Well....it's arrived - PMS. I swore it wouldn't derail me this time. I've had a really good first week. I've ran four times and stuck to a mostly healthy 1600 calories. My calorie deficit is going according to plan. Then yesterday....it began with the 'sad' feeling. And that nervous feeling in my tummy. Then, tiredness and mind fog hit. I literally feel that I can't see property. Get out for a run I told myself, get out now it will help! But no, I took myself back to bed after the school run and stayed there fast asleep for three hours. My running addiction stopped in its tracks. Once I got up, the appetite surged. Cereal, 2 ice creams, toast, crackers and butter. I logged it all and managed to stop at 2000 calories for the day. That's a relatively mild PMS day. Last time (2 weeks ago) I was logging 3000 calories a day. ...I.....hate .....this!!!. The most scary thing is, not how bad my PMS is, but how long it lasts and how frequently I get it. My doc says I'm very sensitive to hormone changes so it happens at ovulation time also. So twice a month for about 6/7 days each time. It sabotages any good healthy days I've had and ruins my monthly calorie deficit. Has anyone ever conquered this?
The dreaded PMS: Well....it's arrived... - Weight Loss Support
The dreaded PMS
Purely anecdotal, but I find consuming more soya helps with my hormoney (should that be moany?!) symptoms.
Morning unfitscholar, I do feel for you. I used to get the most awful cravings for all the things that I shouldn't have been eating, I remember those days well but fortunately I am old enough for them now to have past 
Looking at what you are eating, it's all carbs. Eating carbs makes you want more carbs, eating more carbs helps to make your head foggy and makes you very tired. (Since I changed my way of eating to LCHF, I haven't suffered with a foggy head at all. I had suffered with this for years!)
You need to eat some good sustainable fats that will fill you up and not spike your insulin. I would suggest that you have some cheese and nuts, eat some scrambled egg made with proper butter, not margarine, have some avocado, if you want to eat crackers that's fine, but use oat biscuits, lovely with butter and cheese
Hopefully some of these suggestions will help and I hope you get some more replies from others who are going through the same thing.
Yes carbs and sugar are what my body craves during this time. I have eaten the foods you mention, in fact, I love them all...but I'll still rummage through the cupboards after I've finished them in search of the carbs. I just feel so out of control, like literally...no control over myself. I find that whether I fight it or give in to it, the result is the same - I consume too much food and sleep through the day. Once it lifts I'm all good again for two weeks, happy, disciplined, energetic, exercising.
Maybe you need to have a good look through your cupboards and not keep in what tempts you - not always easy with a family I know.
I used to crave them terribly, but going low carb high fat has cured my cravings. But you have to stick with it. Once youve been on this way of eating for a week or two the cravings normally stop.
I suffer more at ovulation time I get terribly bloated and painful stomach like trapped wind. But no more carb cravings!
Good luck
It's possible you're just being a bit stingy with yourself. Most people, when they reduce carbs, underestimate (a) how much they should be eating because of constant messages about small portions and (b) how much fat they should be eating. If you eliminate 1000kCal of carbs, then you need to add back something like that amount as fat (say, 800kCal, 85g).
Also... most people have to go through an "induction" phase (very-low-carb for about 2 weeks) to break the cycle. Cutting down works for some - I know there are a couple of people here who have done it - but if it doesn't work you you, it would be worth trying the cold-turkey approach. It sounds a lot worse than it actually is!
I really feel for you 😕. I suffered for years but found movement really helpful. I know you didn’t feel like a run but could you manage a walk? There is something about the rhythmic rocking motion that is good for the pelvic muscles
Also maybe do some sort of calorie cycling, where you eat a little less at other times to counteract the over indulging days. Have you checked you target calories on the nhs BMI checker? nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-we... It will suggest a range, so you can eat anywhere within the range depending upon the TOTM
Best wishes
Indigo 😊
Thanks indigo, I have tried calorie cycling and intermittent fasting but it hasn't worked. Or rather, it has but only short term. I find it puts me in a bad place mentally though and it leaves me too hungry on my normal days. I don't want to eat at the low end of the guidelines, that just sets me up for failure I have found. Sorry if I sound resistant, that's another symptom of PMS haha
First of all, sorry for the delay in getting back to you.😕 And please don’t apologise for sounding resistant, we all have to find our own way.
I am totally with you on the not feeling hungry or deprived. This is a very common failing with most weight loss plans. I have had to accept a very slow weight loss (2-4 lbs per month) for exactly this reason 😊 But it worked for me, and I’ve kept the weight off.
Being successful at weight loss doesn’t mean being 100% perfect all of the time, if you can successfully lose weight some weeks, and maintain on others, then that’s a success. Maybe that’s something to aim for on these TOTM weeks?
Thank you. Like you I aim for a slow weight loss of 2 lbs per month. I'm absolutely happy to maintain in those weeks. Just as long as I don't gain and undo the small weight loss.
Thanks you everyone. Yesterday was a PMS success in the end. I absolutely forced myself out for a run because I had to do something to raise seratonin levels. When I began running I actually was holding in my years - completely irrational sadness. After a few mins though, I had to focus on breathing and endurance and boom my mood began to lift. When I got home I showered and slept for an hour. It also helped with cravings. I did eat slightly more than ideal but only slightly so that's a huge improvement! Today's is another day of it, I can feel the lowness hasn't left. So I'm going to run again and hopefully I'll have the same results. I keep telling myself ' you're in control here, not hormones! And it helps 😁
Very well done 👏👏👏. Exercise is so good for us, it not only boosts seratonin but I definitely find it suppresses appetite too
Have a good day 😊
Well done you I am so pleased to see that you took some control. It's so hard to do.
From the point of view of the lowness, I can understand this completely, it seems to come from the pit of the stomach. You may think I'm mad, but this is what I have done in the past - don't know if you have ever seen the film Pollyanna. They play a game called the gladness game. You have to think of 3 good things in your life and concentrate on them. Do this every day and it helps to get those low thoughts to go away. I also joined the Happiness Challenge here for a while and have to say since doing that, I can now have greater control of those 'low moments' whenever they come. Not everybody's cup of tea I know - but might be worth a go.
Here's wishing you another good day
Lovely idea lucigret ❤️
That is lovely 😊. You are right, it comes from within. I literally have butterflies in my tummy all day. And there's nothing bad going on in my life. Im not sad because of anything..I'm simply sad. But I know it will pass. Another day or two and I'll be back to myself again.
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