Well for the second month in a row I have lost the plot on my diet due to suffering from really bad PMS. I don't have a problem with dieting at any other time, but as soon as I get PMS all my good intentions go out the window - I feel so awful that I just stop caring about myself and my goals and I really tuck in to the comfort food. Last week I've had about 3 pizza's, a takeaway curry and cheese sandwiches everyday! I also didn't do any exercise as I felt so unbelievebly tired.

I suffer from PMS REALLY bad - tension, tears, lethargy, aching, agitation - you name it I get it - but I can't keep blowing out like this every month. I've not weighed myself due to my ban on the scale, but I feel huge (also got water retention!). I'm already on anti - depressants which help with PMT a bit - believe it or not I used to suffer even worse!

The other thing is that losing the plot has made me feel bad about myself - which makes it even harder for me to find the motivation to get myself back on track.

Any helpful suggestions would be so appreciated!!

Amanda

Oh how I know what you're talking about The only thing that makes aging tolerable to me is knowing PMS will eventually be gone...

I remember when I was very young my mother explaining to me that once a month I'll have a very full feeling and won't want to eat. I think I may have been adopted because it's the total opposite for me. Cravings that never existed before come out in full force once a month and it's that feeling of being powerless that's so frustrating. When I'm hungry sometimes I'll force myself to go out for a walk to take my mind off of eating, but during PMS I don't have the energy to do that (somehow I always manage to drag myself to the fridge though).

I can't really offer much besides sympathy Amanda, except to say that if I drink gallons of water during that time it seems to reduce the water retention (and keeps me in the bathroom and away from the kitchen). I'm sure someone has some more helpful tips to suggest, but in the meantime just remember that misery loves company and when it's really bad log on here and we can all commiserate

Thanks Jillegal - you are so great!

Whenever I post something you are always the first person to offer me support. I really appreciate it and think you are great!!

Love Amanda xx

Amanda,

I'm going through the same thing right now! The overeating has lasted for DAYS and I'm afraid to look at the scale. If anyone has more ideas (thanks Jillegal) please post! I hate to undo three weeks of work in one week a month!

Sherry

Thanks Sherry - it helps to know that I'm not the only one going through this. I too feel that it's a case of 1 step forward, 2 steps back - I have been off programme for about 5 days now - I'm going to try to get back on programme tomorrow, but I've got such a fat craving, it's going to be hard to break.

Thanks for being there

Amanda xx

1. Prozac helped me alot with the mood swing part

2. Pickles for salt (low calorie), those lean cuisine pizzas rock, Detour bars for chocolate

3. Write down your feeling, lack of, rage, whatever

4. Read a book about a real woman, someone that you can sympathize with

5. Have 1 piece of whatever you really want and enjoy it

This isn't suppose to be about torture. This is about finding healthy eating patterns.

OH LONG HOT BATHS AND EXCERCISE HELP TOO!
Miss Chris

Oh yeah, those new Lean Cuisine Pizzas are GREAT!! The crust stays really crispy in the microwave. I get the roasted vegetable ones and they have 330 calories and are really really good. The Pria bars are really good for the chocolate cravings too. Only 110 calories, but kind of like a candy bar.

I dont have anything to really add i just that these ladies havent already said but i know what you mean cause i used to eat a whole bad of snack size chocolate bars when i had pms. Now i try to make myself do something else or have something healthier at the very least like the detour or odessy or pria bars. Oh the Kashi bars are good too. I eat lots of sugar free jello with FF cool whip too.

Oh great...Lean Cuisine PIZZA, something else we don't get in Canada. Arghhh, do I even want to know about 110 calorie Pria bars when I have to drive to another country to try one? Oh well, patience is a virtue and hopefully one day these items will find their way across the border. When I was visiting my daughter in Seattle last Christmas there was a discussion with friends about the problem of young Americans crossing the border to Canada where the drinking age is 19. Someone commented it was pathetic they'd drive that far for a couple of drinks. Naturally my daughter chimed in with the fact I once drove to Buffalo for a "Skinny Cow" (in all fairness to me, I did some outlet shopping too)

@ Jillegal! That's just funny....

I can't think of anything that hasn't already been said, but I *totally* sympathize. Seems like that TOM is like... "whoa I didn't know I even liked chocolate/salty/fried foods" anymore. It's like.... a war with myself to stay away from the bakery.

Excercising really does help though, so does getting enough sleep.

After a few months of tracking, I realized my body has a natural rhythm and that fighting it was a lost cause and instead I needed to accept the way things were going to vary and include them in my eating plan rather than always swimming against the tide.

About two weeks into my cycle I am RAVENOUS, I eat every few hours and still feel hungry. Recognizing this, I try to have good choices available and just eat more often so I don't get starving and binge. In week three (PMS!!) I often get cravings and will permit myself a little of X, rather than going overboard. Once TOM arrives, totally not hungry and I go with that too!

You have to accommodate your hormonal cycles and plan for what you know is coming. It's not something you can control by "willpower" and trying to will just make you feel like you failed.

I have to say, after I got in the groove with Atkins, much of this has diminished, along with my midday blood sugar crashes. Who knows, yet another chemical mystery...

Thank you all for the great advice and support. I think you are right and that I will have to 'plan' for my PMS and have a little of what I fancy.

I don't think we get those Lean Cuisine pizza's here in the UK - but there are weight watchers one's available - I don't buy them because I'm worried they are still too high fat, but if they stop me ordering take away pizza (with double cheese and double garlic butter! ), while I've got PMS then I think I should invest in some!

Thanks Girls!

Amanda xx

I myself am having a PMS week and I'm shocked to say that I found out if I exercise first thing in the morning when I'm feeling all pissy and grouchy it actually helps me eat better during the day and even improves my mood......well slightly at least