PMS = Binging. Please help!

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  • Mrshunts
    Mrshunts Posts: 160 Member
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    Since I've been trying to lose weight and eat better, I've been craving chocolate. Last month I really over did it, but I also tracked it. I started my cycle Monday and on Monday I ate a whole bag of Hershey kisses with almonds 1600 calories, PLUS my food meals. But when I'm done with cycle then the cravings just suddenly stop.
  • jlplove
    jlplove Posts: 25
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    Give in a little to your cravings. Little amounts at a time. That way you don't binge. Also go excercise when you are craving, it helps keep your mind off of it.
  • 814Jojo
    814Jojo Posts: 2 Member
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    I don't have a cure for it but I do know that putting the food you eat in here will help a little. Hungry or not, if you see what you have eaten, you are less apt to eat more. Trust me, I've had days where I was afraid to log my food also but I find that when I do put it down and see exactly what it is I've done to myself, I become a little more careful. I still have the cravings and want to eat everything in sight but it makes it easier to pass on one thing so I can not feel so bad about eating that thing I REALLY want.
  • morna1969
    morna1969 Posts: 2 Member
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    I used to have the most awful cravings - with my periods coming every 3 weeks- it felt like there was only one week in the month where i was "normal". I have been rying the BBC horizon "diet" where you fast 2 days a week. It's not a real fast as you have 500-600 calories a day (equivalent to 2 bolied eggs for breakfast and a grilled fish/veg for dinner). Since then I have been much much less likely to crave foods and the more you wean yourself off sugar, the less these cravings appear. There is hope!!
  • Crayvn
    Crayvn Posts: 390 Member
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    is there any research that truly supports any *medical* reasoning as to why we feel hungrier or crave *bad* foods? hmmmm

    IMO i think its a mental thing and we go back to emotional eating. our TMO comes every month. If we used this an excuse every month and allowed ourselves to cave in we will never get anywhere.

    If your cycle is pretty regular then start mentally preparing yourself ahead of time. Cook a big crock pot the weekend prior of something healthy you can eat a few days for that week.....buy healther snacks ahead of time.

    triple protect , wear baggy clothes and midol up prior to your trip to the gym.

    There are no excuses...just my 2 cents which im sure ill get flamed on.
  • HypersonicFitNess
    HypersonicFitNess Posts: 1,219 Member
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    10 days before your TOM start drinking PMS tea http://www.traditionalmedicinals.com/pmstea

    Either eliminate totally or cut down significantly on dairy and gluten both are major contributors to PMS. Try to eat fruit instead of sugar. Sugar also makes PMS worse not better.

    The PMS tea (or Stinging Nettle tea works too); will rid the build up of hormones in your organs which cause PMS symptoms. This should help eliminate or reduce your symptoms.
  • MelSabourin
    MelSabourin Posts: 68 Member
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    I usually binge pre AND post TOM - ugh! But my 'binges' now are a little different. Even substituting small things make a difference. I've replaced Doritos w/queso dip (yum.....) with multigrain wheat thins and hummus...and replaced small blizzards with fat free chocolate pudding cups w/a blob of light cool whip (throw in a cut up banana for more substance)...kudos 100 calorie m&m bars are good too, for a chocolate fix (but I have to admit, I eat more than 1).
  • wtfusernameisnttaken
    wtfusernameisnttaken Posts: 192
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    I crave sweets, baked goods especially. My trick is to have healthy alternatives of these items. Sometimes that doesn't go too well but, most of the time I can curb it.
  • MzStarrQueenB
    MzStarrQueenB Posts: 194 Member
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    Drink water eat what you crave just drink the water before 8oz then eat like half a serving size of that item.:smile:




    If you set your mind to it, you can accomplish anything.....



    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/8987-serious-diet-support-group
  • Nix_
    Nix_ Posts: 94
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    I find exercise helps, and then even if you want a little treat afterwards, you've worked for it. But after I've exercise, I tend to not need (want) it! :)
  • melsmith612
    melsmith612 Posts: 727 Member
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    In order to control my TOM binges I log it all... the guilt and embarassment are enough to help curb my next binge.
  • Tw1zzler
    Tw1zzler Posts: 583
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    Don't let yourself use TOM as an excuse. Plan ahead with healthy snacks you've prepared ahead and allow your self a small portion of whatever it is you are craving. (buy a tiny cup of ice cream not a whole pint) Eat mindfully and enjoy each bite. Make sure each meal has protein and healthy fat to keep you full longer. Drink tons of water. Remember that most cravings will pass in about 5-10 minutes.
  • quiltingducky
    quiltingducky Posts: 103 Member
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    I get extra "hungry" too right before my TOM. I know that my BMR is 1824 and my TDEE is 2400, so I try to not go over my BMR with my eating and no more than 2000 calories at the most. I may stay the same weight for a week, but I know that at least it is controllable. If you're craving chocolate, how about sugar free hot chocolate. If you're like me and you want crunchy and chocolate, I can nibble on a portion of Flipz chocolate pretzels and I can drag that out a bit or even throughout a couple of hours, grabbing a pretzel when I pass through the kitchen. If I get really hungry, I binge on salads (I know, weird, but it works for me because I love salads! )
  • steflbrown
    steflbrown Posts: 168
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    I drink a ton of water. Plus I try to keep the foods I crave out of the house. Then I can't torture myself with them.
  • FitMama2013
    FitMama2013 Posts: 919 Member
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    I'm 6 months pregnant, which is essentially constant TOM cravings. I just set aside a certain number of calories (10%-15%) to eat whatever the hell I want, but I know that I have to stop at that. So, since I'm eating 2,600-3,000 calories per day, I give myself 300 to eat anything I want - reese's pumpkin, little debbie, 1 cup of ice cream, etc. It works *most* of the time, but not always. And those days I eat a bit too much, I just forgive myself and move on.
  • crabbyab90
    crabbyab90 Posts: 111 Member
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    I wish I could help but I am the same! Exercise helped me, along with little treats. And if you do binge, drink lots of water the next day :)
  • tasiamere
    tasiamere Posts: 233
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    I am glad I am not the only one who is a slave to the TOM cravings! The way I have controlled it is SMALL "samples" of everything I am craving. 2 doritos here, 1/2 of a skinny cow chocolate bar there, a bite of a rice krispy treat and one piece of bacon here...lol normally the snacks only take up about 25-30% of my daily cals so I call it controlled binging. good luck
  • kenazfehu
    kenazfehu Posts: 1,188 Member
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    The only method that works for me is to plan whatever I'm craving into my next meal and tough it out. For me, cravings don't usually last that long. Before I know it, my quicksilver mind is on to something else. It does help to get out of the environment where you're having the craving. Such as my husband is eating trail mix while we're watching Netflix and my hand keeps reaching for the bowl. I'll get up and go take a bath, walk the dog, do maintenance on the aquarium - anything to get out of there.

    Good luck! I know it's tough, but it's very useful to learn to ignore cravings.
  • Scotland_forever
    Scotland_forever Posts: 64 Member
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    Right before mine,I always crave salty stuff... Which makes me cramp like a mo fo later on... Honestly, the thing that helps me most is hot flavoured teas.
  • DCAggie
    DCAggie Posts: 2 Member
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    Maybe try to pick a food that's either hot or cold so you're forced to consume it slowly in hopes to have less. What about a sugar free hot chocolate? I really like eating a bowl of frozen strawberries with some chocolate chips. Satifies the sweet/chocolate but takes forever to eat a bowl of it because it's so cold.

    Also, I'm a big fan of logging EVERYTHING because the truth is that's the only thing you can learn from. Now, you also have to let go of feeling guilty about it, which is easier said than done. But if you don't log everything, you'll never know why you're seeing (or not seeing) the results you get, and that might lead to discouragement, which is not where any of us want to go. So log your calories, learn and be good to yourself!!!!

    Also maybe try to go for a really long walk. It will help the way you feel, keep you away from a fridge, and it's a great easy way to burn calories (about 80 per mile, which means about 240 per hour). Call your mom or friend while you're walking and the time will fly by. There is something really satisfying about making a call you need to make while burning 300 calories. It knocks 2 things off your to do list and you'll feel better about it afterward!

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