Every month, I binge for one week. How to feel full??

purplishblue

The week before my period I become insatiably hungry, and don't stick to my diet. The thing is, the rest of the month I stick to it pretty well and its not even a big deal. Every month I tell myself I just won't give in, but I do!.

Any advice on how to "plan" a low calorie binge day, or ways of making myself full during that time of the month? Even drinking a protein shake in the morning is not enough. I'm thinking maybe I can plan out my week ahead of time, and add in bags of popcorn each day or something so I feel like I can just eat a bunch of something.

pander101

Are you sure you're actually hungry and it's not cravings?

1LadyKate

I drink a lot of water and eat high fiber cereal. During this week I increase my calories by 300. So from 1200 to 1500. That is normally enough.

Also because I feel the need to snack I will try to have very light meals (I normally eat two-three times a day) and then snack as often as I need to.

And sometimes I have to reset to maintenance for part of the week.

dbmata

low calorie binge day?
Cabbage and carrots until you turn orange.

You should probably talk to someone about your bingeing.

bulbadoof

that week for me is inevitably my period. if I think it's gonna be bad, I just eat at maintenance for that time.

ContraryMaryMary

Being aware that it's period hunger makes it easier to ignore for me. I just give myself a stern talking to and try to get on with something to take my mind off it (this doesn't always work mind). My other trick is to drink endless cups of green tea (stay away from the bikkies!).

Sued0nim

Yeah it's really tough isn't it

just gird your loins - eat more carbs and lots of vegetable - make huge big pots of low cal filling foods (like spicy veggies) that will fill you for little - boost your fat intake

and increase your willpower

HealthyVitamins

This is mind over matter. Just control those thoughts and eat the same amount as you usually do, you will feel much better for it. When I want to binge on my period, I eat about 5 bowls of sugar free jelly, 5 bowls of that stuff is about 50 calories.

TavistockToad

if you dont feel that you can stick to a calorie deficit, then why not just have a week at maintenance each month?

999tigger

What the toad says. Maintenance becomes your new binge. for that week plus you could supplement it with decent amounts of exercise.

lorib642

MrM27 wrote: »

Planing a binge day? Why?

How many calories do you eat daily?
What's your TDEE?
What are your macros?
What's your activitie like?

^^^^this

Are you sure you are eating enough the other days? I don't binge if I am not overly hungry.

Kalikel

I eat more when I'm hungrier and less when I'm less hungry.

If you pay attention to your hunger, you may find that you don't just have More Hungry days, you also have Less Hungry days. They may balance each other out!

MKEgal

purplishblue wrote:

The week before my period I become insatiably hungry, and don't stick to my diet. The thing is, the rest of the month I stick to it pretty well and its not even a big deal. Every month I tell myself I just won't give in, but I do!

For me, the cravings are fat & sugar... cookies & chips. The rest of the month, meh, I could have one or I could not.

Plan your meals normally, maybe with a slightly lower calorie count, then have lots of low-cal stuff on hand to eat when you want to stuff yourself.
Vegetable soup
Veggies (can dip in fat-free ranch dressing, hummus)
Fruit is good, but don't go overboard because of the carbs
The popcorn was a good idea (air popped, no oil)
Nonfat sugar free yogurt, jello, pudding
Hard boiled eggs (or do scrambled eggs with some sauteed veggies)

Sabine_Stroehm

I know I ate more before my period. And therefore I never sweated it when during my period I had little desire to eat. It's one of the reasons I don't believe in "you have to eat all your calories". We don't reset daily, or even weekly.
That said: what you seem to be asking for is permission to binge. You need to get a handle on that. Know that you might eat more, or eat less healthy, but don't give yourself permission to binge.
Figure out if it's salt or sugar and then find something that helps satisfy that craving.

It's not about "feeling full" (as your title suggests). It's about scratching an itch. A craving itch. Figure out what it is, and find something that won't derail you to satisfy it. For me, it was salt. Seasoned nori satisfied it. Good popcorn satisfied it.
Or, find something that satisfies it and buy A REASONABLE AMOUNT of that food. And eat at maintenance for those days.

MelanieRBrace

TavistockToad wrote: »

if you dont feel that you can stick to a calorie deficit, then why not just have a week at maintenance each month?

^This

purplishblue

Thanks guys for the recommendations!

ducati45

Today I was super jonesing for something chocolately and it's that time of the month so when I went out shopping I just had one dark chocolate brownie from a cafe and ate something super light for lunch then normal for everything else. Having something totally decadent instead of diety substitutes does me

elysedorm

Nutella. The perfect combination of chocolate, fat and sugar. 100 calories per tablespoon. It's the perfect reward at the end of the day and makes you feel like you aren't depriving yourself of anything.