Time of month and increased appetite

mrastaffordML

I am hungry the ENTIRE week before and for the worst foods.

loribethrice

I'm so glad this was posted. This is the first thing that popped up on Google when I asked this question. When I am working out during my period, like today, I get SO hungry that I feel like I am just going to pass out and I'm so shaky. I hate it! I'm on day 3 of my period and I feel like I could eat 10 pizzas. I just keep eating like normal and trying to ignore it.

Happymelz

It is weird because some months I am extra diligent with my calories during TOM but then other months I want to EAT ALL THE THINGS.

Today...I just want donuts. lol.

Hungry_Annie

I have this problem big time. I usually get heavy duty cravings about 4-5 days before its due, and it usually only lasts one day, so I give in and eat what I want. Doesn't affect anything in the big picture.
Yesterday, my cravings began and I ate 3 Persians, and almost half a pizza. Plus 2 peanut butter sandwiches.
Today its killing me. I actually left work because I am so damn tired and achy. I am off to nap right now.

Turning_Hopes_to_Habits

I just go with it and let myself eat lots of food. I do try to make the food healthy, fitting it into the cravings, too. I have to admit that I use fruit and protein a lot, but based on the article link that was posted on page 2 regarding serotonin, I'll avoid them next month. That still leaves me caramel rice cakes and low-fat cream cheese (without the nuts and dried fruit I sometimes mix in), my beloved mini wheats, popcorn (during my period maybe I'll even let myself make kettle corn), and sherbet. I'll see if I can actually feel full and stop eating during those days.

The reason I let myself eat lots is because for one or two days after my period, I am so un-hungry I can't even stomach the thought of food. I go all day without even thinking about it and at night make myself eat a bowl of oatmeal or something or just don't eat at all. There is no backlash from it, it's not like I get super hungry the next day. The un-hunger seems to be the backlash of the period urge to eat ALL THE FOOD. It all evens out.

pepperpat64

bump

ericarenee2005

I was just here and man this was a relief Lol

YalithKBK

I recognized this as one of my PMS symptoms quite some time ago. I eat a full meal and about half an hour later want another full meal. My every waking thought for about 3 days is centered around eating. I do allow myself some extra treats (nothing huge, maybe 1-2 extra fun size candy bars) during this time, but that's mostly because I'm a little rage monster during PMS and sweets prevent me from accidentally strangling people. ^-^;;; Still, cool to see that this is pretty common and has a reason behind it. Thanks for posting!

PS: I also wanted to say I have noticed the extra calories burning. When I weigh myself the week before my TOM, I have usually not lost any weight or have even gained (because I'm retaining water). Then, the week after, not only will I have lost the water weight, but at least 0.5lb extra from my normal weight loss (usually 0.5lb/week).

FindingAmy77

bump. glad you posted this, I read this before.

ExRelaySprinter

Had to bump this.
It's happened to me today, on my first day of maintenance. (Grrrrr)
Not a great start, as i've been eating cakes and chocolate most of the day. :grumble:

notfollowingmamasfootsteps

Thanks for the info, definitely helpful!

randomworldgirl

I am more hungry about 7-10 days before my period starts and also the first couple days during. I thought it was all in my head, but over the last 7 months, I have noticed a pattern where I lose the most weight the week prior to my period starting. I'm always surprised when I get on the scale the week during my period and still see that I'm losing. It's the two weeks after my period has ended that things slow down for me.

pigelty

Found this article hope it helps I was wondering why I've been so hungry


Cravings, bloating and then the hunger – the best diets are often laid asunder by your period. For many women, the symptoms leading up to and during the week of your period are outrageous, and one of these is the hunger that seems to ratchet up from nowhere.

The reason for this increase in hunger is simple. Your body uses more calories during the time right before and in some cases during your period. This increase in calories makes your body burn more calories during this time, and as the calories as burning you’re going to feel hungry more often.

To compound this, the hormones at work in your body during this time are also likely making you crave particular food items. So suddenly, you’re starving, you already feel bloated from water weight and now you want to eat chocolate or chips. No wonder we all feel so miserable during this week!

Why Do I Get So Hungry Before and During My Period

Calories are units of energy. You can think of them like tiny gallons or liters of gas. Just like a car burns through gas, your body burns through calories. Every day, if you were to lie in bed and do nothing at all, you would burn a certain number of calories just being alive. This number is your Basal Metabolic Rate, or BMR.

As you lay in your bed doing nothing at all, your body is burning up fuel, or calories, keeping your digestive system working, helping your heart beat and all of the other wonderful things that happen inside us that we don’t have to think about on a daily basis. Every thirty days or so, the systems in your body pick up another task.

With the menstrual cycle, the week of your period makes your body do some extra work. This extra work burns more calories and your BMR actually goes up. In some women, the week of your period can make you burn up to fifteen percent more calories, and you haven’t changed a single thing about your lifestyle!





Eating and Your Period

Of course, if you’re trying to figure out why your period makes you so hungry, the answer is clear. Your body is doing more work; your body needs more calories. To get the calories it needs, your body sends a message to your brain telling you you’re hungry more often. Since you’re feeling hungry, you eat.

This is a tricky week for women who are paying close attention to their figures, however. Being extra hungry often means you are compelled to eat. The additional symptoms of this week make eating even more enjoyable. I mean, really – if you’re sitting in sweat pants already watching weepy movies, wouldn’t it taste better with a pint of ice cream?

The trouble is, you may feel hungrier, but the extra calorie burning can be a bit deceptive. Your body is burning some extra calories, but only about 100 to 300 per day, and only for a few days at a time. Sadly, 100 calories is the same as one of those tiny snack packs you can put in your lunch while you’re dieting. At most, you can enjoy a candy bar for close to 300. A pint of ice cream is easily 500 to almost 1,000 calories at a time – it’s not justified by period calorie burn.

Controlling Hunger and Your Period

The best way to stay healthy and watch your figure is to listen to your body more than your appetite. You may feel a strong craving for ice cream, but that probably has more to do with comfort then nutrition. If you’re feeling like shoveling through a bag of chips, don’t give in to the craving. If you really can’t stand it, count out enough chips to be about one serving and then stop. Savor the chips you’re eating, but leave the rest put away.

If you can prevent your appetite from getting the best of you by eating filling foods without many extra calories such as lean protein and vegetables, you will benefit in another way from feeling so hungry this week. When your BMR goes up, as it does the days before your period, you’re burning some extra calories. If you fend off the desire to shove junk in your face this week, you can actually burn off more calories instead of consuming them.

If you are one of the lucky ones burning an extra 300 calories per day for about five days, you’ll lose half a pound by not doing anything except waking up in the morning. After gaining up to five pounds in retained water, losing that water plus a bit more feels outstanding the week after your cycle – it just takes a bit of willpower to reach that point.

Interesting article. Hormones participate too.