There killing me this week. All I want to do is eat. My stomach won't stop growling and I have no energy to exercise. HELP!!! I think I'm going to go crazy.
I do two things. First of all, I try putting it off. "I'll go buy myself Cheetos at 7-11 after class...after dinner...after I do my HW tomorrow..." etc.
When that doesn't work, or when it stops working (because often I'll get myself three or four days and I'm still craving hard) I buy the smallest possible portion of it and - here's the crucial bit - eat it in public. I know it's not good for me, and my natural self-consciousness about eating unhealthy things in public takes over and keeps me from wolfing down the whole thing in five minutes.
Sugar Free Fudgesicles and Sugar Free Russel Stovers Pecan Clusters help me with the chocolate cravings.. the candy still has a lot of carbs, though-- so watch out. (if youre a carb counter, that is..)
Try eating more protien, too? I always crave meat at that time, and since I've been dieting, it doesn't take as much of it to fill me up..
Don't give in-- remember this will be over in a few days !!
Try to exercise anyway. I know I sound like a sadist but getting your sweat on may help with your cravings and make you feel more in control of your body. Good luck!
Make yourself a healthy dessert, here are a lot of great healthy recipes, do NOT eat fast foods, don't treat yourself with food, reward you effort with things you want and love to do.
you cant do this, don't sabotage yourself, your hungry? cook something that appeal to you in a healthy way, drink a lot of water, have fruit with fat free light cool whip... and after I eat always crave sweets, so I chew sugar free gum...
So chew gum...
I agree with the putting it off thing for the cravings. My rule is that if I'm still craving the same thing 48-72 hours later, I will decide to indulge (I'm not telling myself that I'm "giving in," as that implies I am not in control of my decision). I plan for it the entire day, stuffing myself with veggies in place of where I'd normally get the extra calories. I schedule it into FitDay and save it for sometime in the afternoon or evening. Often, by the time I get to that point, I don't find myself wanting as much of it, so I can split it with a friend or even skip it all together.
As for the hunger itself, I find that I tend to have to eat more fats/proteins during my TOM to stay full, and I gorge on veggies. I also vary my calorie intake a lot, so I try to schedule the higher days to fall around my TOM. Often, just one higher calorie day will curb my hunger for the next few days when I'm at my normal calorie amount.
I'm not sure what plan you're on, so the above might not work for you.
As for exercise, if I'm having a blah no-energy day, I purposefully go easy at my exercise. Sometimes I find I get right into it anyway -- and if I don't, at least doing a little bit is better than doing nothing.
My cravings can get out of control and last the whole week before. I can't indulge in "just one" of anything I'm craving at this point, but I think years of an ED have done this to me....
So, I keep busy, busy, busy. I clean (yuck!!), read, sew, exercise, play with the kids/dog, etc., anything to fill my day. No TV because idle hands in my case mean eating hands and if I'm tired, I go to bed if at all possible.
My cravings are always chocoloate - so I turn to fudgsicles or non-fat chocolate sherbert. The coldness slows me down from eating too much. I also make sure I have nothing else bad in the house (cause I will eat it all for sure!)
As for exercising - if I'm having a blah day I will still make sure to go out for a long brisk walk with my ipod.
I always crave chocolate when I am PMSing but I try not to keep it in the house. I do keep Dannon la creme vanilla yogurt and it satisfies my sweet tooth. I may eat 2 cups of the stuff, but it's better than eating junk food.
I definitely exercise anyway.. even if Im too tired. I just suck it up, #1 it kills at least a couple of hours.. between the workout and shower an stuff. I *plan* to have something around TOM that I wouldnt have otherwise. I dont feel more hungry than usual on TOM, I just feel like I have more *munchies* but its not true hunger.. another thing for me is getting on 3FC, when I read about other people I think * I can do it too* lol
For me, two things that help are strawberries and sweet potato chips. For me, during that time I just really really want salt! The chips are good, and fairly expensive, so I don't eat the whole bag
I too am on BC pills. And even if I just ate a meal, theres always room for dessert!! And ill keep eating dessert until im completely full....which I then feel guilty for.lol. I usually crave creamy chocolate things. Even though while on TOM im hungry constantly....im even more tired....which can be good because I usually dont have chocolate in my house, and im just too darn lazy to do anything about it. I know im not much help, but I know what you mean about the BC making your tummy the bottomless pitt stomach.lol.
south beach makes really good snack bars they have chocolate mint ones and it is only 100 calories, better than a candy bar and it is filling and good for you. i can one before my walk and i felt like i was cheating on my diet. also sugar free dark chocolate almond clusters are good 2 pieces are about 180 calories. if i want that i make sure i only buy 2 or else i will eat more. and if i want salty i eat sailted nuts. that seems to be working
UGH!! Boy can I relate to you guys! I suffer from PM symptoms for longer than my actual period lasts! Bloating, tiredness, some irritability, and the freakin' cravings! It's like my appetite doubles, and I want everything - sweet, savoury, carbs, protein, just gimme gimme gimme!! Considering it lasts for up to 10 days some months (the cravings, I mean), that puts a serious dent in my weight loss efforts. I try to eat a good nourishing meal, then allow myself the dessert, whatever I want. Probably need to reign that in I guess, but it's hard, hey?
How do you deal with PMS cravings
