps are so bad I take 600 mg of ibuprofen about every 3-4 hours for that bad day. It fixes me up pretty well. If they are still bothering me I just do a lower intensity workout, and it actually helps ease them even more.

Andrea
 
Actually exercise helps the cramps to go away, as well as just the fact that I won't let them stop me.

But one thing that my mother told me to do and I have always done when cramps are bad, even when I was 15, (since my mother is Spanish and doesn't care about American taboos), was to drink a 4-6 oz glass of red wine. It is after all, a muscle relaxant. Now I wouldn't try to work out after wine! But I drink it just after my evening workout/shower and it really makes it easier to sleep and relieves the pain. When I was 15 I thought the wine was awful, but it did help. Now, I rarely drink, but I get pain relief and anti-oxidants too.
 
Well for once I'm certainly glad I read through all the responses, because I thought you were referring to "flow" problems, and what an idiot I would have sounded like responding! :)

I work out as normal during "ttotm" as well, but then again I NEVER suffer from cramps. If it weren't for childbirth, I wouldn't even know what a cramp felt like, so I'm fortunate that it isn't an issue for me in regards workouts. I do notice every now and then my endurance level is effected, I just feel more drained, so I might have to modify or do a little lower impact cardio on the first few days of my cycle to compensate.

Donna
 
It's definitely harder to get myself moving on a crampy day... sometimes I have extremely painful cramps that just make my legs tremble but as others have stated, the exercise really helps relieve the pain. What will prevent me from working out during that time is that I am so much more fatigued than normal and I'm glad to hear it's not just me. If I do workout, I keep to a low intensity.
 
If anything I make sure I workout because I feel less bloated, no cramps, and I feel horrible if I actual let myself miss my workout because of it. I dred doing it at first, but I always feel 100% better afterwards.

Lori
 
I only get crampy occasionally these days, but when I do it's bad and radiates to my low back (I'm 34 and have had my P since I was 8, intensity changes every 6-7 years). For me, swimming or jogging helps a lot, as well as non-inverted pose yoga. I don't do step or kick box when I am bad off. For whatever reason, the product Premsyn works SUPER for me, knocks out the bloating, back pain, headache, the whole enchilada.
 
I never have cramps. I do get ocassional bloating. I crave chocolate and for 1 day (just before it starts) I get totally b****y. I have noticed that it has gone from 7 days to 5 since I have been working out every day. The first day of TTOTM, I don't do any exercising(sp?).
 
I rest!

I think I'm the only one who lets myself take a day off! There's one day of the month where I just feel "off"- it's not really cramps, I'm just tired and feel out of it. I've tried to workout, but I'm just not into it. So if I do feel yucky, I let myself relax. It's just 1 day a month so I don't feel like I should feel guilty for not pushing myself. We have to deal with the PMS so why not lay on the couch with the remote one night a month? :)
 

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