how to satisfy the period "tapeworm"

wendiann2222
wendiann2222 Posts: 36
in Food and Nutrition
I apologize if this is TMI for some people, but I'm quite curious as to what the answers will be!
Just before and during my 'lady time' every month, I become viciously hungry. And I don't mean just craving chocolate or sweets, but actually hungry!
Tell me how YOU survive that time of the month without blowing your calorie-count/diet plan/healthy eating?
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Replies

  • graelwyn
    graelwyn Posts: 1,340 Member
    Thus far, I have not found a way, although I have tried.
    I get horribly hungry that time, and awful cravings to binge.
    I try and curb it with plenty of greek yoghurt, pb2 and seeds, but it doesn't always work.
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    How far do you blow it by?

    I think it's perfectly okay to plan a few days of maintenance at specific times of the month. I always go a bit over but still just about maintenance on those days.
  • wendiann2222
    wendiann2222 Posts: 36
    How far do you blow it by?

    I think it's perfectly okay to plan a few days of maintenance at specific times of the month. I always go a bit over but still just about maintenance on those days.


    Well, I can't 'blow' what I haven't 'tracked' in the past. I still have a good 500 cal to eat up today so I should be fine. But I'm open to new ideas and suggestions.
    I like your idea of just maintaining on those days. I'm interested in eating as much food as possible. Bring on the Greek Yogurt!
  • shbretired
    shbretired Posts: 320 Member
    i use hemp hearts on top of my food, i've never been fuller.
  • victoria4321
    victoria4321 Posts: 1,719 Member
    I just eat extra. I figure I'm probably that hungry for a good reason. It's only a few days anyway.
  • fififox
    fififox Posts: 360 Member
    I have struggled so badly these last few days - very heavy pms and just fighting the cravings constantly (not always winning!) - I get it for up to a week before. Sorry - I have no answers - but I know how you are feeling :sad: I forced myself to exercise this evening with 0 energy levels...hating the world and particularly Jillian Michaels from about half way through the 30DS, lol! and would have given anything to feed the cravings...maybe I should have - maybe they are there for a reason and my body needed it?
  • wendiann2222
    wendiann2222 Posts: 36
    I have struggled so badly these last few days - very heavy pms and just fighting the cravings constantly (not always winning!) - I get it for up to a week before. Sorry - I have no answers - but I know how you are feeling :sad: I forced myself to exercise this evening with 0 energy levels...hating the world and particularly Jillian Michaels from about half way through the 30DS, lol! and would have given anything to feed the cravings...maybe I should have - maybe they are there for a reason and my body needed it?

    I don't think Jillian Michaels is particularly fond of me... lol
  • mrsejennings
    mrsejennings Posts: 97 Member
    I guess my only suggestion since you are not craving sweets, but are just honestly hungry, is to eat.
    Eat proteins and stay way from the carbs. As long as its good choices, and with in your mfp goals, you should be fine.
    I love protein shakes.
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
    I give myself permission on that first day to eat more. That doesn't mean I go absolutely buck wild, but it means I don't measure/weigh on that day, and I eat enough so I am satisfied. I figure if I have 12 no-logging, no-counting days per year, well that is a LOT LOT better than it used to be!
  • fatty_to_fitty
    fatty_to_fitty Posts: 544 Member
    This is such a nasty and graphic topic title!

    However you clearly need energy, maybe more than some at this time so go for high energy foods, good carbs, fibre and slow release energy foods.
  • pnut80
    pnut80 Posts: 77 Member
    i dont have any answers here either really. but i agree with some of the others...i try to snack healthy but i will indulge a little if im having a reaaaally bad day lol. i just try to eat nuts and yogurt or rice snacks....and those 100 cal packs of cupcakes n stuff usually work for the choc cravings.
  • GasMasterFlash
    GasMasterFlash Posts: 2,206 Member
    are you thinking of geting a tape urm my mom tryed that it worked prety well she did okay shes home now and resting i dont no how it afected her pireod
  • grrrlface
    grrrlface Posts: 1,204 Member
    I have one day during TOM that I just want to binge and I take it seriously, I eat everything I crave and want and it really doesn't affect me at all, weight wise. I figure if your body is asking for it at that time then don't deprive yourself, you'll only feel miserable! If it's one day out of the month it won't hurt. :-)
  • SweetxCatastrophe
    SweetxCatastrophe Posts: 593 Member
    One square of vosges dark chocolate bacon bar. Yup...chocolate with bacon. It satisfies my craving and I only eat it once a month so its no biggie
  • Jellyphant
    Jellyphant Posts: 1,400 Member
    LOL @ tapeworm. Clever.

    When I'm on my shark week, I still have the yummies, just in moderation, compared to before when I didn't give a f. Since I started hiking up my workouts more though, I'm finding my sweet cravings to be less intense than before. :]
  • babyshme
    babyshme Posts: 310 Member
    Popcorn. I can eat a ton of it for little calories.
  • sheschemes
    sheschemes Posts: 67
    Last week was my first while tracking what I eat. It turned out the days I ate the most were the days I didn't take an iron supplement. The days I did take the supplement I was barely hungry for dinner. Not saying that it would work for everyone, but it's worth a shot.
  • marcia724
    marcia724 Posts: 180 Member
    I JUST talked to my OBGYN about this. She told me to take magnesium supplements and that should definitely help the chocolate cravings!
  • hiphopfrog
    hiphopfrog Posts: 4 Member
    Haha fantastic title!

    I just eat more. I call it a "hollow day" (stole this from The Hunger Games) and let myself eat. Usually I just want a LOT of toast with jam, and so I let myself have heaps, and then go for a long long walk to burn some off. The long walk helps any other symptoms I have too :)
  • jmach002
    jmach002 Posts: 113 Member
    i use hemp hearts on top of my food, i've never been fuller.

    what r hemp hearts? what do they taste like?
  • AliceKlaar
    AliceKlaar Posts: 275 Member
    Haha, I know exactly what you mean! Even though I crave sweet stodgy stuff, I try to stay away from processed sugar and carbs and I do find that dried apricots, dark chocolate and oats all help with the cravings. I also take an iron supplement.
  • dancer77
    dancer77 Posts: 249 Member
    I'm struggling with that right now too! For this week I'm re-setting my goals from losing 2lbs a week to losing 1lb and trying to have a 3500cal deficit by the end of the week. My deficient for today is only 200 and I exercised for over an hour! Ha. Oh, the tapeworm! That is so terribly accurate!
  • Athena98501
    Athena98501 Posts: 716 Member
    I apologize if this is TMI for some people, but I'm quite curious as to what the answers will be!
    Just before and during my 'lady time' every month, I become viciously hungry. And I don't mean just craving chocolate or sweets, but actually hungry!
    Tell me how YOU survive that time of the month without blowing your calorie-count/diet plan/healthy eating?

    I wonder if you might have a deficiency of some specific nutrient. The only one that springs to mind is iron, but I'm sure there are other possibilities. You might check whether you get enough of the various nutrients by MFP standards, at least.
  • sizzle92
    sizzle92 Posts: 1,015 Member
    OMG this is me today! Not cravings, just HUNGRY! :(
  • lau444
    lau444 Posts: 120 Member
    Funny you made this topic today since I've been ravenous for the past three days. My only solution has been to simply eat more. Luckily, i keep pretty good things in the house (fruits, veg, nuts and yogurt), so I just allow myself an extra 300-500 cals for a few days. The worst thing to do is try to ignore it. I've tried that in the past, and ended up on sitting on my kitchen counter at 2am, scarfing down peanut butter and chocolate chips.
  • abberbabber
    abberbabber Posts: 972 Member
    I have struggled so badly these last few days - very heavy pms and just fighting the cravings constantly (not always winning!) - I get it for up to a week before. Sorry - I have no answers - but I know how you are feeling :sad: I forced myself to exercise this evening with 0 energy levels...hating the world and particularly Jillian Michaels from about half way through the 30DS, lol! and would have given anything to feed the cravings...maybe I should have - maybe they are there for a reason and my body needed it?

    That's what I do with cravings. If I'm craving something, I'll do something else for awhile (read, go for a walk, etc) and if I'm still craving it later, I let myself have a little bit of whatever I'm craving and just try not to go crazy.
  • pfarley68
    pfarley68 Posts: 83 Member
    I never stay hungry, I just eat something healthy.
  • Jessmiloo
    Jessmiloo Posts: 25
    Popcorn is my "go-to" as well. However, most everyone is right that you can have one day a month to eat what you want. I have trouble doing so because I tend to then allow myself to "go off track" and it is hard to get back on. It allows those cravings I've kept at bay to overwhelm me till I satisfy them. :( I find popcorn will satisfy the "tapeworm" in most cases.
  • StarvingDiva
    StarvingDiva Posts: 1,107 Member
    I too have not found a solution for this, but even if I eat the wrong types of food or a lot of it, I try to stay within my calories, even if it means I'm eating half a pizza and chocolate. Most of the time I don't "gain" I mean there will be a 5 lb "gain" during my period but it always goes away with aunt flo.
  • FloraSin
    FloraSin Posts: 188 Member
    Dark chocolate of my Vector Energy Bars if I want chocolate...and I always have to exercise after.

    Smartfood popcorn is glorious.

    Also, if there's a place nearby that sells Asian groceries - seaweed based treats and things like pocky always make great snacks and are almost guilt free.

    I also drink a small lake in water that week because I find it helps a ton. Sometimes I add Crystal Light.

    Last time round, I forced myself to go running even though I didn't want to and found that really made me feel better afterwards. No cramps and what not (which is amazing for me. I've never had it well. I always want to punch the person who invented that "Have a happy period" slogan....).

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