Episode 27Jan 12, 2026· 5:26

Working Out on Your Period: Does Exercise Actually Help Menstrual Cramps?

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About this episode

Can barely stand because of menstrual cramps but the internet says exercise helps? I tested it so you don't have to. This real-talk episode documents my decision to work out during severe period pain…and what actually happened when I did. I'm recording this on my way to the gym while literally struggling with debilitating cramps. The research says cardio and yoga can help with menstrual pain by improving blood…

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Full transcript

00:09

What's up you guys? Fame Massage Sugar here.

00:10

Welcome to More Movement Please, the broadcast

00:12

where I hope to inspire you to move your body

00:14

more. Today I want to talk about menstrual cramps

00:17

because holy crap you guys, I am in a lot of

00:20

pain right now. But I was reading on the interwebs

00:23

that apparently working out is really good for

00:27

menstrual cramps because blah blah blah, insert

00:30

science. So though I am running late because

00:34

I literally could not stand up, I... got myself

00:38

together and I got in the car and I'm on my way

00:41

now to do the second half of Zumba and hopefully

00:45

all of low impact cardio and toning. I will be

00:47

giving myself permission to use lighter weights

00:50

today for the low impact cardio and toning. And

00:53

hopefully I won't get yelled at too badly by

00:55

my instructor for this choice, but I'm feeling

00:58

pretty weak, but I just couldn't let the whole

01:01

morning go without moving my body, especially

01:03

since. Allegedly, it's going to help me. I do

01:07

know that the last time that I had menstrual

01:10

cramps and went to the gym anyway, it actually

01:13

did help. I mean, it hurt a lot while I was there.

01:16

And the joke was that I was acting like a disabled

01:19

person because I was really struggling to do

01:21

everything. And that may be the case again this

01:24

morning. But I don't know. I feel like it's one

01:29

of those things where if it's going to help me,

01:31

it's worth it, even though it may be uncomfortable.

01:35

So that's what I'm doing. I'm heading to the

01:36

gym, even though I'm uncomfortable. And basically,

01:40

I've said this before, but I'm going to say it

01:43

again. I used to use every single excuse that

01:45

I could think of to try to avoid going to the

01:47

gym. And I just find it fascinating how now that

01:51

it's become such an addiction for me, such a

01:54

love and a passion for me, that even on a day

01:58

like this, whenever I normally would give myself

02:00

permission to just stay under the covers and

02:02

hide from the world. Instead, I am purposefully

02:05

going to the gym anyway. And like I said, I am

02:09

going to be late. I'm only going to make it to

02:11

the second half of my class. But for me, honestly,

02:15

that's still worth it for me because at least

02:18

I'm still going and at least I'm still going

02:20

to get a little bit of a workout. And that is

02:22

my main goal is to just, well, like I've said

02:25

a bajillion times, move my body more. So I hope

02:29

this real talk. situation of telling you what

02:33

I'm going through and why I'm running late is

02:36

helpful for you. I hope it inspires you to consider

02:38

that even if things in your life are not feeling

02:42

very comfortable, that you consider moving anyway,

02:44

finding some some way that you can move onwards

02:47

and upwards. I normally don't do a before and

02:50

after episode, but it felt fitting to do that

02:55

today because earlier when I was recording, I

02:58

was on my way to the gym. And not really feeling

03:01

very great. I was not feeling good at all. But

03:04

I really wanted to get to the gym, especially

03:07

since I was feeling like it would make me feel

03:09

better. And I did complete the second half of

03:13

Zumba. And I did do the low impact cardio and

03:15

toning. And I do feel better. I did use a little

03:18

bit lighter weights. I tried to still switch

03:22

it up and use heavier weights in between. But

03:25

I'm glad I went. I do feel... a little bit better.

03:30

And I might even try to go tonight just because

03:32

I feel like more movement is what my body's really

03:35

needing right now, even though it hurts and I'm

03:37

uncomfortable. It's just one of those things

03:40

where I guess the interwebs was right. I, I do

03:44

feel better. I don't feel great. Like I'm not

03:47

going to sit here and tell you that, Oh, I'm

03:48

completely cured because no, I'm not. It still

03:52

hurts, but I do feel like it was the right decision

03:55

to go. So if you are having your time of the

04:01

month and feeling the same issues that I'm feeling,

04:02

I hope that it will inspire you to move your

04:06

body anyway. If you can grab your heating pads,

04:09

sure. Take your ibuprofen and all that good stuff.

04:11

But yeah, try to move your body. One of the things

04:13

I was reading was saying that, you know, the

04:16

best thing you can do is yoga. And if you can

04:20

handle it to do cardio and. Basically, something

04:24

about the cardio and yoga helps the blood circulation,

04:29

helps your blood flow better, and just can alleviate

04:32

some of the pain. I know there are some very

04:35

lucky women, and God bless y 'all. I know there

04:37

are some very lucky women that never get menstrual

04:39

cramps, but for those of us that do, and especially

04:41

those of us that get those debilitating ones,

04:43

I encourage you to try movement of some kind

04:46

to alleviate your pain, and hopefully it'll help.

04:50

I hope this helps somebody who's listening. Onwards

04:52

and upwards, my friends. Have you worked out

04:54

today?

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