TOM experiment & preliminary results

Yocum1219

I SO needed this! Always not losing that TOM weight! I've been tracking TOM with PinkPad on my IPod/IPhone for several months...now I guess I'll turn on the fertility part of the calendar to see when I need to eat a bit more! Thanks for this!!

Swimgoddess

Thank you SO much!!! My net cals have been set at my BMR as well and I've been plateauing hard.

chrisja

Thank you. I will have to look into this more since I am so frustrated seeing that I only have about 2 good weeks for weight loss every month and the rest is just spent fighting gains I cant comprehend. This may help me too.

12by311

That was so interesting. Thank you for sharing! I may have to try eating more as well. My weight loss pattern during TOM is like yours.

ImperfektAngel

oh my! our bodies are complicated, aren't they?

ruffledviolet

right before i got my last period, i felt really sick. i felt like i was going to pass out or get into a car accident on the way home from work. i thought it was because i wasn't eating enough (1200 cals), but i had been doing fine with 1000 a week and a half before that. i stuck with 1200 cals, and after my period was over, it felt like i was eating a sufficient amount again.
i did still lose weight, not sure if it was less than normal or more than normal. but to avoid feeling like that again, i think i'll increase it by 200 calories for the week.
i know in the past i would binge right before my period, and nine times out of ten i would not gain.

smtraxx

Thank you thank you thank you.

38Gigi38

bump... I'm experiencing the same problem and I want to try this experiment...Thanks for sharing :-)

ecaz

Thank you so much for sharing this info. I feel like I have two good weeks a month to lose weight and then two weeks to be frustrated as heck. This is very interesting, but let me ask something. I am on the pill, so since that is supposed to keep me from ovulating, does my metabolism still go up during my TOM? Do I still have a Leutel Phase? I think I must based on my weight loss patterns, but does anyone know for sure?

baisleac

does my metabolism still go up during my TOM? Do I still have a Leutel Phase? I think I must based on my weight loss patterns, but does anyone know for sure?

I'd start charting temperatures and doing a bit of research. I have no idea.

TAMMY_76

bump

melzteach

I so needed this. Thanks!

chelle1a

Bump

baisleac

Round two starts tomorrow. Will keep y'all posted.

baisleac

Round two starts tomorrow. Will keep y'all posted.

2nd cycle.. weight loss did NOT stop... it slowed down a little, but was nice and steady. Yay!

ruffledviolet

good

Elle408

I think it's pretty spot on this! I used to have two days of crazy eating just before my period (3000cals+), then the day of my period go right back to normal and would usually find that i'd lose a few extra pounds too.
When I started tracking and didn't have these crazy eating days, I also stopped having my weight loss!

Now i'm maintaining I allow for a little extra a few days before when my hunger increases and that seems to do the trick!

Good luck with this!

suzooz

Awesome post! I go through similar stretches, although not as extreme.

I'm expecting TOM any day now (2 pounds up this week). It may be too late for this cycle, but I will keep it in mind for next month.

I have a Bodybugg too -- just for this type of analysis. I just have to know what my body is doing, and I find it absolutely fascinating!

graysmom2005

I'm not understanding the deficit...500...100...could you break that down into calories you eat that day? 500 is already built in....so during TOM for example instead of eating 1200 you would eat 1600? Is that right?

baisleac

I'm not understanding the deficit...500...100...could you break that down into calories you eat that day? 500 is already built in....so during TOM for example instead of eating 1200 you would eat 1600? Is that right?

You've got it actually, though my base calories are 1400 (plus exercise cals), which is a 500 calorie deficit (1 lb per week). During my luteal phase I've been increasing my calories to 1800 calories (plus exercise cals), which is a 100 calorie deficit in theory.

I'm finding for myself that during my luteal phase, my actual calories burned is around 200-250 calories higher than in the 1st two weeks of my cycle, which turns that "100 calorie deficit" into a 300-350 deficit. I'm still figuring out the best balance.

showme989

This is so interesting! I'm finding that I only lose 2 weeks out of the month, also. I'm going to increase my calories during Luteal phase and see what happens. Thanks for posting your experiment!!

traceyblt

Me too i,m a bit lost,r we to eat more durint TOM ?

baisleac

Me too i,m a bit lost,r we to eat more durint TOM ?

It depends on the individual.

Some women don't seem to have problems continuing to lose during TOM (or lose it at the end). These women should just keep doing what they're doing.

However, some women, like myself, stop losing during those two weeks and it seems to be making a difference to increase intake between ovulation and menstruation.

For me, it's probably a combination of being short and being within 30 lbs of my goal weight; both of which mean a smaller safe deficit range and every calorie counts.

But it's not for everyone... I just thought I was probably not unique and others in the same situation might find the information useful. If what you're doing is working just keep on doing it.

JennLifts

definitely interesting!

Kaye8395BTS

Thank you for this post, it makes so much more sense now! )

awyler

I'm a weird one........ see I don't get my period anymore. The birth control I am on (the pill) is suppose to make me spot or just altogether skip it and well, I don't know the last time I actually had my period! But, I still get the hunger cravings and moodiness when I'm suppose to have my period. This "theory" is so interesting. I've always been extra hungry during TOM but I always thought it was just me! I think even though I'm not actually getting a period I may try this and see how it works out!

Drunkadelic

Omg I'm so glad a friend guided me here!! I have been famished all week (week before my period) and I could not, for the life of me, figure out why. I've been tracking everything but this NEVER dawned on me.

Our bodies are wayyy too complicated. lol

donnaeve8

Thank you, OP, for this post!! I have been losing only to gain during TOM. And then it takes me the next 2 weeks to get back to where I was before and so on!! IIts been 3 steps forwatd and 2 steps back for me since I started 2 1/2 months ago. It has been so frustrating that I almost gave up. And then, I saw your post. You rock!

VickiMitkins

bump. very interesting.

moremari

We women need to keep each other in the loop like you've done. I too suffer from the TOM dilemma. I've been actively trying to lose weight for over 2 months and after the first 3-4 lbs, I fluctuate back up, then down again. Sooo frustrating!