Until I was on oral contraceptives, I gained about 10 lbs with every period (the weight gain occurred over about ten days. About a week before and three or four days in). It would take me the rest of the month to get the weight gain off and I'd maybe have a one week window of opportunity to lose weight for the month.
I knew it was because I ate in reaction to the hunger, cravings, and mood swings of PMS. So there was PMS temporary water-weight gain, and then TOM (having eaten like a pig in response to cravings and mood swings) fat gain (that would be permanent if I didn't work it off over the next two weeks).
I start getting emotional and hungry about a week to 10 days before TOM starts. It's barely noticeable at first (in fact, I don't notice it at this stage, hubby does). The moodswings and crazy hunger peak about three days before TOM and starts to noticeably diminish by three days in. During this time, I crave carbs, chocolate and red meat (the red meat I can indulge in as long as I pick less fatty cuts. The chocolate I can indulge in, if I make it a low-carb option like low-carb hot cocoa). If I indulged the carb cravings, my resolve disappears and I eat like a madwoman. Hubby used to call me werewolf, before I was on bc pills. He joked (only during the times of month it was safe to) that it wasn't safe to come into the apartment unless he threw in a bag of burgers and waited to hear munching.
By the time I'm done with my period (about 7 days after it starts), the emotions and hungries are most under control. I feel like myself again (and usually at this stage am apologizing to my husband for the abuse I heaped on him during my wolfy phase. If I ate high-carb, I usually have a lot more to apologize for, as the carbs seem to make the moodswings and cravings/hunger far, far worse). If I ate low-carb, I also usually lose every bit of the weight gain with no effort at all.
I still gain at least 6 to 8 lbs of water during PMS/TOM, but by eating low-carb (and staying on bc), I can shorten the 10 to 14 days to 7 to 10, but it still straddles my period. Four or five days before period, and three to five after it starts.
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