WOMEN! We actually need more calories during "certain times

christenwypy
christenwypy Posts: 336 Member
edited October 3 in Health and Weight Loss
Hello Ladies,

Last night I felt a bit crampy and was overcome with hunger. I decided to see if PMS was a valid excuse for eating and started searching online. It turns out we may need anywhere from 100-350 extra calories per day for the 7 days before our period starts. (Depends on what study you read just how many calories are needed.) Also, during this time our metabolism is boosted up by as much as 16% so it is an optimal time to lose weight. It might not show on the scale right away because of water retention, but eventually it will.

The best foods to eat to relieve symptoms are beans, pineapple, leafy greens, omega 3's, whole grains, and yogurt!

So, after I read that I stopped fighting my urge and had a quarter cup of greek yogurt and some blueberries!

Here are the articles-
http://www.livestrong.com/article/99082-foods-eat-period/
http://www.iibc.com/hungry-period/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/441187-do-i-need-more-calories-during-my-period/
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Replies

  • Tenoreo90
    Tenoreo90 Posts: 329 Member
    Interesting. This information might help some of us not go crazy and binge, like I usually do, around 'that' time.


    EDIT: Left out the 'not' on accident-a bit important! HAHA!
  • kirstengirl
    kirstengirl Posts: 32
    Thanks!!! I had often thought this just has to be the case since my hunger insatiable during this time. I can't get enough to eat. Unfortunately, I often go for the wrong foods - sugar. That just makes it worse. I'll have to try the pinapple. I do like yogurt too.
  • karinaes
    karinaes Posts: 570 Member
    thanks for sharing! i've done research on this before & cravings are actually valid (not made up in our own little heads lol)
  • jlemoore
    jlemoore Posts: 702 Member
    Thanks for posting this! I am heading into this time, and I really don't want to derail my efforts from the last couple of weeks! I'll plan on getting some yogurt in the cupboard.
  • k2quiere
    k2quiere Posts: 4,151 Member
    I think we can find any articles on the internet to justify anything we are feeling at any given time. It's not like we are really needing to replace anything we're losing because the blood build up of our flow is already there waiting. Unless you have an extremely heavy or extremely long flux, you aren't needing to replace any water, nutrients, or blood cells. There are, however, times when women do need extra calories to replace what is being taken from them, like during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

    If I continue to consider overactive/unruly hormones an appropriate reason to ingest more calories, like I did when first diagnosed with PCOS, I will be bigger than my house. So thanks, but no thanks...I don't need any more excuses, and while TOM may be a *****, I will not let it control the choices I make.
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    This is from the Livestrong article you posted:

    "Physiologically there is no need for extra calories during your period; however, the food choices you make may be able to reduce the severity of the symptoms associated with menstruation. For example, FamilyDoctor.org recommends increasing your consumption of whole grain carbohydrates, fiber and protein while cutting back on sugar and fat. Reducing your intake of caffeine can reduce your mood swings and even reduce breast soreness. Eating smaller more frequent meals can also help reduce your symptoms."

    This is the important part - "Physiologically there is no need for extra calories during your period"
  • CaptainGordo
    CaptainGordo Posts: 4,437 Member
    This is from the Livestrong article you posted:
    ...
    This is the important part - "Physiologically there is no need for extra calories during your period"
    10602374.jpg
  • CakeFit21
    CakeFit21 Posts: 2,521 Member
    You gave in to your "urge" and had Greek yogurt and blueberries???

    Whoa! You are living on the edge!
  • Rilke
    Rilke Posts: 1,201 Member
    You gave in to your "urge" and had Greek yogurt and blueberries???

    Whoa! You are living on the edge!

    Don't forget -- a whole quarter cup of yogurt.

    Sorry OP . . . but this is the first thing I thought too. You ate, what, 80 calories? :P
  • christenwypy
    christenwypy Posts: 336 Member
    Some articles say we need more calories, some say we don',t but they all say our metabolism increases. If our metabolism increases then we are allotted 100 or 200 (some even say as high as 350) extra calories that day. I am not saying to go eat junk food! And I was not trying to justify anyone going off their diet. I was looking for a real cause for my hunger and I found it. If we increase the calories a little with healthy choices we should be okay and not gain weight. If we don't increase then we should lose even more weight at this time. I think because our body is working at something it does not usually do, we do need a little more energy. (Just like we burn calories just my our organs working each day!) So, we burn a little more and therefore we can have a little more if we need to. Again it does not have to be junk but I think some extra yogurt, pineapple, or salad is not going to hurt during this time.
  • kennethmgreen
    kennethmgreen Posts: 1,759 Member
    I think we can find any articles on the internet to justify anything we are feeling at any given time. It's not like we are really needing to replace anything we're losing because the blood build up of our flow is already there waiting. Unless you have an extremely heavy or extremely long flux, you aren't needing to replace any water, nutrients, or blood cells. There are, however, times when women do need extra calories to replace what is being taken from them, like during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

    If I continue to consider overactive/unruly hormones an appropriate reason to ingest more calories, like I did when first diagnosed with PCOS, I will be bigger than my house. So thanks, but no thanks...I don't need any more excuses, and while TOM may be a *****, I will not let it control the choices I make.
    Your sound logic and reason make my brow furrow.
  • christenwypy
    christenwypy Posts: 336 Member
    Well, it was 80 calories over what I had planned to eat that day. It was enough to alleviate the hunger and I did not feel guilty after reading that we burn a little more during this time.

    Pretty sure I will not be posting anymore on here lol. I am really getting beaten up for sharing.
  • Qarol
    Qarol Posts: 6,171 Member
    This is the important part - "Physiologically there is no need for extra calories during your period"
    physiologically is a big word
  • rbryntes
    rbryntes Posts: 710 Member
    I think we can find any articles on the internet to justify anything we are feeling at any given time. It's not like we are really needing to replace anything we're losing because the blood build up of our flow is already there waiting. Unless you have an extremely heavy or extremely long flux, you aren't needing to replace any water, nutrients, or blood cells. There are, however, times when women do need extra calories to replace what is being taken from them, like during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

    If I continue to consider overactive/unruly hormones an appropriate reason to ingest more calories, like I did when first diagnosed with PCOS, I will be bigger than my house. So thanks, but no thanks...I don't need any more excuses, and while TOM may be a *****, I will not let it control the choices I make.
    Your sound logic and reason make my brow furrow.

    Maybe it's your TOM?
  • Rilke
    Rilke Posts: 1,201 Member
    Well, it was 80 calories over what I had planned to eat that day. It was enough to alleviate the hunger and I did not feel guilty after reading that we burn a little more during this time.

    Pretty sure I will not be posting anymore on here lol. I am really getting beaten up for sharing.

    You should never feel guilty for eating, especially not such a small amount . . . TOM or not.

    You have to understand that people on these boards are very opinionated. People will disagree with you, especially if you post something that might be considered controversial.
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    Well, it was 80 calories over what I had planned to eat that day. It was enough to alleviate the hunger and I did not feel guilty after reading that we burn a little more during this time.

    Pretty sure I will not be posting anymore on here lol. I am really getting beaten up for sharing.

    No one is beating you up. Please continue to share, but you have to be prepared for people to discuss the things you post and not just accept everything posted as being accurate.

    People are only teasing about the yogurt. No one means any harm. :flowerforyou:
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
    note that the increase in metabolism doesn't occur DURING your period. It's only for the 1-2 weeks beforehand. I wouldn't be using this as an excuse to eat more than usual though. And we don't NEED the extra calories. It's a nice bonus if we can burn them off but nothing will happen if you don't eat them.
  • christenwypy
    christenwypy Posts: 336 Member
    I said the 7 days before your period starts.
  • k2quiere
    k2quiere Posts: 4,151 Member
    Well, it was 80 calories over what I had planned to eat that day. It was enough to alleviate the hunger and I did not feel guilty after reading that we burn a little more during this time.

    Pretty sure I will not be posting anymore on here lol. I am really getting beaten up for sharing.

    I'm sorry that disagreement makes you feel beat up. People are joking about the yogurt because that is not the go-to food of choice when given the opportunity to increase calories during certain times.

    I will, however, stand by my word that says you can find studies on the internet to back up any belief you have about anything you choose to do. The accuracy of any study found is always in question by someone who doesn't believe it; It's the nature of the beast.
  • Rilke
    Rilke Posts: 1,201 Member
    People are only teasing about the yogurt. No one means any harm. :flowerforyou:

    Indeed. I (and many women) eat MUCH more than 80 calories worth of food when we "give in" to TOM urges ;)
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
    I said the 7 days before your period starts.

    Yeah I know you did. Just wanted to emphasize it because I already see people are misunderstanding you.
  • Emagali74
    Emagali74 Posts: 132 Member
    Hi,

    To the original poster, thanks for sharing.....

    I often wondered why when it was TOM or just before there are certain days when Im hungry like all the time, I literally cannot stop eating.

    I too like you though try and choose healthy things to put in my body or if I have enough calories left over and if I have worked out, then I have 2 squares of good quality dark chocolate-around 20g and that really helps me. I think theres lots of weid things that go on with women's bodies at that time of the month and as long as youre not pigging out on junk food and still eating healthily then adding an extra 100 calories if you really need them doesnt seem to be a bad idea to me.

    Keep posting, you will always find people who disagree with what you say on here but thats part of life. I for one am glad of any new articles to read and consider. People dont have to act on them or do as you suggest. Its their choice but its always good to have as much information as possible so that you can make informed choices.

    Emma x
  • kennethmgreen
    kennethmgreen Posts: 1,759 Member
    Well, it was 80 calories over what I had planned to eat that day. It was enough to alleviate the hunger and I did not feel guilty after reading that we burn a little more during this time.

    Pretty sure I will not be posting anymore on here lol. I am really getting beaten up for sharing.
    Sorry you feel beat up. I don't see that. Disagreement is good. It's how we learn to discern things on our own. Don't take it personally.

    I think it's awesome that you treated yourself with greek yogurt and blueberries. I know you may be trying to help. But surely, if you step back and consider the guesswork involved with the whole calories question, you'll see that 1-200 calories is fairly insignificant.

    There's just no way to be that accurate with the tools of the average consumer. The calories burned and calories consumed are almost always guesses. We use HRMs, digital food scales, and nutritional labels to make the guesses more accurate. But they are still guesses. I suspect our calorie counts every day could be as much as 1-200 calories off per person, maybe more. And that's with the tools I mention. Certainly that much variance per week.

    To me, if you feel the need to eat more - whatever is going on with your body - you should eat more, trying to stay within your macro/calorie goals. If you want to eat 1-200 more food calories, go ahead. If it worries you that you are going over, go for a short brisk walk. You can burn that many calories pretty quickly.

    I think your intentions may be good. And I don't want to tell you what to do. But for me - in my opinion - when I see an article that gives people an excuse to eat more, it usually ends up being just that: simply an excuse to eat more. You can find a study or Internet article supporting nearly anything. It doesn't make it science or factual. I'm not convinced we are going to find a way to escape the simple math of calories in/calories burned.

    All that to say you are eating good food. Keep doing that! You know how I get extra calories? I exercise.

    Please keep posting. Discussion and debate are good.
  • christenwypy
    christenwypy Posts: 336 Member
    What I wanted to do was guzzle a bottle hershey's chocolate syrup :)

    But the yogurt wound up satisfying me. I am trying really hard not to go over the 1200 calories allotted to me. Even with keeping to it, my weight is not coming off so I can't afford to screw up now. But I felt better knowing I was burning more so I could add something.
  • aehartley
    aehartley Posts: 269 Member
    Thanyou for the validation... I have been adding around 100 extra during my period... Poeple use to say I was crazy when I said that I would loose the most weight during my period compared to the rest of the month... I KNEW I WASN"T CRAZY
  • mlb929
    mlb929 Posts: 1,974 Member
    The best solution to TOM issues is exercise not eating more. The minimum is a general rule. Our bodies really aren't going to react to 100 extra calories a day or two. It's what the food is 100 calories of chocolate or Greek yogart and blueberries you decide.
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
    Thanyou for the validation... I have been adding around 100 extra during my period... Poeple use to say I was crazy when I said that I would loose the most weight during my period compared to the rest of the month... I KNEW I WASN"T CRAZY

    It's not DURING your period that metabolism rises - it's before! Metabolism is actually its lowest from the beginning of your period and for the next week.
    The reason you lose "weight" during your period is because your bloat is reducing as a result of the fall of progesterone.
  • vzucco
    vzucco Posts: 229
    Thank you! This is sooo good to know!
  • tiggerbounce411
    tiggerbounce411 Posts: 401 Member
    Interesting and good to know cuz with my TOM comes..I want to eat everything including the front door. I hate that!!!
  • kennethmgreen
    kennethmgreen Posts: 1,759 Member
    But I felt better knowing I was burning more so I could add something.
    Use this same logic and burn some calories exercising.
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