Curse you TOM!!

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  • So after 2 weeks of being on plan PERFECTLY, I got my period and my food monster came out yesterday just devouring everything in it's path. I really tried to stay under 1500 calories but I went over and I feel so horrible so I just add another 25 mins to my cardio. Do you ladies have the same problem as I when you have your TOM? I just want to eat fried food and ice cream, frantically too. How can I control my TOM monster? This sucks, I'm afraid to go into my kitchen because I might start eating everything.
  • OMG when my TOM comes, I feel like a bottomless pit! It is horrible. I want EVERYTHING even things I do not normally like. Like Corn Dogs WTH. I do not even LIKE hot dogs. So far however, I have been able to tame that craving monster with some well chosen snacks. Roasted chili lime chickpeas for that salty fried craving, sugar free werthers, celery with peanut butter and the guilty pleasure of NSA Fudgcicles generally keep it all at bay
  • I drink enough tea that I couldn't possibly eat without barfing. I keep minimal food in the house during TOM--if it's not here, I can't eat it. Sleep instead of eating. Exercise instead of eating.

    Then finally give up when nothing tastes as good as it should, and be annoyed because I broke down and just spent $25 on junk food that I'm not going to eat.
  • I'm 47 (nearly 48) and I'd hoped by now to be at least beginning menopause, but no... my TOMs are horrible, stuck-pig, afraid-to-leave-home affairs. I get so tired from lack of sleep due to fear of accidents at night. The heaviest night (night before last) I even wore a Depends to bed, just to be safe - and it saved my mattress. Therefore, I tend to crave protein and iron - RAW beef, spinach, chard, etc... I get ravenous! I can't tolerate iron pills, so I've been perfecting my TOM Diet:

    *Salty / Crunchy Food Group: Kale chips, made in my dehydrator (collards are pretty good too)
    *BEEF Group: Lean steak, blue rare or raw (froz. first to kill any possible parasites) if my body is craving it
    *CREAMY Group: Frozen yogurt cups (Kirkland brand, w/fiber, NO HFCS!!!)
    *Lots of iron-rich greens in salads or sauteed
    *healthy fats (natural fats only, no made-in-a-lab stuff)

    and yesterday, lunch was an enormous 500 calorie bowl of home-popped buttered popcorn. Popped on the stove, with real butter and sea salt. My god, that was good. First popcorn in 2 months; the calories were budgeted.

    When it's really bad and I am ravenous, I'm upping my calories from 1600 to 1800, as long as they are generally quality calories. No pasta/sugar/crap - that doesn't help anything. The only sugar I eat is the bit in the yogurt I have occasionally. Lunch today was sauteed spinach with shrimp and feta cheese. Loads of iron, protein, healthy fats and still low cal.

    Last night I had wine. It kept the snarling to a minimum.

    I cannot WAIT for menopause.
  • For me during the time of the month I dont wanna eat hardly anything because I usally have cramps, bloated, and the runs TMI lol but the week before TOM shows up I WANT to eay everything in site but I dont I will have something extra if I have any calories left.
  • No, with me TOM was just another (in a very long line LOL) excuse to binge, even tho I never had cramps or any problems at all LOL It was just "oh it's my period, i MUST have cheesecake" wow, I was living such a delusion with that and so many other things. "i'm bigger boned than most, clearly i need a bigger portion" ha, i can laugh about it now! But man, the sky in my world was an awesome colour
  • LOL Trazey!

    I never had an issue with my TOM when I was younger, either - it's started getting worse the last several years. The advent of middle age, thyroid issues and perimenopause not only heralded the majority of my weight gain (gosh, I can't eat like I did in my 20s? Imagine that!) but also rabid TOM and other fun hormonal stuff. I've seriously considered having it all yanked, but I'm not sure HRT would be any better. No way am I taking horse hormones (Premarin).

    Wow, I'm cranky today - please forgive me. Sorry for the hijack, too.
  • RobinD thank you for making me not feel alone. I wear 2 pads and sometimes just stuff tissue because for the first 3 days I bleed like I'm wounded. I actually have thought about depends. I might try it rather than going to bed like I"m riding a hose blah.
    And I'm right there with you. I 'm naturally iron deficent and TOM i just crave steak. I'm going to try the kale and Collard greens this month.

    Wondering has anyone's TOM changed since you're been losing weight?
  • Angel You're not the only one! TOM just arrived (first one since I started my journey)...I've been craving all kinds of treats! And of course, my wonderful but thin husband is eating ice cream like it's nobody's business! I'm SO envious! I went over a little a couple days with hot cocoa and a Smart Ones ice cream dessert...but nothing major.

    I wish I had a suggestion...my only one would be if you must eat some yummy treats maybe get diet ones? For example, if you want chocolate, ice cream...maybe get those smart ones desserts those are pretty amazing (esp the PB cup kind! ) Try to occupy your mind, read, exercise, something that will get your mind of the treats you want to consume! Get on here and post..

    Good luck!!!

    Obsidian I have noticed a difference...this is my first TOM since starting to lose weight and it's a lot heavier than previously.
  • Well, I had the Depends on hand from vacation - I wear one when I'm out fly fishing in my float tube / belly boat. You know... just in case the coffee kicks in and I can't kick to shore in time. Saves the waders, lol. I was actually able to sleep knowing that I didn't need to worry about flood control.
  • My TOM...or well, I don't know if I can really call it that...it's always so irregular aka two weeks long, then nothing for two months then for three days, a week off, and it'll start again etc. but anyways...It makes me want cheese and icecream! I used to just give in, when I was still able too, but then I went on bc for the irregularity and steroids for back problems and yeah... lol (I've since stopped the bc, so it's back to irregular and painful cramps, but I don't feel so sick during my TOM)

    Now I get those skinny cow ice cream sandwiches, put two in the upstairs freezer and hide the rest in the chest freezer down stairs and instead of getting those blocks of cheese and cutting chunks off I get the thin slices and limit myself to just a slice. And I work out so much more...It's the only way I can deal with cramping...well that and my rice pack Moist heat = heaven lol
  • @LittleLindsey not the news I was hoping for, any heavier and I may need a blood transfusion every month. I have noticed I haven't had to medicate as much.

    @RobinD I get so paranoid, wad of tissue, 2 pads and I sleep on my side. I am TOTALLY buying some depends tomorrow.
  • Obsidian Yeah, definitely not what I was hoping for either. Maybe our bodies will get "used" to the new diet/exercise and get back to normal!
  • Oh yeah. For me, it's chocolate and beef cravings. I also gain 8 to 10 lbs of water gain (even if I'm being perfectly on plan).

    For me, eating low-carb helps somewhat, but I almost have to go Atkins induction level low to control the cravings (I usually don't succeed at this because its so difficult, but the effort does pay off, when I do).

    I had my TOPS weigh-in today, and the scale ladies were shocked when I whooped with joy at a four pound gain (I was expecting my typical 8 to 10).
  • Thanks for sharing ladies, I'm glad that I'm not the only one that loses control with TOM. I did well today (10/19) with my calorie count and I managed to do my cardio work out despite TOM and my sinus flu. So here's my next question, is it wise to be on Slim fast while I'm on my TOM with a flu? I feel really bad about giving in to my cravings the other day and I want to be on a low calorie diet for a day or two.


    AZ Sunrises What you said made me laugh, about drinking so much tea till you won't be able to eat, I will give that a try tomorrow instead of avoiding the kitchen altogether.

    Obsidianbbw I do the same with double "night time" pads plus smaller ones are used as "wings" and I put those puppy training pads beneath me on my bed just in case I leak (which I do). My TOM is just on a whole different level, a few years ago I was bleeding so much that I was rushed to ER to get a blood transfusion along with fluid IV for my dehydration. It's a killer... really. Each time I get my TOM, I'm literally scared for my life. But I haven't had it that badly for 2 months now.