PMS and Binge Eating - real or just an excuse?

I have no problem eating at maintenance for a few days before shark week. I even increase my carbs a little so I can reach maintenance. I have an unhealthy relationship with food, if I have to maintain for a few days, at least I'm not binging right?

It's weird,:laugh: I am less hungry when I am on my period! So I would say this is just an excuse!

Ahh, PMS. What a hoot.

Watch out boyfriend. Watch out butterfinger pretzels. Sup bloated belly and box of tissues for crying.

I don't even fight it anymore. I know it won't last forever.

Kudos to those who don't have the premenstrual insanity.

I start craving salt like nobodys business I used to just sit down and pack away tortilla chips.....but now that im working on self control I still have the cravings and they are NO JOKE but I will grab a handfull of pretzels and run away. To answer your question I dont believe PMS makes you sit down and eat your body weight in whatever I just believe that you have cravings and not all of us are strong enough to fight them. that mixed with the emotional changes its gets harder. I get extremly emotional right before my period which makes it harder for me to fight my cravings. I dont want to go anywhere I just want to eat something salty.

It's weird,:laugh: I am less hungry when I am on my period! So I would say this is just an excuse!

PRE-menstural syndrome. That is BEFORE your period, not during.

And if my experience is different from yours, what makes yours real and mine an excuse?

Real talk

I don't buy into the "I have PMS so I just ate 5,000 calories!" theories floating around. Yes, when I get PMS I get cravings for salty and sweet things. I crave food with those tastes. HOWEVER, I still manage to keep control of the AMOUNT of those sweet and salty foods I'm eating.

I think overeating and blaming it on PMS is wrong. We should have more control over it than some women like to believe. It shouldn't be an excuse to eat way too much.

I'd like to hear from other women about this topic. All replies are welcome.

It's awesome that you're fortunate enough to not struggle with this, but don't invalidate the struggles of those that do. If you think that PMS = an excuse to be out of control, you're basically invalidating women for not having the same experiences as you. I get my period every 3 weeks instead of the average 28 days - does that mean i'm using it as an excuse merely because it deviates from the norm? I'm sure there are woman that use it as a scapegoat, but I also know MANY women who genuinely feel out of control during their period- in fact that very symptom is indicative of PMDD.

PMDD is a recognized disorder- which includes binge eating during your 'time of the month'. Also, those with psychiatric illnesses may find that their emotions are rather unstable in comparison to other times of the month, for PMS does tend to affect those with neurotransmitter imbalances a bit more.

I'm going to throw in my two cents. I started binge eating when I was six years old. I would come home from school after a rough day dealing with an abusive teacher, and I would raid the cabinets. It's something I've dealt with for 33 years now. Sometimes I get it under control, and sometimes I have no control whatsoever. I've been skinny; I've been fat; I've restricted to the point of starvation; I've exercised 20 some odd hours a week. And, yes, I've binged. And I've noticed over the last few years that I can pretty much keep it under control except for during PMS. Now, I understand where you're coming from. But to make you see it from my side or from someone who's dealt with this in the manner that I have, you mentioned 5000 calories. I find that number laughable. I've pushed upwards of 30,000 calories in a day. I've eaten to the point that i could no longer catch my breath because my diaphragm had no room left to expand. I've eaten to the point to where I could be sick, only I don't purge, and I haven't allowed myself to since I was a teenager. I've eaten things I don't like just because I wasn't finished binge eating yet. So, if you think this is really just about wanting to stuff myself with a few extra calories and using my cycle as an excuse, let me just tell you, it goes way, way beyond that. No one in her right mind would torture herself in this manner on purpose.

I get cravings for chocolate badly - yes I will eat a fair bit of it daily for a few days but do try to be mindful of how much I'm eating. I won't just grab the block and sit down with it (as much as that's what I'd love to do!).

No I'm not using PMS to validate that - I certainly don't sit down and thinkg, ok now's the time of month I can eat more chocolate because I'll have something to blame it on.

real

The problem for me, and for many other women I know, is that it's not necessarily all about cravings. Sure some of it is, but it goes beyond that. The week before my period. I am literally STARVING all the time...for anything, for food in general. No matter what I eat. I am talking stomach growling, feeling lightheaded, physically hungry, sometimes within just an hour after eating. Not only that, I find that food tastes different around that time. So things that I usually enjoy eating any other time of the month, don't taste as good, and are, therefore, not as satisfying to eat. It's not an excuse. That's just the way my body responds that time of the month. Plus, not everyone has to deal with PMS in the same way, so just because something isn't true for you doesn't mean it's not true for others.

truth. i've always suffered from bad cramps, bloating, and discomfort during my period but never a significant effect on hunger or mood. in the last year or so (not sure if it's my age, or what), i've been noticing some hormonal changes i haven't experienced before. one of them is turning absolutely ravenous days before my period starts, as well as emotional stress. i don't crave chocolate, or salty food specifically. i just need to -eat-... and just liked you described... stomach growling, lightheaded, etc. when i'm actively logging my food, i can practice more self-control and still manage to stay within a reasonable caloric range ( mostly by grubbing out of less calorie dense food)... most of the time.

the struggle is real.

Holy necro. I don't even want to read this, it's going to piss me off...