Pre menstrual carb cravings - Should we just go with it?

[Nettee]

I have had a light bulb moment today - was doing beautifully on my diet until last night when I went mad eating alpen bars (I think I had 8 ). I am trying a very low sugar and refined carbs diet but am allowing myself butter and cream and fat on meat. Until yesterday it had been fairly easy - I am only a week and a half in so there is the novelty value so I may be speaking too soon.

Anyway I am getting to that time of the month where the diet always goes a bit pear shaped so I googled it and found this article:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog...1008/you-can-prevent-pms-destroying-your-diet

I am wondering if I should change my diet for one week in four to a low fat and higher carb diet. It would be a change which is as good as a rest so might be motivating and actually it would stop me from trying to swim up stream with all the carb cravings I have.

Or do you think I just need more will power if if I had no carbs at all I would never miss them?

 

[rowanx2]

I'm the same, I had one of those Tesco flapjack trays earlier, couldnt get enough....! Then I came on! I think go with it to an extent but try to not let it get out of control. It's not a prison sentence losing weight and being healthy lol, and youre a healthy BMI now anyway, what's it going to hurt once a month? x

 

[Nettee]

I think the key is not to let it derail the whole diet forever.... I am a healthy BMI - thanks for pointing that out but my problem is I reached my goal and just started eating for England and gained 9.5lb before I knew where I was. Trying to find a way to lose that little bit and then maintain without beign obsessive. It is so hard.

 

[Vetlet]

I think allowing yourself some treats is important for sticking at your diet and maintaining it long term. I find if I actually plan to have a reasonably sized treat once every 2 weeks, say, then I'm much more motivated, don't get bad cravings and best of all I don't feel guilty for treating myself. As long as you do it in a controlled way, and it sounds like you have a good plan, it shouldn't ruin your diet, and might actually be beneficial if it prevents you from bingeing when the cravings finally get too strong. Good luck with it, let us know if it works

 

[It's me]

I understand that all consuming carb craving once a month. Mine is carbs and chocolate with peanuts! How specific is that, can't get enough m&ms for 2 days before and the first day of.

They do say your body craves what it needs, so maybe there's something in that and we should, in a controlled way, allow ourselves to go with it. It's hard to get back on track though I've found in the past.

 

[RedBobbin]

I've always had intense carb cravings in the week before AF. I used to get cravings and weakness...where I felt if I didn't get sugar (or something that turns to sugar quick - ie refined carbs) I might collapse.

Defintely the more fat and less carbs I eat in general, the better I do carb-craving week each month. The craving is still there, but not the weakness. I try to manage it by eating a bit more fat (if I feel like it) and more carbs....within reason. I usually manage the within reason bit, but weightloss is always lower that week.
I try not to beat myself up over that week just practice some damage limitation LOL. More successful some months than others....such is life!