Fitness Tips For PMS Symptoms

by Jenny Sugar 0

From pimples to bloating, cramps to spontaneously bursting into tears, PMS and period symptoms not only have the ability to ruin your day, but they can also put a damper on working out. Since exercise actually alleviates many of these uncomfortable feelings, here are some of the best ways to handle common PMS symptoms while working out.

• Bloating: Swelling in your lower abdomen doesn't always inspire you to sport a fitted tank or leggings. Forget impressing anyone and go for comfort by wearing loose-fitting pants that have wide waistbands and these tanks that hide a pooch.
• Cramps: When your uterus contracts, you can feel mild to debilitating cramps. If you aren't bound to your bed in the fetal position, get moving. Doing some cardio that gets your heart pumping such as jogging, brisk walking, riding your bike, or swimming releases pain-relieving beta-endorphins to alleviate your discomfort, and it also helps to decrease those cramp-inducing muscle contractions. If the pain is really bad, try these yoga poses for relieving menstrual cramps.

Keep reading to learn how to work out when dealing with other period symptoms.

• Tender breasts: If your chest is feeling especially sore, when exercising, double up with a sports bra and tank with a built-in shelf bra. During this time, consider skipping strength-training moves that put pressure on your chest and find other ways to work those muscles.
• Fatigue: Not feeling much get-up-and-go? Do lighter workouts by either shortening the distance, slowing down your pace, or choosing low-impact workouts like yoga or walking. Do what you can and don't feel bad about doing a less-intense or shorter workout when you are feeling fatigued.
• Moodiness: Whether you're feeling angry, sad, or just plain blah, choose an uplifting workout — like Zumba! — to give your mood a boost. If you don't feel like a class, exercise on your own to a playlist of favorite tunes. Exercising with a friend is another great way to ditch the gloom since venting while sweating almost always makes you feel better. Here are even more benefits of having a workout buddy.