Cravings during 'that time of the month'

mrsmpg
mrsmpg Posts: 2
in Health and Weight Loss
I was wondering if anyone had any advice for me?

I'm getting really close to my goal now and seem to have come to a complete halt... I'm really good with my diet and exercise and have a really good routine that I stick to well. However... during that pesky time of the month I seem to have a 4 day break down. I crave everything and anything and no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to stop eating the 'wrong' things, and lots of them, during this time. It completely undoes all the hard work of the previous few weeks and consequently, nothing is shifting at the moment.

Has anyone out there found they suffer from the same complete lack of will power? Or found a trick, habit, or something that has helped them with this?

I'm walking down the isle in 3 1/2 months and am desperate to get to my target before then!!

Please please help if you have any advice or comments...

Thank you!

39616786.png
Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Nutrition Facts For Foods

Replies

  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
    I find getting the hell out of the house helps me cope.
  • ruwise
    ruwise Posts: 265 Member
    My only advice is don't buy any of that type of food then you can't eat it and make sure you go for a walk or a jog/ cycle without any money on you when the cravings are at their worst. Doing something virtuous makes me less likely to want to do something bad.
  • rubixcyoob
    rubixcyoob Posts: 395
    I got cravings like that and I recently tried frozen yogurt and it really helped.

    I really like the Yoo Moo and they come in three flavours that I can find - Chocolate, Strawberry and a Berry one with Sunflower seeds. They come in big tubs that you can just take a bowl from, or nice portioned sized ones. Only around 150kcal per small tub and definitely hit the stop.

    I also bought a big tub of the strawberry one and if I want something sweet I'll take some of that, add frozen berries (just now I have strawberry slices and blueberries) and crush some nuts on top. Sometimes I melt a protein bar/nakd bar on top.
    I also used it as a sized to a protein mug cake as opposed to greek yogurt which also hit the spot.

    Definitely hits the spot and not as bad as when I used to eat all the chocolate in the world.
  • soni_me
    soni_me Posts: 95 Member
    I try to get my chocolate "fix" by buying chocolate pudding cups or fudge-sicles. Or I will buy 1 dark chocolate bar (at least 70% cocoa) and eat a few squares for a couple of days in a row. It works to not have much of anything (sweets or junk) except what I "allow" myselft, so I don't go overboard.
  • icmuse
    icmuse Posts: 263 Member
    TOM always sets me back. I feel like half of my month is pretty much messed up regularly by my hormones (PMS for a week, than shark week) and my eating and working out is usually in "danger zone"

    No foods/drinks are safe and nor are people :mad:

    This is what works for me week before TOM (and when I follow it I do not go off to a deep end!):
    - juicing green veggies everyday, drinking at least 12 oz a day
    - eating lots of fresh produce, healthy fats, proteins
    - not drinking coffee
    - not drinking alcohol
    - working out everyday

    For some reason it keeps my body and mind in the right place, my body is not in agonizing pain and cravings are minimized.

    Trust me there are months that I don't listen to my own advice and I "pay for it" later with chocolate & wine binge :drinker:
    And the scale stalls :explode:

    Good luck! :flowerforyou:
  • mrsmpg
    mrsmpg Posts: 2
    Thank you everyone!!

    At least I'm not the only one that seems to suffer.

    I shall try everyones advise and hopefully these last few pounds will shift off shortly!!!

    THANK YOU!!
  • lisamarie2181
    lisamarie2181 Posts: 560 Member
    I have the same problem, mine is usually the week before. I still give in but I am a lot more careful now and try to limit my chocolate consumption through out that week. I have been trying to find treats or sweets I can make myself that are healthier options and hoping that might help.

    I find if I have a good amount of healthy snacks on hand it definitely helps stay away from the other stuff :happy:
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    I always thought that I had cravings due to TOM until I had a partial hysterectomy. Over the next year when I really couldn't predict when it was the cravings stopped. I really think it was more about me knowing it was that time than any real physical effect. I would notice some water retention, maybe some bloating but often it would pass and then I'd think about it later.
  • dosierosie_82
    dosierosie_82 Posts: 4 Member
    If its chocolate i try to have a strong low calorie hot chocolate (bournville mmmm) which afterwards i feel a little sick so last thing i want is to eat anything else but have had my fix. I know this will sound strange but if it is in the evening you crave more i find brushing my teeth stops me from eating. Some nights (during that time of the month) i may brush then 2 or three times before bed but it works for me :-) xx
  • thisisme13
    thisisme13 Posts: 150
    First off, make sure your weekly goal is correct for how much you have left to lose. I find eating the correct amount lessens my cravings for things.

    Great job on the losses so far!

    For cravings, I find it best to just not have that stuff in the house. You can't eat it if it isn't there. Or make healthier versions of things you like to eat. I love chips at TOM so I make nori chips. You can get a ton of chips for very very low cal. For chocolate cravings, I make a chocolate popsicle type thing. I mix up some milk, with a bit of greek yogurt and some chocolate protein powder. Pop it in the freezer in my little popsicle mould and I'm good. I have made almost the same thing by freezing some low cal hot chocolate.

    If I get strong cravings I tend to just get some execise in. It really does help.
  • majope
    majope Posts: 1,325 Member
    My backup plan is that if I just get too hungry, I give myself permission to go to maintenance calories for a day or two. That gives me a sort of controlled binge--I get a few hundred more calories for chocolate or whatever, but since I'm not going over maintenance I can't gain any weight from it.

    The nice thing is, once I give myself permission to do this, I often find I don't have to. It relaxes me enough that I don't feel quite so desperate, if that makes sense.
  • Annieapple12
    Annieapple12 Posts: 122 Member
    I only get bad cravings for 1 or 2 days so I tend to give into them but then try to mitigate the damage before and afterwards. I like to have a social life and a drink sometimes so I don't always eat back my exercise calories to give me wiggle room for a few glasses of red and desserts. I try to focus on my calories over a week rather than day by day.

    I find it works better for me and fits into my life and I have lost 14 pounds since the beginning of the year, despite going on holiday to New York in Feb and spending 6 days stuffing my face.
  • succubaeangel
    succubaeangel Posts: 73
    Bless this topic! I have horrible cravings three days before (it's like the alarm clock to my irregular periods) and I cope with vegetables. I literally stuff myself with them until I can eat no more. My stomach hurts after but no harm done calorie wise.

Categories