About to start my period and my appetite is insane

nomorefatplease2
nomorefatplease2 Posts: 18
in Motivation and Support
I want to eat everything, doesn't matter what it is - tomato soup, fish, pickles, salami, cake, apricot jam, butter, bacon, anything. This hasn't happened in a long time, and this is the first time it's happened since I started trying to lose weight. It's not just boredom or cravings, I feel genuinely hungry, and it sucks because I have eaten enough that I should not be hungry. Ladies, what do you do when this happens? How do you force yourself to stay on track?

Replies

  • jenEphur
    jenEphur Posts: 33 Member
    This seems to be the story of my life. I wish I could say I found some miracle and a way to dodge it, but I haven't.

    I am trying to keep healthier things around so that if I am grazing continuously, it's at least something that's not going to add up to a lot of calories. But my problem is I always crave something warm, so I turn toward ordering out pizza/making a lean pocket/warming up some chicken on a pita/before I know it I warmed up the entire kitchen.

    Drink lots of water to keep your stomach full! I just try to avoid my kitchen, which is hard because it's basically merged with my living room in this tiny apartment.

    My boyfriend made the mistake that I was using my time of the month as an excuse to eat once.....If looks could kill that day he'd definitely be dead! He doesn't understand, I know, but it was still frustrating to hear.

    Best of luck!
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,147 Member
    I eat and if I'm craving something particular, I eat that. Not as much as I'd like, but a portion of it. The mental anguish of constantly arguing with myself to not eat that isn't worth it.
  • nikkohli
    nikkohli Posts: 311 Member
    I eat and if I'm craving something particular, I eat that. Not as much as I'd like, but a portion of it. The mental anguish of constantly arguing with myself to not eat that isn't worth it.

    Agreed. Otherwise, I don't feel satisfied and I just keep eating other things that end up adding up to more than if I just let myself have a bit of what I am craving. Eating protein bars, carrots, apples, etc still add up. I might as well just portion out the Cheez-its and move on!
  • cookieinbk82
    cookieinbk82 Posts: 320 Member
    I'm about to start my period too and I'm having cravings for chocolate. I have been fighting these cravings by filling up on fruit and having one or two cookies and making sure it fits in my calorie goals.
  • kb9222
    kb9222 Posts: 42
    I want to eat everything, doesn't matter what it is - tomato soup, fish, pickles, salami, cake, apricot jam, butter, bacon, anything. This hasn't happened in a long time, and this is the first time it's happened since I started trying to lose weight. It's not just boredom or cravings, I feel genuinely hungry, and it sucks because I have eaten enough that I should not be hungry. Ladies, what do you do when this happens? How do you force yourself to stay on track?

    I have this same problem EVERY month. It usually starts a week before my period begins and I just feel like eating constantly, I crave chocolate mostly. I try to keep myself busy and to try to not think about it. If I really can't control the cravings then I have half a chocolate bar and thats it. It is tough to only have half but after the first few days you'll get used to it :)
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
    I had this last week....drank a bottle of wine. Turns out it was just cramps that went away once I was drunk enough. lol Take some tylenol?

    Seriously, when I crave the sugary chocolate stuff around that time I like to keep chocolaty cereal on hand, like a cocoa krispy's or something. They usually do the trick and have less calories than a candy bar. Plus, I'm always low on calcium so this is a good way to get it.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    When I'm hungry, I eat. I just make sure the food I want to eat is within my caloric allowance, so sometimes it's not a very big portion of it.
  • ninav1980
    ninav1980 Posts: 514 Member
    this was me last week at work. Ugh, I just wanted to snack all day long!
    I drank a lot of coffee and hot tea just so that I could have something in my stomach and I could feel like I was "eating" something
    80 calorie yogurt also helped keep me full. After work, occupied myself with exercise.
  • carinthea
    carinthea Posts: 97 Member
    There have been lots of scientific studies around the cravings women experience during their period and though some say "it's just an excuse to pig out and eat whatever" these people are wrong. Scientists are now providing evidence that states you crave what your body needs at that particular stage of your cycle. I have a problem with salt, I can't get enough of it during my period, it leads to further bloating and explains (often) while I can gain anything from 1-7lbs in a week (it drives me batty).

    http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/comfort-cravings/201402/why-do-i-crave-chocolate-during-my-period
    http://www.womens-health.co.uk/food-cravings.html
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3819250

    Some of these are very helpful, and I felt much better realising that there really was a good reason for my desperate need to eat things that otherwise (during the normal time) I could, and can, ignore.
  • jwats8
    jwats8 Posts: 112
    I get the chocolate and potato chip cravings right before- and they are SERIOUS cravings!!! I exercise to earn them. Two peanut butter cups are 230 calories- that's 2.1 miles of walking for me- after I've walked, I eat them!! That's how I satisfy my monthly cravings- work for them!
  • 365andstillalive
    365andstillalive Posts: 663 Member
    I work out; generally it kills off my appetite for a few hours. But I indulge as well, I just stay around my normal number of calories. Dark chocolate (we're talking 80% or more) is fantastic for cramps and seems to satisfy my craving for sweets; I can't even eat milk chocolate anymore.

    Do what you can to keep the calories you intake high in protein and fat during that time and you'll feel more satiated. I mean, a bowl of strawberries is delicious, but it's also something I'm probably going to be starving an hour after eating.
  • Elsie_Brownraisin
    Elsie_Brownraisin Posts: 786 Member
    I eat and if I'm craving something particular, I eat that. Not as much as I'd like, but a portion of it. The mental anguish of constantly arguing with myself to not eat that isn't worth it.

    Also agree with this. I find exercise helps with cramps too. Pints of wine, no matter how appealing, aren't that helpful though.
  • sabified
    sabified Posts: 1,035 Member
    Reading this helped me come to terms with TOM:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/380982-time-of-month-and-increased-appetite

    I just bump my cals up to maintenance for those few days now
  • arwFTW
    arwFTW Posts: 83 Member
    I had the same problem last week girl. I knew I was about to get my period because I could NOT stay satisfied. Every couple of hours I was ravenous. It helps to just not have the snack food around and then i'm forced to eat something healthy if I do eat. But I have not found a way to ignore the cravings. I'm a sucker. haha
  • starrylioness
    starrylioness Posts: 543 Member
    I just allow myself some treats around that time and try not to go too crazy. I agree with an above commenter, it's not worth the mental anguish of it. Have a few snacks you enjoy around that time and keep on going and remember to stay hydrated.
  • knitapeace
    knitapeace Posts: 1,013 Member
    I had to download a cycle tracking app because I would find myself stuffing my face, beat myself up, then the next day wake up and go "Ohhhhhh, that's why." Now I can see it coming and try...TRY...to have fewer trigger foods around. However, I bet you can probably figure out why I ate an ENTIRE BAG OF BARBECUE POPCHIPS yesterday. Better Popchips than fried potato chips. But did I need the entire bag? No. My worst habit before I got my weight under control was to go back and forth salty/sweet/salty/sweet just snacking all the livelong day. At least now I don't do that anymore.
  • WarriorReady
    WarriorReady Posts: 571 Member
    I have the same issue every month. One thing that actually helped my hunger was flax seed meal. I would sprinkle a Tbsp in my oatmeal or smoothie or in my yogurt. It truly helps me most of the time. Something about the fiber and good fats I think are what helps. My sister passed that nugget on to me. Hope it helps you too! :flowerforyou:
  • tibby531
    tibby531 Posts: 717 Member
    I eat and if I'm craving something particular, I eat that. Not as much as I'd like, but a portion of it. The mental anguish of constantly arguing with myself to not eat that isn't worth it.

    Agreed. Otherwise, I don't feel satisfied and I just keep eating other things that end up adding up to more than if I just let myself have a bit of what I am craving. Eating protein bars, carrots, apples, etc still add up. I might as well just portion out the Cheez-its and move on!

    absolutely this. trying to trick the cravings doesn't work. I'm also a big fan of celery. crunchy, chewy, good hand-to-mouth action.
  • Sugartoes44
    Sugartoes44 Posts: 75
    Same issue here! I just mainly try to really hydrate and then I will eat what I crave, just small amounts,
  • GothyFaery
    GothyFaery Posts: 762 Member
    I try to work out more so I can eat more but sometimes I feel like a black hole and no matter how much I eat I never get full. For those times, I try to drink a lot of water. Every time I think about food, I down 6-8 oz of water. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't. Chewing gum helps too. Mostly when you feel like a black hole, you just have to push through it. No amount of food will make you feel full so you just have to live with being hungry.
  • mswoodsy
    mswoodsy Posts: 91 Member
    this was literally my my last 4 days, glad im not the only one...
    i cave and get the ice cream (or whatever) BUT i take a long walk around the park while i eat it.

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