Gal Only: How do you handle PMS Cravings

swagoner94

My eating changes dramatically when PMS'ing. What's sad is each time it happens I don't even realize it is PMS. I just freak out that I'm becoming addicted to foods and hate myself, then I get my period and feel relieved. Just period cravings. If anything I use it as an excuse to indulge just for one week Don't regret it.

laylaness

I throw on my big girl undies and deal with it. It's your period. You are going to have one every month until you hit menopause or get knocked up. Log what you eat, and stop using it as an excuse.

Yup.

Also, be prepared for few months of hormone hell when going of BC. I just did it, and it took 4 months before I went back on because I couldn't stand it anymore.

jojo86xdd

If you were to take a look at my diary each month you could probably point out which days I'm PMs'ing...You'll see great amounts of chocolate (M&M's, dove), ice cream (vanilla with hershy's syrup, yet more chocolate), pizza and beef, i go nuts for beef.
To answer your question, when I have a craving, i GIVE IN. Doesn't matter if I'm PMS'ing or not. I eat what i want, make sure it fits into my calories and keep it moving. It's either that, or I'll be in an even crappier mood for two weeks.

Eat a deficit, and you will lose weight regardless of those 5 lbs your body is holding onto during those days. This is going to happen every month until menopause, no use stressing over it. If it helps, put the scale away during that time.

JustAnotherGirlSuzanne

Okay Girls, this week has been brutal for me. I woke up last night with aunt flo and was almost sick to my stomach and sweating and my heart was pounding...I've been trying to keep within my daily calorie limit for weigh loss but I've been messing up and feel out of control. Should I lower my sugar the week before (hard to do)? I'm off my birth control ring since gaining 40 lbs on it but now my face is breaking out and I keep teeter tottering with the same 5 lbs lost but creeping back on again after a cheat.

How do you deal with TOM and fluctuating hormone levels that can make life seem hopeless? I'm not normally such a Debbie Downer, but this month is killing me!!

You too, eh? When they tell you you might gain a little bit of weight they don't tell you that a little bit is not actually in fact just "a little bit"! I gained 20 lbs on hormonal birth control. Not cool, I've since stopped it and an in the same hormonal swing that you're dealing with. :grumble:

I get the cravings a couple days before aunt flo comes. When I do I buy a chocolate bar, just one, and I save it until the end of the day when I then devour it. And I make sure I work out a lot in and around that time and drink lots of water. I usually don't gain any weight.

_funrungirl

Everyone is different but it can take a while before you feel normal again after getting off birth control. I think I read somewhere that your body will be back to its normal hormonal levels with 48 hours of being off them....based on personal experience I call that BULL!

I'm probably not the best person to give advice about not caving in because i'm still struggling with good daily eating habits, but for me I know if comes from laziness than from actual cravings.

I say give into your cravings but within reason. If you know you will crave chocolate, keep one or two small pieces of chocolate in the house for that time of the month. Hopefully since you will have it on hand it will prevent buying a king-size snickers bar at the grocery store.

One of my friends stays strict every single day of the month but plans her "cheat" meals to coincide with TOM cravings. This works fantastic for her, but that means she does not have weekly cheat meals.

Hope some of this helps.

TeresaMarie46

Okay Girls, this week has been brutal for me. I woke up last night with aunt flo and was almost sick to my stomach and sweating and my heart was pounding...I've been trying to keep within my daily calorie limit for weigh loss but I've been messing up and feel out of control. Should I lower my sugar the week before (hard to do)? I'm off my birth control ring since gaining 40 lbs on it but now my face is breaking out and I keep teeter tottering with the same 5 lbs lost but creeping back on again after a cheat.

How do you deal with TOM and fluctuating hormone levels that can make life seem hopeless? I'm not normally such a Debbie Downer, but this month is killing me!!

Each month about a week prior, I make allowances in my eating habits. While I have not met a woman who still visits T.O.M. and enjoys it, it is a necessary part of life.

During this time, I crave salt and chocolate....together...right now that sound awful. As I mentioned, I make an allowance for this by not indulging in anything sweet about a week before. My sodium levels are normally great as I am not huge on salting my foods, so speaking for myself, this works. And everything in moderation is my motto.

As for those HORRID CRAMPS...blech......hot bath, a great book and Aleve (for me). Once in bed, I roll a small pillow, place it under tummy, usually the pressure of pillow works wonders.

This with lots of showers and laundry is helpful. All you can do is try it, it may work for you also.

Hope you are feeling better soon,
Best Wishes

dawnmcneil10

For cravings try cocoa almonds a few go a long way or a couple of chocolate covered espresso beans if you like coffee. If cramps are a big issue cut out the coffee and try hot raspberry tea. Sometimes it's hard to accept what our bodies do to us but if you keep working at eating healthy and getting in regular workouts I promise it will get better. Keep on drinking the water even when you feel like you'll drown in it, it really is needed. SF/FF pudding is another good option, gets you some calcium and has a variety of flavors to fit your mood. When you get over the quick munchies go brush your teeth o you don't keep on the downward spiral. I hope this helps.

TeresaMarie46

I throw on my big girl undies and deal with it. It's your period. You are going to have one every month until you hit menopause or get knocked up. Log what you eat, and stop using it as an excuse.

While this is very true, many of us ladies have it much worse than others, it is not an excuse, simply a reality. And I am absolutely positive that we would like more comfort during that time. So having said that, being so insensitive is really uncalled for. I am not hating on anyone, just being realistic about our differences as women, cycles and symptoms we may have.

da_bears10089

I throw on my big girl undies and deal with it. It's your period. You are going to have one every month until you hit menopause or get knocked up. Log what you eat, and stop using it as an excuse.

While this is very true, many of us ladies have it much worse than others, it is not an excuse, simply a reality. And I am absolutely positive that we would like more comfort during that time. So having said that, being so insensitive is really uncalled for. I am not hating on anyone, just being realistic about our differences as women, cycles and symptoms we may have.

ok i guess i should have clarified that my period isn't a walk in the park, but thank you for assuming that i have no discomfort or cravings or other "symptoms". You have a horrible cycle? Do something about it. How is asking other people on the internet going to help YOU with the temptation to eat a package of oreos in one sitting for a week every single month?

shawnatheobald

I found the best way to curb my cravings, during ANY time of the month, was to switch it with something else. If I was craving sweets, I grabbed an orange. The work of peeling it, eating it, etc, plus the sugar almost always guaranteed that the craving was gone by the time I was done. And if it wasn't? I grabbed another orange!

If you really need chocolate or something, just account for that. Eat less for your meals so you can have more snacks during your week. You don't have to give up your favorites, you just have to eat less of them.

jenabee333

I throw on my big girl undies and deal with it. It's your period. You are going to have one every month until you hit menopause or get knocked up. Log what you eat, and stop using it as an excuse.

While this is very true, many of us ladies have it much worse than others, it is not an excuse, simply a reality. And I am absolutely positive that we would like more comfort during that time. So having said that, being so insensitive is really uncalled for. I am not hating on anyone, just being realistic about our differences as women, cycles and symptoms we may have.

jenabee333

Sorry still kind of new to this site and the quotes.

@ da bears: pardon my post at at this moment, hormones are raging and I'm a little emotional... The help I sought by asking others how they deal with a sweet craving was exactly that: help. Sometimes, when I'm having a hard time dealing with something on my own, its nice to hear how others have successfully overcome a similar situation. If you have nothing helpful to add then you are welcome to skip my post and not answer. Perhaps putting on your big girl pants works for you. When I'm lying on the floor, almost throwing up and dealing with depression brought on by birth control and PMS,I'm thinking you can take your big girl pants and butt out.

Thank you to all of you who were helpful enough to answer the question with a useful answer and the attached links were also good resources.

MaxxieTibbyMom

Check out this article I found - http://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/914

rachelisblonde

So this is where i bring in my quest bars. Since I'm ALWAYS craving chocolate I find these are the best thing to fix my sweet tooth without ODing on sugar. Plus the fiber helps you actually fill up as I also feel as though I'm never full. Sometimes it takes a few bars.. not gonna lie, but I try spacing them out and drinking lots of water. I also buy Baker's Unsweetened Chocolate and melt it down, add stevia and unsweetened coconut and almonds to make a chocolate bark.

Theres really no escaping my PMS cravings if I don't give in I eventually give up and binge on everything in sight. So be smart, know its coming and be prepared! Your not alone!

MKEgal

I handle them like any other craving:
I give in, in moderation.

Chocolate? Fat-free sugar-free pudding, or hot chocolate, or a couple ounces of chocolate chips eaten one by one.
Salt? Potato chips, but only a handful.
Sugar? Cookies, but only a few. Or maybe a Twix.
Fat? This is hard... butter on bread, or even a doughnut. A relatively small, controlled indulgance. Maybe even a handful of cashews or almonds. I also normally use regular salad dressing & sautee my veggies with olive oil, so this doesn't hit often.

amandzor

I eat whatever I'm craving, but in a controlled, informed way.

This last time, I was -dying- for poptarts. So, I found 100 calories "pastry crisps" that are very similar. So I ate like....4 of those.

It might have been 400 calories, but if I'd have had a box of real ones, it would have been much more than that.

All about finding better, less caloric options.

MKEgal

During this time, I crave salt and chocolate... together... right now that sound awful.

I found a couple brands of dark chocolate bars with sea salt.
The only way it could be better is if it were wrapped around potato chips.
It's only a couple hundred calories for 2 large squares, so easy to work in.

StajaB

I find all the mean ladies here disturbing....

Dear Miss,

I definitely experience cravings when I'm at that time. I find it makes sense to give in, in healthier ways, and kudos to the other women on here suggesting the same! So I'll make a similar list here to some yummy indulgences!

Fat! Avocado stuffed with shrimp egg salad. The mayo/ avocado fulfill that craving and the egg/shrimp add extra nutrients and protein especially!

Meat! This one is HUGE for me. And honestly, I have no problem downing a well cooked steak with some yummy mushrooms and onions on top. Get a lean cut, skip burgers and bacon or a combination of the two.

Chocolate/Sweets! Dark chocolate chips mixed with dried cranberries and blueberries Keep the portion low, but eat it mindfully. Really take a few minutes to enjoy it piece by piece instead of cramming a handful in your mouth.

Salt! I really adore tomato slices with lowfat cottage cheese and salt sprinkled on top. Cottage cheese has some great health benefits like good fat and protein, and tomatoes have vitamins. Way better than a fried or even baked potato chip/cracker!

Did you indulge in something worse or too much? That's ok! I cramp really bad so "exercise" sucks during that time, but dancing it out, swimming, or SEX make me feel better and earn me extra calories to spend. Enjoy your life and pardon me, but **** the haters!

I truly hope this helps.

NotASoul

Don't know about other people but I've found that exercising a lot the week before my period really helps with cramps and PMS symptoms - usually I have terrible cramps (like, have to go home from work due to fainting type of cramps), but have recently discovered that exercise really helps.
As for food cravings, I tend to go for popcorn and fruit - as usually the cravings I get are for sugar (have worked out how to make popcorn sugary like in cinemas, but lower calorie so *joy*). Think I'm quite lucky though as I also get cravings for fresh food - like salad and vegetables!
Oh, and chocolate - either instant hot chocolate or cocoa powder with hot water tends to be no more than about 40 calories, less with cocoa powder (depends on how you like cocoa - I usually use 1/2 teaspoons of cocoa powder and sometimes one of sugar but not always).