Ladies Only Question

At my TOM I feel very tired and I can eat for hours. I usually want carbs and chocolate.
Here is what I've "collected" to keep me sane these last few years:
Go to bed early (9pm is early for me)
Eat more and drink more water
Lots more iron rich foods like dark greens and meat
I have started running and that helps so much especially during my period. My cramps have subsided (almost 100%), emotionally I'm more stable, and I sleep like a baby. I work out every day I have my period.

I hope no woman gives themselves a hard time because they don't work out or eat poorly during their time of the month. The body is working very hard to get rid of the uterine lining. There is an organ shedding. Imagine if all your hair or skin came off once a month and took 25 days to rebuild itself again! It's A LOT of work for the body, and it's all run by those ravaging, raging lunatic hormones. Give yourself a break. I'm not saying "eat whatever you want and don't work out." That is the opposite of what someone should do. I just hope everyone takes care of themselves! It took me about 8 years to figure this out.

are u guys getting enough water ? i was told at least 64 oz a day it will help with hunger and maybe needing more fibourous food as well

When your TOM rolls around your body starts to flush sodium, phosphate, magnesium, iron and zinc out of the body through the fluids/lining expelled. The best thing you can do is make sure you take a multivitamin that contains these, drink as much water as you can and exercise lightly (don't push it too hard at first because that can actually make your period heavier and harder on you if you don't already have a steady work out routine).

Also add extra fruit and fiber to your diet at that time if you haven't already. Fruit contains natural b vitamins that help to give you energy and the sugar helps to combat the fatigue and food cravings as well. I usually eat bananas and mangos. The fiber my mom said helps to keep you 'regulated' and could keep your cramping and bloating to a minimum.

I never thought having a dietitian for a mom would come in handy for anyone else. lol.

I absolutely cannot get enough chocolate right before my TOM. About five days before it actually starts, I start craving chocolate like CRAZY. I've been adding a tablespoon of cocoa powder to my overnight oats, which has really helped me (and it has very few calories). I'm trying to drink more water, too. You're definitely not alone.

And..."bump" for later because I want to see that post on friday.

I feel the exact same way, i really think biology screwed us women on this whole reproductive thing cause in addition to menstrating we also naturally have more fat than men do so we can have babies, lame, but back to your question usually for me my flow is a lot heavier my first two days so i allow myself to have a "ladies day" and for either my first or second day i eat what i want when i want no matter what it is or how much it is and i lay around watch bad tv or lame movies and cry or whatever, then for the rest of my period i try my hardest to be healthy. That one day is like a break or a reward and after that day i either feel relaxed for taking a break or i feel lazy and useless so the next day i get up and do things so i don't feel like i wasted it. hope this helped