If you've ever dedicated weeks, months, or years to following a training program or preparing for a competition, you know how frustrating it can be when the first day of your cycle coincides with a scheduled intense workout.

Regardless, there is a way to train with your menstrual cycle and optimize your workouts so that you can effectively take advantage of the changes your body regularly experiences.

In simple terms, the menstrual cycle is a series of hormonal shifts that can be used to your advantage, especially when it comes to fitness. When done correctly, a well-designed training cycle can reduce recovery time and improve your performance.

In this article you will learn what physical exercises can be done during menstruation and what cannot be done, as well as how to train correctly on these days.

Phases of the menstrual cycle

Before we dive into the workouts, let's first take a look at the phases of the menstrual cycle and what's happening in your body at each stage.

The menstrual cycle can be divided into two phases:

• The first phase, which begins on the first day of menstruation and lasts until the day of ovulation, is called follicular. At this time, estrogen rises to stimulate follicle growth.
• The second phase is called the luteal phase. It begins the day after ovulation and continues until the start of the next cycle. During this phase, progesterone increases (as does your body temperature), estrogen also increases slightly, and both hormones decrease if the egg is not fertilized to begin the cycle again.

The first 5 days of the follicular phase are known as the menstrual phase, when the uterus is cleared of the old endometrium, which is expelled with menstrual blood. Between the follicular phase and the luteal phase, ovulation occurs when the ovaries release a mature egg.

The influence of cycle phases on the training process

There are several factors that can affect the training process.

First, the rise in body temperature that occurs after ovulation can affect how quickly you get tired. Therefore, during the luteal phase, it is worth reducing the intensity and duration of training.

Second, insulin sensitivity changes throughout your cycle, which can affect the way your body uses and stores fuel.

• In the first half of the cycle (high estrogen levels are observed), the body is more sensitive to insulin. At this time, carbohydrates are used more efficiently. As a result, high-intensity training such as sprinting or strength training with heavy weights will be ideal.
• In the second half of the cycle (high levels of progesterone are observed), the body becomes more resistant to insulin. At this time, the absorption of glucose by muscle cells deteriorates. Thus, during this period it is worth giving preference to low-intensity loads.

Menstrual Cycle Training: Week by Week

The menstrual cycle can last on average from 23 to 36 days. While the average cycle length is 28 days, most women have different cycle lengths than this and sometimes experience shifts from month to month.

The classic training plan is broken down over a 4-week period, but you can customize it based on your cycle and needs. The type of workout you choose doesn't matter. Intensity is important. The basic principle is that at the beginning of the cycle the load increases, and towards the end it decreases.

Week 1 (Days 3 - 9): Increased load or intensity

The first week falls in the first half of the follicular phase. At this time, you can increase the intensity of your workout. This is a great time to do interval training.

Week 2 (Days 10 - 16): High load or intensity

This week is the second half of the follicular phase and ovulation. During this time, you may find that your energy is at its peak. To take advantage of this, you can include several workouts that will require maximum energy expenditure. The second half of the follicular phase is the best time to build muscle mass.

Week 3 (Days 17-23): Aerobic exercise

This week marks the first half of the luteal phase. At this time, it is worth giving preference to aerobic training. Longer, less intense workouts will be ideal. Cycling, treadmill or circuit training are great options. As you approach the end of the week, reduce the intensity as you feel better. Remember to drink enough water.

Week 4 (Days 24 - 2): Low Intensity

It begins when the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome begin to become more noticeable. At this time, you should give preference to light activities such as swimming, cycling, and brisk walking. Below we will take a closer look at what exercises you can do during and before your period. Light exercise will help reduce stress hormones and reduce pain.

Allowed exercises

What exercises can you do during your period?

• Light cardio workouts. Choose one of your favorite exercises. Don't go for a super difficult workout that you've never tried before. Light workouts that are recommended to be performed during menstruation: stretching, yoga, Pilates, dancing.
• Easy exercises you can do at home. What exercises can be done by both a month-old baby and women during menstruation. You may not want to go to the gym during your period, which is completely normal. However, you should not completely cancel your workout. You can do a simple 10-minute exercise that can be easily done at home. This will relieve tension, give you a feeling of pride and joy, and help reduce stress levels.

Prohibited exercises

What exercises should you not do during your period?

• Avoid long-term inverted yoga poses as they can lead to pain and excessive bleeding.
• Avoid performing heavy compound exercises such as squats, deadlifts and leg presses.
• Avoid long runs as bleeding may increase during the run.
• Avoid jumping and turning your body quickly, as this can tear your knee ligaments.

We looked at the question of which exercises can be done during menstruation and which cannot. The most important thing during this period is to listen to your body and rest if you feel pain and discomfort.

Conclusion

So, we looked at the question of how to exercise during your period. By organizing your workouts according to your menstrual cycle, you can train most effectively and achieve your fitness goals. Always follow the basic rules:

• High and intense loads in the first phase of the cycle.
• Moderate and low-intensity loads in the second phase of the cycle.

With this approach, you will be able to avoid the appearance of chronic stress. The condition can severely affect the production of sex hormones, which can disrupt your menstrual cycle and lead to symptoms of overtraining, including fatigue, decreased productivity and loss of motivation. Therefore, you should not overload your body with hours of training - this will not bring benefits.

We also looked at the question of what exercises can be done during menstruation at home or in the gym, and which ones are best avoided. Now you can competently create your training plan depending on the day of your cycle.

Sports and an active lifestyle are now in fashion. Due to their physiology, it is difficult for women to lead their usual lifestyle several days a month. We are talking about menstrual bleeding. Today we will discuss whether it is possible to exercise during menstruation.

Anatomical features

A few years ago, doctors unanimously argued that any physical activity should be avoided during menstrual bleeding. Today, the opinion of experts has changed and most of them believe that sports can be played, but taking into account physiological characteristics.

Some women feel great these days, so they can independently choose what kind of sports they can do during their periods. If you feel pathological weakness, discomfort or pain, then it is better to adjust your training schedule, and in the first days of the cycle, completely stop going to the gym.

Specialized doctors believe that a woman can engage in any sport during her period if she does not have any contraindications and feels well.

Important! It is advisable to avoid performing exercises using weights. Such loads increase pressure in the abdominal cavity, and most of it falls on the muscle tissue of the perineum. This may be fraught with the development of endometriosis.

If you feel weak during critical days, but do not want to stop the training process, exercise in a lighter mode, for example, reduce the number of repetitions, and replace exercises to work the abdominal muscles and inner thighs with static exercises.

Sport is a panacea for menstruation

Scientists and practicing doctors have repeatedly been convinced that systematic exercise has a beneficial effect on the well-being and health of a person in general. If you have no direct contraindications to physical activity, then you should not stop the training process during menstrual bleeding.

With the help of physical activity, you can reduce the symptoms that appear, in particular:

• pain in the mammary glands;
• neuroses;
• bloating.

On a note! Physical activity these days helps normalize blood circulation, metabolic processes and improve mood. Scientists have found that women who exercise on menstrual periods are not subject to sudden mood swings.

Training by cycle phases

As we know from school anatomy lessons, the menstrual cycle of a woman of reproductive age consists of three phases:

• follicular;
• ovulatory;
• luteal

The duration of the first period can vary from 10 to 15 days. Due to the anatomical features of this cyclic stage, the concentration of the hormone estrogen in the body increases. Thanks to this, more intense fat burning occurs, so training can be moderate.

But the second phase is characterized by the maturation of the egg, and accordingly, the concentration of the hormone progesterone increases. This hormone promotes the burning of glucose, and therefore the training process should be as intense as possible. Otherwise, load your body moderately, taking into account your well-being and physiological characteristics.

List of contraindications

Many women wonder why they can’t exercise during their periods. Representatives of the fair sex who suffer from one of the following ailments need to completely eliminate even the slightest physical activity:

• fibroid tumor;
• endometriosis.

Obstetricians and gynecologists do not recommend performing exercises in inverted positions, as this negatively affects well-being and the natural course of physiological processes.

If you do decide to continue exercising even during menstrual bleeding, be sure to take the following points into account:

• do not use weights during physical activity;
• if you are involved in a sport, for example, weightlifting, then the number of repetitions must be reduced to a minimum;
• exercises aimed at working out the lower segment of the rectus abdominis muscle should be excluded;
• It is better not to perform deadlifts, squats, presses or jumps, so as not to provoke the development of complicated consequences.

Now let's take a closer look at the contraindications. It is strictly forbidden to engage in sports during menstrual bleeding for women who suffer from gynecological ailments in acute or chronic form. These include:

• intense pain in the lower abdominal segment;
• amenorrhea;
• fainting conditions;
• any inflammatory processes;
• heavy menstrual bleeding.

Not a day without sports!

Even if you are accustomed to this rhythm of life and physical exercise is no longer a novelty for you, you should definitely know how to exercise during your period. On critical days, the female body needs to be properly prepared for the upcoming load. Before heading to the gym, follow these steps:

• wear underwear made from natural fabrics;
• underwear should not be tight;
• choose sportswear in dark shades;
• do not forget to use a personal hygiene product - a tampon or pad.

Important! Do not drink Coca-Cola or coffee immediately before training. These drinks will provoke spasms in the uterine cavity. Also, during exercise, the body will lose more water than usual. Don't forget to replenish fluids.

If you work out in the gym, then try to limit yourself to doing exercises on a treadmill, steppe or exercise bike. Specialized doctors advise women to visit the pool during menstrual bleeding. Choose days when your menstrual flow is less intense. Use a tampon or a special mouthguard made of silicone.

On a note! Today, the choice of personal hygiene products for menstrual bleeding is huge. In addition to the usual means, you can use special vaginal cups and panties.

Cycle disorders and sports: is there a connection?

Physical activity is always stressful for the body. This is especially true for women who have just started performing complexes for the purpose of losing weight and working out certain groups of muscle tissue.

Under the influence of many factors, disruption of the menstrual cycle can occur. The so-called delay can be a consequence of sudden debilitating loads. But there is also the other side of the coin - amenorrhea, that is, the absence of menstrual bleeding.

This disease occurs in professional athletes. This is due to the fact that the amount of subcutaneous fat is negligible, resulting in disruption of the functioning of the endocrine system and, accordingly, hormonal imbalance.

On a note! If you want exercise to be beneficial and not harm your reproductive health, first undergo an examination and consult a doctor. If there are special indications, you will have to adjust the training process or completely abandon classes on these days.

Choosing the right sport

Fitness has virtually no restrictions. You can attend such classes even during menstrual bleeding. You just need to reduce the intensity of exercises aimed at working the abdominal muscles.

Avoid performing inverted positions, such as shoulder stands. Try not to make sudden movements, turns or tilts of the body. Pull-ups, crunches, including reverse ones, and presses also fall into the “black” list.

Doctors and professional trainers say that during this period muscle tissue is most elastic, so stretching will be an excellent alternative to intense training.

On a note! Stretching can be done as a warm-up to prepare the body for the upcoming loads, and also at the end of a workout so as not to feel discomfort the next day.

Is it necessary to exercise during menstruation? If we are talking about a more or less thoughtful training plan, such questions can be avoided. Every woman knows which day of the cycle is the most problematic for her, and when there is no physical opportunity to exercise. A complete rest is planned for this very day. Everything else is described in accordance with the goals, training characteristics, and physical capabilities. In independent training for weight loss, there are several rather harmful extremes.

Is exercise prohibited during menstruation?

Since school physical education, everyone knows that menstruation is the most common reason not to go to training. But is “liberation” necessary if you study not for a grade, but for yourself?

There are no contraindications to training of moderate intensity and reasonable volume for a healthy woman. Another thing is that the condition itself may not be very conducive to effective fitness.

Cramping and pain usually worsen when lifting heavy weights or doing extreme endurance training. As a rule, neither one nor the other occurs in regular fitness training for weight loss.

Gynecologists answer the question in the subtitle rather evasively. Many domestic experts generally deny women this type of health activity, such as strength training outside of professional sports, and speak and write mainly about yoga, aerobics, running, Pilates and similar activities. So, everything listed is not prohibited during the normal course of the process, does not affect pain in any way, and cannot harm health.

Yogis add on their own that inverted poses are prohibited and backbends are not recommended, that’s all.

Soviet textbooks for coaches call for careful consideration of the athlete’s condition, and not to plan such types of activities as:

• sprints at maximum or sub-maximum power;
• interval training with alternating anaerobic and aerobic exercise;
• lifting maximum weights in weightlifting, “walking” and training with maximum weights in powerlifting;
• plyometric (jumping) training;
• sport swimming, on days when the discharge is heavy. Medicine of the “Soviet” school is almost unanimous on this issue. Somewhere on vacation in the sea you can still swim with a tampon, but it’s clearly not worth exercising in the pool during your period. The reason is the possibility of microbes entering the slightly open cervix. Americans are not so categorical, and write that with correctly sized tampons it is impossible to get an infection.

All of the above simply intensifies the spasms, and can lead to discomfort and increased pain, but usually does not cause any gynecological problems.

Risks associated with exercising during your period

We are not talking about the textbook “uterus will fall out,” but about more real and prosaic things. During menstruation, immunity is reduced for natural reasons, and there is a greater tendency to develop hypothermia and inflammation even due to a slight change in temperature.

It is necessary to follow the general rules of “air and water” safety:

• if you still train in water, the temperature should not be lower than 20-22 degrees. In the case where swimming is not the main sport, but is chosen as “cardio that does not affect the joints,” it is better to consider some kind of cross-training, for example, training on an elliptical machine. Still, the water in municipal swimming pools can be cold;
• during “long, even” cardio on treadmills, ellipsoids and steppers, it is better to avoid turning on the “hair dryer”; it usually blows directly into the center of the body;
• You should be careful when choosing a place for floor exercises and stretching. It is better not to be located near a window, under an air conditioner or in other areas that are well ventilated;
• It's best not to relax in public hot tubs, as hot water can increase bleeding, and for obvious hygiene reasons. It is also advisable to avoid the sauna for a while. Dilation of blood vessels and increased pressure will not add comfort.

The extremes of exercising during your period

Clients of fitness clubs usually train not according to some plan aimed at optimal performance, but according to the principle “when you have time for a lesson and are not lazy.”

Exercising during menstruation often:

• or not carried out at all, any physical activity is limited, regardless of health. It’s just that since childhood I’ve had it in my head “I can’t go to physical education with this”, and so a whole week flies away. For those losing weight, this is objectively not very good. After all, the goal of training is to help improve health and maintain an optimal calorie deficit. If you feel adequate, it makes sense to simply do easier workouts;
• are carried out according to the principle “it doesn’t matter how I feel, there are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and noshpa.” It can be relatively safe if your workout consists of 40 minutes on an elliptical machine, followed by 20 minutes of some muscle-isolating exercise on a low-resistance machine. But if it’s a combination of snatch, deadlift and sprints – not always. Many athletes experience the feeling that their legs are “slowing down” on these days. In fact, it is not the limbs, but the nervous system that cannot cope with the load. If you also take pills, you can end up with a weakly controlled body and a risk of injury. In addition, high doses of anti-inflammatory drugs also block completely normal pain signals that are usually targeted during strength training.

Both options are bad. With the first one, everything is simple - you need to go to the gynecologist and consult about the possibility of classes. If strength and intense cardio are contraindicated, you should at least do walks on the street in good weather, or the same half hour on a stepper in bad weather, with a light load on the pulse of about 50-60% of the maximum heart rate.

The second one is usually encountered by those who sincerely love to train and want to do it regardless of the circumstances. Typically, strength sessions with painkillers lead to central nervous system fatigue, sleep disturbance, and insufficient recovery. Which, in the context of a supposed weight loss diet, almost always means failure. Well, people were not created to endure pain, hunger, and hardship at the same time, and even if there was food within walking distance. Therefore, from the perspective of the main goal (weight loss), intensive strength training is not justified.

What to do if “it” happens on the day when you have to squat or do deadlifts? Usually, with normal technique and deep enough during spasms, it’s still not possible to “sit down”. And it’s also not worth taking risks by not working enough with the center of the body. It makes sense to devote this day to increasing mobility and working with medium weights “for endurance.” Or even replace the squat with a barbell with a plie with a medium-weight dumbbell or a “goblet” squat. It’s also better not to experiment with classic deadlifts and weights. Usually there are no problems with bending over with dumbbells, and absolutely any “one-legged” work - lunges, step-ups, Bulgarian split squats can be practiced on this day.

Especially for – fitness trainer Elena Selivanova

Briefly about the ovarian-menstrual cycle

Before you understand the question of whether it is possible to squat during menstruation, you need to understand what happens to the female body. Only then will it be clear why this or that exercise is performed a different number of times and with different weights on different days of the cycle.

So, there are five phases of the ovarian-menstrual cycle:

• menstrual (3-5 days);
• postmenstrual (7-9 days);
• ovulatory (4 days);
• postovulatory (7-9 days);
• premenstrual (3-5 days).

There is another periodization of menstruation. According to it, the menstrual cycle consists of three phases:

• follicular, during which a follicle is formed in the ovaries, from which an egg is released;
• ovulatory, when the egg leaves the follicle;
• luteal, in which the corpus luteum is formed. A temporary endocrine gland in the female body, formed after ovulation and producing the hormone progesterone.

During each phase, a woman's physical and emotional state changes due to fluctuations in the levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone.

When drawing up a training program, you must take into account the phase of the cycle. At different times, the female body responds differently to stress. And the exercise that brought results (strengthened or, conversely, relaxed a certain muscle) at the beginning of the cycle will turn out to be useless at the end.

How to plan load during a cycle

The optimal phase for any type of load is considered to be the postmenstrual and postovulatory phases. During this period, the hormonal background is most balanced, there are no sudden mood swings. At this time, you can safely squat with weights (dumbbells, barbells), perform a lot of jumping exercises, which perfectly tighten the buttocks and the back of the thigh. And also deadlifts (bending forward with weights) to strengthen the back and hamstrings.

During the period of ovulation and before menstruation, the load should be reduced, since at this time the synthesis of estrogen and progesterone increases. The body is preparing for a possible pregnancy. It is better to postpone strength training for seven to ten days, and instead concentrate on training endurance and coordination. Aerobic exercises will help with this, such as walking on steps (you can use a special exercise machine - a stepper), cycling, cross-country running, swimming. Thanks to such exercises, the heart muscle is strengthened, which means the transport of oxygen and nutrients to tissues and organs improves. The result is slender legs, a toned stomach (aerobic exercise helps burn fat deposits) and a great mood.

During menstruation, the hormonal surge gradually fades away. The emotional state stabilizes by the end of the phase, so you can gradually increase the load. During this period, the body responds best to moderate stress, such as stretching exercises. By the way, stretching exercises should form the basis of training not only during menstruation, but also during the period of ovulation. This is due to hormonal changes and a slightly increased body temperature, which makes the menstrual ligament and muscles more pliable and stretch better.

For convenience, when drawing up a training program, you can use the table:

Cycle phase	Phase days	Exercises
Menstrual	1-2	30-40	Stretching, yoga, Pilates,
	3-5	50-70	dancing, walking at a speed of 5-7 km/h
Postmenstrual	1-3	70-80	Cross-country running, jumping, bodyweight squats, push-ups
	4-6	80-100	Accelerated running, interval training (alternating running and strength exercises for different muscle groups)
	7-9	70-90	Swimming, aerobics, cycling at a high pace
Ovulatory	4	50-70	Yoga, Pilates, stretching, slow dancing, strength exercises for legs only with your own weight
Postovulatory	1-5	70-90	Strength exercises for all muscle groups, high-intensity training using various equipment (fitball, step platform, dumbbells, expander)
	6-9	80-100	Aerobic exercises with short rest intervals (5 sets: jumping rope for a minute, 15 seconds rest), push-ups, squats at a fast pace
Premenstrual	3-5	60-70	Aerobic exercises at a medium pace, exercises to develop balance (“swallow”)

Allowed and prohibited exercises during menstruation

During the first two to three days of your period, your hormones are still raging. At the end of critical days there comes an emotional lull. To stabilize the psychological state, at the beginning of critical days you need to perform relaxation exercises. From this point of view, exercises for stretching the lower back and buttocks are considered ideal. They help reduce menstrual pain and improve your mood. The following exercises are considered the most effective:

• "Cobra". Lying on your back, raise yourself up on bent arms, inhale and exhale deeply 3-5 times. Then rise with straight arms and smoothly lift your chin up. Stay in this position for 10-15 seconds.
• "Swan". Sitting on the floor, the right leg is bent at the knee and lowered, the left leg is straight (knee on the floor). Hands on the floor on either side of the leg (to maintain balance). The pelvis is lowered as much as possible. If this position does not cause discomfort and stretching allows, you can bend your elbows and move them forward (if you wish, you can even lie on your stomach on them).
• "Kolobok" Lying on your back, pull your knees to your chest, clasping your arms. Stay in this position for 15-20 seconds. Push off smoothly and, like a bun, roll forward (into a squat). Repeat the same in the opposite direction.
• "Child's pose." Sitting on your knees, lower your buttocks onto your heels, stretch your arms forward, press your stomach to your knees and stretch forward, right and left. Hold in each position for 15-20 seconds.
• "Frog". Knees on the floor, legs apart, emphasis on straight arms. Stretch your pelvis down. If stretching allows, you can lower yourself onto your elbows. If you wish, you can lower your hands completely to the floor and stretch forward. At the same time, bring the pelvis as close to the floor as possible. Stay in the position for 20-30 seconds.

Prohibited exercises during menstruation include all types of jumps (up, long, jumping rope), exercises on the back and legs with weights (deadlifts, squats), static exercises (with freezing in a certain position).

Options for squats during menstruation

On the fourth or fifth day of your period, you can gradually increase the load, including squats in your workout. It is best to perform them with your own weight. Types of bodyweight squats:

• "Squat." Feet wider than shoulder width, toes pointing to the sides, arms crossed at chest level (possibly at the waist). By moving the pelvis back, bend your knees and smoothly lower yourself to parallel with the floor. Your knees should be pointing behind your toes (if you start to bring your knees together, you can damage your knee ligaments). It is important to watch your lower back (do not bend too much, but do not round it either).
• "Split" The right foot is in front, resting on the heel, the left foot is behind on the toe. Squat down smoothly, reaching the knee of your back leg toward the floor. In this case, the knee of the front leg should not extend beyond the toe. The body can be tilted forward slightly.
• Cross Lunge Squats. The right foot is in front, resting on the heel (the toe can be turned slightly outward). Left rear in curtsy position. Squat down smoothly, reaching the knee of your back leg towards the floor. The knee of the right leg does not extend beyond the toe.
• Lateral (side) squats. Legs apart, feet parallel, toes forward. Sit down on your right leg, while pulling your pelvis back. The left leg remains straight, tilt the body forward (but do not lie with your stomach on your leg).
• Lunges. From a standing position, take a step back (foot on toe). The squat technique is the same as in the “Spread” exercise.

You can learn more about the squat technique in the video below.

Very often girls ask me, and how overcome sugar cravings during PMS? And I decided to answer these questions in this article, since this topic is relevant for absolutely all girls and women, and therefore requires a detailed analysis. At all sports during menstruation- this is an individual thing that depends on many factors: on the physiological characteristics of the course of CD in a particular girl, on the level of her physical fitness, on the state of health in general, etc., but if we generalize and take the average girl without serious health problems, then we can safely assert that workouts during menstruation not prohibited! And now we will dig a little deeper to understand what processes occur in the female body during all phases of the menstrual cycle, and why do you want to eat an elephant during PMS? We will also find out whether sports during menstruation be useful?

Phases of the menstrual cycle

Before you start talking about training and nutrition during PMS and KD, it is advisable to understand what generally happens in our body during the female cycle ( the picture is clickable).

Rice. 1 Phases of the menstrual cycle

So, the whole cycle can be divided into 5 phases (in some literature there are only 4 phases, but for a more complete picture we will consider all 5 phases).

Phase I – menstruation

During this phase, menstruation itself (bleeding) occurs. During this period, girls lose a lot of red blood cells, leukocytes, and platelets along with their blood; hemoglobin levels drop significantly; Metabolism slows down greatly. Against the backdrop of all this, girls become irritable, nervous, hot-tempered and even sometimes aggressive. Efficiency drops.

Phase II – postmenstrual

The calmest phase of all. This period is characterized by the maturation of the follicle in the ovaries until its rupture. The body produces more estrogen (the main female hormone), so girls in the postmenstrual phase usually behave quietly, calmly and peacefully. They don’t rush at anyone, they don’t want to kill or strangle anyone, but on the contrary, they love everyone and want to take care of everyone. During this period, all men can use this “fluffy” state of their lady for their own benefit.

Phase III - ovulation

In this phase, the egg leaves the follicle and moves into the fallopian tubes, and then into the uterus. Estrogen levels begin to decline rapidly, while progesterone levels still remain low. During this period, the performance of girls decreases, and the rate of basal metabolism decreases.

IV phase – postovulatory

In this phase, a new endocrine gland, the corpus luteum, is formed from the remains of the follicle. The functional abilities of the body increase again, the metabolic rate increases, and the level of progesterone in the blood increases. During this period, girls no longer freak out, scream or get nervous, but rather calm down and silently wait for the next phase (there they will show everyone where the crayfish spend the winter).

V phase - premenstrual

This phase is the nastiest of all the previous ones; it is popularly known as PMS. A couple of days before menstruation, the corpus luteum degenerates, which causes rapid drop in blood estrogen levels and increase in progesterone . During this period, girls often experience increased irritability, severe fatigue, pain in the lower abdomen and lower back, decreased performance, drowsiness, voracious appetite, headache, breast swelling, bloating and weight gain... and this is not the entire list of what they feel girls during this phase, but I think it’s not worth continuing, everyone is already familiar with this.

The main reason for increased appetite during PMS is an increase in the level of PROGESTERONE, the pregnancy hormone, as it is also called, it is the one that signals the body that it needs to store more nutrients and vitamins, because it thinks that fertilization has occurred. And once fertilization has occurred, it means that the growth and development of the unborn baby requires a lot of micro- and macroelements for its full development and growth. So, remember that it is the high level of progesterone that causes your night or daytime gluttons during PMS.

Also, another reason for wild appetite during PMS is the fact that glycogen reserves in the liver are greatly reduced, and the glucose content in the blood, on the contrary, increases. What do we want to do when blood sugar rises? Right - EAT!

Well, we've looked at all the phases of the female cycle and now we have an idea of ​​what happens in our body during menstruation itself ( I phase) and during PMS (V phase).

Rice. 2 Symptoms of PMS and the menstrual phase

This information will help us figure out Is it possible to exercise during menstruation?, and how to force yourself not to pounce on food during PMS?

And we will start with nutrition during the most problematic period of every girl - PMS.

Nutrition for PMS

How to learn to control your appetite during PMS?

This question probably torments all girls. It is during this period that a terrible desire awakens to eat something sweet, high-calorie, in a word, something that will lift your spirits and brighten up your gray everyday life with bright colors. This desire is absolutely physiologically justified and natural, since the body is preparing for the fact that very soon it will have to lose a lot of nutrients in the blood, and therefore it needs to store new nutrients NOW.

As I wrote earlier, during PMS, glycogen stores are depleted and blood sugar levels increase. All this leads to the fact that you want to EAT all the time, and against the background of unstable hormonal levels (progesterone levels reach their upper limit), this seems to be the only salvation in the current situation. But it only seems like it to you! A way out can be found even from such a seemingly dead end.

A few days (3-4 days) before the onset of zhor (for some, zhor comes on the first day of PMS, for some later, and for some during menstruation itself), you need to eat a GOOD portion of slow drinks once a day. carbohydrates, it can be buckwheat, rice or oatmeal. But it’s important not just to “peck” the buckwheat, but to eat “from the heart”! After eating this way for 3-4 days, you will thoroughly fill your glycogen depot, and then, when the time of PMS comes, your glycogen depot will gradually become empty, slowly replenishing your body with energy and blocking the wild desire to eat an elephant. This technique will help you cope with gluttony during the PMS period and not gain a couple of extra pounds, in addition to those that will already be added due to water retention.

 Help

A weight gain of 2-3 kg is quite normal during premenstrual syndrome, which is associated with fluid retention in the body. Changes in a girl’s hormonal levels lead to swelling of the uterus, an increase in the abdomen and breasts by half the size, and it is the excess fluid that causes weight gain. But don’t rush to get upset about this and fall into hysterics, if you saw +3 kg on the scales on the eve of your period, these extra kilos are not fat, but just water, which after your period will go away as quickly as it came.

To avoid gaining REAL extra pounds during PMS, you need to give preference to protein foods and vegetables. After you've prepped and loaded up on complex carbohydrates for the day. X, then, on the contrary, you need to reduce your carbohydrate intake and lean more on protein: low-fat cottage cheese, chicken, turkey, lean beef, fish, eggs and seafood. This way, you will be able to keep your blood sugar levels stable at all times, and you will not have the urge to indulge in anything harmful.

If you still really want chocolates or chocolate cake, then you can buy real dark dark chocolate and eat a couple of cubes (15-20 g) along with natural cocoa. Read how to choose the right chocolate here.

Chromium and magnesium have a beneficial effect on protein absorption, regulate lipid-carbohydrate metabolism, reduce irritability, tearfulness and increased excitability. These supplements are simply irreplaceable helpers in the fight against PMS symptoms. Also, in addition to chromium and magnesium, you should pay attention to the intake of vitamins and nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, vitamins B, A and E.

These recommendations will help you during PMS control your appetite and don’t pounce on food as you did before. Well, now let's look at the next question - sports during menstruation. Are they dangerous? workouts during the menstrual cycle of girls or vice versa useful? We'll figure out.

Sports and periods

Is it possible to exercise during menstruation?

We already know that during the menstrual phase, girls’ body functionality decreases and their performance also decreases. But this does not mean that you cannot play sports. During this period, girls simply experience a special state when their body loses a lot of nutrients in the blood, and they become more vulnerable than usual, but they don't become infirm, as many may think of themselves.

Yes, of course, every girl experiences this period in her own way: for some, critical days pass quite calmly and painlessly; and for some, these days turn into real hellish torments, when it’s hard to even get out of bed. If you belong to the second group of girls, then classes sports during menstruation for you should take place in a very light mode: you can do yoga, Pilates or breathing exercises. Classes should be done at the most calm and relaxed pace with your own body weight and without sudden movements. This applies to girls for whom CD is too painful.

If your critical days are more or less tolerable, then workouts during menstruation you are not only allowed, but even recommended. You have most likely heard that any physical activity increases body temperature and metabolism in the body, plus, it (physical activity) helps reduce painful cramps in the lower abdomen by improving blood circulation in the pelvis. It turns out that sport is the most natural and cheapest antispasmodic and pain reliever, unlike all these synthetic potions and pills.

But there are several important rules that you need to follow when exercising during your period.

Rule No. 1

TRAINING DURING YOUR MENSURE MUST BE ADAPTED TO YOUR NEW CONDITION!

It is imperative to take into account the fact that during this period your performance is reduced and your immunity is slightly weakened, so you need to exercise without fanaticism.

If on normal days you squat with a 20 kg barbell for 8 repetitions, then during critical days it is recommended to reduce the weight by half (or even more) and reduce the intensity of the training itself. That is, during CD it is better to do squats with an empty bar for 15-20 repetitions.

Rule #2

This rule is one of the most important:

DURING CRITICAL DAYS, NEVER PERFORM EXERCISES WHEN YOUR PELVIS IS HIGHER THAN YOUR HEAD!

Why is that? The fact is that when the pelvis and legs are higher than the torso, then a reverse outflow of blood occurs through the fallopian tubes and it enters the abdominal cavity along with the rejected cells of the uterine mucosa! This process is extremely dangerous and can cause a disease such as endometriosis, when cells of the uterine mucosa can grow outside of it, in our case in the abdominal cavity (see Fig. 3). This fact can cause infertility.

Rice. 3 Endometriosis

So let’s remember the exercises that should never be done during menstruation:

- leg press

- all abdominal exercises when the head is lower than the legs (crunches on an inclined bench, the “candle” exercise, etc.)

- gluteal bridge (in Smith and on the floor)

You also need to be extremely careful with such basic exercises as: barbell squats and. If you undertake to perform them during your period, be sure to reduce your usual working weight!

Rule #3

NEVER PULL YOUR LOWER ABS DURING YOUR MENSURE!

Although sports during menstruation helps reduce pain in the lower abdomen; it is strictly forbidden to pump the lower abs these days. This is again due to the fact that the physiology of these exercises, as well as with the “pelvis above the head” position, can contribute to the development of endometriosis, therefore, in the first one or two days, when bleeding is most intense, it is recommended to generally avoid any stress on the abs, and on all subsequent days of menstruation, you can pump only the upper abs and oblique abdominal muscles.

Well, we have discussed with you the main questions of interest to many girls related to exercising during menstruation, and nutrition during PMS. Now you know that sports during periods It is not contraindicated, but on the contrary, we recommend it, since it can improve not only the psycho-emotional background of girls, but also become a cure for pain in the lower abdomen and aches throughout the body. And you also know why unrealistic fat appears during PMS, and how to deal with it.

And my advice to you, girls, is to learn to listen to your body and act together with it, and then you simply won’t have any doubts about whether to go work out today or whether it’s better to lie down on the couch.

Sincerely yours, Janelia Skripnik!