That time of the month binge eating

I bought a pie to take to a friend?s dinner party on Tuesday. Damn them! They sent the rest of the pie home with me. On wed, on the worst day of my period, the pie starts calling my name. I had eaten very sensibly and spent 30 min on the bike, so I figured I could indulge in a small piece. Which I did. Then I went back and finished the rest of the pie.... right out of the tin.

Do any of you have problems staying on your diets during that time of the month?

Also, do you guys weigh yourself during that time? I am usually a daily weigher but I've stayed off the scale. I know, cause of water retention and bloating, that the news will not be happy and will undermine my enthusiasm.

Oh yes, why last night ( 2nd day in) the girl scout cookies were taunting me from the freezer! I usually don't buy cookies but it was for a good cause you know. Luckily my bf will scarf down most of them.

Oh & the cookie count was 1 shortbread, 3 little brownie cookies & 2 tagalongs. with 1/2 glass of skim milk.

Mine was half of a cream cheese pie from Marie Calendar's. I think you win, Regina. *grin*

this is a huge problem of mine.  I try to prepare a week in advance and not buy any snacks, treats, sweets - and I deffinatly don't weigh myself during that week. 

does anyone have any suggestions on what to do?  I have tried drinking a lot of water to keep me full, but it doesn't seem to matter - I still eat!

I'm horrible ttom & my PMS is 2 weeks long, if not longer. I have had PMS that was 5 weeks long when my cycle was 73 days. (more than once)You would think that your body would realize your cycle was off, but no- PMS comes at the normal time and then just stays. Its HORRIBLE.

The cravings are so strong, if I don't give in I go to bed crying, it makes me feel even worse, I become even more cranky. I haven't tried any midol, I get really paranoid about what I put in my body and I have to force myself to take medicine/pills. I am considering it though just because I really am irritable and I need to give myself and my boyfriend a break.

If you take one bite of something sweet, then follow it with water, and leave it in your mouth- it makes it last longer. For instance, put a hersheys kiss in your mouth, then take a swig of water and just let it slowly melt away- it usually helps to kick the craving.

I learned not to weigh myself either, its bad enough that none of my pants or bras fit- I don't want to see the number go up on the scale by 10 pounds.

Do you ever feel sick the next day? Today, I am very crampy and nauteous but my stomach is growling. I am eating a yogurt I don't want because I know I need to eat something. I can't tell if this feeling is strickly TTOTM related or partly because 1500ish calories more on my body than I have in 3 weeks. 

right before my cycle starts (2 weeks) I could eat everything in the house including the sink!!!  I call this my ravenous dog stage,  I try to stay busy during this time, and out of the house, I don't take any money with me when I go out just in case some fast food station jumps out in the middle of the road that i'm traveling on.   Also, I drink a lot of water, and have a lot of sex...that seems to burn more calories, keep me busy, and afterward i'm too tired to get to the fridge;)...lol

Mine is PMS the week before I start. Since I've started this journey I've kept track. I've found that I have three days in a row of incredible cravings thus three day's of binging. But now I do it in moderation, limit amounts, (a taste of this and a taste of that) I definately weigh that week. I see the weight go on then I get the rush of seeing it fly off! Since I've kept track and know what to expect, I don't let it derail me any more. Three less than perfect days are not going to ruin the other 28 days of dedication. Ain't it grand to be a woman?  ~Charlie

Ooooh yeah. Let me tell you. I just had mine about a week ago and I've never had chocolate cravings so bad in my life! I decided that I would allow myself a nice amount of chocolate that week. I worked it into my calories and ate healthy otherwise. It kept me from cleaning out the house of all things sweet and sugary (not to mention it kept me sane!) My boyfriend was incredibly grateful I didn't deny myself. I would be been so snappy!

thegirl64- "ravenous dog stage" bwahahahahha that made me bust out laughing. XD

I never had this problem before I started dieting! I have been dieting since Feb. 5th and I also started my period that day too. I did not have this problem that time but the next period in march was full of uncontrollable cravings. I think mabey the lack certain things due to my diet was just to much and some hormone was released that I had no control over... (I'm not a doctor and that might not make since but it's how I felt, the cravings were so bad that I came to the conclusion that a hormone had to be behind it!) Anyways I went on a 5 day binge! As soon as my period was over I was fine. I have not binged once since then. and I didn't binge once before then.

I don't know, mabey i'm blaming my lack of control on my period but it really seemed like it was the cause of the problem.

I tend to crave salt instead of sugar. For a few days before and maybe one day into my period.  I figure my body is supposed to retain or something? I dunno. And I also will find myself hankering for red meat the week after. I don't know if this is just psychological though, since my midwestern mom always made me eat red meat around my period! "You need it, for the iron, or you'll become anemic!!"

I just had my period two weeks ago, and I'm having spotting, cramps, and bloating again this week.  This happens to me every three months or so.... yes I've seen a doc... Ahhh, the joys of perimenopause ... !

I'm glad I ran a search for "binge" now, because I found a thread I was just about to make a new post about.

It's awful!  The past four days I've gone totally over.  I've been binging on graham crackers, peanut butter, and honey... went through half a box of crackers, half a thing of pb, and gobs of honey in a few days.  At least the crackers and pb were low/reduced fat...

I was doing so well and if I fall off, it's always at that time of the month.  I can usually control my binges otherwise.  I went to the store yesterday and made it a point *not* to buy peanut butter or graham crackers.

I feel like a monster those couple days before and of ttom.

Does midol help with food cravings at all?

Midol, alas, didn't do jack for me but one of my roommates swore by it.  I get cramps so painful I've had to leave school in tears.  That's what convinced my GYN to put me on Seasonale.  (I had to go off it last month - no more insurance- and I have to say that after having 12 periods in 3 years, monthly menstration strikes me as ludicrous.  It's like, "I just had you last month and now you're back again?!  Gimme a break!")

I get fierce cravings for pizza or cheesy breadsticks, and of course, chocolate -- pure milk chocolate that has no nutritional or mineral value whatsoever.  Mmmmm, sodium and saturated fat!  Yum!

ahhhh i am so glad i found this. i have been freaking out because i know i am pms-ing and now i don't feel so crazy. i def have the "ravenous dog" syndrome right now. i am cutting myself off from any food shopping until this goes away. is there ANYTHING that helps?? i have been dieting and i really don't want to lose all the progress i've made...

A friend of mine says that we crave so many things because a woman burns more calories than usual on the days before and during her period. I dont know, it doesnt sound right, could it be true? Cause if it is I will feel less guilty about eating a whole bar of chocolate for like 3 days in a row....

I'm going through this right now too..

Two words: Whipped Cream.

I know it's not super healthy, but it's way better than eating a chocolate bar or a piece of cake. I get some Kozy Shack sugarfree tapioca pudding (90c) and put 3 or 4 servings (6-8tbsp) of 15c low fat light whipping cream on it. Then I go to town :-p.

Ends up being approx 200 cals, and fills you up because of the air in the whipped cream. You could cut back even more cals by just eating the whipped cream.

Good luck ladies!

I do this and I used to really beat myself up about it.  I don't now.  Now during those days when I'm feeling ravenous, I will treat myself and eat what I want, but I try to eat low calorie, healthy foods first and continue to exersize on those days as well.  That's another thing I never did before because of the pain I'd have during that time of the month.   However in the last few months, I really watch my sodium intake and stay on top of the pain by taking OTC pain relievers such as Advil or Aleve just before it starts. 

Over the last few months, I decided to start weighing myself only once during that time.  I've been gaining about 3-4 lbs during those days but now by the end I lose that and an additional .5-1lb.  It's hard to believe, but I used to gain 10-15 lbs.  durning that time.  Talk about discouraging. 

Yeah, sounds like we all run into this.  I was actually trying to search for what I should be eating at that TOM.  We recently moved across country and didn't seem to affect my cycles any, but then I recently extended my work schedule to get in some OT for about 3 hours each day.  Right after that happened my TOM ran away on me.  I was actually pretty thrilled.  A month without?  Woohoo!  What a dream.  Part of me went into an anxiety fit over whethere there could be more to my missing TOM, but there wasn't. 

Uh, I'm dreading that month off.  Now my cycle is like it used to be in HS.  Bad.  The cramps are unbeleivable.  All I wanted to do last night was curl up on the couch and sleep.  I figured I could sleep through my period right?  Used to be what I did back in the day, and it worked pretty good.  I advise if you can to just sleep thru it all. 

Advil works for me, but I also think it's to blame for the 3 week long cycles I used to have too.  I used to have the joy of a monthly cycle, 3 weeks on and only a 1 week break.  I can't tell you how life defeating that really is.  No PMS thank goodness, but I still wanted to scream.  I usually ended up having to just stay at home 1 day each month because it would get to be too much.  It's exhausting going thru a 3 week cycle by the way. 

Anyhow, so I'm over here with a smoothie and a muffin and figured I would share any info I can to help.  The thing that used to help me thru it all, was to just eating a healthy alternative to what the monster inside is demanding.  You know, that low bellow that screams so loud you think the rest of the world must know you just gotta have "insert craving food type here". 

About all I can suggest is a lower fat/calorie alternative.  If you just gotta have a milkshake, try a yogurt smoothie instead (and not the super sweet sugar loaded kind either, it can be just as bad as a milkshake really).   If it's cake you need, try a slice of bread and milk.  I know it sounds really weird but dipping buttermilk bread really quick in some milk is actually pretty good.  French fries is usually a salt thing for me.  I know though if I get an order of fries I'll get a large instead of a small and eat it all.  After all, cold fries are yuck so you feel like you gotta eat them all.  Instead, try a small baked potato with some whipped butter and salt.  And then if chocolate is the craving, try just a little dark chocolate with a glass of skim milk.  Or make a glass of milk chocolate.  Or even try a chocolate protein shake.  Some of those are only about 200 calories (plus whatever you put it in) and taste phenomenal.  I recommend muscle milk or Syntha-6 (the red tub).  They make a vanilla ice cream, chocolate milk shake, and caramel latte.  It's about 200 calories and you can add it to milk.  Plus your guy will probably think you bought the stuff for him and that way at least the rest won't go to waste if you end up not liking it after all.

And then also right before you eat/drink your food craving, try a glass of water.  I actually don't drink near enough, but might work for someone else to help fill you up.  I try to sip on tea during the day though.  The warmth really helps.  Also a heating pad on the tummy does wonders for relieving crams.  Feels kinda like a hug.  Also make sure you get in a massage, sauna, or even an extra hot shower when you get home from work can be relaxing as well.   

My monster is pretty decent.  Once I have just a nibble of something really bad, it usually eases up on me.  I'm with my smoothie and muffin atm and only had the muffin top, and about 1/3 of the smoothie so far.  The craving is still a bit there, but it's really mild and I'm now in control again instead of it.  You can always put whatever you don't eat now away for later when the monster is back.  Don't feel the need to finish right now.  I know it sounds weird but sometimes you can "trick" your body by just having a mouthful of whatever you are craving instead of a whole serving size.  And then later if the craving comes again, keep repeating.       

that was my HUGE pitfall when I started losing weight. i would do so great for 2-3 weeks. Then BAM the time of the month came ..massive 1-3 day binge. So I was in the horrible maintaining cycle due to bingeing.

ughhh whyyy period whyyyy