i was going crazy the last couple of days with a craving for chocolate, and no wonder. i got my period today. anyone else have this happen? it's so frustrating, but at least i know why now. :rolleyes:

i can't tell if what I understand about pms and chocolate it's true but here are my 2 cents. Whenever I hit that time of the month I become more and more irritated, moody, sometimes more sad and frustrated for no reason at all, only the period. And I think that's what makes me crave chocolate, not the period per si but the induced(?) moods it creates.I think if we can deal with these craves when we feel like that even if it's not period-related I think we can manage to keep away from chocolate. But that is easier to say then to done....

andreia :tu:

It's so weird that we only associate the craving after the flow starts. It's like "ooh, that's why I was eating everything but the kitchen sink". It is frustrating and I tried to eat fruits and veggies to try to curb the want for it. My body was like "this is not the creamy cocoa that I want" :p

The best way to pinpoint those sort of things is to chart your cycle. I print out a chart from the internet and track it every day. Even if you're on the pill you can do this, although you wont be ovulating so it'll be alittle different.

I havent found I'm particularly crazy at certain times-- I've got cravings ALL the time :lol:

Chocolate contains a very complex mix of many chemicals - that's why it's so hard to make artificial chocolate that tastes right. Some of these are basically small-dose antidepressants, antioxidants, things that interact with brain chemistry, and a laxitive (making it easier to do certain functions when you're cramped very, very badly). All in all, it's a pretty handy thing to have around, and unsurprising that the body is going for what it needs in a form you know and like.

The best advice I ever took was this: when the craving hits, I don't try to ignore it. Instead, I run out and get some Scharffen-Berger or Valharna chocolate, the 62-80% cacoa dark chocolate. It's often $5/bar unlike the 50-cent Hershey bar, but when you eat the good stuff, it takes far less to fulfill your craving.

i was going crazy the last couple of days with a craving for chocolate, and no wonder. i got my period today. anyone else have this happen? it's so frustrating, but at least i know why now. :rolleyes:

I do notice a major increase in appetite for one or two days during my cycle, so I just eat a little more then. But I don't normally have chocolate cravings. I also notice that the exercise I do a week or so before my period seems to be more effective for fat loss. Not sure if it's my imaginaton, but it seems to be more than just water loss in the few days afterwards :)

I've actually read of studies that show certain times in your cycle you do indeed burn more fat. I think the impact was small though. Cool how you noticed that! :)

I've actually read of studies that show certain times in your cycle you do indeed burn more fat. I think the impact was small though. Cool how you noticed that! :)

Awesome! I think next month I will do more cardio that week heheh :cool:

Thank Goodness I'm not the only one out there craving chocolate at that time of the month. Mine is always the week before.....I crave chocolate...if I can eat something chocolate I'm usually fine...but if I don't then I want to eat everything in the house. It helps that I have a journal and a menu and I can only eat what's on the menu. Although I will tend to eat my midmeals a lot earlier than I should. During my period though I tend to not want to eat anything. I make myself but I'm not at all hungry. I'm very sensitive during that time too and I take everything to heart. My flow is sooo bad the first two days that I'm doing good to even get to work without having an accident. The flow has gotten much worse the more active I am. I've always had very light days....going maybe 3 days and then being done. Now it's nothing abnormal to go 7 days. If I'm just doing weights at home I try to just keep going but if the first two days fall on a Taekwondo night then I have to oped out. Maybe exercise just affects each woman a little differently. I would love to go back to the 3 days and then I'm done. oh and don't forget the light 3 days.

Glad there are women out there not afraid to talk about things like this.

I must be one of the stranger ones. I USED to crave chocolate PMS, now i crave nut butter Pre TOM :confused:

I tend to have cravings for chocolate as well just two days prior to and during that time of the month. I somewhat give in simply by buying fat free chocolate jello pudding and adding skim milk to it as a treat for a few days. It doesn't hurt my eating plans either! Try it out if you ever feel like giving in to the craving! Very satisfying! :tu: