Most of my failed diet attempts have ended due to my TOTM. Ah, so many month-long diets. I used to get horrible cramps that really prevented me from exercising (once, they were so bad that it was too painful to walk) and of course I would feel the need to eat everything in sight. I've gotten on birth control since then and my periods are now regular and oh so much lighter!
That has really helped me to stay on track. You might want to consider getting some form of b/c just for that reason (I'm assuming you aren't already since you mentioned that your periods are irregular). I still crave during that time, but at least I can work out, which also helps curb the appetite. I wish you luck; I know how hard it is to feel like you're losing a quarter of your life.
TOTM: Why oh why the cravings?
) actually feel better, even more so than at any other time? Yes, it is emotional eating, but it is triggered by a physical event, and therefore much more difficult to control........because eating at TOTM always seems to fulfill a much greater desire for food. Ugh. It just makes trying to lose weight all the more difficult when for a full quarter of every year our bodies physically compel us to eat all sorts of unhealthy and unneccessay food!! 
