How do you ladies make it through PMS with calories?
Chrissy6302
Posts: 14 Member
Im only about a month in and PMS is kicking in full force and i am craving salty foods or chocolate. Want to stay in my calorie range and am having a hard time not eatig everything in sight. HELP!!! I have been trying to eat the veggies when i want to snack but its definately not curbing the cravings. LOL
Im going to need to put in extra long workouts to stay on track.
Im going to need to put in extra long workouts to stay on track.
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I try to plan around the inevitable. I also crave salty food and chocolate around that time of the month. Have you tried the chocolate-covered pretzels from Whole Foods (the Whole Foods 365 brand that comes in a bag)? 8 of those is 150 calories, which isnt too bad, and its very satisfying! You get around 4.5-5 servings per bag, so I like to buy them and split the whole thing into 5 sandwich baggies for my lunches that week. Very convenient. Also they have them in both dark and milk chocolate!0
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I always do better when I know it's coming. Sometimes it sneaks up on me and for some reason I'm less able to deal with it then. I'm sure that's just a "me" thing though.
For me, PMS is all about the comfort foods while staying within my calories and macros. Mac & cheese, bacon, sloppy joes, the kinds of food that I loved as a kid but don't make for myself as often. Something about knowing that I have these things planned for meals seems to let my mind ease up on the cravings.
As for chocolate, I have it in moderation. I'll have a dark chocolate bar. Or I'll buy chocolate yogurt, or chocolate pudding packs (60 calories), or add chocolate powder to my Greek yogurt or my protein shakes (only 10 calories per spoonful).
The other big thing for me to watch is my anxiety. PMS makes me fidgety, and when I get fidgety or nervous or anxious I want to eat. I look for hobbies that keep me out of the house or keep my hands busy (out with friends, knitting, writing, crosswords, etc.) and I try and take steps to keep my stress levels down during that week (for me that's journaling, reading, walks outside, or just sitting in the sun if it's a nice day).
But, everyone is different in this regard and you'll have to play around and find what works best for you. The most important thing, imo, is to be mindful of what and why you're eating and to forgive yourself if you do slip up. It happens to most of us and it really won't make a big difference in the grand scheme of things. Focus on learning from it so that you can do better next time.
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A few things that help me:
-I buy those Pringles 100 calorie snack tubs and have it with a sandwich every now and then.
-Try cooking some mixed veggies (I like to buy the Kroger frozen stir-fry veggies) and sprinkle some Morton's Light Salt, along with some garlic salt, onion powder, Mrs. Dash etc. I actually eat this pretty often.
-For chocolate, check out the different weight watchers ice cream bars. They're usually low in calories. Or you can try making some Fat Free Sugar Free Jello Instant Pudding.
The bottom line is, if it fits within your required daily caloric intake and your macros, it won't hurt to enjoy some treats every now and again to satisfy those cravings.
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I go with the Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches. They are awesome. Normally vanilla but around shark week, chocolate is the go to.0
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peanut butter (or PB2 now that i've finally discovered it!!). lots of peanut butter.0
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Thank you so much ladies, you all have some wonderful ideas that i hadnt thought of. I did buy some roasted almonds and flavored rice cakes for the salty treat, both very good. I bought the miniture Hersheys candy bars, less calories than a granola bar and more satisfying...if you know what i mean. LOL
Chocolate covered pretzels would be perfect and had not thought of pudding.
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I also crave salt so I eat 4-5 baby dill pickles. They are crunchy and 0 calories.0
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I go with the Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches. They are awesome. Normally vanilla but around shark week, chocolate is the go to.
I'm totally grabbing these too! Right now I have the 100 calorie chocolate truffle bars. But i just KNOW that I'm going to want the sandwiches.
I start craving meaty comfort foods like beef curry. My only problem there is the RICE! So many calories in all that RICE! I havnt quite figured out how I'm going to swing that one yet.
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I ate at maintenance calories these past few days, just to let myself eat, and I figure it's like a training session for the future anyway. Thankfully I don't retain water around my period, so I'm still on track for losing about 1/2lb this week.
And as for rice, I do 50/50 with rice and lentils. 1/2 a cup of each, boiled, is under 300 calories altogether, and lentils have awesome nutritional values. And my curry is steamed veggies and a can of diced tomatoes pureed with curry powder, garam masala, a dash of cumin and salt and pepper. Cayenne for a kick. So there's hardly any calories in the base, and I can add whatever meat I want.
For me, curry is one of my go-to low calorie/high volume dishes because of all the veggies I put in
carrots, potatoes, peas, red bell pepper, onion, garlic, and I don't use any oil or dairy products. 0 -
Pickles, workouts, and drinking lots of tea (very sweet teas) gets me through. I even have a chocolate hazelnut and chocolate coconut set of teas that really do taste chocolately. Dark chocolate is relatively low calorie and very satisfying.
You can also freeze chocolate bars so that you have to eat them more slowly.0 -
Research the meanings of different cravings...
Chocolate cravings = Almonds
Chips = (Calcium) Cheese, Broccoli, Sesame
Try picking a healthy alternative.0 -
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Research the meanings of different cravings...
Chocolate cravings = Almonds
Chips = (Calcium) Cheese, Broccoli, Sesame
Try picking a healthy alternative.
+1
It also depends on what you typically hanker for.
With me it's carbs out the ying-yang! lol
So I just portion out xtra carbs around that time than I typically eat and I don't beat myself up if I end up having pizza twice a week instead of every other. I've found the more I tried to 'forbid' myself to satisfy my cravings the worst the cravings. (human nature I suppose).
There's also some dark cocoa dusted almonds from Walmart that seems to satisfy the chocolate & something crunchy that you may want to try.
Good luck!
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Probably not what you want to hear, but I just work the calories into my day. I usually have ~200 calories left after dinner daily for a snack anyway. So I just have some ice cream or chips with that 200 calories.0
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I usually just try to work it into my calorie intake for the day. That's the best way that I'm able to deal with it.0
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I eat salty foods and chocolate.
As others have said - have some dark chocolate (break it into a small dish with a portion of raw almonds - awesome together!), and portion out a half serving of whatever saltiness you want. I weigh out a half portion of potato chips or chex mix or salted whatever, and put the rest of it away. If I know I'll still be hungry, I slice up an apple or some sugar snap peas and put those on my plate as well. Tummy is satisfied with the snack, the small amounts of the craved salt & chocolate does the trick on the craving, it all fits into my cals for the day, and I'm a happy camper. 
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Research the meanings of different cravings...
Chocolate cravings = Almonds
Chips = (Calcium) Cheese, Broccoli, Sesame
Try picking a healthy alternative.
Nope nope nope. "Research" into the science of cravings is all broscience and Pinterest infographics. The (completely made up idea) is that if you're craving [insert high calorie food] what your body needs is [insert micro or macro nutrient]. None of this is based in science or even logic. People use food for comfort, for validation, for nostalgia. When I crave pasta, it's because I ate a lot as a kid, especially when my stomach was unsettled. Between fortified dairy and grains, and eating even the most processed foods, most people get most vitamins and minerals without even trying. You have to be a specific subset of the population (raw vegans, anemic people) to miss out on vital nutrients.
The commonly passed around chart that you're referring to comes from the horrendously unscientific book called CHOOSE YOUR FOODS: Like Your Life Depends on Them. The author is a neuropath who believes in alternative medicine curing cancer. The book has a forward by Mercola, the king of quackery.0 -
I never thought I would say this, but I go for a workout. I find the exercise gets rid of the symptoms (for a little bit anyway)
Other than that, I probably eat a jar of pickles that week and I up my protein.0 -
I think cravings are just that cravings, whether it be for comfort, stress etc... I need to just figure out a right way to satisfy it without overindulging.
Work is the hardest for me, especially when i have down time.0 -
There's always an excuse to eat over your calorie goals if you're eating for emotional needs instead of nutrition. Workout more to increase your calorie budget if you want to eat more.0
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onefortyone wrote: »I ate at maintenance calories these past few days, just to let myself eat, and I figure it's like a training session for the future anyway. Thankfully I don't retain water around my period, so I'm still on track for losing about 1/2lb this week.
And as for rice, I do 50/50 with rice and lentils. 1/2 a cup of each, boiled, is under 300 calories altogether, and lentils have awesome nutritional values. And my curry is steamed veggies and a can of diced tomatoes pureed with curry powder, garam masala, a dash of cumin and salt and pepper. Cayenne for a kick. So there's hardly any calories in the base, and I can add whatever meat I want.
For me, curry is one of my go-to low calorie/high volume dishes because of all the veggies I put in carrots, potatoes, peas, red bell pepper, onion, garlic, and I don't use any oil or dairy products.
Aaaaaah, gotcha! See for me curry is straight meat. Meat and rice, that's it thats, that's all.
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I remind myself to be flexible, give in to cravings a little, and don't get too upset if I'm over my goal (which is total calories, not net).
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I don't want to piss myself off. Besides, it's once a month!0
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I find that a good salad can contain all of the components that you crave when you are pmsing. At least it did for me. I start with a base of romaine and add tomatoes for color, olives and cheese for salty, sweet pickles for sweetness along with craisins, cucumbers and carrots for crunch. Sometimes I add croutons and my fav salad dressing is Wishbone's Light Buffalo Ranch. I also used to like cashews and almonds. I also found that if I was craving chocolate a chocolate covered granola bar was a nice treat. Don't have to worry about this any more since I had a hysterectomy in July and I'm glad the cravings are gone. Normally I don't have an appetite at all but around the time of my period I would get a bit of a craving for salty, crunchy things and the salad really did the trick. Oh, I forgot about adding chicken (always kept Perdue shortcuts handy) and hard boiled eggs handy for protein. I hope this helps!!0
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I'm still figuring this one out for myself too but next time I plan to try to just up my goal for those few days it affects me, possibly as high as maintenance. I'd rather just wait a few extra days to get to the next pound "lost" than go through mental torture for those days. It's not like a few days eating at maintenance is going to kill me.
I also like slow leisurely walks in a nice setting. I tend to not be hungry when I am moving, I get to eat a few extra calories afterward and the experience tends to make me feel good so it's a triple benefit.0 -
I eat semi-sweet chocolate chips, one tablespoon at a time. One tablespoon is about 21 chips, 70 calories. It helps when I have a severe chocolate craving.0
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MsHarryWinston wrote: »I go with the Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches. They are awesome. Normally vanilla but around shark week, chocolate is the go to.
I'm totally grabbing these too! Right now I have the 100 calorie chocolate truffle bars. But i just KNOW that I'm going to want the sandwiches.
I start craving meaty comfort foods like beef curry. My only problem there is the RICE! So many calories in all that RICE! I havnt quite figured out how I'm going to swing that one yet.
I'm going out for Chinese with my hubby tomorrow night, and I simply order a side of broccoli instead of rice. Broccoli makes a great rice substitute, if you can eat it. I have homemade Indian a couple times a week with broccoli. Yum!0 -
Dark chocolate (85% plus) or cocao powder is supposed to help kill cravings. Has magnesuim and other good stuff in it that you need at TOM0
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Hello Chrissy6302
I couldn't help but notice your PMS issue and your assertion that cravings are just
cravings..
Believe it or not..it sounds like your body is low on beneficial fats. The food energy choices you are making and that being given in the form of advice as emotional pacifiers to a hormone trying to communicate it needs a counter balance.
Every one of the foods choices given will sling shot you away from your goal and make you work ten times harder than you have too.
It also based on the foods you say you are eating during your PMS cycle appears to be lacking in whole food proteins as well..
You dont know your protein number [Pn#] ..This is Mother Natures Metabolic Master Key .
it allows you into the back office where hormones are made. Not enough whole food protein hormone free fall. Not enough beneficial fat in relation to whats needed to shut off PMS..equals PMS symptoms
eating the goodies isnt the issue its what you are not getting thats causing cravings .. for you and all the other giving you food energy advice.
As you work out harder guess what, the need for beneficial fat and protein increases in grams..So far you only increased the wide variety of sugars from various sources.
Just saying If you wnat to lose unwanted body fat and put PMS in Check..
All your arrows will need to point in the win win win direction..Im not a girl but I happen to specialize in fitness that handles a wide array of hormone based problems.
Your eating should be to help your body improve lipolytic enzyme production, as well as help these enzymes increase in count , strength and voracity and reach full on potency ..
You can eat those other yummies but counter balance with whole food protein and beneficial fats so as to also deweaponize aned champion unwanted body fat.
You can read my other posts or friend me directly if you specific questions.
Dances with Wow
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