please tell me im not the only one ..

[haleysmommy5402]

So I've been doing very very well this time around with my weight loss .. i was going to the gym 6 days a week .. well this week TOM made its lil visit and i cannot bring myself to go to the gym .. i feel like crap and just dont feel like getting all sweaty and yucky on top of already feeling yucky .. I know im still doing well otherwise .. for the last few days i was fluctuating between 282 and 281 and today i got a solid 280.2 (today is my actual weigh day) .. i want to go so bad and just get back on the elliptical but at the same time i just can't do it .. yuck .. does anyone else skip out on their exercise when TOM shows up?? also my DH's best friend is dating this girl who is a personal trainer .. she said to lose the average 2lbs a week i need to be burning 3500 calories a week .. for someone just starting out like myself that seems unheard of .. as of last Friday i could only do 25 mins on the elliptical (an average of 250 calories totaling 1500 for 6 days) and thought i was going to die by the time i got off that thing .. but I'm still losing so that can't be totally true .. thoughts please thanks ladies!!

[H8cake]

I don't skip exercise during tom. I find it really helps me to feel better. They always told us that in gym class in school and I didn't believe them, but it turns out to be true for me. I started out slow with exercise and gradually ramp it up as I get stronger. There is no need to kill yourself with it. I found that as long as I'm feeling challenged I make progress. I push hard enough that I can talk, but not comfortably. I have always done at least 30 minutes five days a week. I try to do some extra activity on the weekends, like jogging a nice trail with the family if I can.

[Mainah]

I may be mistaken (and I know if I am I will hear it...lol!) but you don't have to burn 3500 calories a week. 3500 calories = 1 pound so you can burn it, or eat less or a combination of both to get to the 3500 deficit. NOW - keep in mind that is theoretical! Theoretically, if I eat 500 less calories per day, I will weigh one pound less in 7 days but we all know it doesn't always work that way! If only it were so easy peasy!

I just wanted to say it doesn't have to be "burned" necessarily - don't want you killing yourself at the gym!

[sharongracepjs]

For the last two months, I've had grand goals of exercising during TOM ****, because I'm so jealous of the people who are able to and actually find it improves how they feel. But both times I've barely been able to get out of bed, and eating was all over the place - not tons consumed, but what I did consume was AWFUL. So I've decided to just give myself a break for those first two days when it's so miserable, and focus on listening to my body and getting right back on track when the worst lifts.

[hpnodat]

Don't forget that if you are larger you will burn more calories than if you were smaller doing the same activity.

Kudos for you for doing 25 minutes on the elliptical!!!! I usually do about 15-20 before I'm pooped. But I do other stuff to, like the bike, strength training and swimming.

[run2bstrong]

You will also lose water weight !

[matt_H]

does anyone else skip out on their exercise when TOM shows up??

No, can't say that I do.

[starfishkitty]

I usually skip out on the first two days (though I only go about 3 days a week, so it's not that hard to do) and when I go back I do light exercise... nothing that's going to make me feel like I'm sloshing around (haha, sorry) or light headed. It really does make it feel better though...

[TaraLee]

I posted awhile back about some awesome info I found on a couple websites where we girls actually get a lil bonus from TOM. Our metabolism ups around this time and it INCREASES our weightloss. So this time round I NEVER skip my workouts. For one, they help so much (I know it seems counter intutitive) with the drained yucky feeling and the cramps and for two, I sorta figure if my metabolism is up for the week I might as well take advantage of it and workout and diet the best I can for the max amount of weight loss.
Also, as for the personal trainer...no, you don't need to BURN 3500 calories a week by working out. The important thing right now is consistancy and that you are trying to work up to 30 minutes a day.
Its calorie defiect that causes weight loss, wether by diet, or exercise, but the best is by both. By cutting 500 calories a day off your DCR (daily caloric requirement) you hit the 3500 calorie defiect for the week and the exercise burns additional calories (plus you build muscle and burn more calories!!).
WTG with the 6 days a week workout and HUGE KUDDOS for doing well on your diet during the TOM, that's the really hard part for me...I want to eat everything in sight!

[findingfawn]

hahahaha.. Matt, I needed a giggle and you just gave it to me... thanks

Right now I don't have a TOM because I'm nursing (this is the first time it hasn't returned right away.. it only took 4 babies to have this happen), but before I got preggers with the little guy, I would go by how I felt and how heavy TOM was.. some days I skipped some I didn't.

[pintobean]

I used to but not anymore (unless I am in pain). I workout during TOM no matter how yucky I feel. And, yes, it is . But, for me, missing a day is a dangerous path. I know if I miss a day of working out then one day turns to two, then three etc. and before you know it 2 weeks have passed not working out. I can't afford to do that. I do lower the intensity of my workout depending how I feel during TOM.

About 3,500 calories adds up to about 1 pound. This applies whether they are food calories coming in, or calories (burned by exercise) going out.
If you eat 3,500 calories more than your body needs, you will put on about 1 pound. If you use up 3,500 calories more than you eat, you will lose about 1 pound in weight. Our bodies work in mysterious ways

[Shannon in ATL]

Originally Posted by matt_H

does anyone else skip out on their exercise when TOM shows up??

No, can't say that I do.

I don't typically skip exercise during TOM, but this week I feel particularly terrible so am right now considering skipping today.

[caliyah]

I usually do not do any exercise during TOM - if anything I might do little bit of walking but this hasn't hindered my weight loss. I think the key here is not to overdo it in the beginning - take it step my step. If you can do 10, 20 or 30 minutes on the treadmill then do just that. I think it is important to have an exercise routine that you can be consistent with. My goal initially was to workout for 20 minutes a day and then I worked my way up to an hour. I used to aim too high when it came to my workouts and I would always end up quitting because I would think I wasn't doing good enough or would burnout. So stick to what you can do and before you know it you will be able to handle more intense workouts.

[ChrissyBean]

I don't skip exercise when I'm on my period, but I don't look forward to it like I usually do. I do have to say that last month, day 1 or 2 fell on one of my Zumba days--I was cross and cranky and hated the world. By the end of my Zumb hour, I was a whole new Chrissy. My mood was SO improved! That was the first time that's ever happened to me. I always equated the 'exercise during your period is the best thing!!11' with the Tooth Fairy. Now I know...

[Slashnl]

I don't skip exercising either. I think it is a good diversion from feeling yucky. And I also think it does help you feel better. I don't want to give myself any excuses to not exercise!