Coping with THAT time of the month

Me @ Taste Auckland enjoying a very small bowl of thai beef salad $10. 22 Mar. Thought whole thing was a rip off actually!

You've been going great guns on your diet and exercise regime for the past few weeks and you've lost a couple of kgs. You decide to go on the scales again to see how much you lost this week BUT low and behold the scales have gone up a kg.  How did that happen?  you haven't pigged out and eaten what you're supposed to. Then you remember.  That's right, my 'friend' is visiting me soon. But still knowing that your period is coming doesn't make it any easier to see the increased number on the scales does it my fellow girlfriends!  Last week you had awesome definition but now its gone, and your butt feels huge (well I know mine does).

 

But alas that is the sacrifice of being a woman. Around that time of the month you feel like spongebob or should that be spongebetty. Absorbing every ounce of liquid into every pore of your body. Your belly's bloated and you just get all anxious for no reason.  Have we lost you yet boys???!!!

Then there's the cravings!  I don't know about you but a week or so before THAT time I just want dairy products.  I don't usually have dairy but I just crave magnums, trim flat white coffee, yoghurt, salmon. Sometimes chocolate at night. I also want spicy salty stuff.  Am I weird?

But ironically if I have too much of the things I'm craving, I'm actually making things worse for myself by making me even more bloated and anxious about how much weight - albeit water - I'm putting on.

If you feel you also go a little nuts around your period then perhaps you should change your eating habits so that your tastebuds aren't controlling you! so here's my tips.

1. Eat lighter meals to lessen cramps Cut back on the heavy meals. Eating a few light meals during the day instead of a few big meals that could upset your stomach. This will lessen the severity of menstrual cramps. You should also cut back on greasy foods like pizza, burgers and even chinese takeaways as this can cause you to feel even more bloated.

2. Avoid caffeine to lessen pain and anxiety As much as coffee is a great 'pick me up' try and have less before and during your period.  Caffeine is a mood altering substance which can make you feel anxious and nervous.  So, if you suffer from mood swings or depression during your period, caffeine will make it worse. So that also means eat less chocolate (a girl does need some chocolate to comfort us during this time!) and soft drinks that contain caffeine will help to lessen your anxiety too.

	3. Cut out salt to lessen water retention and bloating Next to sweets, salty snacks are what we crave most during our period.  But continuing to have salt will just make the bloating and water retention even worse. Try to avoid salted stuff like chips, salted wafers, salted almonds.
4. Alcohol will make you retain water Like salt, alcohol also causes you to retain water.  Not to mention all the calories wine has! so if you suffer from water retention and bloating, drinking alcohol will make it worse.

5. Calcium can  help alleviate menstrual cramps. As mentioned earlier, I have massive cravings for dairy. I know when my period's coming is when I want (or more like NEED A MAGNUM).  I'll probably have one magnum during the time.  But to help me deal with my dairy craving, I prevent it by eating healthy dairy sources like cottage cheese and yoghurt during the day so I don't suddenly need to go and get a magnum at night time.

Research has shown that women who take calcium seem to suffer less from the pain of menstrual cramps than those who don't. Women who take calcium also seem to suffer less from water retention and bloating. Doctors suggest taking 800 milligrams of calcium a day, the Recommended Daily Allowance. You should also eat food rich in calcium, like milk, low-fat yogurt, and cheese.

6. Exercise! I would definitely recommend exercising during your period because when you exercise, your brain releases endorphins which make you feel good. But remember to listen to your body as you'll be more tired around your period.  If you feel faint then take a few minutes rest during your workout or go lighter weights for that day. You'll also be heavier which means more pressure on your joints which will make you feel more achy, so you may need to just decrease the intensity of your jogging to a fast walk.

Coupled with the exercise, you should also continue with your chromium to maintain blood sugar levels and you might also want to add a multivitamin with extra iron, to make sure you have plenty of iron in your diet - other than from your weights! Its definitely no fun being a woman especially when you get your period but we all have to deal with it. Just remember that the increase in weight is only for a short time.  Your lines will come back and the weight will drop.  Just make sure you recognise what you're craving for and nip it in the bud. Don't overindulge or give in to your cravings during your period otherwise you'll have to work double time to get the weight off again.  And that's definitely no fun! Lisa, Go Figure 23 Mar 09