Question for women

mollymay

This is a little bit personal but please bear with me. I seem to have extreme trouble during the week before and during that certain time of the month. I am already bloated and feel like a beached whale, but I also have tremendous cravings and one huge appetite. I am without a doub going over my calories. I am not eating anything really bad, no cakes or sweets, just everything else. I just cant seem to stop the cravings and the appetite no matter what I do. This is very distressing, the eating just adds to the bloating.

anyone have any suggestions. I know I am not losing. Scared to even put my pinky toe on the scales.

mollymay

This is a little bit personal but please bear with me. I seem to have extreme trouble during the week before and during that certain time of the month. I am already bloated and feel like a beached whale, but I also have tremendous cravings and one huge appetite. I am without a doub going over my calories. I am not eating anything really bad, no cakes or sweets, just everything else. I just cant seem to stop the cravings and the appetite no matter what I do. This is very distressing, the eating just adds to the bloating.

anyone have any suggestions. I know I am not losing. Scared to even put my pinky toe on the scales.

chelc8807

I have the same problem! Whenever you feel like that try going for a walk or pick up your favorite book or magazine. If you just have to eat, pick something like nuts or another healthy snack, even though they are high in fat and calories they are still good for you.

nannascot

Its awful isn't it, but you are not alone, we women have erratic hormones which are very hard to deal with. I am one of the older ones and don't have periods any more but I have been on Tamoxifen the breast cancer drug and this appears to have made my hormones incapable of working properly and I feel permanently pre-menstual. This site however has given me the encouragement I needed to make a real effort, here's hoping.
My only suggestion to you is to try the exercise bit, it does help me even though I don't feel like it.

finkkm

ugh I am so with you on this one

lotusfromthemud

I posted a similar topic last month and got some great advice:

Take a multivitamin to make sure that you're getting enough nutrients. And, if you're already taking one, take two during this special, womanly time.

Make sure you're getting enough calcium and iron in particular, as both of these are linked to pms.

And workout (even though I know you don't want to) it will raise your endorphins, improve your cramps and help you sleep more soundly.

Hope that helps.:flowerforyou:

mechanicmom

My cycles have been heavy since I had my son two years ago and the cravings and appetite were just as bad. I paid attention this time when I started and I did exercise when I could. This time my girly was shorter, not as heavy, I didn't crave as much and I didn't eat as much. It could have been an easy month, but I really think the exercise helped!

kistinbee

I also agree with the exercise thing. I am the same ways...crave everything in site...during that time of the month. And if it's at hand, I will eat everything in site. As much as it doesn not sound like fun when you're feeling like that, I have found that exercise does help. I usually just walk or maybe get on a stationary bike for a bit. And I drink lots of water. This has worked for me. Don't worry...you are not alone.

*Kistinbee*

kak1018

You are not alone. I swear by Evening Primrose Oil, lots of water, low sodium foods, and exercise.

eileen0809

Hi!

I'm sooo with you on this one. I figure I'm going to snack - if I try and stop it I just go crazy later and eat more - but if I do snack, I'm going to snack as low-cal as I can, so even if I eat alot its not as bad as it could have been. My favorites:

1. Polly-O string cheese with 2% milk. Takes a while to eat cause you peel it, and each one only has 80 calories and is a good source of protein and healthy fats.

2. Get a biiiiig bowl of strawberries and some nonfat whipped cream. Again, gives you the sensation of eating alot, its sweet and is low-cal. AND the berries have fiber in them so it fills you up fast.

My secret weapon for 'during': Weight Watchers Giant Chocolate Fudge bars. They are *so* good, satisfy the chocolate cravings and only 110 calories.

Hope this helps!

diannholland1965

The fruit thing is always a good one to stop the cravings.
LOADED with VITS! and low in calorie.
I have even taken fake sugar and dipped strawberries in them at that time of month. Becausse of the sweet cravings.
The cravings and the cramping are due to the lack of fluids in your body because you are loseing fluid during your periods, and that muscle is working on its own, which is where the cramps come from. Which is why you should drink a lot of water, eat foods with water in them, IE Fruit.
and excersize to stop the cramps. :flowerforyou:
--Diann...

deb_ge

What about some sugar free really good dark chocolate, ( just a little bit with a nice mug of coffee...no sugar added)

Also, I have stopped weighing myself during those days....it is too unnerviing. I can go back up as much as 6 pounds!

Then, the next week, it all drops off plus more besides!

Just be sure that you will get back on that scale. The worst thing I ever did in my life was to lose track of how much I weighed. The pounds just floated on...I went from jeans to stretch pants, and spent most of my adult life very obese.

Give yourself a teeny break, but COMMIT to the scale as soon as your period is over.:ohwell:

tdroseler

This is such a real thing for us women. So many things are going on with us at "that time of the month", it's enough to make your head spin.

I have found a lot of the above mentioned things to work...Multi vitamin, herbs such as Dong Quai, but talk to your doctor first. Taking special time out for myself at this time really helps to. I always feel most discouraged about loosing weight then, so i pamper myself. Long hot bubble baths, soothing music, little extra sleep with a soft blanket in the afternoon. Whatever i can. I recognise that i am a woman, and as such, i deserve the treatment. After all...God must have thought that carriing and giving life was real important, cause he gave the task to us, not the men :flowerforyou:

Fighting th cravings can be hard. Recognise them for what they are, then find a substitute. Fruited yogurt is nice and sweet. Apples and pears are good and crunchy. Add peanutbutter to take care of salt cravings. there are hundreds of ways to go about it. Just be patient with yourself, you will find the way that works for you.

mollymay

WOW!!! Thanks so much for all of the great responses. For me, being able to post and read here has been the difference between success and failure. I can actually use something from every response.

I did weigh this morning. My weight is up only 0.4 from last friday. That is a real relief for me. I am going to the store today and stock up on lots of healthy snacks. I will allow myself to eat and I wont fret over it while I am "in the zone". Will pick up some healthy vitamins too.

I think next month I will start preparing early for this.

Thanks everyone for being so supporting.

mollymay

Went back and tweaked my menu for yesterday and had a total of 1870 calories yesterday. No exercise yesterday to offset that either.

Guess I have to be brutally honest with myself on the calorie tracker in order to see accurate results.

Nich0le

CALCIUM!!!!

If you don't get enough in your regular diet take a supplement. It has been proven, and I tried this myself, that calcium can reduce the signs and symptoms of pms. I had the same problem, eat eat eat when it was that time of the month but I tried the calcium thing, in supplement form, and the next month my bloating was lessened, cramping was eased up and the eatting thing was under control.

Also, the longer you are with a healthier eatting plan the more healthy things you will put in your body and over time the sugary and fatty foods will make you bloated so you will start to avoid them. You are on the path, baby steps and you will be able to take bigger steps with time!!!

ambieloo2

I'm right there with ya! I heard a couple of months ago that if you have really bad PMS then you are probably deficient in essential fatty acids. I have been taking 1 tsp of high lingan flax seed oil with my breakfast every morning and I swear my PMS has lessened. If I didn't live in such a sunny climate I would take fish oil capsules instead but it's too much vitamin D for my climate.

Does anyone watch "You Are What You Eat" on the BBC America? It's such a good show! I am addicted to it and I get so much diet advice from it. (That is where I got the info on the fatty acids.)

Cheers!