Periods & food. How do you stay in control?

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13

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  • MoosyGoosy
    MoosyGoosy Posts: 44
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    I'm on awesome birth control that stops my period :D So I don't care about PMS any more woooooo
  • FraggleRockerFitnessLover
    FraggleRockerFitnessLover Posts: 307
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    Well the 24 hours before it starts I am passed out drooling on myself from a narcoleptic event. No lie. Then that first or second day I have zero appetite and want to die, wondering who kicked me in the low back while sleeping. But, when it comes down to it, you can use your period as an excuse, or you can put you big girl panties on and use your will power.
  • tula1980
    tula1980 Posts: 54
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    I don't always stay in control. I have 10 periods a year which are a complete non-event in that I get no period pain, cravings, mood swings etc. Then about every 6 months I have the period from hell and I am a moody, ravenous, cramping mess. It's the one thing I don't beat myself up over if I over indulge a bit. When I was restricting calories I'd allow myself maintenance calories on those days to help get through, now I allow myself enough calories that I can 'catch up' by having a small restriction for a few days afterwards to counteract it.
  • LynsP79
    LynsP79 Posts: 76 Member
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    Make vegetable versions of comfort food - super veggie lasagne or moussaka etc and allow yourself a small chocolate bar when you need it count all calories. I am an emotional eater, even more so the first few days of my period. Good luck x
  • walkdmc
    walkdmc Posts: 529 Member
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    Eat regularly.

    Make sure you're eating protein with every snack or meal.

    Get enough sleep and water.

    Talk to your doctor about prophylactic Advil. I take Advil the day before my period is due which helps with the pain but talk to your doc first to make sure it's okay with your current medical regimen.

    I also take Diurex to help with "the bloat", which helps with the pain but again, check with your doc first.
    Incorporate the foods you're craving into your food plan.

    Hot tea, hot tea and more hot tea.

    Exercise, particularly vigorous cardio, has helped me with period pains and cravings.

    Finally, muscle through it.
  • KaraLeeRudd
    KaraLeeRudd Posts: 1
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    If your cranky *kitten* uterus demands a cookie, then give it a cookie. Just one. Not the whole box plus a tub of ice cream. If you deny deny deny, you will just end up binging later and feeling horrible afterwards. I just gave mine a cookie and it seems to be pretty satisfied because that is all that ***** is getting today.
  • allikat399
    allikat399 Posts: 36 Member
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    It's hard and takes willpower, yes. There's a lot more to it though. Our bodies crave things when we have a deficiency of something. For example, iron. This is something many of us ladies become low on during our cycle. Do some research and try adding iron rich foods into your diet during the period. Maybe that will help a bit....
  • AngelUpSideDownCake
    AngelUpSideDownCake Posts: 10 Member
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    I refuse to let my uterus be the boss of me.

    OMG YESSSSS! Take THAT uterus! >:D
  • other678
    other678 Posts: 12 Member
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    Normally im just too sick to do anything, including eating....
  • bjshields
    bjshields Posts: 677 Member
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    I try to "trick" my brain by using pomegranates and oranges for sweets and allowing myself a small home-made chocolate treat (like a s'more I make -- 1 sheet graham cracker, 1 marshmallow, 4 dark chocolate chips melted in the microwave). It hits that sweet part of my brain without going overboard. Don't feel too bad about it, it's really a common issue. Good luck! :drinker:
  • gingerehle
    gingerehle Posts: 3
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    I may not be the best person to give advice, but what works for me seems to be working. I crave chocolate and lots of it when I first start my period, and then the cravings drop off. To be honest, I totally give in every month and eat chocolate. BUT I only eat the super dark kind. It's real hard to eat a lot of that stuff, so I get my chocolate fix AND I don't overdo it (also, dark chocolate seems to satisfy my craving better than milk chocolate). Then, for the rest of the week, I go back to eating normal. I guess it all really depends on what you have trouble with, but giving in and satisfying the craving (in a slightly healthier way) seems to work. Only so long as I remember that eating chocolate isn't an every day thing!

    Remember, you are in control. You decide what you need and what you don't need. If you need whatever it is you are craving, do it and savor that little bit you have. If you don't need it, distract yourself until you forget about it.
  • leaner426
    leaner426 Posts: 90
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    Plan for it. I definitely feel better and do better during that time if I am on a heavier protein/light carb diet. So I make things I love like chicken tacos (chicken breast, lime juice and cilantro on corn taco shell with a little cheese and sour creme and salsa), spinach salads, turkey burger on lettuce wrap. If there are flavors you have to have (chocolate) don't keep it in the house, make yourself take a walk or something before buying it, then only buy it in single serve quantities so you can't binge. If you tell yourself you already had it resisting more is easier than if you feel deprived. I like lowfat vanilla yogurt with chocolate protein powder, or I make a chocolate protein smoothie (lowfat vanilla yogurt, chocolate protein powder, lite chocolate soymilk and frozen fruit.) It keeps me from feeling bloated and reduces cramps and headaches. Good luck!
  • frando
    frando Posts: 583 Member
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    will power, low intensity work outs to generate calories for chocolate and lastly low calories hot chocolate.

    *many hugs*
  • takumaku
    takumaku Posts: 352 Member
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    I don't have a period, thank god! But I am on HRT and when those hormones kick in, nothing quick to make is safe. For this reason, I plan around it.
  • Desert_flower3
    Desert_flower3 Posts: 58 Member
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    I usually give myself little cheat meals on my period... but drinking green tea and lots of hot drinks works and exercise.
  • summertime_girl
    summertime_girl Posts: 3,945 Member
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    I honestly don't eat any differently. I don't feel like I need to.
  • ottermotorcycle
    ottermotorcycle Posts: 654 Member
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    I have PMS Tea from Traditional Medicinals. It's supposed to reduce PMS-induced bloating. It's full of herbs and stuff. It tastes... gross. Honestly. It tastes like chewing on unrefined wheat and flowers. But I keep drinking it instead of eating the things I'm craving. That way even if I do give in (to my salt craving, always salt) hopefully it'll reduce the "fat feeling" I get afterwards, which is the worst part.

    I've also read the process of menstruation burns a few calories so if I were at a big deficit I would allow myself maintenance if I need it and move on with my life. You're gonna lose all that water and stuff anyway.
  • tech_kitten
    tech_kitten Posts: 221 Member
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    I got rid of my period XD
    IUDs for the win

    How painful/difficult is it to get an IUD put in if you haven't had children? I have heard that it can be quite painful.
  • drattedfatbody52
    drattedfatbody52 Posts: 33
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    Dear MrsBibz,

    It can be very frustrating to have the water weight and the craving for more calories that come along with your cycle. Most of the time a woman only "needs" about 500 more calories during the week but most women tend to eat an additional 500+ a day. That's also what can undo all of your efforts during the three other weeks. Take whatever medications work to control your pain symptoms and hang on through the cycle to your eating/exercise plan and when those five to seven days are over you will drop all and sometimes more than you gained initially.

    Lose the weight now. I'm in perimenopause and have recently had a cycle that wouldn't quit w/o medical intervention. It had lasted for 42 days straight. Now that was a bummer.

    In the mean time, be happy that you have having normal female issues and revel in your female power.
  • drattedfatbody52
    drattedfatbody52 Posts: 33
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    That is an excellent suggestion. I may have to try that too. Chocolate calls me.

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