PMS and Chocolate

Rhiana1188

Ladies: How do you deal with chocolate/sweets cravings when it's *ahem* you know, that time? I find I have no self-control for like 3 days straight when it comes to that. If there isn't chocolate in the house, I will literally load up all the kids in the pouring rain and drive to go get some. Any tips, hints, or suggestions?

MissusMoon

Normally I'd suggest budgeting some chocolate into your calories, but it sounds like you might still lose control. I have had some success stuffing myself with lots of steamed veggies. It doesn't fix the craving, but it can make me too full to do anything about the craving.

FYI Sugar Free Fudgsicles have 40 calories each. You can't eat them too quickly and it would take a very long time to do a lot of damage to your caloric intake.

emdeesea

I know it's not chocolate, but I used to increase my carb intake during those few miserable days. Not necessarily chocolate, because I prob wouldn't be able to control that, but I'd eat bread, pasta, etc., (within calories). It seemed to help with my cravings anyway. Didn't make me feel any less miserable though.

kgirlhart

I just fit some chocolate into my goal.

mommazach

I eat chocolate. I also exercise more. I tend to work out before I hit the candy store, but I want chocolate, so I eat it. (Currently eating a Hershey's)

jafinni

I make a chocolate protein shake - some of them are low in carbs and there is always the bonus of the extra protein

meganmoore112

I'm struggling with the same thing. I usually go a bit over my calories for the 3-4 days before and 1-2 days of my period. I also eat a higher proportion of carbs than my normal. It helps somewhat. I'm still working on a better solution.

ogtmama

Add cocoa to a green smoothie, eat a square or two of dark chocolate, make a healthy snacks and add a few dark chocolate chips

WifiresGettingFit

My suggestion is put yourself on maintenance for the days you need and allot yourself as much chocolate as you need.

For me, I had 81 grams of chocolate the other day which was 449 calories. I didn't put myself in maintenance but I just ate less of other stuff because chocolate was what I wanted.

GeckosRachel

I find low calorie hot chocolate helps me. Options are less then 40 cals and do a variety of flavours then I add my own sweetener too.

ibme64

i found "Food Cravings" Chart on FB and Pintrest that i'm trying to get used to referring too... for chocolate it says "what you/we need" is Magnesium... then it says "what to eat instead" of the chocolate - Raw cacao, nuts, seeds, veggies, fruits. I have also started looking on my Nutriliving app for smoothies that may help with the cravings.

kshama2001

When I do the following, I don't have cravings premenstrually or any other time. :

1. Get sufficient sleep
2. Exercise regularly - when I get the happy hormones from exercise, I'm not prone to seeking them from food.
3. Get sufficient protein in relationship to carbs. I'm not low carb, but reducing carbs and upping protein worked for cravings for me. See also http://www.nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/fuller/understanding-satiety-feeling-full-after-a-meal.html
4. Eat moderate amounts of fruit. This makes me less interested in higher calorie sweets.
5. Take a magnesium supplement. This can be especially helpful for women premenstrually.
6. Save foods like chocolate for after dinner, in small amounts

When my appetite spikes up premenstrually, I honor it and eat at maintenance for a few days. Most times I add a snack and have a slightly larger dinner, and/or a treat.

Francl27

Try some magnesium supplements. I honestly very rarely get chocolate cravings.

Afura

I eat the chocolate. Fit it into my calories and as dark as I can handle it so it has more of punch.

ASKyle

Fit it into your daily calorie goal.

I like chips and pizza, I make them fit, or eat closer to maintenance for a few days.

suzyjane1972

WifiresGettingFit wrote: »

My suggestion is put yourself on maintenance for the days you need and allot yourself as much chocolate as you need.

For me, I had 81 grams of chocolate the other day which was 449 calories. I didn't put myself in maintenance but I just ate less of other stuff because chocolate was what I wanted.

^^ sound advice I'm going to take myself

Whitezombiegirl

Word of caution on magnesium supplements, stomach upset is a common side effect. I cant take them.

I eat more carbs when i have pms- toast. Oatmeal, more bananas etc.

kshama2001

Whitezombiegirl wrote: »

Word of caution on magnesium supplements, stomach upset is a common side effect. I cant take them.

I eat more carbs when i have pms- toast. Oatmeal, more bananas etc.

Huh, I've never had a problem with stomach upset from magnesium supplements and I don't even take them with food.

I'm currently taking Now Foods, Magnesium & Potassium Aspartate and used to take Twinlab, Magnesium Caps, 400 mg (magnesium oxide).

joycefarmer68

LOL! Yeah me too! broke down and got some chocolate...& started 2 days later... Yeah I tend to bloat, also (water weight) feeling blah! Need to get back on track! chocolate and salty chips... ...Get this 3-5 lbs back off!

Rhiana1188

Whitezombiegirl wrote: »

Word of caution on magnesium supplements, stomach upset is a common side effect. I cant take them.

I eat more carbs when i have pms- toast. Oatmeal, more bananas etc.

I have a megnesuim drink mix that I make sometimes. Sometimes it helps with cravings, others it doesn't make a dent. I've also noticed that if I don't break up the dose over the entire day, I'll have extremely and uncomfortably loose bowels...

samwiserabbit

I absolutely go to maintenance or even over when I "need" to. I know some people like the "if you're going over your calories you must not want to lose weight badly enough" philosophy. I tried that, and this way works way better for me.

Just_Jon

It's not just women who need chocolate.

I eat 100 calories of chocolate every day. I'ts part of my diet plan. 90% cacao seems be more satisfying than the overly sweet chocolate candies. I also add unsweetened cocoa to my protein shake after a run.

itsbasschick

when i get chocolate cravings, i make sure that i have double chocolate chunk quest bars (or maybe chocolate chip cookie dough) in the house - then i replace protein and fat for one meal with one of the quest bars. yum!

macgurlnet

kshama2001 wrote: »

Whitezombiegirl wrote: »

Word of caution on magnesium supplements, stomach upset is a common side effect. I cant take them.

I eat more carbs when i have pms- toast. Oatmeal, more bananas etc.

Huh, I've never had a problem with stomach upset from magnesium supplements and I don't even take them with food.

I'm currently taking Now Foods, Magnesium & Potassium Aspartate and used to take Twinlab, Magnesium Caps, 400 mg (magnesium oxide).

Quoting this because it bears repeating - I don't take this same supplement, but taking a magnesium supplement has helped immensely with my chocolate cravings around TOM. I no longer feel this intense craving to binge on chocolate

~Lyssa

Francl27

joycefarmer68 wrote: »

LOL! Yeah me too! broke down and got some chocolate...& started 2 days later... Yeah I tend to bloat, also (water weight) feeling blah! Need to get back on track! chocolate and salty chips... ...Get this 3-5 lbs back off!

I always have a couple horrible bloating days when I look 5 months pregnant. Ugh.

MellissaSaucedo

I'm the same way, what helped me is my car broke down

MellissaSaucedo

kshama2001 wrote: »

Whitezombiegirl wrote: »

Word of caution on magnesium supplements, stomach upset is a common side effect. I cant take them.

I eat more carbs when i have pms- toast. Oatmeal, more bananas etc.

Huh, I've never had a problem with stomach upset from magnesium supplements and I don't even take them with food.

I'm currently taking Now Foods, Magnesium & Potassium Aspartate and used to take Twinlab, Magnesium Caps, 400 mg (magnesium oxide).

Those with gluten sensitivities typically have depleted magnesium levels and can use a supplement. If someone gets too much magnesium the natural affect is GI discomfort and loose bowls.

andimeg

I eat chocolaty cereal (like Coco Puffs) dry. You can fill up a pretty good sized bowl for not too many calories.

puffbrat

I eat the chocolate. I find that hot chocolate can satisfy the craving for relatively few calories. I used to keep chocolate ice cream around and eat a bowl when having a craving, but I can't keep ice cream in the house with my husband. I also agree with chocolate cereal as one your meals to satisfy the craving and make it fit into your day.

To be fair, I do have a tendency to go over my calories when the craving hits really hard. Especially if I try to satisfy it with candy bars.

enterdanger

I eat chocolate daily, but I only bring 1 of those Lindt dark chocolate with sea salt bars in the house at a time... 1 square is 48 calories. I usually eat 2 a day. The odds are I'd never eat the whole bar cause hubs is right in there with me getting his chocolate fix. At worst, if I ate half a bar it would be 190 calories. I can deal with that. The trick is limited quantities at any given time. lol

wrknonmedaily

I have the same issue. I hate to admit it but most of the time I give in to TOM (Time of Month) every month. He usually gets what he wants. TOM calls a week ahead and demands salt, sugar, chocolate, and carbs and when and he shows up, with a vengeance, he’s not so much demanding of these things. I am most likely in serious pain with bathroom issues and nauseated. =( I try not to weigh in a few days after because I am up about 5-6 pounds. I think I have two good weeks out the month.