Pre-menstrual bingeing and body dissatisfaction

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  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
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    Even under medication and doctor's care, i'm still a mess for at least a few days.
    i track closely and frequently eat at maintenance on those days
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,982 Member
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    kimny72 wrote: »
    RochelleLReid wrote: »
    I also think I'll eat at maintenance like suggested, that way I won't feel as if I've gone over my goal and/or ruined hard efforts!

    This is what worked for me - once I took the pressure of hitting my deficit off and eliminated the guilt of not eating at a deficit for a couple of days, I found I was much less likely to binge. And I kind of settled into eating my regular diet but letting myself eat that bowl of chocolate ice cream or some potato chips with the extra calories. Having an extra snack or two for a couple of days out of the month doesn't make you a pig :angry:

    If my belief in the "cultural construct" of PMS is giving me permission to have a couple days break from my regular way of eating, I'll take it.

    This is essentially what I do now. My appetite goes up and I eat a little more.

    However, I used to use PMS as an excuse to add a pint of Ben & Jerry's a day for a few days or otherwise #eatallthethings. I think that sort of attitude is what @azulvioleta6 was getting at.
  • tomteboda
    tomteboda Posts: 2,171 Member
    edited May 2016
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    PMS is real, and so is PMDD. And no matter what the psychiatrists say, they're physiological, not mental issues. Our hormones very clearly cause variable effects in women.

    "Premenstrual Syndrome" - this publication from the government has a lot of really useful tips:
    Lifestyle changes
    If your PMS isn't so bad that you need to see a doctor, some lifestyle changes may help you feel better. Below are some steps you can take that may help ease your symptoms.
    • Exercise regularly. Each week, you should get: ◦Two hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity;
    • One hour and 15 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity; or
    • A combination of moderate and vigorous-intensity activity; and
    • Muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days.
    • Eat healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
    • Avoid salt, sugary foods, caffeine, and alcohol, especially when you're having PMS symptoms.
    • Get enough sleep. Try to get about 8 hours of sleep each night.
    • Find healthy ways to cope with stress. Talk to your friends, exercise, or write in a journal. Some women also find yoga, massage, or relaxation therapy helpful.
    • Don't smoke.

    The OP may be interested in looking at the criteria for PMDD - it sounds like she may have it, and it would be worth talking to her doctor about treatment options.

    Here's a recent review on the topic. It's pretty clear that progesterone triggers the symptoms of PMS & PMDD, but the mechanism by which it does so is still unclear. It's definitely NOT a social construct though.

    Imai, A., et al. "Premenstrual syndrome: management and pathophysiology." Clinical and experimental obstetrics & gynecology 42.2 (2014): 123-128.


  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    Yeah, considering how many medical issues are under-treated in women because they were told the symptoms they were experiencing "weren't real", I take anything like that with a grain of salt. Far too many women struggle to deal with undiagnosed medical conditions PLUS the frustration of being told there's nothing wrong with them, just because so many doctors are dismissive of the different ways conditions surface in women as opposed to men, and so much research still needs to be done on the effect of hormones on all sorts of body processes and problems.

    And I agree with @Francl27 when I was in my twenties, my cycle was all over the place, completely unpredictable, and the first clue I would get that it was about to be my TOM (which could be every two weeks or every four months), is I would start snapping at people and becoming obsessed with Snickers bars and chocolate covered pretzels. Now that I'm in my forties, that doesn't happen at all, I just have a little extra appetite, which could for sure just be more habit than anything else. Not sure how I could have imagined that when there was no other predicting factors, but maybe we are actually psychic!
  • jen_bush
    jen_bush Posts: 679 Member
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    YESS!!! I just force myself to eat within my calorie goal and end up cranky most of that time... I haven't found a way to stop craving things though... and definitely, feel bad about my body too as I feel bloated and fat and all around negative these days. I avoid weighing myself and looking in mirror unnecessarily
  • 143tobe
    143tobe Posts: 620 Member
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    I really love the idea of eating at maintenance for the period that you know you will most likely be struggling. I have been losing at an average of 2lbs a week, but the week of my period, that whole water weight, and bloating, the crazy cravings...I always maintain that week (after the water weight comes out), and then feel bad for failing to hit my goal. So I am now changing my goal to losing 6 lbs per month, and eating at or just under maintenance for the week that TOM cravings hit the most. I actually just upped my calories two days ago after reading that in another post...I already feel so much more mentally relieved just knowing I don't have to feel down on myself for wanting a bit more food during that week.

    And I do not need to use that time of month as an excuse to "eat like a pig". I do a long run every weekend where I always burn well over 1000 calories. If I want to eat like a pig, I do it on those days. Oink.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,982 Member
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    Francl27 wrote: »
    I find the whole 'cultural construct' thing total BS, personally (and the whole 'using it as an excuse' thing). But it's the kind of thing I'd expect from that poster.

    I mean, if it was not real, and your cycle is irregular, it's such a coincidence that all the symptoms would start 10 days before TOM every time, isn't it? Nothing for 2 months, then BAM, crazy hunger and cravings, and imagine that, TOM starts 10 days later... Although in my case it could be PMDD, but I've always acted strongly to hormones, which is why 'getting it treated' is not as easy as it sounds (I said above that the only thing my GYN said is that he can prescribe anti depressant pills, but those make me so sleepy that I can't function - same for painkillers or even progesterone pills - so it's really not an option).

    So yeah, I call total BS... and don't exactly trust psychologists about that either. You just can't deny that there are hormonal changes between ovulation and TOM - it's science - and obviously hormonal changes can have an impact - depression is often an hormonal imbalance after all. I just don't think we all react the same way to it (heck I had no PMS symptoms except cramps until 2 years ago). But again, just because you don't experience it... doesn't mean that other women don't.

    Although yeah, I'm sure a lot of women use it as an excuse. Just not everyone.

    Unlike what was meant in the second bullet from my quote from the TED talk, your issues are clearly related to your cycle.

    Did you ever get a chance to talk to your GYN about Prometrium, which is a bio-identical progesterone? I don't have the same side effects with it that I do synthetics.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    Francl27 wrote: »
    I find the whole 'cultural construct' thing total BS, personally (and the whole 'using it as an excuse' thing). But it's the kind of thing I'd expect from that poster.

    I mean, if it was not real, and your cycle is irregular, it's such a coincidence that all the symptoms would start 10 days before TOM every time, isn't it? Nothing for 2 months, then BAM, crazy hunger and cravings, and imagine that, TOM starts 10 days later... Although in my case it could be PMDD, but I've always acted strongly to hormones, which is why 'getting it treated' is not as easy as it sounds (I said above that the only thing my GYN said is that he can prescribe anti depressant pills, but those make me so sleepy that I can't function - same for painkillers or even progesterone pills - so it's really not an option).

    So yeah, I call total BS... and don't exactly trust psychologists about that either. You just can't deny that there are hormonal changes between ovulation and TOM - it's science - and obviously hormonal changes can have an impact - depression is often an hormonal imbalance after all. I just don't think we all react the same way to it (heck I had no PMS symptoms except cramps until 2 years ago). But again, just because you don't experience it... doesn't mean that other women don't.

    Although yeah, I'm sure a lot of women use it as an excuse. Just not everyone.

    Unlike what was meant in the second bullet from my quote from the TED talk, your issues are clearly related to your cycle.

    Did you ever get a chance to talk to your GYN about Prometrium, which is a bio-identical progesterone? I don't have the same side effects with it that I do synthetics.

    I haven't seen him in a while, but my PMS issues have been better since I changed my diet during those days (except this month but my sister was here and we ate a lot so I knew I would go over anyway, so it was actually good timing)... so for now I'm not really worried about it. The last two months were relatively fine and I managed to stay a bit under maintenance. We'll see next month.
  • megzchica23
    megzchica23 Posts: 419 Member
    edited May 2016
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    Usually I feel so sick the first day of my period that I don't care about anything. I barely stand being at work all day let alone go home and stand up in the kitchen and cook. So, I tell my fiance to buy whatever food for dinner and bring me chocolate. After that first day I am fine though.
  • stephinator92
    stephinator92 Posts: 162 Member
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    The entire last week, it was like I was possessed by a junk food eating monster that knew better but couldn't be bothered. That and I kept crying at things (like watching the Blind Side, which I've seen before) and felt horrible about myself for DAYS. This has been my biggest detriment and I'm going to do my best to actually take the suggestions of the other ladies in this thread. They're really onto something!
  • Gamliela
    Gamliela Posts: 2,468 Member
    edited May 2016
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    Well, I'm past having those monthly periods. But I couldn't help weighing in on the topic anyway.

    Some days I have a big dissassitsfaction with my body appearance and I feel like giving up careful calories counting thing.
    Haven't yet though. Something always tells me I'll be happier if I just stick with this for one more day. Then the next day maybe I'm happy with the way my clothes look and so on I go with it.
  • Seffell
    Seffell Posts: 2,222 Member
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    It's horrible these days! Lately I only lose all the weight on two big wooshes twice a month - after ovulation and after period.
    And this past week it has been hell! My normally not so fat tummy (I'm pear shaped) is sticking out like I'm 7 months pregnant for 3 days now, I'm 2lbs up for several days, craving food and I've been sobbing for this and that all day today. Still have the hankie in my pocket wet from my tears. I feel so bloated like I'm gonna burst. And my period is not due for another 2 days.... Horror! My hubby who is on a diet/mfp too has none of this bull... happening to him...
  • Gamliela
    Gamliela Posts: 2,468 Member
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    I get weight loss whooshes and I'm post menopausal. I think whooshes are comman among those of us that tend to retain water weight. Also, I just seem to hold onto the fat for a while. It will get sort of squishy looking then it seems to shrink off suddenly. Most people lose in fits and starts regardless of all other factors. So try a little to be a bit less concerned about the daily number on that scale. Save your sanity and stick with your calorie goals. In the long haul, you can do this, and you will see results over time.
    The only dangerous thing is giving up altogether.
  • megzchica23
    megzchica23 Posts: 419 Member
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    JeepHair77 wrote: »
    Cultural construct. LOL!

    Mine has gotten worse as I've aged, which sucks. The days immediately before my period are usually fine - it's the days immediately after I ovulate that are the worst. Cranky, craving sweets, and bloating.

    Recognizing it has helped - for ages, I didn't know WHY, since it was a full week before what I would typically have expected to call "PMS." So recognizing, "yeah, this is happening for a reason, and it'll pass" makes a huge difference in my attitude. I still usually eat more those days, but I also exercise more and sleep a little more, if I can swing it, and that helps, too.

    Mine keep getting worse as I get older too. My period is so heavy the first day. I have the worst intense cramps and basically feel like I have a cold. I'm so tired and my temp fluctuates a lot so I'm either too hot or too cold. And because I have IBS it effects that. So I just spend a whole day in pain, feeling horrible and going to the bathroom 500 times. But the good news is because it is so crazy heavy now it is done in like 3 days versus the 7 or more it use to take...
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    @francl27 have you considered using one of the BC devices that stop you getting your periods? Would they help with your pms?

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