Should I eat more calories when I'm on my period?

elizabethdzenitis

Sorry awkward question I know. Just gotta ask cause I'm a girl and I'm lost. (If you don't like this post, it's ok just scroll away) Ive heard that women are supposed to eat more food or something while on our periods? Or more protein or something to like stay healthy during it. Is this a myth? If I'm trying to lose weight should I just stay on my diet plan?

Nony_Mouse

You don't have to eat more, no. There is some evidence that many (not all) women burn more calories in the week before their period, and many (not all) women find that they are hungrier. If PMS hunger is something you struggle with, you can certainly eat more those days, either maintenance calories, or a smaller deficit, especially if trying to stick to full deficit will lead to going off the rails completely. That will obviously have an impact on your rate of loss, but so long as you aren't going over maintenance cals, you won't gain (other than water retention, which again many (not all) women get).

Basically, know your body, and plan for how your period affects you.

kenyonhaff

Nope. You don't really need any special dietary needs for that week. Maybe a little boost of iron is a good idea. Personally I think a little chocolate is necessary too.

Ready2Rock206

I can't imagine one becoming so unhealthy during their period that they'd need extra calories but maybe I am just lucky. There wouldn't be any big harm with eating at maintenance that week if you feel the need to. You know your body best - if you feel unwell during that week and the extra calories help then I'd say to do it.

kshama2001

I used to have junk food cravings premenstrually until I realized that I was just hungrier due to my metabolism being increased at this time. I started eating more regular foods, and the cravings went away.

cynthiabickham

Actually boosting up your iron and water intake helps a lot. I use to cramp really bad, but I started drinking more water and noticed the cramps not getting so bad. And the extra iron helps keep you from getting dizzy or moody. A little chocolate never hurt on period days either.

Seffell

I've actually spent some time in the past looking (with hope) to find papers of studies which show that metabolism increases during the last week before period or during period.

I didn't find any. No statistically significant results.

leggup

Mostly myth. Some calorie burn fluctuation during different times of the month, but nothing huge. There are some studies that indicate resistance/weight training in the first 2 weeks of a cycle are more efficient than in the last two weeks. http://umu.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2:955835&dswid=-279

GemstoneofHeart

I personally do eat more calories during PMS. I get hungrier the week before until day 2 of my period. Some days I just eat a little more and other days I eat at maintenance. It's worth it to me to stay sane and just get back on track later.

SafioraLinnea

Nope. Eating more will slow your weight loss and depending on how much you eat, it can slow things a lot. I never feel hungrier during my period and if anything feel less hungry.

lynn_glenmont

No. The calories to create the uterine lining (blood) have already been used through the past two to three weeks. During your period (while you're shedding the uterine lining), you're actually using fewer calories. And calorie calculators make an assumption based on age and gender that already builds those monthly calories into your average daily needs.

hydechildcare

The week before my period I am starving. MFP gives me 1800 calories to eat normally I do between 1200 to 1300 unless I decide to eat some starches, but the week before I eat every calorie plus some of my burned calories. I notice the day before I start the hunger is gone. This is my second month using MFP and I am hoping to do better than last month.