PMS Cravings & Active Rest.

by

MIZ. What do you eat when you have your period and crave sweets. Lots of sweets. I cant do treat days through my whole cycle. HELP!

Ahhh, that’s me (and many of us) to the proverbial T.

I used to think it was all in my head but, the older I get, the more I realize it isnt. My body truly craves sugar during that time of the month.

My go-tos?

I’ll make ‘haystack cookies’ with fiber1 cereal, some chocolate chips, some peanut butter chips, and peanuts.

And no.

There’s no recipe here, People, as it’s usually done in a semi-panic eating as I go (I caint lie to you).

I also LOVE (brace your collective selves) making air popped popcorn, spritzing it with water, & tossing it with chocolate protein powder.

It tastes FAR better than it sounds and works, for me, as a way not to eat the Oreo cookies which are typically in the cupboard chanting MizFit! MizFit! MizFit! at the top of their tiny creamfilled center voices.

I also have been known to eat these.

Perhaps not the most clean food ever but the most sweettoothsatiating food ever for me during that time of the month.

Now what does science tell us (because I know you come here for the scientific stuff)?

We should seek out the omega 3 fatty acid rich foods when the cravings strike.

Our seratonin levels drop prior to getting our period and that’s, technically, what triggers our cravings for sweets.

The best snacks then, emailer, would be cold water fatty fish (salmon, sardines), flax seeds, walnuts, chia—things of that nature.

**crickets chirping**

Yeah, me either.

When the yen for Ben (& Jerrys) comes I dont think a slab of salmon would suffice.

I mightcould be in for sprinkling some chia on my New York Super Chunk Fudge (marianne? you too?) but that’s as far as this MizFit would be willing to go.

Miz, I’ve heard you talk about active rest and I wondered if you could define this for me. As a former overexerciser I tend to use the term active rest to pretend to myself I am taking a day off (doctor’s orders) when I am probably still doing too much. Suggestions appreciated. Thanks!

I loved this email because active rest is a concept which took me a while to wrap my training-brain around as well.

I tend toward the other end of the spectrum from our emailer and, when I was following a set program/training for competition, wanted my days of active rest to be more the latter word than the former.

By definition active rest is when we do lightlight activity (walking, slow swimming etc) in order to spark the RECOVERY process and not in an effort to calorie burn or tax our bodies in any fashion.

Ren Man and I like to liken active rest days with regards to exercise to the rest of our lives:

When we have busy busy days of working it can be hard to unwind when evening comes.  It is, in a way, as if we’re attempting to go from traveling 65 MPH on the highway to slamming-on-the-brakes & veering into a rest stop.

It doesnt work for us as we both are the types who need to slowly apply the life-brakes and e-a-s-e into the scenic overlook.

The idea same applies to exercise.

It’s important to take days off from hardcore working out to prevent overtraining — but your body wont benefit from you slamming the exercisebrakes on ENTIRELY either.

That’s the reason why many experts recommend we find a reduced intensity or mild aerobic activity to do on days we’re not training.

This active rest  helps our typically hard working muscles flush out toxins (muscles recover more quickly when lactate is carried away from them) and (if you’re me) also helps to keep you from growing bored with the same repeated routine.

What does active rest look like? It depends on what you like to do!

For me active rest is simply living my life (chasing the Tornado at the park, talking a walk around the neighborhood, playing with her in the pool).

For others it’s more a scheduled activity (restorative yoga, trail walking, stretching, s-l-o-w cycling etc, dancing etc).

The most important part of active rest is to focus on not WORKING your muscles (save that for training days!) but FEELING your muscles.

Spend the active rest days living in your body & listening to what it’s telling you about your workouts on the other days of the week.  Too much? Too little?  Only your body knows for sure.

My last tip, and one I used frequently with clients who didnt adore what they perceived as days off, is to think of active rest days as active recovery.

These are the days, emailer, when your body is recovering, repairing & healing so that it can perform better on the days you train.

That’s me, People.

Weird PMS cravings & days of restful movement.

And you? Got any craving-reducing secrets you wanna share? Recipes we need to have?

Any tips for our emailer on incorportaing active rest, err, recovery and ENJOYING it as s/he does?

Please to hit us all up in the comments.

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Comments

  1. I love the idea of “restful movement.” Speaking of which, has MizFit ever done NIA? (see my blog post! I’m dying to know!) It’s not exactly restful but it is also not taxing in the way I think of workouts. Who knows, Nia might be my gateway to the dreaded YOGA. Do you think “gentle yoga” is restful movement? (not the hot kind, but the SUPER gentle kind)

  2. I love the explanation of “active rest”. It makes perfect sense to me! Thanks!

    My favorite sweet craving snack? Banana dipped in tahini.

  4. I like the concept of active recovery.
    I, too, tend toward the overexercising end of the spectrum and have found instead of getting better and faster I am getting tired.

  5. I used to have lots of cravings before I added in the flax seeds to my diet.

    There is something to the omega 3 addition!!

    ACTIVE REST: I am a personal trainer and there is nothing more important than rest in my opinion. No matter your goals.

  6. I needed this post today Miz…last night I wolfed down a Peanut butter Twix at 11PM because I just.had.to.have. it. I don’t have any good snack arounds because all I want are the oreos and potato chips.

  7. Hey Miz!

    I wanted to let you know that this was an AH HA moment (as you always say :)) for me:

    Spend the active rest days living in your body & listening to what it’s telling you about your workouts on the other days of the week. Too much? Too little? Only your body knows for sure.

    I’m your emailer. thanks for answering.

    Off to live IN MY BODY,

    T.

  8. Airpopped popcorn and protein powder?

    Oh Miz.

    You’re lucky I am already a faithful reader as I think I threw up a little in my mouth 🙂

  9. I had never heard of active rest. Very interesting. Off to start the day. Thanks Miz, good stuff as always.

  10. Walnuts and CHOCOLATE actually sounds pretty great.
    May I call it a health food snack if it’s dark chocolate?

    Off to workout.
    Not a rest day here.

    xo xo,

  11. Does chocolate bars with toffee and almonds work? It’s got almonds in it, those are good for you, right? 😉

    I’d hope that most people (especially if they have kids) would do the active rest thing during everyday life too. But, I’m sure I’m not the only one that has to force this stuff. You had some good tips in there. I like to take strolls around the neighborhood with my dogs to unwind.

  12. Cravings! Yes oh they seem to be not so bad when I am eating right, but they still hit and it is typically the chocolate…rich chocolate I crave. I (the last time it hit) bought a chocolate lava cake, a 2 piece, and only had 1. Yes I would normally have eaten both, but did not. The vita tops, now there is a thought. I have had them in the past and calorie wise would be way better for me then the lava cake. May even benefit?! One could dream! LOL

    As far as the active rest, we have been, as a family, working on walking more together. Around town, in the woods. It is a walking/talking outing and we are bonding. It has/is great!

  13. You mean active rest isn’t sitting at the computer, sipping coffee? Uh-oh!

    Seriously, I have just had to build in some rest days after a week of rushingaroundtryingtodoitall which sent me a little bit insane. Active rest days is a good idea, I get it now.

    Ta x
    PS: no help on the sugar-craving PMS thing – it is a battle for me too.

  14. I’d forgotten the whole “active rest” concept, but I need to get this back in my vocabulary. I have these days several times a week. I love gong for walks so don’t really “count” them as exercise. But I need to reframe these days as “active rest” or “active recovery days” rather than my current label: “too f—ing lazy to go to the gym” days!

  15. Can I make the mom suggestion on the PMS cravings and say go for super sweet fruit? I like cantaloupe, but whatever works for you! You can also top it with a little cool whip topping (Whole Foods has a more natural version). Yummm

  16. NIA. Totally! Trance Dance all of it.

    (And yeah. At first I mocked. Especially the Trance Dancing ;))

    The popcorn & protein? Don’t mock till you’ve tried it 😉

    Ok MOCK but then try it?

    And seizing Erica’s ‘mom recommendation’ notion FOR ME I frequently find—-especially during PMS—when I cravecrave sugars it is an indication I’ve eaten too many processed carbs at my last meal or snack.

    Might just be me.

    Anyone?

  17. this month it was bagel chips with chunks of avocado, greek yogurt w/loads of honey, mashed up microwaved chick peas with ketchup…yes, i’m so serious.

  18. I can’t help much on the PMS question. :-/

    Regarding active rest — I try to walk every day (except as of late! Grrr!). To me, I don’t feel the need to give my legs a rest from that. That is my form of keeping my body going between the harder exercises that I try to do every other day.

  19. So.
    You recommend the Vita-tops or just as a ‘moment of weakness’ snack?

    I need to know what the MizFit stance is 😉

    Meredith

  20. ok Meredith.

    Here’s my VitaDeal.

    I love most things http://www.hungry-girl.com

    However for my bod one VitaTop begets another and another and another.

    Even if I slather with protein & fat (p’butter).

    So I simply recognize that about myself.

    There has never been a ONE. TOP DAY up in herre.

    Even when I froze the rest of the box.

    (They’re great frozen. Who knew?)

    Do with that info what you will as I know I’m not able to speak for anyone/thing else but MAH BELLY 😉

  21. “When the yen for Ben (& Jerrys) comes I dont think a slab of salmon would suffice.”

    BEST QUOTE EVER!!!! And I have to agree (as I’m PMSing right now) that I get the munchies during this time and it’s very hard to restrain myself.

  22. Desert yogurts are good for PMS cravings. The flavors are so varied and they have deserty ones so you can feel as though you are indulging.

    Or Jello cups. Chocolate. Or cheesecake. Yum. and portion controlled.

  23. Air popped pocorn w/ spray butter w/ splenda and salt. Popcorn with 1 TB of chocolate chips. Carrots and hummus. Cucumber slices w/ salsa. Frozen FF cool whip.

    Rest. Rest. Rest.

  24. I really like your life-analogy.

    I tend to try and stop all at one time and it never works.

  25. I use hot chocolate. The aroma and the fact that it’s really hot so I have to drink it slowly help satiate the craving, because I end up savoring it, not inhaling it. However, I tried just adding hot water to protein powder, and could taste that the powder came from eggs.

    Could dancing around your apartment in your unders count as “active recovery”?

  26. Yeah honey, you can KEEP those chia seeds… My omega of choice is edamame. I crave salty so those fit the bill quite nicely, and I don’t feel as frustrated as when tipping the potato chip crumbs into my yap.

  28. I thought PMS cravings were horrible….but pregnancy cravings can be worse. I have learned to try and wait it out – 10, 15 minutes and then if I still want the item I have a small version of whatever I am craving. For example, on Monday I was hit with a major craving for a chocolate bar. I waited 10 minutes, drank a big glass of water, and did a few laps around my office building – still wanted chocolate. So I sat down and had a small square of dark chocolate. It worked, the craving was satisfied.

  29. Apples with peanut butter, almond butter, PB2, or FitNutz! My favorite snack when I’m craving the sweet.

    Or just straight nut butters off the spoon. That works too.

    If my usual activity is walking (a couple hours each day), then would you think that it’s necessary to take active days of rest from something like that? CAN a person take an active day of rest from something light like walking?

  30. Hmmm…. can PMS stand for Post Menopausal Syndrome? ‘Cause I get cravings all the time! For potato chips. I swear, it’s the worst!

    And what you consider active rest? Is what I consider exercise! Guess I need to rethink my position…..

  31. I love your protein popcorn idea!

    What do I do when I get cravings? I hunt down hot tea, paint my nails (so it’s harder to blow my diet), take a hot epson salt bath (which also helps with your recovery message). If I’m still craving something, because my body needs more nutrients, I try to go for something like a 1/2 scoop of protein powder blended w/ice, water, and spinach. I like to make it good and thick so I can eat it with a spoon..it lasts just a little longer than a shake that way. And then, I go brush my teeth because not much tastes so good after that!

  33. i love taking long walks on my days off… usually make my destination a different store or farmers market 🙂 or the park to people watch!

  34. Active rest is difficult for me. I always have this need to feel like I got in a “good” workout. But I’ve found that if on my rest days I go for a nice walk with Hunni and the dogs, or a bike ride with Hunni or a good yoga class I still feel like I’m getting in some exercise but not taxing my muscles like normal training does.

    I love your idea of just living your life to be active rest. It allows you to enjoy working out in a family setting just as much as at the gym solo.

  35. I like dark chocolate, banana slices & almond butter. It satisfies my sweet tooth, and I can usually stop at a “reasonable” amount.

    I like the tip about Omega 3 fatty acids. Maybe I should eat more of these BEFORE that time???? Have to experiment….

  36. I always love your question & answer days!!! We all have similar questions!

    As for PMS/aging hormones, I am a “crunch”/carb person. I always know it is coming on when I go looking for my bread, & the like. I just try to stick with my healthy bread & DON’T overdo, portion control my healthy animal cookies or Kashi Go Lean cereal plain. I really want the sweet crunch but I give myself a taking to & stick to the healthier options. It is a mind game for me that mostly wins & occasionally does not. 🙂 I also sip on my flavored water to keep my mouth busy & away from other stuff!

    On active rest, I am just for walking about, enjoying the day & nothing too planned… takes the stress out of everything!

  37. Ummm…how many days of active rest are we supposed to have? I think I am enjoying my active rest too much–long leisurely swims in the pool. Nice strolls with the doggies…

    I think I am averaging 3 days of challenging exercise/weights in the gym, and 3 days of ‘active rest (which includes my days at work where I walk in and out from 1/2 mile away and walk all day at work.)

  38. I munch on dark chocolate chips. I can’t help myself. They are gluten-free and dark chocolate is supposed to be good for us, right? When I get that hormonal craving, I know the bag of choc chips in the freezer will be making it’s way to the top drawer of my bureau. I sometimes desire other things, but right now, at the beginning of my “craving time”, chocolate and a cheeseburger from Fuddruckers is all I can think about. Argh.

    Vee at http://www.veegettinghealthy.blogspot.com

  39. aaaghhh, I wish I had a good solution for my mad TOTM cravings!

    I don’t keep sweets in my house so it usually works itself out, and I’ll go for something with almond butter (ANYthing – fruit, yogurt, bread) or some oats with cocoa powder (YUM). But really, if it’s one of those rare times I might kill someone to get a sweet treat, I’ll treat myself to some fro-yo or a little serving of ice cream. And now that’s all I can think about. 🙂

  41. Most of my clients find that if you eat really healthfully & exercise consistently then your cravings go down! This truly happens. If you find yourself craving sweets, Miz Fit gave some great ideas. Sometimes luna or balance bars can do the trick or the single serving No Pudge brownies are delicious too! I also love taking 1 Tablespoon of chocolate chips, melting them in the microwave and dipping strawberries or bananas in them – YUM!

  42. I used to get PMS-related cravings for salty foods, like potato chips. Craving sweets was the default the rest of the time.

    What’s funny is that it’s very rare for me to have cravings any more. First I eliminated processed foods and anything containing trans-fats or HFCS. Then I eliminated nearly all pre-made foods, regardless of what was in them. No more Amy’s frozens, no more organic granola bars. I started buying ingredients only (organic non-GMO whenever available) and cooking all my own food, storing it in glass and ceramic containers.

    The cravings went away.

    Maybe it was timing and my metabolism just happened to be changing at roughly the same time. I think there’s more to it, though. There must be some reason why two of my homemade cookies satisfy me completely, whereas store-bought (which taste far worse, IMO) send my sugar cravings into overdrive.

    In sum, I’m convinced that something in our foods or their packaging is triggering or at least amplifying cravings for many of us. Real foods, real packaging, and realistic amounts make a huge difference. I can’t even go back to eating the old way now. The foods I used to enjoy seem to have an unpleasant chemical taste.

    I hestitate to recommend others do what I did, though. There’s no easy way back once “normal” food starts tasting bad, and it makes office parties hell. 😉

  43. Id totally forgotten about the No Pudge! Back in the day (1999?) I was into those in a bigbadway!
    hmmm…

    Could dancing around your apartment in your unders count as “active recovery”?

    I know you were joking—but the answer is a bigbadYES! dancing in our unders (Tornado & Me—Ren Man begs out of this one :)) is DEFINITELY active recovery up in herre!

    And what you consider active rest? Is what I consider exercise! Guess I need to rethink my position…..

    or not. we are all where we are with regards to exercise. Our emailer seemed to be (was. I edited some out for length w/her approval) more tending toward OVER TRAINING.

    I think I am averaging 3 days of challenging exercise/weights in the gym, and 3 days of ‘active rest (which includes my days at work where I walk in and out from 1/2 mile away and walk all day at work.)

    I emailed this commenter privately but wanted to add here that it all depends. On goals. On physical limitations. On myraid things. This is such a personal plan/decision.

  44. Oh, I just give into the cravings most of the time. I have no self control, and I’m pretty much okay with that!

    As for active rest, I think I need some active rest from unpacking. My legs and arms are sore from unloading boxes and furniture all day yesterday!

  45. I sat down to the computer for my morning blog reading this morning, after my active-rest activity (hour walk with 2 pooches). As I dug into one of my favorite PMS craving breakfasts – honey greek yogurt, homemade nutty granola and a (big) handful of dark chocolate chips, I began reading today’s post…

    …when did MizFit gain psychic powers?

  46. My active rest is yoga. This may be more active than rest, but compared to what I am usually doing, it feels very restful and restorative. And my go-to food? Popcorn with melted butter and parmesan cheese. Sometimes with cadbury chocolate on the side.

  47. I heard that Chromium Picolinate will reduce sugar cravings. The dose is small,100- 200 micrograms. I take it. Don’t crave sugar. Is it the C.P. I don’t know. Look it up and decide. John Venuto likes it 🙂

  49. now that i’m at the gym 4 days a week, i love the active rest advice!! my days off just seem way too lazy! thanks!

    my pms treat? Not healthy in any way (ok i guess the PB is)..but seems to curb the pig out cravings.

    Frozen Peanut Butter Cups

    8 oz Cool Whip Free
    6 Tbsp Peanut Butter
    2 Tbsp Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup

    Combine Cool Whip and PB. Line 12 cupcake tins with liners and spoon in mixture.
    Top with a drizzle of syrup and freeze.

  51. For those TOM cravings, I give in – usually I can get by with 2 or 3 Dove dk. choc. Promises, but I have been known to go up to 4 or 5. It takes what it takes!!! No apologies, lol! And then I’m past it for another month.

    Active rest – what an oxymoron – I love it! I guess mine is my bike rides (as compared to being on the spinner bike at the gym). Fun, relaxing and yet I’m aware that I’m still using my muscles.

  53. I am still REEELING over the science behind PMS and cravings.

    not 2 months ago… I began taking flax seed oil supplements and primerose oil supp. (and I am not a huge pill popper) so this was a stretch for me.

    anyhow…long story short, to coincide my cylcles with the lunar cycle…. go see Meghan Telpner at Making Love in the Kitchen for the full explanation…..

    http://meghantelpnerblog.com/

    I began this regimen.

    The BIGGEST side effect is that I have NO PMS… not a cramp, not a craving, and not a warning…(which sometimes is not great haha) but really…I suppose the omega’s are really helpful here (because flax and primerose are full of omega 3’s and 6’s.)

    the better I am at taking these supplements throughout the month the EASIER THAT time is!

    but WHEN I DO crave suger…a spoonfull of marshmallow cream is my poison of choice….

    hardcore but it does me in and FAST!

  54. Did you know that women tend to be more insulin resistant during the time between ovulation and the start of one’s period (luteal phase)? (p. 41, Diabetic Athlete’s Handbook by Sheri Colberg…highly recommended for insulin-dependent athletes) It’s something I’ve observed in myself, too; my blood sugars are typically higher during PMS time for me. Talk about cruelty! 🙂 No more pints of Ben & Jerry’s for this puppy.

    I have been consuming more Omega 3 sources on a daily basis (fish oil pills, flax, chia, walnuts) as well as cutting my processed carbs, and I have noticed that I don’t have super strong PMS cravings anymore.

    For general sweet stuff, I find dark chocolate *very* satisfying and pretty carb-friendly for the 70% variety…just plain, or sometimes with peanuts or peanut butter. I also like to put a scoop (1/4 cup) of milled flax seed in my oatmeal & peanut butter, with some sugar-free maple syrup…it’s warm and satisfying when I want something more “comfort food” (warm, sticky, mushy, sweet). And then there’s also hot chocolate…buy some top-quality unsweetened cocoa powder (Ghirardelli, Green & Blacks, Droste, or similar) and follow the directions for hot chocolate. For lower carbs/sugars, here’s a recipe: heat 1 cup unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze, and then whisk in 1.5-2 Tbsp cocoa powder and 1.5 Tbsp sugar-free vanilla Torani syrup (Da Vinci would probably also work, I haven’t tried it personally). Put in a splash of creamer if you don’t mind a little extra calories and crave some creaminess.

    I love “active recovery” days. I designate weekends for active recovery, because I’m usually doing something with the kids that doesn’t work up a sweat but is still active: playing catch, going for a walk or bike ride, park time. Or letting my 5-year-old personal trainer put me through my paces. 😉

  55. I’ve found that if I proactively eat extra greens and omega-3s *before* the cravings hit, they are much more manageable. If I don’t do that, a simple mix of chocolate chips and walnuts is very satisfying.

  56. Id never thought about the fact I crave sushi when I have pms.

    It could be the salt or the omega 3s in the salmon!

  57. My SIL is a professional athlete and when he comes home from his season the trainer tells him to take 2 weeks of active rest. To him that means 2 weeks of actively resting!

  59. (I forgot to mention how timely this article is! Are all the female Bumbling Band members on the same cycle, like girls living in a college dorm? 😉 )

  60. chasing the Tornado but had to jump in and say Pubsgal? This made me LAUGH OUT LOUD:

    Are all the female Bumbling Band members on the same cycle, like girls living in a college dorm?

    And cringe a little.

    And crave ice cream.

    AllAtOnce

  61. I drink Diet Coke if I need to distract myself from sweets, although usually I’ll just let myself have a moderate amount of sweets anyway.

  63. Thank you for this sentence:

    What does active rest look like? It depends on what you like to do!

    It resonates with your tagline and as a woman who has been told one time too many you “need to do XYZ” I love it!

  64. “Spend the active rest days living in your body” I love that… being self aware is so important which is what those days are for, to really focus on what your body is telling you.

    The only thing that really works for me is super dark chocolate- the richer the better because no matter how much my PMS-crazed brain wants to eat a whole bar, chances are I can’t even make it through a quarter of it before my palette and stomach are satiated and happy.

    (at least on the sweetness side- there’s that salt craving that won’t quit lol)

  65. I *try* to avert the sweetness cravings by choosing sweet fruits: bananas, watermelon, apples, etc. Some days that works; others, not even close. One of my fave snacks of the processed variety is sugar-free chocolate pudding with a few almonds tossed in.

    Active rest for me is strolling (which I now find difficult) or yoga. Or some housework, if I can’t find anything else to do. 🙂

  66. Ohmygosh, luuuurve the protein powder on popcorn idea!! I always toss plain popcorn with honey and cinnamon for a sweet treat. Or I have a wasa cracker with honey and cinnamon 🙂

    I like active rest days. I try to do two rest days a week – one being active rest. Some days that activity just consists of me cleaning my apartment top to bottom – that’s some hard work!!

  67. I used to crave a cheeseburger and a chocolate shake. Every month. Now, as long as I get some red meat and at least a little bit of chocolate (dark chocolate hershey kisses, yesplz), I’m pretty good.

    Since doing the half, I’ve been trying to be more consistently active and not so “train or rest” focused. I have about 4 – 30 minute “bouts” of moderate to intense cardio, about 2 hours of strength training, and then some less intense stuff to stay active. It doesn’t seem like much when I do it, but it sure seems like a lot when I spell it out here…

  69. Ha! Fish could never curb my sweet craving.
    I got for a fat free chocolate pudding snack with cool whip. Love the popcorn idea though. Popcorn is one of my all time favorites. I would never have thought to put chocolate protein powder on it… what would I do without you MizFit?

  70. Sometimes, I just have to have something sweet, too. In my middling years, my hormones can sometimes take me on wild rides.

    One thing I do is plan soy into my diet everyday and plan on eating a tofu dinner at least once a week. This helps a lot.

    Otherwise, I keep Keebler Fudge Stripes in the 100 calorie packs on hand for that purpose. Sometimes I eat an extra Kashi bar. Sometimes I go for one of my nutrition/protein bars that I’m only supposed to eat on Friday & Saturday nights. Sometimes extra fruit works.

    I recently dropped my strength training to be shorter. Weird that I’m getting better results. Sometimes less really is more. I just make sure my PA [physical activity] fits in with my life. I’ve never been a fanatic and probably never will be.

    I’ve shunned extremes in this go around of the healthy merry go round. I think that’s why it’s working.

  71. I need to have a big ole BlogReaderSleepOver as the Ren Man GAGS at my protein corn creation (and the haystacks).

    this?

    I recently dropped my strength training to be shorter. Weird that I’m getting better results. Sometimes less really is more.

    AMEN, SISTER (Mary).

  72. er, guess I’m the wierdo as I love salmon when I have those pre-cycle cravings. Baked with a bit of Tony Chachere’s spice on top….mmmm, comfort food.

    Okay, and banana slices with Nutella is pretty darn good, as well.

  73. My hormones are about the only things that don’t give me cravings. I’m so lucky! And those are some interesting food combinations there.

  74. I don’t get PMS. There’s no “pre-” for me. The day my period starts, I want chocolate, and I want it now. Fortunately, my period and the cravings only last a few days. I learned long ago that it worked better for me to just go with my craving, have a small serving of whatever it is, and then I’d be fine. If I’m craving chocolate, for example, and I try to be good and not eat it, I wind up eating the equivalent of three times the calories in other ‘substitute’ foods. It’s better to just eat it and get it over with. If I just have to have chocolate, I’ll buy a small truffle or something called an “Ice Cube,” which is a little chocolate cube. Eat it, savor it, and move on. Now, this is my all-time trick. Call me crazy but it works. When I am craving something sweet, not necessarily during my period, I eat a cold kosher dill pickle. I keep a jar of the smaller size in the fridge for this reason. The colder and crisper the better. That sour dill taste absolutely kills any sugar craving and I go on with my day. Is it the healthiest? Probably not, but if it keeps me from downing a bag of cookies in a moment of weakness, I’m all over it.

  75. I really like the concept of active recovery. For example today…didn’t get a 25 mile bike ride in as planned so went to an easy water aerobics class.

    About craving chocolate, a woman I worked with a long time ago said that when you want chocolate eat cinnamon instead. It works but I don’t see the harm in a little chocolate now & then. Live life. I also think taking magnesium helps with cravings.

  76. When I crave sweet chocolate or cookies, it is the same as what you said above: I have ben eating too many processed carbs or sugars during the day, BUT usually I crave dark chocolate, of a good quality, I’m a bit of a chocolate snop (Switzerland what can I say ;P ) and strangely enough, red thai veggie curry. Love that stuff pre period. Donno why haha

  77. Your posts are always so timely for me. Thank you!

    I tried replying to your email but it bounced back undeliverable. I’m doing fine. Started a new job and started training again. 🙂

  78. [QUOTE] learned long ago that it worked better for me to just go with my craving, have a small serving of whatever it is, and then I’d be fine. If I’m craving chocolate, for example, and I try to be good and not eat it, I wind up eating the equivalent of three times the calories in other ’substitute’ foods. It’s better to just eat it and get it over with. If I just have to have chocolate, I’ll buy a small truffle or something called an “Ice Cube,” which is a little chocolate cube. Eat it, savor it, and move on. Now, this is my all-time trick. Call me crazy but it works. When I am craving something sweet, not necessarily during my period, I eat a cold kosher dill pickle. I keep a jar of the smaller size in the fridge for this reason. The colder and crisper the better. That sour dill taste absolutely kills any sugar craving and I go on with my day. Is it the healthiest? Probably not, but if it keeps me from downing a bag of cookies in a moment of weakness, I’m all over it.[QUOTE/]

    works for me too!! i have been having really weird cravings lately..and im right in the middle of a ‘dry spell’ TOM usually visits on the 20th so..idk why im suddenly ready to kill my sister for her potato chips, and knock my mom out when she eats the last bagel…these are not even my normal cravings! it’s weird. but i recently fell in love. i think maybe im having weird emotional/hormonal stuff because of the way this one special guy, Alex, makes me feel…
    great site, miz! you make me laugh!! i loved the *crickets chirping* bit. LMAO! and also the oreos chanting your name. yours do that TOO?!? and i thought i was crazy lol. apparently they learn that they should incessantly call out the names of PMSing women and girls in ‘How to be the best Oreo you can be 101’

  79. Also, is it true that women feed of the vibes of other women in their house and they all get their periods at once? like, my mom, my sister and i used to get our periods around the same time, now my one sister left for college but my mom and i are still pretty synced. she says she and her dorm friends are like almost all the same…
    if thats true, its cruel..if you have 50 girls all in the throes of mood swings…oi i dont even want to think about it…

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