Is eating more during periods okay?

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BreatheSweatEat
BreatheSweatEat Posts: 16 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi, I am a very active 19 year old woman, aiming to lose 2 lbs per week. Im at 1200-1500 calories per day (net is always 1200 depending on how active i am, i eat). I had written about a sudden fatigue. It turns out that it was like 4 days before my periods, and now i have my periods. However, ive been eting much more and exercising much less (1800 calories with very little walking). How do i avoid this from happening? How do i make sure not to put on pounds? I have been putting so much effort and motivation and i dont want it to go to trash, but at the same time being a yogi i couldnt help but listen to my bodys need for more food during that time.

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  • susansmoaks
    susansmoaks Posts: 77 Member
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    I find that when I do not eat more during the time leading to my period I will lose some weight quickly. Sometimes 5 pounds in a week. But if I do eat more then I do not lose during that time. Either way in the long run you will still lose, just don't go overboard.
  • DemoraFairy
    DemoraFairy Posts: 1,806 Member
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    You could always just agree to yourself to eat at maintenance while you're on your period.
  • ActiveApril
    ActiveApril Posts: 73 Member
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    Some cycles I am VORACIOUS and if I didn't eat more (or indulge more in rich things like almonds and dark chocolate), I would not only feel yuck but also be miserable and exhausted and terrible to be around in general. Off cycle I get cravings from time to time, but it is nothing like the few days before and the few days into the start of my cycle. My weight goes up a few lbs no matter if I eat more or if I don't (water maybe?) so I just go with it and make sure that I have lots of fresh veggies and fruit around and eat whatever I want of that, and also keep some rich things like yogurt with chocolate chips or coconut and nuts or dove chocolate squares, small amounts of ice cream, etc around. Overall it doesn't seem to affect my progress too much.
  • Ohwhynot
    Ohwhynot Posts: 356 Member
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    I always indulge the week before. I keep small chocolates, etc around and just keep it within reason. Sometimes, I keep within my deficit range. Sometimes, I keep it within maintenance. Rarely, on a bad day, I'll go over maintenance. On average, though, I stay in deficit and I'm not going to feel bad because I was craving junk.
  • Lizrobin3108
    Lizrobin3108 Posts: 102 Member
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    I tend to eat more iron and protein rich foods before my period. I don't eat over my calorie goal. I also get pretty lazy for a few days before. I walk my dog but that's about it.

    As long as you don't go way overboard with your calories I wouldn't worry to much. Even at 1800 calories you're still in a defict.
  • allyphoe
    allyphoe Posts: 618 Member
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    I eat more on extra-hungry days. If you're losing rapidly at 1200-1500, a few days at 1800 isn't going to make you "put on pounds;" you might lose half a pound less that week.
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
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    You are a very active 19 jear old girl, you probably need more than 1200 calories on any day of the month, not only during your period.... 1800 is probably not even close to maintenance for you, unless you are four feet tall and weighs 100lbs.....
    So stop fretting, eat more during the rest of the month too, and make sure you compensate for the cravings over PMS time by eating enough protein....
  • littleashley2
    littleashley2 Posts: 1 Member
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    Scientific research supports that a woman's metabolism is indeed higher in the days preceding onset of period - you are probably fine to eat a little extra. My best hedge against over-eating - during that time or any other - is to really carefully manage blood sugar. Pay special mind to the glycemic index of foods, lean toward high protein and healthy fats, stay away from carbs. Eat very dark chocolate - 70% plus - and don't eat a lot of it. Stay away from foods that are carb-rich, especially non-complex carbs. They will wreck your self-control. No simple sugars - stick with honey, it's got a low GI but still very sweet and added benefits that sugar doesn't have. Eat fruits, complex grains and even better to go with protein-rich carbs such as millet, quinoa, and beans (esp lentils). Just bear in mind that hunger can mean many things - but the body never needs or will benefit from junk. Also, caloric needs are often lower than you think. I am a medium-sized woman, I work out at a high intensity for about an hour, 4-5 times a week, but have a sedentary job. I have kids I chase around all day. My caloric need is approx. 1,300 calories a day to maintain my weight at a healthy level.
  • snoringcat
    snoringcat Posts: 131 Member
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    I always used to get carb cravings a few days before my period. I'd sometimes give in to them, but if I did I went for extra walks to burn a few more calories.

    Don't forget that the scales may go up anyway due to water retention - I'd always put on 2-3lb during my period but it would come right off again as soon as it was over.
  • BreatheSweatEat
    BreatheSweatEat Posts: 16 Member
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    The problem is that i only eat healthy and ive always been healthy: i make sure to satisfy my cravings with almonds and dark chocolate and oats. The problem is quantity rather than quality when i have my periods. Also, please do not comment about 1200 calories per day. I am a healthy individual and my goal has been approved by both a professional trainer and a certified nutritionist. Thank you to all the helpful answers.
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
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    Dearie, it is an open forum....If you ask for advice next time, you might want to specify what people are allowed to comment on or not...... Good luck....
  • ManiacalLaugh
    ManiacalLaugh Posts: 1,048 Member
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    I've read another thread where most of the women agreed that eating at maintenance or just below on the 2-3 day gap before their periods actually start seems to help them deal with cravings without causing any major disruption. When you start bleeding, just go back down to your goal.

    I use a slightly different method and just give myself an extra 100-200 calories on that first day. That's about 5 dark chocolate Hershey's kisses, so I really feel like I've had a treat even though I haven't done any real damage. During exceptionally bad months, I'll sometimes give myself the same on day 2, but most of the time, that one treat will satisfy me enough.
  • londontart
    londontart Posts: 27 Member
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    I experience this myself, especially a few days during the 'lead up'. I eat a good healthy balanced meal and end up STARVING about an hour later! So, I did some research around it and there's a myth that women burn an extra 500 cals on their period. However, apparently, at most, it's around 300 extra cals for the whole length of the period so in a sense - we don't really burn anything extra..and generally I just don't know what to believe! So, I've just decided to allow myself a few treats (a scoop of ice cream, an extra couple of squares of chocolate) and I just try to keep active because I get horrific cramps (Not unusual to end up bed-bound for the first few hours) and although exercise is the last thing you want to do - a long walk, some yoga, biking around the park, a gentle jog - really helps! I also read that depending on what you crave means your body is lacking certain vitamins and there are sites with healthy snack alternatives.
  • dawnna76
    dawnna76 Posts: 987 Member
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    i tend to eat more unhealthy carbs in the days before my period starts, and i do get cravings for them where as the rest of the month i dont. it usually doesnt impact my weight loss much, but i have a less agressive goal than you with only .5 pounds a week and i never go above maintence

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