It has been a mere 2 months since I discovered 3FC. It has been very helpful to have my posts to look back on and track my patterns in just these past 2 months. I was especially interested in checking on my TOM patterns: how often he arrives; what I eat in anticipation of his arrival; what I eat when he is in the building; what my emotions are like over the month and is there a pattern.

Well, I did see a pattern. Now, I only have 2 months to work with so far, but I still saw a pattern in that time. One significant one was that 10 days before TOM's arrival, I became bloated and irritable and I would eat heavy, sugar-filled and salt-filled food over high-water-content foods. That would last about 3 days. Then a week later, TOM would arrive and I would again feel bloated and irritable, and eat heavy, sugar-filled and salt-filled food over high-water-content food lasting about 3 days.

So, knowing this pattern, I wonder if I will be able to shift some of the patterns that come with those two times of the month (the 10 days before TOM and the time when TOM is in the building). I am going to mark down on my calendar when I can expect to get signs of irritability and cravings and see if that warning sign will help me lessen some of the symptoms. Maybe I'll give myself more rest or plan a heavier food like hamburger or cheese into my diet a day before to ease up on the powerful craving or I'll buy myself a bar of high cocoa chocolate and feed myself a little the day before as well.

Should be an interesting journey of discovery.

Have any of you had success in changing TOM patterns as you embrace healthy living in the 3FC forum?

While I have not noticed any particular cravings at any time during the month, I have come to one realization (and weird how I was thinking about this in the shower this morning!). I can eat perfectly on plan for weeks at a time. 1200-1300 calories every day, whole foods, get in my needed exercise and see absolutely no change in the scale for 3 weeks. Then TOM arrives and two things happen: 1~I feel bloated (but do not necessarily gain any weight) and then 2~I suddenly lose 1-4 pounds in a week's time. While I don't complain about this loss, it can be very discouraging when I am actively trying to lose and my body isn't cooperating. However, after 1 1/2 years of doing this, this is my pattern and I have come to recognize that it probably won't change. So, I'll hang onto this 143 pounds for another 2-3 weeks and then I should expect a loss.

Man, do I ever get cravings!! I can hardly believe that you two don't, the cravings are so strong for me. Makes me wonder if there are some things about my diet that would change those cravings.

My program for a healthy lifestyle is exactly like yours, Whittlin. I wonder if there is a website that might give me some information about these cravings of mine and how to curb them. I'm going to Google that now.

I, too, have noticed a significant feeling of loss of water retention a few days into TOM, but not the first day. It feels so nice doesn't it! It really feels like that is the true me. Wish I felt that way more of the month! It doesn't tend to last long.

Since I've changed my food habits my TOM has changed for the better. I'm on BC pills so I know to the day when I will start. I used to get bad cramps and was so swollen that my clothes were tight. I also had a really bad salt/sugar craving starting a couple of days before. Now that I don't eat red meat or any fried foods anymore and I have increased my calcium intake, I don't have any of the symptoms I had before. I no longer dread TOM, and feel pretty comfortable. I'm also happy to report that I've had a reduction in days as well. I used to go 5 days, now I'm down to 3 days. I'm also able to exercise while on TOM, before exercising would cause cramps. I started noticing a difference with TOM after the first 10 pounds lost, it seems to improve every month.

I don't tend to eat red meat or fried foods, so removing those things from my diet won't change things, but I will increase my calcium intake and see what happens. How do you go about increasing your calcium intake - vitamins and/or food?

I checked out the web for clues about how to curb TOM cravings. Research has been done, but nothing has been revealed through these studies that might explain why some women have cravings and others don't. Darn. Guess I'll just have to keep up with my own investigative work on my own self.

Well, I have on my calendar to watch for cravings starting up on Sept 9th, and last night I had some interesting symptoms I have decided to record in my investigation process.

It was hot and humid yesterday and at 6 PM until I went to bed, I had ACHY feet. I attributed it to the humid weather, although I don't normally have this symptom when it is hot and humid.

What got me thinking differently about the cause of the achy feet was how I felt this morning. I FELT LIGHT. The kind of light that feels like just before TOM arrives. What we have been talking about. The absence of water retention. I stepped on the scale and sure enough I was down in weight. I also have a very gummy discharge this morning - FERTILE time.

Interesting, very interesting sequence of events. I will be curious to see if the cravings arrive on the 9th as I believe my pattern dictates. Maybe this feeling of water retention and then a drop, coupled with being fertile is part of the pattern. If so, that will help me be more prepared for the onset of cravings.

I still believe that part of my problem with cravings have been due to being blindsided by them. Knowing in advance the cravings will be coming, may help me to prepare. Prepare how, I don't know. At least mentally. I sure would like to have some kind of physical preparation as well. Something that helps the cravings not be so strong. More calcium might do it. The investigation process continues!