So, I've read a lot about how TOM impacts the scale, but I'm not sure how and when it does. I think I freaked out about a blip upward when it may have just been that I was premenstrual, as the number seemed to have come back down when I actually started my period. Of course, it coincided with a "feast day," when I allowed myself to eat more than I should have. Still, I was under 1600 calories for the day, and I couldn't imagine that it would have caused a three-pound weight gain. Is weight gain to be expected in the week prior to starting my period?
To gain three pounds of fat, you'd have to eat over 10,000 extra calories.
TOM hits me pretty hard. I start gaining about a week before (I can gain up to 10 pounds of water). The gain, despite eating right gets me bummed. Then I get PMS/TOM cravings for high fat carbs and red meat. All the junk I don't eat the other 20 days of the month. 5-7 days before my period, and about 3 - 4 days in, I literally feel like I'm going to starve to death. Nothing sounds good except the junk I don't even like the rest of the month (chocolate, fried stuff and red meat).
If I can manage to control the cravings, the 10 lbs just disappear by day #4, but if I let myself get discouraged over the water retention, or allow a slip to turn into a week long binge, I can gain back everything I've lost during the three weeks prior. Unfortunately, that's been my pattern. Lose for 3 weeks, regain during 4th week, and so on.
I joke to hubby that I feel like a "werewolf," and need to be caged for a week every month. He teases that once a month he has to toss a few burgers into the apartment before it's safe to come in. Hubby knows he shouldn't bring home hamburgers, and I know I shouldn't eat them, but he says beef and chocolate are the only things that keeps me from being mean to him for a day or two during "that time".
I've talked to my doctor about the birth control that eliminates or reduces periods. We were talking about the pill that you only have 4 periods a year, but the doctor said that often the PMS/TOM symptoms are just 3X as intense (which neither husband or I would survive)
I know a week before my TOM I will get cravings, feel cranky and usually have one day that I crave food. Since I have been posting here , recording food ect, I have only had my TOM once, and noticed the weight gain, so this time I plan to ignore the scale, keep on exercising and try to stick to my eating plan. For me if I accept this I know I will be ok.
cheryl
TOM does not affect me at all. I consistently have losses every week.(knock on wood) I do however have an increase in my appetite about a week before, I just add in a bunch more vegetables to counter it and I do fine. I also only weigh in once a week so I don't see any of the "fluctuations" thay may take place.
I feel ridiculous to have overreacted the way that I did. Thanks for taking the time to provide such a detailed explanation, Colleen. And thanks to Cheryl and Mrs. Quadcrew for sharing your experience as well. I'm still feeling my way through this, and I am so grateful to have a place where I can get my questions answered!
Laurie, you didn't overreact! We all react differently with TOM, and I know that I will have a different symptom each month, lol! This month I got all emotional (the crying at commercials thing), a bit more hungry, but didn't retain that much water, so I actually managed to lose a couple of pounds.
Last month, though, my ankles were swollen for a week (can you say a case of cankles? or maybe feekles--feet going into ankles with no demarkation?). And I was up 3 pounds despite a really good week of eating and exercising.
Look at the overall trend; it's more important than daily or weekly weighing. I mean, weekly weighing is the great way to keep yourself on track, but the monthly trend can give you an idea of what your body does.
One thing that helps me ALOT is a health journal. I bought one on ebay (author Frances E. Wilkins) called MemoryMinder Personal Health Journal, when I was tracking my fibromyalgia symptoms. It really isn't necessary to buy it, as you can easily make your own, but daily logging not only what you ate and what you did for exercise, but tracking your cravings, how easy/difficult it was to stay on plan, if you're experiencing any pain or health symptoms like headaches, cramps, moodiness... It really helped me see patterns in my behavior.
I stopped keeping it after I was on good medications to control the fibro, but I really need to start using it again. I'm seeing a Weight Management Clinic doctor and dietician today, and I'm sure a journal or food log will be part of my treatment plan.
TOM impact on scale?
