PMS getting in the way of your diet???

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2

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  • mamasmaltz3
    mamasmaltz3 Posts: 1,111 Member
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    The last two months I decided to just go ahead and eat what I want the day I start. If I want it I eat it. Periods are rough enough, I need my chocolate therapy. Then I get back on the wagon and don't weigh myself for at least two or three days after my period ends. I don't want to get discouraged over water weight gain. If I have gained weight from that one day I have never known it. I also find that since I have been eating healthier and smaller portions I am satisfied by smaller portions. Yesterday, my first day btw, I had a Hershey bar. That was all the chocolate I had all day and it satisfied my craving. Then, of course I had to have my salty snack, but then again I was satisfied by a much smaller portion. I was over in calories for the day but not crazy over and I feel good about that. Once upon a time I would have eaten crazy amounts of food and felt horrible.
  • MSsl1m
    MSsl1m Posts: 9
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    Yes i have horrible cravings that I cant shake!! I lounge around as much as possible ooo and I avoid the gym
  • Shelgirl001
    Shelgirl001 Posts: 478 Member
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    I try to make sure I take multivitamins during those days and to keep up on exercise. This way if I do eat high calorie foods and such, at least I have the calories to spare. Sometimes the salt really causes cramps as does the caffeine. It is so hard to deny myself some chocolate or salty stuff though. I usually try to have a fiber one bar when that really won't go away.
  • cheyennetheeventer
    cheyennetheeventer Posts: 29 Member
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    The cravings can be pretty bad if you ask me, but the worst part is indulging slightly, then looking in the mirror the next day to see how bloated you are, and being so upset because it looks like that little treat made you gain 5 pounds. It took me months to figure out that the indulgence and random 'weight gain' wasn't actually linked to each other..
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
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    Yes, my wife's cooking is lousy for 4 days straight.....:smokin:
  • Moyzilla
    Moyzilla Posts: 106 Member
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    My cravings the week before are absolutely crazy and I'm really worn down then too :( I try to stock up on fruit and vegetables so that even if I can't eat what I want I can still eat something. I can always go to town on a boatload of carrots while imagining the thai take out of super greasy fare my hormones are screaming for.
  • whamann1
    whamann1 Posts: 40 Member
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    As someone approaching perimenopause, I have good news and bad news...
    The good news is you are not alone (obviously!). The bad news is it only gets worse...unless you do something ... losing wieght, exercising and eating healthy as we all already know, but you can support yourself by taking

    extra B complex: in the morning and at night. I have liteally felt relief 20 minutes after taking it. It is water soluable so you won't hurt yourself by taking it.

    5 HTP: find it in the health food store. Improves mood, sleep and evening cravings.

    St John's Wort: weird name, great herb! Also calms you and helps your body make its own serotonin.

    L-Glutamine: stop sweet cravings, enhance relaxation.

    Google these and see what you think. They seem to give me the edge I need during PMS time.
  • Kari089
    Kari089 Posts: 126 Member
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    I hit the chocolate hard when PMS hits..its bad because I am also very disciplined and I try to workout more to even out the damage. But even so, I see it has become a little ritual for me every month. Now it's getting out of hand though because I am starting to see it as a routine 'cheat'. You are not alone girl!
  • charitas32
    charitas32 Posts: 58
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    I've found my period less troublesome on a lower, not low, carb diet. I rember having a magazine diet plan years ago which basically zig zagged the calorie amounts the week of your period, so you could eat a little more the days before and a little less towards the end of your period ( I always find I am worse just before then fine once actually on my period), maybe planning treats might help.

    I find I am more perceptive/unsure of myself with PMS so it's actually a good time to sort things out in my head, go for a long walk.

    PS St John's Wort is a great herb, but it does induct the production of enzymes in the liver which also break down other commonly taken medication. So if you are taking birth control pills or epilepsy medication they may become ineffective.
  • CassieReannan
    CassieReannan Posts: 1,479 Member
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    Yes, it really does. I notice I am more hungry a week before my period and then the week of my period.
  • moneill33
    moneill33 Posts: 11
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    Hiya,
    yep this is me every month. Even had my hormones checked for PCOS and peri-menopause (i'm only 33 lol). All came back normal but still my periods are very irregular (every 8 weeks ish) and I have terrible PMS for about two weeks before. Cravings, increased appetite, bloating (even my thighs??) acne, moody, emotional ..... it's no fun.
    I'm taking supplements and exercising which is prob helping a little but the tiredness is insane!!! I'm literally exhausted and it does impact on my training. I also find that weight loss completely stalls for a few weeks each month.
  • chixdrag2
    chixdrag2 Posts: 19 Member
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    Most women burn an extra 300 cals when they are menstruating. I'm starved the whole time too! But I fight it, because after it's over I have lost like three pounds!

    Is that true??? I was wondering about that! I would love to believe that there's an actually physiological reason why I feel so hungry around my period - good to know!
  • chixdrag2
    chixdrag2 Posts: 19 Member
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    yes and yes and yes. and if my diet was the only thing my hormones screwed with I'd be happy.

    :ohwell:

    haha this is so true, but they don't have a forum for the rest of it! lol
  • chixdrag2
    chixdrag2 Posts: 19 Member
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    You are not alone... but PMS only gets in the way if you let it. I have good days and bad days with it. Sometimes I resist the cravings and sometimes I indulge a little, or not at all. But when I want to be in control bad enough, I am. When I give in, it's only because I want to. You'll be okay just keep fighting the good fight, and believe that you have control over your PMS cravings, and you will probably surprise yourself.

    You are right - I WANT to believe that I am in control - I hate making excuses because I know that I'm the only one in control of my body and that's why this is so frustrating to me!! :(
  • emnk5308
    emnk5308 Posts: 736
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    My boyfriend just left to get me some dark chocolate because of it! This month's is especially awful.. I've been taking ibuprofen and naproxin and still have bad cramps. I'm taking it as a rest/ cheat day. =)
  • lisaivette
    lisaivette Posts: 24
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    I crave ice cream big time...mixers from Culver's or blizzards from Dairy Queen. I limit myself to 1-2 during that time. I increase my cardio too during this time.
  • milliereid
    milliereid Posts: 21
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    Yes!! I'm so glad I'm not alone, I've totally ditched my healthy eating and exercise for the past 2 days as it's "that time" of the month. The way I see it as is you can't beat yourself up about it - these things happen!! When it's the time of the month we feel bloated, sluggish and generally rubbish so if eating something unhealthy makes us feel better then why not?! As long as you pick yourself back up again then there's nothing to worry about :)
  • SLHartman
    SLHartman Posts: 142 Member
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    Whenever my period comes, I stock up on Skinny Cow....chocolate and ice cream for less calories?? yes please!

    This is exactly what I do! Skinny Cow are usually my treats anyway, so when I NEED some chocolate, I don't feel nearly as guilty.
  • fatpanda96
    fatpanda96 Posts: 77
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    I usually binge like CRAZY the week before and then then when I'm on I really don't have much of an appetite but I don't have any energy to really do too much exercise either.
  • tequillarose04
    tequillarose04 Posts: 30 Member
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    oh man, i was just thinking about this this morning... its the week before & all i can think about it chocolate (I dont usually eat chocolate) &i hardly have energy to keep up with my kids, let alone get some exercise in :( tonight i sat with 5 dark choc m&ms in 1 hand & a bag of carrots in the other, so i would get the 'full' feeling super quick & not feel so bad about the m&ms i ate (but they were damn good & i only had 5!)...hoping tomorrows better :/

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