What do ya'll do when you get that time of the month cravings? Oddly enough I never seem to get them when I'm not eating right. I guess that would be because I'm satisfying them.
Anyway, I have been doing the Eating for life plan for 3 weeks and doing great. No cheating and then Monday I just kept having these cravings for something sweet. So I ate stuff like bananas with light whipped cream or my favorite which is peaches mixed with grape nuts and lowfat vanilla yogurt. That did the trick for a few minutes.
I finally gave up last night and gave in to a chocolate bar. Back on track today, but how do ya'll deal with them? Do you just give in and be done with it for a day or what?
Mary

Mary,
I think that within moderation anything can be ok. eat a choc bar? sure eat double king sizes? may not be such a good idea. but i have noticed that when i am eating healthier i crave healthier. vanilla yogurt with bananas and lightly drizzled with honey. mmm mm

I think that moderation is a good suggestion. And, rewards... When we are working hard, we dererve to get a 'treat' sometime. But, I agree with Heather, I seem to crave healthier things.... And, I'm gonna have to try the yogurt thing... What kind of yougurt? Vanilla? And, granola? Or was it Grape Nuts? I gotta go back & read again. I would love to see FOOD POSTS. Like, good snack ideas, Something I love when chocolate is necessary, that is not terrible. Check out the fudge sicles in the store. I got Popsicle brand fudfge sicles and they are 60 calories and like 1.5g fat. Maybe 10g sugar. Just thought I'd share that...

Stef

hi,
you might try slimfast snack bars i have had the caramel krispy and the peanut crunch only 130 calories 15 vit & min. and high in calcium. 4 grams fat. they taste a whole lot better than i thought they would (like 100.000 grand bar and butterfinger )and stop that craving monster. same thing tho just because they are better for you you cant sit there and eat three at ont time. good luck to you


Peg

I am one of those who never really craves candy, cake, pie, desert, ice cream, cookies, or anything like that. I do like Coke, so I guess that is the sweet stuff I have to cut back on but once a month for just one day, I seam to need a chocolate bar, usually hershey's with almonds I get from the vending machine.
when that day is here, I just go get my hershey's and don't look back..

Thanks, I'm gonna have to try the sugar free fudgesicle suggestion. I seem to crave chocolate most.
And that snack was 1/2 can of peaches in fruit juice(get the brand name, non brand can be bitter, i think) 2 or 3 tbsp of nonfat vanilla yogurt and 1 tbsp of Grape nuts. I am going to get some toasted wheat germ and see how that taste cause the Grape nuts are so high in cal. I think 210 per 1/2 cup, but no fat. As long as its crunchy. I also like a banana cut up wit a drizzle of Hersheys light chocolate syrup and a tbsp of light whipped cream.
If you like sweets the Eating for Life book has some good ones. If anyone is interested and doesn't have the book, I can post some.

You know what - its never a good idea to deprive a menstruating lady of her chocolate! But of course, as everyone said, moderation is the key. Try buying one bag of M&M's and then make it last the whole week. Chocolate is actually beneficial to us in many ways. Sometimes I'll buy dark chocolate that comes in the little disks and is used for candy molds and then I'll ration them to myself - 3 or 4 pieces a day for instance. Just that little bit helps keep me cheery!

Hi Mary,

I guess when it is that time of the month or TOM as it is called. I guess that we all might slip here and there. I find that I don't slip as easy if the goodies aren't readily available to me. If I REALLY want it I have to go and get it and then buy it. If all of that is valid that I get and eat and be done with it. Otherwise I find myself dreaming of little debbie snacks cakes and feeling like I am dying of hunger (hardly the case). We all fall but the key is picking yourself up, brushing yourself off and tomorrow my friend is another day and another chance for you to be goooood!

Good Luck!
MQ

~with a sheepish grin she rises slowly~ hello..........my name is sassy and iīm a choco-holic. i find chocolate calls to me Especially during that time of the month. here are a couple of ideas that i do to feed that greedy need ..... i will make myself a cup of hot chocolate with skim milk,1%, or i use water will add a big ol tablespoon ff coolwhip for creaminess. taking long slow sips which satisfies 2 of my senses (taste and smell) & 2 of my needs (craving and comfort). relishing a mug of hot chocolate can bring back every warm fuzzie youīve experienced! ~winks n grinz~

another thing i do is freeze my favorite or a couple different favīs.....ya never know which one your going to crave at that time ~nodnodnodnod~ if itīs a chocolate bar i break off two squares and freeze, which usually breaks down to 5 itty bitty baggies of pure unadulterated bliss......~deep sigh~ and when i am in need i pull 1 out and suckle on it. i do not /will not Chew frozen chocolate ( its a me thing ~grinz~) just letting it melt in my mouth till its a tiny tidbit of tantalizing treat. then my tongue will do the mushing not my teeth ~laughing~ savouring every sweet succulent moment. i tell ya that one tiny lil bit of chocolate could last a half an hour or more that way. Yummmmmmmmmmm! i have grabbed my baggie of bliss and my walking shoes and hit the trail seeing how far i could get before all the reminscent choccie flavour was but a pleasant memory. turning it into a game of sorts..... alright a am a wacky wench thats for sure! but hey its the little things in life ~laughing~

if you do this may i suggest you go for the good stuff, the very best for you personally. chocolate is a decadant luxury item on our food list not a staple (anymore...sheepish grin again) hope my suggestions help as well........

wishing you nothing but the very best that life has to offer!

sincerely,
sassy

If chocolate is what you crave I say have some. Often eating many other things in hopes of satisfying the chocolate craving just leads to eating a bunch more. I say just cut to the chase and have some chocolate.

I have the same problem with cravings at that time of the month. However, I read that you burn more calories on the days before your period than any other time so that has sort of motivated me to be even better at that time of the month in order to lose a little more. Also, I have always allowed myself to eat whatever I want on the day I start my period and that helps keep me in line the week before. Oddly enough, by the time I start I don't feel like pigging out and usually don't over do it.

Hi, just jumping in here. I read that if you get dark choc that 70% or more cocoa it's actually beneficial. (IN MODERATION) It's actually very strong but if it's truly a choc craving, this works. I usually only have one small sq or two
(I am type II diabetic) but the GI and sugar grams are actually pretty low. though I am going to take Sassy's suggestion and break it down and freeze it. Sassy. Alot of times I finish it over the course of a few days because it's there, not because I'm craving anymore. So freezing it is a great idea. I do think you have to satisfy the really strong cravings. Better to do it with good choices, but if there is no substitute, then exercise moderation and go for it. I know I will go off into a binge if I feel too deprived and then become almost depraved