How to fight period cravings and lack of energy???

Sensible amounts of dark chocolate, tea, music, & midol. Sorry, that's all I got. Welcome back. lol

Super B Complex vitamins and Iron help me. Since you're nursing, I guess caffiene in green tea is out

melkithall wrote: »

Thanks. I'm afraid of the whole 'give an inch and lose a mile' thing.

Try determining what you want before you go do it. Make sure to consider the roots of your feelings -- are you extra hungry, so you need satiating options (with protein and fat) or are you having more "treat" cravings? Plan out something that will properly satisfy you with minimal damage. (And remember that your calorie target includes a deficit -- when you go over it, you are still in DEFICIT unless you go over maintenance. So you're not "failing", you're planning to be somewhat over target for a specific reason. You'll still lose if you stay under maintenance.)

Got it planned? Log it. THEN go get it, plate it, take it with you somewhere, sit down. Enjoy it. Wait 20 mins or so. You should be feeling better now.

The keys are:

- making food choices... not going in to the kitchen with an idea that you "can have some cookies" which somehow (?) turned into 8 cookies. Hungry in the kitchen with vague ideas and a permissive attitude almost always leads to choices you regret later.
- addressing your actual needs with those choices
- being realistic, kind, caring to yourself... you can go over target, you can eat, you do not need to feel guilty for fueling your body... just know the calories, know what it REALLY means for your progress, and make the best choices you can on the whole
- not scarfing it down while still standing in the kitchen... actually experience the food, relax
- not determining immediately that the snack didn't work -- it takes your body some time

You may also want to consider just planning to have some more calories for a couple of days. (Figure out your maintenance calories, then eat to that or any target below.) Then you can plan to use them in a variety of ways -- fun snacks, treats, or more robust meals, or takeout/restaurant food. Again, just be aware of the implications of the choice (slightly slower loss, but also more sanity, feeling more well, etc. Good trade if you ask me).

Also: Get enough water. Exercise anyway, whether you want to or not, as long as you're physically capable. Take it easy if you must, but do it. Get enough sleep. Stay busy.

My first day of TOM is usually the worst... I usually get cramps so bad I'm throwing up at the end of the day... I usually try to eat lighter the first day, and get at least 20mins of exercise if I can tolerate it...
I try to exercise most days of TOM... I find the second or third day to be the worst when I make the worst food choices... Just try to stay on track the best that you can, and try to drink a lot of water!
And like it was said before... Even if you do go over a little, you should be fine, as long as you're not eating over maintenance

Water is probably your best friend and light exercise. You might not feel like going all out, but just taking a walk might make you feel better and take your mind off the cravings.
Though, giving into the cravings isn't going to break you. If you go a little over. It's ok. Tomorrow is a new day and you can work through this once-a-month torture that us ladies are plagued with.