Uncontrollable and horrible cravings

ibfat4ever

I am 40 years old and have 5 kids. I got my tubes tied after I had the twins 9 years ago and since then, I started having cravings a week to two weeks before my period. I rarely ate until noon but when I get these cravings, I will wake up hungry when I get up at 5am. Any weight I lose, I will regain during that time when I get these cravings. I have tried to control it but I will get so upset and in a trance if I do not eat something I am craving. It is usually things that are high in sodium and salt, rarely sweets. I wish I could go to the dr about this but do not have insurance. I am debating on whether to try some of the over the counter suppressants to help me get this under control. Any ideas or suggestions?

likitisplit

Your metabolism can increase up to 200 calories a day during that TOM, so cut yourself some slack here.

I would guess that at least some of your weight gain is water weight - remember that you have to eat 3500 calories over *maintenance* to gain a pound of fat. So, if you're eating an extra 2000 calories a week over your plan and seeing a 3 pound increase, then maybe 1/2 a pound (or less) of that is added fat.

Also, make sure you're eating enough calories through the month, so you aren't binging just because of hunger + normal cravings. Finally, try drinking Gatorade Zero. That helps me control salt cravings, but isn't high calorie at all.

Francl27

I totally sympathize! I have a few days every month where it's horrible, I'm always hungry. Before I joined MFP I probably ate 10,000 calories or something on those days, and sometimes I had to eat a whole box of pasta with half a jar of sauce for it to go away.

Now I try to eat a ton of protein and stick to the foods that fill me up (eggs, protein bars etc). It sucks but so far I've managed to control it. I try to exercise more when it happens too...

ThoseLittleCats

eat wat u want, but control how much u eat. lyke have 2 slicez of pizza, not tha whole pie

rowanwood

I have heard some people end up with wild craving due to a wide variety of nutritional lacks. I've also heard of women having luck with supplements like evening primrose oil.

Weirdly, I discovered the worst part of cravings for me was the anxiety that went with them, so I do something to relax like herbal tea or a valerian root capsule and a big glass of water and usually in 10 minutes or so, the craving goes away.

hrmom26

i, some months have the same issue, its a pain. what i do is drink more, i eat in moderation but i exercise a bit more so i have more calories during that time , i do always eat my exercise calories during this time though lol

ThoseLittleCats

i get weird cravingz to. sometimez i get tha urge to lick a cardboard box my doctor said i prob lack nutrientz. =\

Maikana2

Try to get a good vitamin, not a cheap one. I like rainbow lights prenatal. It has amazing vitmains and minerals and it is derived from veggies, so easy to absorb. Many people have song cravings to compensate deficiencies.

desiv2

During TOM I eat all the food. Lol I'm normally a savory person but during that week I crave sweets! Working in a bakery during shark week means lots of oopsies.