In the past, when it's been the TOM for me all **** breaks lose food wise. It seems during the week all I want to eat is chocolate and carbs! Since I'm trying to eat healthier I know I can't do this but how do you guys keep sane? Yesterday all I could think of was chocolate cupcakes

Exercising always helps me, but I'm still craving the not so good food to a point where it drives me crazy! Grrr

I have issues with my TOM in that it's irregualr, so often times I don't know when I am going to get it. It's kind of been a relief some times, in that I will crave junk food like noones buisness, maybe give in a little bit and then the next day I will have cramps so bad I wish I was dead. Then at least I know it was because of the hormones and the cravings will pass. I personally am on a very liberal calorie counting diet, I may cheat a little bit during my TOM (as long as I record everything), but I don't let myself have a full out binge. If you really need to have a chocolate cupcake, have one or two but don't have 10. If you maintain or gain 1-2 pounds over a week it's not the end of the world as long as you get back on track when it's over.

Oh gosh, it's been hard for me this week as right before my TOM (like, now) all I want is chocolate and sugar. I don't care what they say, an apple will NOT cure my chocolate craving like a good old candy bar. It's hard, hard, hard.

Could you try and think of a healthier version of whatever you are craving.

Like if you are craving a chocolate cupcake substitute that for a vitatop brownie or if it is salty you are wanting try having some fat free chips. You get the idea.

They may not be exactly what you are wanting, but I am sure you could find some things that may work for you at that TOM.

Good Luck!

I found out that you can have your cake...sorta. Did you know you can make cakes with diet soda and cool whip (they make CHOCOLATE cool whip)...I think I may need to try that. My TOM cravings are chocolate (like candy bars) and Mike and Ikes. Oh gosh, I could eat a whole box of those.

I'm so with you on this!

I found the most amazing thing that really works for me during my TOM. Hershey's makes these little thin squares of dark chocolate. You can have 6 of the thin squares for something like 90 calories. It really works for me. I savor each piece and sometimes don't even finish all six of them, because the craving goes away after the first couple.

I've been having a hard time of this this week too

I can't say I have any advice to offer, except to second the advice you've already received to try to find ways to quell your cravings without going overboard. No sugar added fudgecicles do it for me... But I still end up eating too much, I just accept it and move on

Yeah, I'm usually like Jaime and just accept it and move on. I do usually overeat but it's only for that time of the month and plus, your metabolism is sped up during your period, so you probably work it off anyway. Just don't overdo it too much. I like to eat airpopped popcorn with the parkay spray butter. Or, I get the dark chocolate that hershey makes. Umm...I also stick with no fat snacks or stuff that fools you into thinking you are eating a lot more calories than you really are.

I definitely find that really, really dark chocolate (75% cacao or more) packs such a punch that if I have a small square, and let myself truly enjoy it -- i mean practically enter a state of meditation on the taste, the texture, the way it makes me feel -- that takes care of the bulk of my cravings. (Of course, some months I just want carbs carbs carbs, and that's a whole nother matter!)

Ok, as a side note, I've noticed basically everyone here refers to their period as their TOM. Which is fine, whatever. But am I going to offend people if I say 'period'? Or 'cycle'? I just feel like 'time of the month' is already euphemistic enough, you know? On the other hand, TOM is really short to type, which is nice.

Ok, I'd like to start off by saying sometimes I feel like the most hormonal person on the planet around this time of the month. I've always had extreme cravings, and that feeling that I could eat and eat and eat and eat without getting full around this time. I'm cranky and mean and hard to be around, and it was so bad that it got to the point where I was put on an anti-depressant to try to curb some of these symptoms.

That being said, the side effects of the anti-depressant made it not worth it for me and I found about a year ago that if I did cardio (intense, sweaty, out of breath cardio) then I was 90% more pleasant to be around WITHOUT the medication. I didn't always feel like, and those days when I chose to stay in bed with the covers pulled over my head, I always felt worse. But, even with the cardio I was still a bottomless pit when it came to food.
Until I started eating "clean" at the beginning of this year (I know, only a monthish ago, but trust me.) I actually started clean eating while I was pmsing. This is a time when I'd normally be so far off the wagon it would take another week to get back on. But, by the end of the week I realized that I wasn't hungry all the time, I was satisfied after meals and I didn't have the cravings on the same scale.
I'd heard people say before that cutting out processed carbs and caffiene and stuff would help with cravings, but I never really BELIEVED it until now. I've been through 2 TOM's so far, and I promise that eating 5-6 small (about 200 calorie) meals that have protein and complex carbs (whole grains) with each meal helps so much. I'm even more motivated to stick to my plan during these times because I see what a stark difference it makes.

Also, when cravings can't be beat... I like portion controlled versions of what I want. I saw those 150-calorie mini-chocolate betty crocker delight things at the store the other day and they looked yummy. I think they would be a good cupcake substitute.

It doesn't offend me. TOM, or AF, is easier to type out.

Oooh, 90 calorie fudgecicles! Never thought about that! That would definitely squelch my craving. I'm so glad to have people around that totally understand. Seriously, I've been told in the past to have some fruit when I'm PMS'ing. Um, are you serious? My body knows the difference between an apple and chocolate...

I'm hoping that no woman would be offended by seeing the word 'period'! I use TOM because it's easy and that seems to be the status quo here (I just got used to it, it's actually not an acronym I had come across before 3FC).

Man, this is kind of an apt topic for me today, I can't seem to stay away from chocolate! I made a poor decision and went and bought this pack of mini-Ritter Sport bars... with the intention of eating 1, maybe 2 today.... I'm pretty sure I ate it all with the exception of the 2 kinds I don't like! (That's 8 mini-bars, fyi). Yeah, that's about 1,000 calories. My cravings don't seem to start til the end of TOM and then for 2 days it's like getting hit in the face with a shovel! But I'm just going to lighten up dinner and make sure I get some exercise today, and I think I'll be okay.


Q to sgregg - is that true that your metabolism is faster during TOM? I had never heard that! Very interesting, though, and would explain a lot....

Jaime, I'm not sure if it's true...I just heard that it was. I don't remember where I heard or from whom, but hey, I will believe it...haha!

Weight Watchers has some fudgesicles. I just bought these little mint choc chip ice cream cones that are 150calories. Look in your freezer section at the grocery store and find the weight watchers and skinny cow desserts. There are still calories, but not as many as regular treats. As long as you can control how much you eat... I figure, a whole box of something that's 150cals per serving versus a whole box of something that is 400cals per serving is probably better. I don't really crave sweet though. Occassionally I do, but it's not a daily thing.

I like the little packages of micro cadbury mini eggs- 150 calories! And the afformented dark chocolate.