Stopping Period Cravings??

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Hey all,

This is a question for the ladies. I was wondering what the best ways are to stop period cravings. It seems like I'll lose weight during the month, then once my period comes around, I crave things (and eat them), ultimately gaining back all the weight I lose during the rest of the month. It's quite frustrating and it gets me nowhere. If anyone has any tips on stopping/avoiding the cravings it would really help.

Thanks in advance!
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Replies

  • tonightokayalright
    tonightokayalright Posts: 289 Member
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    Resist them as much as you can. The more you resist, the easier it is, the less you crave them.
  • casy84
    casy84 Posts: 290 Member
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    No idea. I just ate like a mad woman last night and it was all sweets. Somebody stop me, lol!
  • Shirlls123
    Shirlls123 Posts: 65 Member
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    I wish I had an answer. I crave chocolate like mad before my period and I HAVE to have it, no amount of will power or thought of weight loss will stop me. It sucks :(
  • arbata9
    arbata9 Posts: 61 Member
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    I have the same problem, but try to choose healthier options. I eat dark chocolate (80% cocoa), ripe bananas if i want sugary stuff, vinegary rice cakes if i am after crisps and peanut butter cups. It is not easy!!!
  • NadineSabbagh
    NadineSabbagh Posts: 142 Member
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    I know a lot of people don't agree with the notion of 'clean eating', but since I've started eating about 90% clean I haven't had a single craving when it comes to that dreaded time of the month! I used to crave everything - chocolate, crisps, sweets, baby elephants... and I wouldn't think twice about just giving in to those temptations. But since I've started eating natural, unprocessed foods and cooking everything from scratch I've noticed that I don't crave a single thing any more! I've also noticed that I get less period pain AND my weight doesn't fluctuate at all! I used to be devastated when the scales wouldn't budge, or I'd gain a few lbs from water retention during my period. But for the past 4 months since I've been eating mainly healthy foods my weight has continued to go down, even during my period (which NEVER happened before!)

    If that isn't the option for you, then I guess it's down to good old willpower! If I feel like binging, I usually try and remind myself of how bad I'll feel afterwards and how much I will regret it. Sometimes this helps, sometimes it doesn't. You could always go for a walk or something every time you feel a craving coming on - if you've done a bit of exercise you might not feel like eating junk food afterwards? And it might take your mind off it!

    Or you could just try to keep things in moderation - have the foods you crave, but be very conscious of how much you're eating. Have enough to satisfy you, eat it slowly and savour it. I frequently tell myself 'Look, Nadine, the world isn't going to run out of chocolate tomorrow. You don't NEED to eat this right here and now, you've got a lifetime ahead of you to eat chocolate'. :P

    I hope you manage to figure something out! I know how much of a nightmare it can be each month! Good luck :)

    (Edit - I agree with the 80% cocoa chocolate that someone mentioned ^^. I eat 70-75% cocoa chocolate, as that's the highest cocoa content I can have without finding it disgusting haha, and it usually satisfies any chocolate cravings I have! It's still chocolate, but it's a slightly healthier option than a bar of Dairy Milk! :P )
  • Mitzigan94
    Mitzigan94 Posts: 393 Member
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    lol.. thats what I hate sometimes. period cravings.. I eat everything like salty foods.. lol.. I know we can do this.. :))
  • sianquin
    sianquin Posts: 86 Member
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    I just go for smaller portions or subsitutes. Instead of a whole box i'll eat a snack bag of malteasers or if i'm craving sweets frozen grapes helps, and if i'm craving ice cream i'll get a wee pot of frozen yogurt or a weightwatchers ice cream. If i tried to resist i'd just end up binge eating.
  • beckiern1
    beckiern1 Posts: 37 Member
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    i find that if i deny myself, that makes me grumpy and i ultimately eat it anyway, and even more than i would've in the first place. Smaller portion sizes make my life a little easier. i just eat my calories for the rest of the day according to what i ate.

    keep drinking water too! it keeps you flushing out.
  • lauriead215
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    There is a video on YouTube with Jillian Michaels that talks about helping with cravings.

    She says when you are really crave something brush your teeth or use those Colgate Wisps. if you are on the go. If you have to eat something, they used pizza as an example, take 3 bites then walk away from it for 10 minutes. I guess you are supposed to not care about it anymore, but you at least got a taste.
  • Pearsquared
    Pearsquared Posts: 1,656 Member
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    I try to have healthier options available, so if I do go a little overboard, it's not as bad as it could have been. I really enjoy chocolate-drizzled rice cakes during my TOM, lol.
  • kirstyfairhead
    kirstyfairhead Posts: 220 Member
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    Depends on whether its craving certain things like sugar, salt, chocolate etc or whether its just plain hungry. I'm always starving at that TOM. I've started increasing protein because I'm lifting and have found I'm less hungry than I've ever been before so maybe try high protein for a few days and see if that helps calm things down!!
  • tinak33
    tinak33 Posts: 9,883 Member
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    i find that if i deny myself, that makes me grumpy and i ultimately eat it anyway, and even more than i would've in the first place. Smaller portion sizes make my life a little easier. i just eat my calories for the rest of the day according to what i ate.


    ^^^ This. If I have period cravings, I eat them. I log it. I move on. If I deny it, I don't just get grumpy, my craving gets bigger.
    Sometimes I log it ahead of time if I know it's something I will definitely eat.
    Sometimes it sneaks up on me and I end up over in calories. It's ok. Its not that often. It's not like I eat like that every day. And since I end up going over in calories by (at most) maybe 500, I know I didn't just gain a pound. I would have to eat a LOT more to do that.....
    If I fill up during the day with the good stuff, then I only have enough room in my stomach for the indulgences. And I won't deny them. Just try to be mindful of the portion size.


    ETA:
    Example 1 - I craved marshmallows. Bought a bag and I have anywhere from 1-4 each day.
    Nice and small portions that I try to fit into my daily calories.

    Example 2 - I craved chips. Sour cream and onion chips. My FAVORITE. Bought a bag that held 11 servings. Ate it in 2 days (2 servings). Definitely did NOT fit that into my daily calories... haha But I am not going to do that every day. The chips are gone. No more chips. Probably won't crave them like that for another year.
  • artsycella
    artsycella Posts: 121 Member
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    I'm definitely more in the I just eat it category. As others have mentioned, I'll try to eat healthier versions or eat less, if possible. But if I'm craving something very specific and it's unhealthy but it's the only thing I want, I'll eat it.

    Another thing I try to do is exercise more frequently so that I can eat more food if I need to. Exercising helps me feel better overall and often lessens cramps.

    Of course, some days when I'm on my period and I feel like all I want to do is stay in bed, under the covers, and cry, I'll just eat what I want and know that I'll make it up on another day. In those cases, I log it and don't worry about it. If I'm eating healthfully and well for 20+ days a month and not-that-great for 5, I still make good progress on my weight loss goals.
  • heytherelameman
    heytherelameman Posts: 76 Member
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    Oh this is a good thought! I'm so new to logging (this time around) that I haven't had to worry about it quite yet. During that time of the month I usually eat anything and everything. I sleep a lot and eat a lot, lol.

    I like the dark chocolate idea. I might have to go for That!
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
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    It seems like I'll lose weight during the month, then once my period comes around, I crave things (and eat them)

    Ah, that explains this.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1010314-woman-eating-her-husbands-ashes
  • CrankMeUp
    CrankMeUp Posts: 2,860 Member
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    It seems like I'll lose weight during the month, then once my period comes around, I crave things (and eat them)

    Ah, that explains this.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1010314-woman-eating-her-husbands-ashes

    You better start running.
  • katiedid1226
    katiedid1226 Posts: 233 Member
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    Check out Metabolic Effect on Facebook - they recommend taking pure cocoa powder (not Nestle's or anything like that) and mix it with hot water.

    I bought some organic cocoa powder today & can't wait to try it. I LOVE everything they say at Metabollic Effect. Very helpful.
  • PlayerHatinDogooder
    PlayerHatinDogooder Posts: 1,018 Member
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    It seems like I'll lose weight during the month, then once my period comes around, I crave things (and eat them)

    Ah, that explains this.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1010314-woman-eating-her-husbands-ashes

    Wow!

    And this.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1009163-human-flesh?hl=human+flesh&page=3#posts-15472675
  • Factory_Reset
    Factory_Reset Posts: 1,651 Member
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    I just sing and dance naked.

    Seems to help.
  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,324 Member
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    there's no stopping mine! i ALWAYS crave it.