One for the ladies - craving help!!

chezzamanezza
chezzamanezza Posts: 48
in Motivation and Support
Ladies, how do you all combat the cravings that are brought on by menstruation? This is my first period since I started my weight loss journey and I am having some really bad cravings.
I have never really had these cravings before because I never denied myself anything (maybe this is the reason why I now need to lose 64lb).
I need some help as me and my willpower are starting to lose the battle.

Replies

  • bubaluboo
    bubaluboo Posts: 2,098 Member
    What are you craving? Could you eat some and stay within your calorie limit? How many days of craving do you get? If it's just one, then you could say decide not to do a deficit that day and eat more....you won't gain so it's hardly going to hurt your progress. I find that if I go ahead and have a little of what I crave, it stops me eating far too much of everything else that I'm eating to avoid the thing I'm craving.
  • elyelyse
    elyelyse Posts: 1,454 Member
    Instead of fighting it, I allow myself 200-300 calories more per day for 2-3 days when the cravings are at their worst. I'm still below maintenance, and allowing for a few snacks makes it easier. If I can have some ice cream, or a few cookies, or whatever your poison is.....if I allow for a little bit, it's much easier than trying sooooooo hard to resist and then losing the fight. When we get to the breaking point, we usually overdo it right? So, instead of fighting it completely, I give myself a little wiggle room.
  • qtgonewild
    qtgonewild Posts: 1,930 Member
    i cant offer help as luckily i do not get cravings during or before my TOM. Just another day to me. Except the lovely cramps and water retention. LOL
  • floop1207
    floop1207 Posts: 194 Member
    have some of the thing you are craving most. trying to substitute it with other things that you think are better for you weight loss wise is setting yourself up for a fall as you could well end up eating the substitute thing plus what you really want. keep in mind that this is for one day and one day only so don't berate yourself for having whatever you fancy (within reason!!).
  • rougecrayon2
    rougecrayon2 Posts: 9 Member
    Keep yourself busy! The only way to control cravings is to put your brain somewhere else...
  • SToast
    SToast Posts: 255 Member
    Dove dark chocolate. On square after lunch and dinner. It is enough to satisfy my craving but not enough to send me into a binge.
  • chezzamanezza
    chezzamanezza Posts: 48
    What are you craving? Could you eat some and stay within your calorie limit? How many days of craving do you get? If it's just one, then you could say decide not to do a deficit that day and eat more....you won't gain so it's hardly going to hurt your progress. I find that if I go ahead and have a little of what I crave, it stops me eating far too much of everything else that I'm eating to avoid the thing I'm craving.

    I am really come craving Cadburys Dairy Milk with Daim. Problem is it can only be bought in big share bars. Not sure I could only eat a little. Today is the first day I have craved so who knows how long it will last. I don't usually crave.
  • floop1207
    floop1207 Posts: 194 Member
    buy a small dairy milk - or freddo (i'm in the uk) and a normal sized daim bar and eat half of each today. you could save the rest for tomorrow - or next month :smile:
  • chezzamanezza
    chezzamanezza Posts: 48
    buy a small dairy milk - or freddo (i'm in the uk) and a normal sized daim bar and eat half of each today. you could save the rest for tomorrow - or next month :smile:

    I honestly didn't think of doing that lol Bit thick really.
  • floop1207
    floop1207 Posts: 194 Member
    buy a small dairy milk - or freddo (i'm in the uk) and a normal sized daim bar and eat half of each today. you could save the rest for tomorrow - or next month :smile:

    I honestly didn't think of doing that lol Bit thick really.

    hehehe i need to practise what i preach as my last hideous craving a couple of weeks ago was for toblerone.....unfortunately i already had one stashed in the cupboard......one of the giant ones :sad:
  • BL_Coleman
    BL_Coleman Posts: 324 Member
    Go for a long walk, if your not cramping to bad. that way you can have one of your craving items when you get back
  • cab010506
    cab010506 Posts: 45 Member
    I am totally there with you it's a bugger! I get a 35g bar (a tiny one) of green and blacks 70% dark chocolate as its yummy but you don't overdo as its a dark chocolate. I get this lot as feels a healthy version for chocolate fix. The taste really grows on you too... Yummy i want a bar now!
  • LozzaCozza93
    LozzaCozza93 Posts: 31
    I have rice pudding with some chocolate buttons in xxxx
  • shawnatheobald
    shawnatheobald Posts: 31
    What I did was start eating oranges! Every time I had a craving for something sweet, I ate an orange. If I still craved it, I ate another orange. If I STILL had it, then I gave myself a little bit of what I wanted.

    The sweetness of the orange, plus the work involved with peeling and eating it, redirected my brain enough so that I rarely had to eat a second orange, and even rarer still, still wanted what I originally was craving. Now I crave oranges more than chocolate :p
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,064 Member
    I always crave burgers and fries during that time of the month. So, I make a healthier version at home and enjoy every single bite!
  • littlenature
    littlenature Posts: 46
    I eat chocolate at this time! It's like my body needs it. I have no self control so like others have said, I only buy tiny bars (Freddos are my poison- only 95 calories!) and have one in the evening, with a cup of tea. Your hormones are all over the place at this time and I think it's too difficult to deny yourself everything. Just give in in a controlled way so you don't feel so bad but also don't set yourself back either. Apparently, your metabolism is a little higher when you're menstruating as well so hopefully your body can handle a slight increase in cals!
  • lyndor90
    lyndor90 Posts: 11
    I opt for thought interseption - why are you losing weight? To look good? To save your life? SAVE IT!! A chocolate bar has NO power over you, only what you give it.
  • dar981
    dar981 Posts: 9
    Try dark chocolate, its much better nutrionally than dairy milk due to its high cocoa content, two squares is the limit and its yeuck!

    if you try to eat more youll be sick! you wont want to binge on it, its that bad...
  • VictoryGarden
    VictoryGarden Posts: 194 Member
    For the chocolate, I suck on frozen hershey kisses, and for the salty cravings I use lightly salted nuts.
  • torisiegel
    torisiegel Posts: 19
    I love milk chocolate, but once I start eating it I don't want to stop. So instead, I now keep a bar of extra dark chocolate (70% +) and allow myself two squares when I need it. It's under 100 calories, and dark chocolate actually works as an appetite suppressant for me. With a salty craving, I eat a dill pickle -- it's crunchy and salty, very few calories, and keeps me from grabbing potato chips instead.

    Good luck! :)

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