Workouts You Should Avoid During Your Period (and What You Should Do Instead)

While some people don’t mind working out when they’re on their period, others can’t even stand the thought of it. No matter where you fall on the spectrum, if you do choose to break a sweat when you’re menstruating, you may want to be strategic about what kind of exercise you decide on.

Your body is performing a pretty amazing feat during your period. Your uterus is shedding its lining, for crying out loud, so it’s no surprise that we deal with bloating, indigestion, fatigue, and mood swings at this time of the month. Let’s not forget the more bizarre side effects you deal with on your period, like clumsiness. Yep, that’s a real thing, and we’ll explain it more later.

With all these things going on in your body, you may want to avoid the following workouts. And if you’re looking for alternatives, we’ve got you covered.

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High-Intensity Interval Running

We all know that exhaustion is a common side effect of your period. It’s due to a dip in estrogen that happens right before we menstruate, which also accounts for brain fog. Working out during your period will actually help you feel better, but you want to choose the kind of workout that will help you feel more energized, not completely wiped out.

As great as interval running is to burn fat and build endurance, it’s a very taxing workout, and all that high-impact, rapid movement in your lower body might exacerbate your menstrual cramps and leave you feeling totally wrecked.

What you can do instead: Taking a brisk walk outside in the sunshine might be just what you need. Walking at a solid pace for an extended period of time certainly counts as cardio; plus, when you’re outside in nature, you’ll see a boost in your mood while simultaneously revving up your heart rate. That’s a win-win!

Crowded Group Fitness Classes

Let’s face it. Sometimes people are annoying AF when you’re already feeling irritable. The last thing you want is someone crowding your space, flinging sweat on you, and accidentally (or not so accidentally) stealing your workout equipment. And you definitely don’t want to deal a shrieking, overenthusiastic instructor. Dodge those scenarios by steering clear of those wildly busy group fitness classes, especially the ones during peak after-work hours.

What you can do instead: Stake out a corner to yourself in the gym where nobody can…

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