Do you need more calories during your period?

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sugarfreesquirrel
sugarfreesquirrel Posts: 268 Member
in Getting Started
Cause I'm been grumpy as hell. Or hangry.

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  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,403 Member
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    Some people do and others don't. Hormones can be powerful drivers. Being NB, I'm on a contraceptive in long-term cycle and only do a break every now and then. And then I'm just grumpy because I had to do the break, but not more hungry.
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,127 Member
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    I always have a day or two during my period where I crave salty fatty/carby foods. I usually increase my calorie goal on those days to include those foods. I don't know if I need those calories physically, but it certainly helps mentally!
  • COGypsy
    COGypsy Posts: 1,171 Member
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    I don’t know if extra calories are *needed*, but when I actually have periods, I target maintenance calories. I’m peri menopausal and unexpected, yet oddly specific hunger is one of my “warning signs” of impending doom
  • JBanx256
    JBanx256 Posts: 1,473 Member
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    Sorta-kinda on-off topic, but there have been studies about women's cravings during menstruation - depending on where in the world you live, your cravings are different. Eg, as a little girl in the US, if you heard your mom/big sister/whoever complain and say they were craving chocolate, that kind of "programmed" you to think that period = chocolate cravings. Elsewhere in the world, you might crave something totally different, based on what you were "programmed" to associate with periods. Obviously tangential to the original topic, but I think it's pretty interesting.

    Here's one of them focused specifically on chocolate:
    Does culture create craving? Evidence from the case of menstrual chocolate craving
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5517000/
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 935 Member
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    Your rmr increases by 100-500 calories depending on each individual. I would definitely eat more for 2-3 days around my period.
  • the_real_me_lissa
    the_real_me_lissa Posts: 40 Member
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    My hunger definitely increases on the days leading up to my period & it’s not just cravings or all in my head. I used to eat “crap food” or indulge in sweets more because I have PMDD & it just made me feel better (not really but you know what I mean😂).

    Now however; I really listen to my body. If my energy is low; I may increase my protein, be mindful of eating more complex carbs, & increase fruit for some simple sugars.
  • Highmtnlady68
    Highmtnlady68 Posts: 19 Member
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    I had PPMD or super heavy periods, and I found high iron foods to help. I love calf liver and greens during this time of the month. You can look up food that will help you through this time and talk to your doctor.

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