Ate and ate...and ate (womanly topic)

You can't be perfect all the time with your calorie intake, esp during these times. Try to plan ahead. You know well in advance when you will probably be getting your "gift" as you call it so plan for it. Eat meals that are lesser in cals and other micros so that you can indulge in other things your body is craving. For example, I crave these pretzels which are extremely salty and garlicy. But I just plan ahead so I can fit that into my day too. You can do this!!!

Protein. Protein. Protein. With every meal. I find if I'm eating enough protein (I have my macros set at 30% protein and try to hit that daily) I am literally too full for cravings.

Extra water and a protein plus a piece of fruit helps with the cravings. It keeps me full longer. Something like apple or banana with peanut butter or fruit and a piece of cheese.

If I'm going for chocolate I know I need magnesium...helps the smooth muscles of the uterus etc etc...

Interesting. I want to know more about cravings and what my body is really asking for. Please publish more or point me in the right direction to do my own research.

I agree with others: Increase your water intake... I just finished mine, but had a day where I was at 2800 (around there) for a daily intake.... I also had a delicious chocolate Sundae... Sure I probably could've done without that... I know that I'll tend to be over during my TOM. I definitely increase my water intake. I do try to watch how much I take in, but I don't stress myself out if I go over on those days.

I know where you are coming from! I totally had two meal like this. What I did was exercise more and enjoy what I was craving. Oddly enough I still made healthy choices but I had a rich dessert and pizza. You can have what your body is craving and still lose weight if you balance it with exercise and plenty of water. I lost 3 pounds that week! Also, after I gave into the cravings, they went away and I was back to my clean eating as usual. Hope this helps. Good luck!

A handful of the dark chocolate raisins from Trader Joe's has 90 calories - I go for that (and actually, I just had some last night!). They're incredibly sweet, so you don't need to binge to get that craving to go away

Or I'll go for a piece of fruit and a glass of water. Sometimes that's enough to take the edge off

Ugh

Stupid monthly "gift" is scheduled to appear, and of course my appetite is up up up. Today I thought I would just eat up to a certain point, and then go exercise. Well...I managed to gash my heel in the glass door, and putting on shoes (aside from flip flops) hurts a lot. Plus, I guess I needed a more supportive sports bra, because my chest is in PAIN. As usual...

I'm currently sitting at 1900-2000 calories right now. I only log on my phone (if it syncs with this site, I don't know how). Lots of sodium, and all around unhealthy junk.

Hopefully tomorrow will be better calorie wise.


How do you other ladies take care of appetite cravings?

*Hunts around for eat all the food gif*

For me self control is completely out of the question at this time :laugh: It's open season on the fridge and cupboard! I try to mitigate the damage by exercise a lot more (including gentle cardio on the days when I'm in pain - it helps a lot).

Suggestions like substituting your cravings for something healthier may work for other women...sadly not for me.

The only things that help a bit are eating more red meat and drinking more water. I often put on a good 6-10lb around this time which I slowly lose over the next week. The overeating usually stops once the period arrives (can I stress usually as this has been known to fail on occasion :laugh: :mad:)

I haven't had my "gift" in ... 15 years. so I can sort of remember the cravings but haven't experienced in a long while.

however, i wante to point something out - while i was reading your post, i thought:

Stupid monthly "gift" is scheduled to appear, and of course my appetite is up up up...

Again, it's been a while for me but - is it an absolute given that we "must" eat more? that we WILL succumb to the cravings? is it possible that this is another unhealthy habit that we have to change? (i know, easier said than done, and i know that there are acutal studies and research and it has to do with hormones etc but maybe it CAN BE controlled?).

just a thought

I was going to say "food for thought" but that might be dangerous:bigsmile:

I think about myself - i get home from work around 7, eat dinner, then eat and eat and eat. it's been a habit of mine for years and years. and i decided that it's a nasty habit and i'm working on controling it. no, it's not easy but i am doing my best, trying to do other things (replace my unhealthy habits with healthier ones) and not accepting "as a given" that i will sit for two hours after dinner and 'graze'.

If I'm going for chocolate I know I need magnesium...helps the smooth muscles of the uterus etc etc...I also use herbs and stuff to get me through the tough times when I cry at hallmark cards and junk....and some good dark, fair trade chcolate anyway...

Do you feel this really helps? I was just told to take some magnesium for heart palipitations so I am curious.

I am answering out of turn since I didn't post the comment you quoted, but I cannot say enough good things about magnesium. I supplement it vigorously. Most people don't get enough and the current guidelines are probably not helping matters. They used to recommend twice the magnesium to calcium, now they push more calcium with little attention to magnesium (it's not even a required nutrient to list on food labels) and the result is that people, especially women, are getting too much calcium, which is bad for your heart and organs (see gall stones, etc.). Without adequate magnesium, calcium can't do its bone/tissue-building job well, AND excess calcium isn't removed from your system, so it builds up in tissues where it doesn't belong. Better calcium supplements now include magnesium, because calcium needs (and depletes) magnesium.

Unlike calcium, it's very difficult to get too much magnesium even with heavy supplementation, and it is disposed of readily for anyone with normal kidney function. Deficiency creates too long a list of symptoms to describe here, and can occur for many reasons, including stress. The objectionable effect some people have with mag supplementation in the beginning is increased bowel movements and potentially loose stools (usually without cramping), but this usually subsides as the body adjusts. For many, the gentle laxative effect is a benefit, and normalizes a sluggish bowel.

I have had a remarkable turnaround since supplementing magnesium, most notably being able to stop taking a prescription sleep aid within a couple of weeks of starting. One reason for this is that the body cannot create serotonin without adequate magnesium, so if you take anything in the antidepressant class, be aware that you may need to consult with your doc to lower dosage. It also instantly improved chronic pain from my oestoarthritis and old injuries, and dramatically improved *lifelong* bowel problems in the same period. In addition to making sure I eat the mag-rich foods I already love (nuts, seeds, fish, spinach, dark chocolate), I add a little rice bran to foods and take 2-4 magnesium citrate *tablets* with dinner to aid sleep. I take more prior to and during The Gift. It helps a lot, as do epsom salt baths.

Magnesium is also fantastic for skin, nails and hair, and mine are improved since taking it (I also take a lot of MSM for this).

I probably need, and take, more than most people due to some chronic health issues, so try starting small and work up until you feel you're getting enough. It's one of those things where if you are severely deficient in magnesium and start supplementing, the effect will be immediate and positive. I slept like a baby the first night after a week of feeling horrible and not being able to sleep. I knew I was onto something!

/sermon

Protein. Protein. Protein. With every meal. I find if I'm eating enough protein (I have my macros set at 30% protein and try to hit that daily) I am literally too full for cravings.

I'm finding this to be true for me too...

My TOM issue is chocolate. I am not a big sweets person or chocolate eater except during that TOM! So, I buy Ghiradelli Dark Chocolate Chips and they are like 80 cals for 16 and that is enough to keep me going. I also try to make sure i exercise right when I think about it. Every little bit helps, and sometimes I take the hit and move on to the next day! Good Luck!