Need Some Tips from the Ladies

Great topic; am curious to hear other's responses.

I portion out a small amount of chocolate for most days, and during PMS, I budget my calories to allow for more (basically I exercise more to eat more).

Hot tea with a sugarless sweetner works wonders for killing cravings, at least for me.

Last go 'round with PMS, I wanted chocolate so badly that I ate a "snack sized" candy bar with breakfast, put chocolate chips in my oatmeal, and continued through the day rationing out tiny bits of chocolate into my normal healthy foods. I did not add heaps of calories, but still got my sweet tooth satisfied, pretty much continuously.

For salty foods, I just eat what I like during that time of the month, knowing that the salt "water weight gain" will go away when the week is over. I eat a lot of popcorn, sometimes a small portion (the individual serving sizes) of chips, or even sushi with soy sauce.

Come to think of it, the secret for me is portion size, enjoying what I like, being sure to include all of my nutritious foods as well as plenty of gentle exercise!

My munchies are strangely on a 6 weakish cycle... I try to exercise more to make up for the munchies, or calculate eating say only ice-cream for dinner. I try to make it have as little impact as possible but I don't beat myself up over it either

So as far as chocolate goes...two things. I either buy some dark chocolate and have just a tiny piece...OR...I buy the chocolate Metromint water. It is PERFECT for curbing my chocolate cravings and because it is water...no calories!

I also make sure I eat like 100-200 more calories (I try to make sure those calories are from whole nutrient rich foods) than I am supposed to, but I get anemic when I am on mine if I don't do that. Might be TMI but I have a very heavy flow that isn't helped by being on BC and lose a LOT of vitamins and minerals. So just make sure you are giving your body what it needs that week to be satisfied. You aren't necessarily burning more energy, but you are losing a lot of nutrients from your body that need to be replaced. Generally speaking, your regular old multi-vit is not going to cut it during that week.

Here's my theory, uterus it's a muscle, what happens when u use a muscle that u haven't in a while? It gets sore and you have to repair it, so that means u hold water (in the muscle) that explains bloating and cramps. Then for the cravings, you do burn more during that time cause that muscle is constantly working. So your not really craviing junk, your craving sugar and sodium. Back in the day, I would go get Chinese food atleast once a week and 2 times a week during that time and I didn't know what u know now about the salt.

All in all, I say grab some Hershey special dark chocolate bars and some lays light potatoe chips for that time! Every now and then won't hurt u! Lol.. I'm walking proof..

I have a chocolate addiction as well but find that I am more satisfied if I have it in liquid form.

I will get a tall skinny mocha from Starbucks that tastes just like chocolate It's only 110 calories and it will last me a lot longer than a piece of chocolate.

or a chocolate protein shake

I like Wonderslim (you have to buy online) it's only 100 calories but many flavors and they are all awesome

you can always have sugar free chocolate pudding or something as well.

My secret, dark chocolate. I buy the 85% and honestly two squares (115 calories) is enough to satisfy my cravings. Try it and see what you think.

Yoghurt covered fruit pieces. Usually about half the calories of a chocolate bar but with enough sugar to satisfy any cravings. If they ever stop making them, my life will end.

I manage to eat chocolate and salty things every day and stay within my 1520 kcal + exercise calories, and so can you. I don't fake it. Whatever the thing is that I want, I decide how much I can afford to eat, I eat it, and then I stop eating it.

Hey I'm not a lady but love chocolate you should try Fiber one chewy bars - oat and chocolate (140calories) delicious!