Everyday Systems

Hi there,

I've been happily NoS'ing for over two weeks (and down 7lbs), and just broke my good No-S habits for the first time. I have a super hard time every month just before my period with strong cravings to eat chocolate and whatever else is in sight.

Any tips from those of you out there?

I tend to have three food cravings:

chocolate
fruit
cinnamon

Cinnamon and fruit are pretty easy because they can be included into my three meals - fruit, fruit salad, cinnamon toast.

Chocolate - I make a chocolate protein shake. You can adjust it by making them with Splenda or a portioned amount of natural sweetner. Read labels because there are some loaded with sugar and replacing a meal with a shake filled with sugar can have you drop kicking people for food an hour later. However, if you keep the sugar content down, the protein will keep you full. Come your S Day -you can indulge a bit in something you crave like - real chocolate.

I know it's not ideal but, chocolate meal replacement is what I do when it's BAD!

Well, the week before my last one, I just HAD to have the taste of chocolate, so I took some skim milk and added a little bit of Hershey's syrup. I don't care if it may be against the rules, it was low in cals and it gave me the taste of chocolate that I needed.

Ugh. This subject has been a little too crazy for me lately, but to handle the choc. craving, I have a glass of chocolate soy milk with meals, so I don't feel like I'm cheating that way. I also load my plates up pretty good, as I feel pretty hungry during my TOM.

Good luck!

There was a previous thread on this subject which might be helpful:

http://everydaysystems.com/bb/viewtopic ... ight=month

It can be a difficult time.

I had the weirdest thought, and because it just popped into my head, it could be completely useless, but I wanted to put it out there in case it's not.

What if some percentage of the hormonal cravings are HABIT?

I mean, I don't know about you, but I track my cycle. If I were expecting to experience X, even the slightest HINT of X could come on like gangbusters and feed onto itself.

Now I'm lucky enough that I don't experience excessive PMS symptoms other than a bit of reactiveness, but I did notice in myself that as I expected the reactiveness, I was giving myself permission to behave in ways I really don't like.

NoelFigart wrote: What if some percentage of the hormonal cravings are HABIT?

Noel,

Doubt it...

I'm smack in the middle of menopause. I have every hormonal surge in the book and every known symptom. I don't notice my cravings any more so than usual. When I was at my worst, though, from adolescence until the age of 50, I was the most depressed. Dessert = mo bettah serotonin. The lack of serotonin is not a habit, but the decision to binge on dessert to fix it is.

If this is another one of my word salads, you can blame that on menopause too.

f

Thanks for your tips

Dear Inspired,

I really do feel for you! I'm going through some heavy PMS right now and it's making me crave sweets and chocolates like mad! Usually I'm pretty good with not snacking on sweets during the No S days, but lately, I've been going off the rails and I feel very much out of control!

All I can think is that these cravings will pass once I begin to menstruate. In the meantime, I am trying to walk around alot more than I usually do!