Pms cravings help

kamazza
kamazza Posts: 98 Member
edited November 15 in Health and Weight Loss
Lol. So i pms hard and always have since i started my period as a kid. Any ideas how to manage cravings without giving in completely? I failed last night and at lunch today but i figured it is better than binging in the long run. Any advice?

Replies

  • curvytattooedprincess
    curvytattooedprincess Posts: 34 Member
    Modify what your craving to be healthy. Last night I was craving chicken nuggets and being on LCHF diet it's too many carbs so made my own. It hit the spot!
    Drink plenty of water and also I find herbal teas help if I'm craving sweet
  • bpatt012
    bpatt012 Posts: 10 Member
    If I'm craving chocolate and don't want to go overboard, sometimes I will portion myself out a quarter cup and eat them one by one... it takes me longer and I savour the taste more this way. I also love different flavours of tea so I'll have a cup of tea that is more "special"/yummy/comforting, like a maple tea or pumpkin chai, which keeps me occupied without consuming more calories.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    I have two answers:

    1. Allow yourself to indulge some now, but pick some favorites. Know that when your period comes, you won't really want to eat, and then don't FORCE yourself to "eat all your calories" at the beginning of your period. Follow your personal flow (no pun intended). (I did this from 12-35)

    2. explore other options and crave new things that won't break the calorie bank. (I did this from 35 to menopause).

    Both work well.

    good luck.
  • ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken
    ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken Posts: 1,530 Member
    edited January 2017
    Sometimes nutritional deficiencies can make PMS symptoms worse so make sure you are up on your vitamins and minerals, Carbs make it worse for me so I always lower my carb intake when PMS hits. This helps A LOT. I eat a lot of cheese. Mostly brie, goat cheese, Gouda and cottage cheese. Peanut butter really lowers my appetite. Drink plenty of fluids. Sometimes thirst can make us think we are hungry when in reality we are thirsty.
  • MaddMaestro
    MaddMaestro Posts: 405 Member
    I JUST went through something like this, and I had to adjust for the extra carbs I decided to eat. Either it was the only thing I ate that day or I would push and do more exercise.
  • __TMac__
    __TMac__ Posts: 1,669 Member
    Yeah, the downside of the weight loss for me is that my reproductive system is up and running again. I'm not used to PMS so I didn't recognize it when it hit the other day. One pizza later... Anyway, I'm reading with interest.
  • kamazza
    kamazza Posts: 98 Member
    awesome ladies, thank you! never thought of flavoured tea but what a great idea! I do get carb-cravings for sure but also sugary stuff (chocolate , cupcakes, etc) I'm going to try the cheese idea too since I LOVE cheese.
  • s3rialthrill3r
    s3rialthrill3r Posts: 49 Member
    edited January 2017
    It just so happens that Examine.com released this article today:

    https://examine.com/nutrition/3-science-based-steps-to-curbing-your-appetite/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=insiders012017&utm_medium=insiders

    Personally, I don't have any problems with cravings (if anything, I don't have much of an appetite compared to most), so I can't speak about what works from my own experience. That, and I don't get PMS, heheh.
  • kamazza
    kamazza Posts: 98 Member
    ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken wrote: »
    Sometimes nutritional deficiencies can make PMS symptoms worse so make sure you are up on your vitamins and minerals, Carbs make it worse for me so I always lower my carb intake when PMS hits. This helps A LOT. I eat a lot of cheese. Mostly brie, goat cheese, Gouda and cottage cheese. Peanut butter really lowers my appetite. Drink plenty of fluids. Sometimes thirst can make us think we are hungry when in reality we are thirsty.

    while it's been probably a year or two since I had my full blood panel done I've never really been deficient in anything. A little magnesium and B12 but that's about it thankfully. Maybe time to get it done again to check though
  • svincent21
    svincent21 Posts: 5 Member
    I am also having terrible PMS. My stomach is so bloated that I look pregnant and I sure am not! Probably that donut didn't help. I tried veggies but they just made me angry.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Track your cycle so that you can predict your hungriest days. Eat 200 or so calories more starting two days before the hunger hits, for 4-5 days total.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    Just eat what you most want within your calorie limit.

    If you go over your limit one day, look at your weekly calories - you're probably fine overall.

    Periods are hard enough without restricting yourself like a religious nutter! :smiley:
  • candice04mfp
    candice04mfp Posts: 1 Member
    Evening primrose oil vitamins
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    candice04mfp wrote: »
    Evening primrose oil vitamins

    The Mayo Clinic say this most likely does NOT work.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/evening-primrose/evidence/hrb-20059889

    I know it did bugger all for my PMS.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Orphia wrote: »
    candice04mfp wrote: »
    Evening primrose oil vitamins

    The Mayo Clinic say this most likely does NOT work.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/evening-primrose/evidence/hrb-20059889

    I know it did bugger all for my PMS.
    It did nothing for my PMS either, but years later it absolutely helped with breast tenderness during peri-menopause.
  • s3rialthrill3r
    s3rialthrill3r Posts: 49 Member
    svincent21 wrote: »
    I am also having terrible PMS. My stomach is so bloated that I look pregnant and I sure am not! Probably that donut didn't help. I tried veggies but they just made me angry.

    Veggies make you angry!? As for bloating, I think milk tends to do that for some people.
  • svincent21
    svincent21 Posts: 5 Member
    s3rialthrill3r wrote: »
    svincent21 wrote: »
    I am also having terrible PMS. My stomach is so bloated that I look pregnant and I sure am not! Probably that donut didn't help. I tried veggies but they just made me angry.

    Veggies make you angry!? As for bloating, I think milk tends to do that for some people.

    Veggies only make me angry when I'm craving something sweet and pick broccoli instead. I normally love them.

  • s3rialthrill3r
    s3rialthrill3r Posts: 49 Member
    svincent21 wrote: »
    s3rialthrill3r wrote: »
    svincent21 wrote: »
    I am also having terrible PMS. My stomach is so bloated that I look pregnant and I sure am not! Probably that donut didn't help. I tried veggies but they just made me angry.

    Veggies make you angry!? As for bloating, I think milk tends to do that for some people.

    Veggies only make me angry when I'm craving something sweet and pick broccoli instead. I normally love them.

    Ah. How about a compromise then? Sweetened vegetables. It works with Shanghai cuisine.
  • leejoyce31
    leejoyce31 Posts: 794 Member
    I feel my cravings coming on tonight along with cramps. I won't have any issues with temptation tonight. We will see what happens tomorrow. I always give in to the cravings and go overboard. I eat at a deficit other times to make up for it.
  • Famof72015
    Famof72015 Posts: 393 Member
    I don't and can't fight it. It's not worth it to me to get me even more pissed and then pissed because I ate it. I just do it and move on with myself. It's not the end of the world and it helps to tell yourself it's just because of the PMS
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    edited January 2017
    I just give myself a couple days where my goal is to stay below maintenance calories. It might slow me down that week, but overall, it makes very little difference.

    ETA: It also keeps those around me safe :wink:
This discussion has been closed.

Categories