Balancing calorie intake when PMSing

cutie_patootie
cutie_patootie Posts: 106
in Health and Weight Loss
Ladies, I can't say for others but I know when I'm PMSing just based on my sudden increase in appetite and my craving for chocolate (I never really liked chocolate). It's like my body needs all extra calories (from junk) to store in all the wrong places. I usually gain 2-3 kgs during that that time and then lose it during/after my periods. My appetite always returns to normal. Is this something others face too?

How to you balance your food intake during such days? For example, I wanted to eat an entire pizza at my friend's house last night (I don't even like Pizza! It was the call of the carbs according to me) last night but stopped at 2 slices of small pizza and had 3 tbl of vanilla ice-cream. For me, that's still a successful diet compared to what I have done in the past and hence I'm temporarily ignoring the horrid numbers on the calorie counter.

I would love to hear what you ladies have to say.

Replies

  • Jenat12
    Jenat12 Posts: 9
    Wow i've been feeling like this all day today! Its miserable! I just try to eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible as well as get some walking or running in. This way I feel full and my mind isn't on food. Also, a big thing is I CANNOT watch food network or any kind of cooking shows haha! I couldn't resist the ice cream/chocolate craving today so I ate a skinny cow cookies and cream ice cream bar which is only 110 calories and very satisfying. =) I still would love to eat a whole bag of chocolate to be honest but I think I can control myself until I go to sleep. I just think to myself "Is it going to be worth it when I wake up knowing what I ate last night?" and the answer is usually no!
  • CassieReannan
    CassieReannan Posts: 1,479 Member
    I must be weird because when I am on my period I just dont feel like eating. If I crave chocolate, pizza, chips ect I choose the healthier alternative.. Its better than nothing I guess! Listen to your body :smile:
  • cutie_patootie
    cutie_patootie Posts: 106
    I must be weird because when I am on my period I just dont feel like eating. If I crave chocolate, pizza, chips ect I choose the healthier alternative.. Its better than nothing I guess! Listen to your body :smile:


    I lose my appetite when I'm on my period too. I guess that's how I almost always lose the weight I gain pre-periods. It's the pre-period time that is scary...it's like my stomach grows a mind AND a stomach of its own. :frown:
  • msafunk
    msafunk Posts: 163 Member
    That's a toughie. I went out for gourmet food trucks with my bestie tonight. We're usually both pretty good about eating in moderation, but we're both PMSing, and we barely felt bad about having dessert waffles with cookie butter and pumpkin pie icecream.

    :(
  • cutie_patootie
    cutie_patootie Posts: 106
    Wow i've been feeling like this all day today! Its miserable! I just try to eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible as well as get some walking or running in. This way I feel full and my mind isn't on food. Also, a big thing is I CANNOT watch food network or any kind of cooking shows haha! I couldn't resist the ice cream/chocolate craving today so I ate a skinny cow cookies and cream ice cream bar which is only 110 calories and very satisfying. =) I still would love to eat a whole bag of chocolate to be honest but I think I can control myself until I go to sleep. I just think to myself "Is it going to be worth it when I wake up knowing what I ate last night?" and the answer is usually no!

    I know what you mean by not watching the food network. My eyes are on a diet too now. Though I do admit that in the past when I tried to control my urge to stuff myself, people around me started looking like bags of chips or tubs of ice-cream to me but then that was pre-MFP. I think, like you, I'll have to ask myself "Is it going to be worth it when I wake up knowing what I ate last night?" that should help me resist carbs.

    Thanks for the advice!
  • girlwapp
    girlwapp Posts: 136 Member
    Portion control, especially through the help of friends ("Take this away from me") and distraction ("Oh, well, I was going to eat an entire box of gingersnaps, but look, "I'm Having Their Baby" is on. Let's cry instead.").

    However, I'm a horrible MFPer and neither weigh myself, nor track calories during my time o' th' month. I'm still losing weight, so I guess I manage!
  • cutie_patootie
    cutie_patootie Posts: 106
    That's a toughie. I went out for gourmet food trucks with my bestie tonight. We're usually both pretty good about eating in moderation, but we're both PMSing, and we barely felt bad about having dessert waffles with cookie butter and pumpkin pie icecream.

    :(

    I didn't feel bad about the pizza or ice-cream last night...today morning, however, it was a different story when I logged on MFP. It's not even guilt what I feel now. It's just a nagging question, "why did I NEED what I ate."

    Thanks for your comment. We can't live our entire lives denying things that we really like or have a craving for...moderation and occasional treats are perfectly alright, I believe.
  • californiagirl2012
    californiagirl2012 Posts: 2,625 Member
    Ladies, I can't say for others but I know when I'm PMSing just based on my sudden increase in appetite and my craving for chocolate (I never really liked chocolate). It's like my body needs all extra calories (from junk) to store in all the wrong places. I usually gain 2-3 kgs during that that time and then lose it during/after my periods. My appetite always returns to normal. Is this something others face too?

    How to you balance your food intake during such days? For example, I wanted to eat an entire pizza at my friend's house last night (I don't even like Pizza! It was the call of the carbs according to me) last night but stopped at 2 slices of small pizza and had 3 tbl of vanilla ice-cream. For me, that's still a successful diet compared to what I have done in the past and hence I'm temporarily ignoring the horrid numbers on the calorie counter.

    I would love to hear what you ladies have to say.

    It's really hard. This is really common. Hunger comes in cycles anyway. Just do the best you can. You don't have to always eat at a calorie deficit. What matters more is to not go backwards. Try to eat as much healthy foods as you can that satisfy you and still keep you within your maintenance calorie budget.
  • cutie_patootie
    cutie_patootie Posts: 106
    Portion control, especially through the help of friends ("Take this away from me") and distraction ("Oh, well, I was going to eat an entire box of gingersnaps, but look, "I'm Having Their Baby" is on. Let's cry instead.").

    However, I'm a horrible MFPer and neither weigh myself, nor track calories during my time o' th' month. I'm still losing weight, so I guess I manage!

    I don't know how or why this is happening but I weighed less today than I did yesterday or the day before that. However, I am going with the assumption that my last night's dinner will show up on my stomach eventually :( plus I need to find ways of tackling this issue every month anyway.

    My friends usually don't eat junk and are super conscious about their weight but the host of the party last night felt bad that I was "low" (I'm PMSing and hence not peppy like usual). with all good intentions, he ordered the pizza and ice-cream mainly for me. :/
  • cutie_patootie
    cutie_patootie Posts: 106
    Ladies, I can't say for others but I know when I'm PMSing just based on my sudden increase in appetite and my craving for chocolate (I never really liked chocolate). It's like my body needs all extra calories (from junk) to store in all the wrong places. I usually gain 2-3 kgs during that that time and then lose it during/after my periods. My appetite always returns to normal. Is this something others face too?

    How to you balance your food intake during such days? For example, I wanted to eat an entire pizza at my friend's house last night (I don't even like Pizza! It was the call of the carbs according to me) last night but stopped at 2 slices of small pizza and had 3 tbl of vanilla ice-cream. For me, that's still a successful diet compared to what I have done in the past and hence I'm temporarily ignoring the horrid numbers on the calorie counter.

    I would love to hear what you ladies have to say.

    It's really hard. This is really common. Hunger comes in cycles anyway. Just do the best you can. You don't have to always eat at a calorie deficit. What matters more is to not go backwards. Try to eat as much healthy foods as you can that satisfy you and still keep you within your maintenance calorie budget.

    Thanks for your comment! You are right...the key is not to go backwards. :)
  • yksdoris
    yksdoris Posts: 327 Member
    yes! Not only do I crave chocolate (which I normally don't like), but I actually gain a kilo or 2 without any changes to the diet. gaaah! and then I'm hungry and cranky because I'm hungry... and then I snap at my fiance who is the most lovely person on the planet and has done nothing at all to deserve the horribleness and then I feel awful and need more chocolate. it's all bad.

    So, I try rationalizing with myself, I do have the chocolate but just a little bit, not the whole bar. I tell myself that it's ok to go over the calorie goal a few days in the month if I'm well on track the rest of the time.
  • cutie_patootie
    cutie_patootie Posts: 106
    yes! Not only do I crave chocolate (which I normally don't like), but I actually gain a kilo or 2 without any changes to the diet. gaaah! and then I'm hungry and cranky because I'm hungry... and then I snap at my fiance who is the most lovely person on the planet and has done nothing at all to deserve the horribleness and then I feel awful and need more chocolate. it's all bad.

    So, I try rationalizing with myself, I do have the chocolate but just a little bit, not the whole bar. I tell myself that it's ok to go over the calorie goal a few days in the month if I'm well on track the rest of the time.

    I know exactly what you mean. I just need a bite of chocolate and not the entire bar and I do get extremely snappy or emotional (yeah, I cry like somebody ripped my heart out.:frown: ) when I am PMSing and hungry.

    Thanks for your comment!
  • dn123
    dn123 Posts: 7 Member
    It's actually really common to be more hungry around 10 days before your period, during your "Pre-PMS" phase after ovulation when estrogen plummits brefily and progesterone takes the lead, making you more tired & feeling like you're eating to get ready to hibrnate haha.

    Check out these links for more information on better understanding your cycle and how you can learn your own patterns and even what foods to eat to help prevent PMS, or at least make it more bear-able. :wink:

    :heart:

    http://cyclediet.com/

    http://myhormonesmademedoit.com/the-female-hormone-cycle/
  • robynlgreen08
    robynlgreen08 Posts: 2
    I am the same way. Instead of saying no to the food you crave, I find its better to eat a small portion of it. The craving goes away and you don't destroy your healthy eating. If I don't decide to just have a small portion I'll usually just eat a bigger portion later. Might help for you to do that, it's really helped me. I have 1 meal (not day) where I'll indulge a week (in a smaller portion than I would normally eat) and it really keeps me on track because I look forward to it and know if I dont cheat on eating healthy during the week i'll get my weekend treat :)
  • joanadams1949
    joanadams1949 Posts: 1
    I've just started this program and itset me up with a 1700 cal program. My doctor wants me to be on 1400 calories ada with carbs at about 45 carbs. how do I set this to be my calorie intake each day any and all comments will help thank you!
  • Aleph13
    Aleph13 Posts: 83 Member
    what's wrong with eating what you fancy when you're pre-menstrual... as long as you don't go overboard and start gorging I don't see the problem .... If you're eating right and exercising all month long I don't think a day or so of eating more liberally is gonna make a drastic difference

    I also think women weigh nthemselves too much on here. You're weight fluctuates a lot with hormones and fluid retention at different times of your cycle.... some girls on my friends list are weighing themselves every day, it's nuts! Once a month is probably more accuarate and will show a real difference if you're keeping up the exercise

    Just have a varied balanced diet and if you want some chocolate or pizza when you've got pms, have some...

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