Ladies, is Tom sabbotaging your diet?

I usually see a 2-3 lb gain that lasts most of the week, and then drops off suddenly when I'm wrapping up. I don't really have crazy cravings, but I am more hungry, so I up my calories by about 250. I tend to eat a lot of nut mixes for about 250 calories throughout the day, and this helps. The salt helps me too. I tend to run low sodium all the time, so during my TOM if I have a little more salt than I'm used to, my crazy mood seems to even out. If I don't have nuts (almonds mostly), I'll have some low sodium chicken broth. I don't have the sweet cravings most people do and most people do not have problems with their sodium levels, so this is just what I have to do. I keep working out during my TOM and I drink a lot of water. When it's over, I usually experience a good loss, mostly water.

I do not let it become an excuse for me to go food crazy and eat everything. I don't like feeling out of control.

Seriously! Every time my tom comes around there is 2 weeks where all I want is garbage and i completely sabbotage my diet and have zero self control. Does anyone else have this problem? Does birth control help?

Back when I was pregnant, I felt like that all the time, gave in to the cravings and ended up gaining 70 lbs. It's okay to have one day of cheat, just make up for the extra with some extra exercise, or else decrease calories another day to keep your deficit steady. But if you continue to give in to that for every day, for a week or two, you'll probably gain weight in the long run.

Nope. And it's called your "period" or "menstruation."

All I want to do is sing some beastie boys right now… for real though, as women, we have fluctuating hormones. It's going to be that way during menstruation, ovulation, honestly, most of the month you're screwed. You've just got to find ways around it. There's an interesting chart floating around the inter webs/ mfp that shows what you're craving (salty, sweet, excess) and what your body really needs (iron, b12, protein). I would look it up but I have my period and I feel lazy

Well some people say it's all in our head but it's NOT. Take me for example, I have not had my period for almost 3 months due to hormonal issues (thyroid) so I didn't suspect it coming but I kept having chocolate cravings that were strong so I had to have chocolate. Today I see TOM! There is a connection it's not in "OUR HEAD"

I don't believe anyone was trying to say that it was "all in your head." I agree with those who state that you've got to find a way to deal with it... Because it's a part of life. You know that, for most post-pubescent pre-menopausal women, it's going to come each month. So you need to find a coping mechanism that works for you and doesn't "sabotage" you. Does it suck? Uh, yeah, of course it does... I get ravenously hungry, sometimes I crave salty things... But I know that it happens and I don't allow myself to make excuses. It is what is, if I go over, I go over. I try my best to make good choices, and I move on.

I have just accepted that i will eat badly for a few days every month, the cravings are just too strong. As long as you are eating at a calory deficit most days in the month, you will continously lose weight.

I think our metabolisms actually increase slightly during our periods. So, our appetite increases. We also may experience a little water retention that, combined with our heightened appetites, makes us feel like we're gaining weight.

I don't get cravings really...I get more lazy though and skip the gym.

the only thing that does happen is my stomach gets very sensitive and I can't try new things during this time...

as for BC, I have been on it for a while and I noticed when I am on the high week its harder to resist sweets

For me, birth control is like MAGIC. I only get my period 4 times a year, and for about 4 days. Only 1 day of mild cramping, and the flow is manageable. So it's completely not an issue for me. Haven't had a miserable TOM since I was 16, before I started BC!

If anyone's interested, I'm on the generic of Yaz (Gianvi/Loryna). Same drug for 8 years, no problems or side effects. It's wonderful. It's actually a monthly pill but my doctors have said it's absolutely fine to skip my period whenever I want (just skip the white pills and start a new pack). So I only "let" myself get my period about 4 times a year - if I'm slightly paranoid I could be pregnant for some reason (which has never happened - I just like the reassurance if I missed a pill or something). There's no medical reason to have a monthly period if you aren't trying to conceive - it's kind of just nature's way of telling you you aren't pregnant! And FYI, I'm in medical school, I believe it's perfectly safe and so do all my doctors.