The FastDay Forum

Hello

I tried to look this up to see if this had already been answered somewhere, but could not find anything concrete, so apologies if this has been covered somewhere and I missed it!

I am on week 2 of my 5:2 diet. However I now have my period.

The general advice given to women who fast, say for religious beliefs is to not fast during their period as your body needs more iron and nutrients and energy. A friend of mine is currently fasting for Ramadan, but she will be exempt from this during her period.

So the questions is, is there any guidance on this? I have the book and have been flicking through it this morning and cannot find an answer (I might have missed it).

My periods do tend to be heavy for the first few days, but I thought I would do my fast day today regardless and I feel awful - sluggish and dizzy and headachy. My instinct is to eat properly today and take up the fast again next week (I usually go through this for 5-7 days). However I can see that taking a week off each month will be detrimental to my progress.

I would appreciate any advice or experiences from any of the ladies out there. What do you do?

Thanks!

I think your instinct is probably right in terms of avoiding the days when you feel terrible anyway - the great thing about this way of eating is that it is flexible and you can just move your fast day to a day when you're likely to feel better.

I tend to just carry on but then my periods are not that painful or heavy really (not like they used to be) so it doesn't affect me too much. But everyone's different and if you find not eating exacerbates your cramps then just swap the days. Given that they say we only lose something like an egg cup of blood each month, I don't think we're likely to pass out with anaemia if fasting while on a period, especially as we'll be eating normally the next day.

You'll find a way that works for you!

as "Menstruation is the discharge of blood and tissue from the lining of your uterus" what is being discharged is a cumulative loss from the previous months, surely, rather than a short term haemorrhage.

So from a position of profound inexperience I would say it doesn't matter.
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/women-an ... t-fasting/ may help.

Thank you. Apologies for being graphic, but as a mooncup user I can tell you I lose over an eggcup of blood a day during mine!

You are right though, I don't think its likely to cause me to pass out or anything extreme like that, but its certainly not helping the way I feel. I think as this is only my 2nd week, I may listen to my body on this occasion and get used to the fasting before my next cycle, perhaps once my body has adapted it will be easier next time around.

I just finished mune and it doesn't affect me or it does but in a good way. They are 2 days shorter since I fast and, for the pain during the first 2 days, I take some sabina (homeopathy) which ease the pain very quickly.

Manderley, you lucky thing, mine are no different to how they were before fasting, if anything they are heavier. Was on my heaviest day yesterday and so glad I wasn't fasting - stomach did feel quite grotty and fasting I think doesn't help the cramps. Also had a stonking headache, probably due to the humidity/thunderstormy weather - so I will see how I go today.

How's the mooncup, sugarjunkie? I've considered getting one but seems like it's a bit of a faff with all the sterilising etc. Better environmentally though so I might rethink.

When I have cramps I can't eat a thing and can't even go out of my bed sometimes so fasting is not a problem.

I had very heavy periods with big blood clots (sorry) for a week before this WOE, I even lost blood for weeks at the beginning of the year before learning that, in fact, I was pregnant and had a miscarriage so I am more than happy that eveything is a bit more "normal" now. The homeopathy treatment really helped to regulate everything.

Ooh sounds awful manderley and so sorry to hear of the miscarriage. I used to have very painful periods in my late teens/early twenties (the kind you describe, not being able to get out of bed, feels like a sharp object's being inserted somewhere). I don't know why they are much better now - I wonder if it's because I used to be quite a lot heavier until I first dieted in my mid twenties. Maybe it also took a few years to get the right pill that helped. Maybe it's just getting older (although I'm only 32) I know some folks struggle whatever their weight but I'm just thinking of what might have worked for me.

I certainly appreciate it now being much easier and really feel fore those that suffer. Men have no idea!!!

I don't take the pill. In fact I only took it for 3 months when I was 20 and stopped it because it was not for me. The positive thing is that they arrive every 28 days at the same time, like clockwork

For the miscarriage it was very strange because I learned that I was pregnant when I had the miscarriage. Even my GP thought it was because of my diet and the hormonal thing that can mess your periods up...

It's my first week on 5:2 but it also happens to be that week and I've not noticed any adverse effects. But I'm lucky in that my periods aren't troublesome anyway, so I guess it depends on the person. Definitely listen to your body and maybe as you say, see if your system has adapted by next month.

I have fasted both successfully and unsuccessfully during my period. Sadly, with 5:2, my periods are getting worse by the month. During the last one, I had to accept that there is no way to fast since I felt like passing out any minute now.
I'll say follow your body but, IME, a fast during the first two days of heavy periods is usually doomed.

Manderley, what an ordeal!!! Good to know that you are A-OK now.

Oh dear Manderley hope you are ok, painful periods the pits though

Thank you, everything is fine now
If I haven't been on a diet I would probably have been more careful about these signs (we always use condoms so it was even stranger it happened) but I feel more lucky than a friend of mine who is losing a lot of blood on a daily basis and has fibroids (I think is the right word)

A diet can mess up periods, each sign should be carefuly looked at, even more if they used to be regular

My periods are regular because I'm on the pill. What has gotten worse with 5:2 is PMS (starts a week earlier), duration (7 days!!!!!!!!) and cramps (they are baaaaad).