The week before Shark week!!

CarolF11
CarolF11 Posts: 67 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been soooo hungry!!! Was thinking of eating maintenance calories for a few days or week, but I'm worried I'm going to gain. Since everyone says they gain when they go on maintenance. Has anyone tried this? Any suggestions? Thanks in advance

Replies

  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
    During this period, you may experience water retention. A lot of women do. It's normal to see the scale go up. If you eat at maintenance, any gain will be from water, increased sodium, or increased carb intake. These will cause you to gain water but if you keep within your maintenance intake, you shouldn't gain fat.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,611 Member
    See this thread ...

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10359984/women-menstrual-cycle-weight-and-fitness-matters#latest
  • lightenup2016
    lightenup2016 Posts: 1,055 Member
    I'm the same way, but for the past 3 cycles I've allowed myself to eat at maintenance (sometimes going over by a lot!) during PMS week. Two of those cycles I got right back to my deficit calories after my period began, and I dropped the extra water weight within a couple of days and then went on losing weight again. The third cycle it took me a few extra days to get back on track, but no real harm done.

    You might even notice that after PMS is over, your appetite goes way down. If it does that (like mine does), then it all evens out anyway.
  • CarolF11
    CarolF11 Posts: 67 Member
    Thanks everyone!
  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,111 Member
    Ive let myself eat at maintenance and did not gain, I just maintained. If I have bad PMS I cant function and maintain my work outs without adding the calories.

    I should add I only have a cycle every few months. I have an IUD to treat endometreosis and am in early perimenopause. I think this makes the PMS worse now when it happens.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    If you eat at true maintenance you cannot gain bodyfat (as that would not be maintaining). That being said you may see the scales increase due to water weight and glycogen replenishment but it is not fat.
  • xtina315
    xtina315 Posts: 218 Member
    I was eating maintenance all week the week before my tom showed up yesterday
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    I always ate what I wanted (within reason) just before ToM, and then when my period came, and I had no appetite, I didn't force it. It evened out.
    I don't ever believe in eating calories just to reach a magical number. I know I'll over eat some other time.

    Good luck finding what works for you.
  • leejoyce31
    leejoyce31 Posts: 794 Member
    misskarne wrote: »
    I call the pre-Shark Week week "Vacuum Week" because I will basically eat everything if I let myself.

    The REALLY sucky part is that even in months where I use the pill to not have a period, I still get Vacuum Week. I'm actually in vacuum week at the moment.

    Yeah, I agree. The pill doesn't prevent my hormonal eating. In fact, I get the insatiable desire to eat the week after I start the active pills, and I get it again the week of menses. Thankfully, it has not caused any lasting damaging. I eat at a slight deficit most of the time to account for the huge overindulgences.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    misskarne wrote: »
    I call the pre-Shark Week week "Vacuum Week" because I will basically eat everything if I let myself.

    The REALLY sucky part is that even in months where I use the pill to not have a period, I still get Vacuum Week. I'm actually in vacuum week at the moment.

    See, people keep telling me that taking the pill will avoid it... then there's you and all the other people who said that taking the pill made their appetite worse (like me when I did!).
    Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
    I always ate what I wanted (within reason) just before ToM, and then when my period came, and I had no appetite, I didn't force it. It evened out.
    I don't ever believe in eating calories just to reach a magical number. I know I'll over eat some other time.

    Good luck finding what works for you.

    I can't do that because I am REALLY hungry during PMS. I have no problem putting away 4500 calories for 3 days before TOM if I'm not careful and start indulging a bit (I'm saying 3 days but it usually lasts 10 days for me, thankfully all days are not completely horrible). But there's no way I could make up for that in 2 weeks because PMS or not, I just get too hungry (I can do a 2000 calorie deficit on a good week if I don't have too many treats, but then I'm miserable).

    I can't really complain though because I really didn't have this issue until I was 3 pounds from my goal weight. But right now it's a struggle just to maintain my weight as it is, let alone lose those last couple pounds (and I workout like crazy too).

  • misskarne
    misskarne Posts: 1,765 Member
    Francl27 wrote: »

    See, people keep telling me that taking the pill will avoid it... then there's you and all the other people who said that taking the pill made their appetite worse (like me when I did!).

    Whoa, that's not what I said. I said I still get Vacuum Week on the pill, not that it made my appetite worse.

    Outside of Vacuum Week I have very little problem eating like a rational human being.
  • CarolF11
    CarolF11 Posts: 67 Member
    Now to figure out what's maintenance for me, Thanks again :)
  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
    CarolF11 wrote: »
    Now to figure out what's maintenance for me, Thanks again :)

    Go to goals and set it to 'maintain weight'. Should be a rough guideline.

  • CarolF11
    CarolF11 Posts: 67 Member
    samanthaluangphixay wrote: »
    CarolF11 wrote: »
    Now to figure out what's maintenance for me, Thanks again :)

    Go to goals and set it to 'maintain weight'. Should be a rough guideline.

    Thanks

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