Ladies how do you cope with your diet when on your monthly?

mindlesseater
mindlesseater Posts: 1 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm not expecting to loose weight on my monthly but I certainly don't want to gain any, any suggestions to curb the cravings and feel less sluggish?

Replies

  • nanastaci2020
    nanastaci2020 Posts: 1,072 Member
    Just a normal day for me.

    I have some days (randomly during the month) where I am hungrier than other days. I factor in snacks and/or make meals more filling as needed.
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 948 Member
    I used to stop exercise during the week before my period due to bad PMS symptoms until I realised that SOME moderate exercise would actually help me! It was also bad for me to stop and start exercise because then I kept getting DOMS. Now, I just lower the intensity abit or do more yoga and walking as opposed to higher intensity workouts. And guess what? My mood is so much better now because of exercise so I strongly recommend it because it will help you with your sluggishness. Oh and eat chocolate because it helps with magnesium levels- go for 60%+ chocolate such as Lindt because it’s higher in magnesium and delicious 🤤 and it satisfies me way more than cake or ice cream. In terms of calories I stick to a smaller deficit of 2/300 calories and then on the day of my period I eat at maintenance. I just finished one week of my diet break and it coincided with my pms week so win win situation. You can also eat at maintenance for a few days too. Do what works for you.
  • gcminton
    gcminton Posts: 170 Member
    I just accept I'm going to feel hungrier for a few days and move on, for the most part. If it's a particularly rough day I'll have less of a deficit than usual, but that's about it. If I'm feeling sluggish I make sure I'm staying hydrated and not slacking on electrolytes in case that helps.

  • Jacq_qui
    Jacq_qui Posts: 443 Member
    I usually want to eat anything covered in chocolate for a few days beforehand, but with very little in the house I don't usually end up going too crazy. But this month I really struggled mentally, I wasn't hungry, but just wanted to eat crap tbh! Luckily it's just a few days and I don't have lots of things in the house that would allow me to splurge, unless I want to eat endless amounts of cheese or oatbars.
  • lisamarie2742
    lisamarie2742 Posts: 17 Member
    stargirl_linds wrote: »
    meharmahshahid wrote: »
    To be honest, just try to go with the flow. Work out, because it helps with the cramps. If you have a craving, go for it, because it is okay to have a cheat meal once in a while because it helps restart the body, but don't go overboard. If you feel sluggish and don't want to work out, then don't. A rest of 2 to 3 days wont hurt at all, and we women deserve a break, this is coming from an 18 year old.

    Just go with the flow. hahahah

    I'm glad I'm not the only one laughing at that 🤣🤣
  • Terytha
    Terytha Posts: 2,097 Member
    I eat closer to maintenance is all. I don't lose, but I don't gain, and I'm so used to eating less that eating at maintenance feels downright luxurious.
  • brittneyalley
    brittneyalley Posts: 274 Member
    Honestly I usually eat over maintenance for 2-3 days near and on my period. I can get ravenous. But once it’s over, my hunger goes back to normal/low.
  • AlexandraFindsHerself1971
    AlexandraFindsHerself1971 Posts: 3,106 Member
    Usually I just have to deal with a lot of pain and mess and various hot flashes and cold chills. (I'm fine with being done any time now, just sayin'....) As far as cravings go, I mostly get what I call the desire to Eat All The Food and I already know that I can't. Physically can't... I'm going with small portions and my stomach has very definitely shrunk. But as was said above, I don't worry about an extra hundred or two hundred calories, and just try to otherwise stay on my schedule so I don't add a migraine to the mess.
  • pink_mint
    pink_mint Posts: 103 Member
    Every gal is different. But for me (and I think this is common) the few days before my period are the hardest. Hunger really ramps up. Some studies show we burn more calories during this time (luteal phase), so that and female hormonal fluctuations can really affect hunger levels.

    I have decided to eat at maintenance calories during that time so I don't lose my mind. Once my period starts, cramps and nausea kick in and my appetite goes back down. I can eat at a deficit without it being excruciating, until the luteal phase hits, rinse, repeat.
  • Maxematics
    Maxematics Posts: 2,287 Member
    KrissDotCom wrote: »
    Honestly, I just eat. Lol

    My normal calorie intake is 1800ish, during pms I've eaten as high as 2300, 2400.

    My maintenence is around 2200.

    Pms is about 4 or 5 days for me and it takes 3500 to gain a pound so, 100-200 calories over maintenence isnt going to cause me to gain in those few days, since it would only been 1000ish calories roughly..

    Its not hard to return back to normal once your period starts and 1000 calories is two days of my normal 500 calorie deficit.

    I agree 100%! I still eat healthy food, I just eat more of it until I feel satiated. In the grand scheme of things, it's no big deal.

    A few days before my period and during ovulation, I get hungrier than usual. There are studies out there that say during ovulation your appetite decreases significantly but my body says that would be a no. I used to try and resist it but I realized that my body is going through a process which affects my caloric needs and I'd be silly not to listen to it. If I did ignore it, a few days later I would end up eating like 800 to 1000 calories over maintenance for one to two days because nothing was making me feel full. Now I just eat when I feel hungry. Also when I started eating more during ovulation, the spotting that would occur during it stopped happening.

  • AliNouveau
    AliNouveau Posts: 36,287 Member
    edited August 2020
    I usually allow myself some treats since I'm hormonal.

    This month I decided to do a get fit thing and this week I've done a few walks with my son and interval walk/jogs on my own and I find it's really been great for the bloat. I had to force myself because during pms every aches but I've really found the jogging and stretching have helped.
  • TanyaHooton
    TanyaHooton Posts: 249 Member
    I abide by the 80-20 principle. If I am diligent about staying at or under my calorie goal for 80-85% of the time, then the remaining 15-20% of the time, I can indulge a bit. I save those indulgences for special treats (like birthday cake) or for that time of the month when I want to eat everything. It does make the weight loss a bit slower than it might otherwise be, but the hunger is ravenous and painful...so I just give in.
  • amart4224
    amart4224 Posts: 345 Member
    I have a huge appetite the day before my period starts, and mostly I just try not to have anything in the house that would derail me completely if I ate too much of it.

    Last month the junkiest things I had were cottage cheese and cinnamon chex cereal, and just in that one day I ate the whole container of cottage cheese and at least 2-3 cups of the dry cereal, plus some regular meals. I didn't beat myself up over it and it didn't slow my weight loss, so I must've made up the calories somewhere else.
  • Ddsb11
    Ddsb11 Posts: 607 Member
    meharmahshahid wrote: »
    To be honest, just try to go with the flow. Work out, because it helps with the cramps. If you have a craving, go for it, because it is okay to have a cheat meal once in a while because it helps restart the body, but don't go overboard. If you feel sluggish and don't want to work out, then don't. A rest of 2 to 3 days wont hurt at all, and we women deserve a break, this is coming from an 18 year old.

    Just wanted to mention that there is no restarting the body, resetting, Jump starting, however you want to put it. That’s not a thing.

    And also, there’s no such thing as cheat meals either. There’s calories you eat in a day, week, month... and that’s it. It’s either below, at, or over your maintenance. There’s no single food or meal that does that. It’s a combination of the whole.
  • midlomel1971
    midlomel1971 Posts: 1,283 Member
    I give myself a break and indulge my cravings for that day or two. Your weight loss can handle some treats once a month. Go easy on yoursef.
  • MaltedTea
    MaltedTea Posts: 6,286 Member
    Same old, same old. I just give myself permission to swear during my workouts is all.
  • dashofwicked
    dashofwicked Posts: 30 Member
    I recently came across this YouTuber by the name Beatrice Caruso. In a video of her's, she explains that whilst on her monthly she allows herself to eat up to maintenance calories for that week. I personally find this to be a pretty healthy approach and it helps curb her ravenous appetite during that time as well to have all those extra calories.
  • sianlr87
    sianlr87 Posts: 72 Member
    dashofwicked wrote: »
    I recently came across this YouTuber by the name Beatrice Caruso. In a video of her's, she explains that whilst on her monthly she allows herself to eat up to maintenance calories for that week. I personally find this to be a pretty healthy approach and it helps curb her ravenous appetite during that time as well to have all those extra calories.

    This what I do. Sometimes I feel like it's never ending hunger, but I figure if my body needs it, it needs it. A few days at maintenance won't do any harm. I would also normally do some sort of exercise (although building this back up since a pelvic fracture, so not at my "normal" levels), as this helps to alleviate the cramps.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,985 Member
    This time is a new type of annoying. Normally I hold onto more water. No problem. I know this. This time it somehow seems to coincide with a massive whoosh, and I didn't. Instead my blood pressure is super low due to this. So I'm not feeling very well, and I can't do some mild exercising because of my blood pressure. Sigh! Can I have the water weight back?
  • julie0benner
    julie0benner Posts: 3 Member
    amart4224 wrote: »
    I have a huge appetite the day before my period starts, and mostly I just try not to have anything in the house that would derail me completely if I ate too much of it.

    Last month the junkiest things I had were cottage cheese and cinnamon chex cereal, and just in that one day I ate the whole container of cottage cheese and at least 2-3 cups of the dry cereal, plus some regular meals. I didn't beat myself up over it and it didn't slow my weight loss, so I must've made up the calories somewhere else.

    Me too!

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