Why do we try to fight TOM bloat and weight gain and get upset when
1. We know its temporary
2. It happens monthly?

Thoughts?

I thought this would be a fun thread and so do this too

i actually don't mind it bec i know the following week, there's going to be a BIG drop and, even if it's not a real drop, it's still a motivational boost.

what i mind is the

I try to fight it just because it makes me feel incredibly uncomfortable. =/

LOL @ the pic!

I try to fight it because if I don't, I start letting myself slide..using the bloat/weight as excuses to either eat something that I shouldn't or slack off on exercise.

I don't know, it freaks me out though because I'm extra-hungry for like, two weeks before my period comes, and then I worry I'm pregnant and not pre-menstrual.

I embrace the TOM bloat. You know why? It means I'm NOT pregnant! Woohoo!

INDEED!

I just hate getting on the scale and seeing the extra numbers, even though I know I will go back down. It just seems so unfair to have the number go down, down, and then instantly back up 5 lbs or more. Seems like I'm totally out of control of my own weight.

oh, yeah - forgot about the hungry thing.

power fruit really really helps with that - it's a frozen mix by President's Choice of cherries (i think both bing and sour), blueberries, raspberries, and a few others. so delicious. i eat them frozen, one by one, and by the time i've worked my way through an 80-cal cup, i'm good for a while.

I get frustrated because my weight gain is for almost 3 weeks. I see downward movement on the scale for 7-10 days and then it creeps up for TTOM. It never completely goes down and then goes sky high for ovulation. This month it was 6 pounds and those 4-6 pounds for WEEKS. I don't even know if I'll get to the same low of the previous month for 3 weeks, so it can b e hard to guage if I'm making progress or not. I just keep trying and doing my best, but it would sure help my head deal with it, if my weight loss was more linear.

TMI warning - some of my comments are a bit graphic.


I don't think all of us do fight it or get upset about it, and even those of us who do fight it, may do it only because we were taught to, and others of us may fight it for different reasons.

I used to fight it and would get upset because I was taught to. Everyone I knew got upset about it, so I got upset about it too, and didn't really question why. It's just what you were supposed to do.

Now I don't get upset by it, but I do still fight it a little, but not usually because of the weight or swelling itself. I do "fight it" somewhat because I've discovered that uncontrolled bloating also tends to drastically increase the amount of pain I experience with my period. I often get such terrible cramps that sometimes even narcotic pain meds do not do much for them. My IBS symptoms also tend to flare (severe and embarassing gas pain as well as sudden and severe diarrhea episodes).

By keeping bloating and swelling to a minimum, I can also decrease the amount of pain and intestinal symptoms.


I've found that eating very low-carb tends to decrease my weight gain and even more importantly tends to decrease the painful and embarassing side effects of my period. It also tends to reduce the out-of-control appetite that I call "rabid hunger," that I experience during pms/period time.

For me, it's all about "damage control." Keeping annoying and painful symptoms to a minimum, and keeping hunger at bay so that the temporary weight gain doesn't become true weight gain.

Vanity is a part of the equation, because the swelling in my abdomen and face is severe enough to be noticeable (hubby will even sometimes remark that my face looks puffy or swollen, and I tease "yeah, thanks for pointing that out). So if I'm plainning to be going out for a dress up occasion during PMS/TOM I tend to be even more careful with the carbs, so that I don't feel like Jaba the Hut.

For me it's a discomfort issue. I don't like feeling bloated, I don't like the hormonal fluctuations that tend to increase my negative mood/anxiety and I most definitely don't like the increased hunger. I try to look at every month as an opportunity to do better (with my eating during TOM and with my mood) and I also feel grateful to not be pregnant.

I actually came across some sort of magic a month or 2 ago and lost about 4 pounds while it was TOM. It hasn't happened since, but I do seem to be able to fight off gaining anything. This may be TMI but, my stomach always gets really sensitive around TOM and I think thats what caused me to lose the weight that one time. Ever since then I keep crossing my fingers when that TOM starts to creep up hoping I'll get lucky again!

Hilarious! ROFLMAO!

Needed the laugh! Thanks!