Period is in the way of diet

creatureofthewind

I notice by eating healthy my skin feels better, my energy is better, and my outlook is better. However when my period comes I get really hungry and the cravings take control. All my progress goes to junk food... ehh Does anyone out there have any advice on what to eat?

JeneticTraining

I usually drink tea, coffee and water. I'm already bloated and the liquid would make me feel even more bloated and disgusting. So, I wouldn't even dare to binge.

redraidergirl2009

Stick to your diet. Think about how great you will feel after your period if you stuck to your eating plan. Don't blame eating out of control on your period. Ultimately you make the decision what to eat.

starfinale

I'm the same way. I just take a nap when I'm on my period to keep from eating. I do buy a lot of fruit during that time! I need help too!

creatureofthewind

That's true, but I just get so hungry. I know that your body is doing more work to prepare so I am wondering on foods to stop this from happening.

LuLuChick78

Bump to hear the responses

redraidergirl2009

That's true, but I just get so hungry. I know that your body is doing more work to prepare so I am wondering on foods to stop this from happening.

What type of foods do you crave? Look at what's in them and see if that gives you any clues to make better choices. Personally I crave iron rich foods so I eat more beans. Sometimes I'll crave carbs so I'll eat a baked potato or something like that instead of something junky like potato chips.

liznotyet

Eat more healthy stuff - sweet potatoes, avocado, almonds, cucumbers, citrus, dark greens to fill the void. Extra sugar and white flour just amplify cramps. They make your mouth happy for a second or two and then pow! the rest of your day sucks. Plus they stay in your intestine longer and who needs that extra weight during their period?

creatureofthewind

carbs and sugar! Pizza and breadstiks!
Those are good ideas you listed. I know I am going to stick with my diet this time. I enjoy how I feel by eating right, I just got to put myself in check!

Natihilator

I'm the same way. I just take a nap when I'm on my period to keep from eating. I do buy a lot of fruit during that time! I need help too!

5-7 day naps sound GLORIOUS!

creatureofthewind

They make your mouth happy for a second or two and then pow! the rest of your day sucks. Plus they stay in your intestine longer and who needs that extra weight during their period?

You're so right about this whole statement. The happiness is gone real fast!

jenilla1

Sometimes you think you're hungry when you're really just thirsty. Try drinking some water and see if it helps. I drink a ton of water during that time...:drinker:

leahgetshealthy

I have similar cravings during that time of the month! I've found some good recipes online (especially on Pinterest!) that are low-cal versions of some of my old favorite treats. They aren't exactly the same, but they usually fill that craving and leave you feeling satisfied without ruining your diet. Of course you have to watch your moderation on those!

Confuzzled4ever

honey in tea or fresh pineapple
or get the high % cocoa chocolate
I also make chocolate milk out of chocolate whey protein powder
if you crave pizza and such.. try making your own.. it might not be less calories (mine never are lol) but they are healthier!
I also really feel better after a good hard workout, more-so during that week then others. I don't know if that's weird.. but it def helps.
I also keep kedeem tea biscuits around.. 2 biscuits are 35 calories and they are pretty sweet... you find them in the kosher section. Just don't eat the whole sleeve. lol
I make my own strawberry jam and will slather that on whole grain toast with peanut butter or chocolate butter (like nutella, but i buy an organic brand)
You can have 5 large marshmallows for a mere 100 calories if you must have junk.. you can put a small squeeze of Hershey syrup, microwave and dip apples or bananas into it after it melts.. or just eat it.. not healthy, but better than the whole snickers bar.
Dark chocolate covered nuts are a healthier option as well.
I tend to crave salty stuff, so get baked chips (or make my own) or put my sauerkraut on things or bake a ham or cut a tomato sprinkle with salt and eat it.
I also like those dark chocolate nuggets with almonds or peanut or almond m&ms.. but i have pretty good self control with them and can stop at one or two.. i wouldn't suggest having that bad lay around if you're just gonna eat the whole thing.
Fig newtons... mmmm
Mint Chamoele tea helps for some reason too.

maggs155

I always crave sweet stuff like chocolate so i like to have a special k chocolate crisp if i am craving chocolate real bad dont know if its a lot better but it helps me. I also eat a lot of sugar free jello it helps with the sweet taste and low cals. Also sugar free pudding. I know its hard at that time but i also try to eat a lot of clean foods at this time because im so bloated and feel fat anyways and it makes me feel better. I also exercise a lot more it helps my mind with how i feel during this time. Men are lucky they dont have to deal with this with their weight loss lol:)

violet976

I pretty much give in, but I try to at least make healthier "subs" for what I'm craving. I'm actually in this phase myself and have been cooking up a storm the past few days. Instead of the brownies I was craving, I made laraballs (nuts/raisins/coconut/sunflower seeds/oats/flaxseeds/coffee). Made cashew french toast, but subbed the maple syrup I wanted for loads of strawberries. Gave into one batch of nachos, but then made pasta and a killer cashew white sauce with asparagus. I also wanted dumplings, so we made a cabbage/beet soup to go with them. Craved pudding so I made a banana/avocado "mouse". Craved ice cream so I made a few banana soft serves with mixed frozen fruit. I've definitely eaten a few too many laraballs & snuck in some tofutti cutie ice cream sandwiches, but also made a lot of green kale/beet leaf smoothies to fill me up as well. I think the trick to the horrid "eat everything in sight" period phase is to at least try to surround yourself with healthier indulgent choices so you don't eat the entire box of your treats in one sitting.

squatsandlipgloss

Ill give in to my cravings 2 or 3 days a month, it really doesn't matter and won't mess up your diet as long as you're being good the other 27 days!

FitSuga

I'm pretty much ravenous right before that time of the month, so I eat at maintence on those days. It helps a lot with the hunger/cravings and keeping it under control. I feel like I'm indulging when really I'm not and usually still end up losing !

Confuzzled4ever

laraballs (nuts/raisins/coconut/sunflower seeds/oats/flaxseeds/coffee).

Um... YUM!! I will have to try these! I have everything on hand but the sunflower seeds (cause the ones i have are shelled.. and i'm not deshelling enough to cook with LOL)

Do you just mix everything together and roll into a ball? Do you need to bake them?

Recipe?? LOL

MyChocolateDiet

someone posted an article here once per "jillian" about that your body burns more cals during that time, and that also if you kept everything else the same, eating and workouts, you'd have that extra burning as like a head start on weight loss. it hase made me more grateful for those days of the month than I have any right to be. it's like "passive workout days" or something in my mind.

deadbeatsummer

This may not be the right advice, but I had the contraceptive implant inserted in my arm in June 2011 for contraceptive and period pain reasons, and have not had a period since. My life is perfect except for that I can be a moody b- on it :L

cutie_patootie

Just before periods I get so hungry that if I don't get some high-carb treat, there is good danger that I would start eating my furniture.
I had posted a similar topic some months back and found some useful advice from other members.

1. Don't deny yourself what you crave, HOWEVER, do control the portions! This helps me not feel miserable.
2. I get busy to get my mind off insane cravings. Do anything that keeps you away from junk food....go for a walk, clean up the house, send out pending emails. etc.
3. PMS is the only time I crave for chocolates. I am not a fan of chocolates on other days. I found that if I have just one small bite of rich milk chocolate, I feel satisfied. I ensure that I savor the biteful and don't go on a mission to finish the entire bar. I recently discovered that Sugarfree chocolates work very well for me.
4. Go for healthier versions of your favorite foods...sugar free ice cream, sugar free chocolates, baked chips.

Hope these tips work as well for you as they do for me.

violet976

laraballs (nuts/raisins/coconut/sunflower seeds/oats/flaxseeds/coffee).

Um... YUM!! I will have to try these! I have everything on hand but the sunflower seeds (cause the ones i have are shelled.. and i'm not deshelling enough to cook with LOL)

Do you just mix everything together and roll into a ball? Do you need to bake them?

Recipe?? LOL

Luckily, you can use just about any combo of items you can think of. I read to do a combo of 1 cup nuts, 1 cup raisins or dates and 1 cup add ins, but my last two attempts with that came out way too oily (just add oat flour as needed and knead it in if that happens). Your best bet is to look up homemade larabars online, and you'll find tons of recipes.

Ideally you need a high powered food processor or blender (like a Vitamix or Blendtec). I think the food processor is ideal, but I only have a Vitamix so I just trip the breaker once or twice to get the job done. You just throw in the nuts, the raisins and whatever else you want in them & process. Then you shape into balls or bars.

If you don't have a blender, you can chop everything really fine and do it by hand, but it will take longer. Or you can opt for oat based bars and look for recipes you can mix & bake/refrigerate instead, like these:
http://ohsheglows.com/recipage/?search_term=bars&ui=133

hilldiggity

Sometimes you think you're hungry when you're really just thirsty.

This cannot be reiterated enough.

missjones93

Drink water and if you're hungry - eat healthy. Think about it PMS + introducing the unhealthy bad foods that you have finally gotten out of your system = pain. Between cramps and heartburn - totally not worth it!

FindingMyself24

Im so glad I looked this up....there's some pretty helpful advice on here....Right before/during my period I become this hungry animal lol...i get this ridiculous hunger....I usually end up eating maintenance as well...One thing Ive learned is to track everything...even if its bad....sometimes I dont want to put it in my diary because I dont want to face the all the food...but ive noticed tracking during my extreme hunger keeps me more aware of whats going in my body...

maiaroman18

I had a partial hysterectomy (still have my ovaries) so no actual period, but my body goes through the monthly hormone changes still. I have no idea when I should be blaming my mood swings and food cravings and bloating to a "period" and what's just me naturally. Mine never ends. No idea if my hormones are in overdrive. Be thankful yours isn't every day like mine.

Sieden76

try to splurge with other things that would make it seem like cheating even though you're not. I just made a smoothie that tasted like ice cream lol. There are ways around that time of the month. Try to get fresh fruit (raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries are low in sugar) and chop it up and put it in the freezer, use a vanilla protein shake, a little extra vanilla extract, half of a banana, plain greek yogurt and blend..waalaa

nsagley

Eat Brazil nuts, bananas and dark chocolate.

tsubasamasuwaka

i would drink lots of water until i am no more craving junk food , or just poor lots of vinigar over it then i wont dare to binge

Graelwyn75

I tend to crave dairy most during this time. Dairy, nuts and sugar. I find cottage cheese helps, as well as almonds, bananas and chicken. Not sure why, must be something in those foods I lack around my period.