I'M STARVING!!..dang hormones...

Okay, obviously, I'm not really starving, but it got your attention, right? So I just have to say it, as a female, we have certain disadvantages a few days a month compared to men. NO, I'm not using it as an excuse at all, I'm just trying to point something out, so you'll understand my day a little more. Guys, don't stop reading, it might give you some insight on how to help those around you :) Hope you can handle it..just kidding!

Hormones are a funny thing...male and female, but this day, it was crazy!! I was hungry, I mean a growling, discomfort in my stomach within 1-2 hours of eating, all day!! I feel like I ate more today than any human needs to eat. I did eat more calories than normal for sure. It wasn't like I was eating junk all day, but some wasn't ideal. I was craving things with calcium(which to me, means that I am deficient in calcium and need to be supplementing, probably). I was ravenous, it was astounding to me, and I hadn't even exercised or done a ton. I wasn't bored or over tired or binging or anything like that, it was honest to goodness insane in my brain. I felt like I just couldn't eat enough.

So, I decided to do some looking online to see if other people experience this too. (are you proud of me for researching, Ellen?) Guess what?? I am not alone on this issue, and it seems that it does just point to changes in hormones! Most of us know that many women crave chocolate during this time, or just sweets in general. I tend to crave spinach and brocolli, i assume because of the iron in them.

one blogger said:
I do plan to eat more, but I eat things that also help with PMS, cramping, all that kind of stuff, so things like avocados, papayas, pineapple, bananas, flax oil, all have great components that help with irritiability, cramping, all the ickyness that goes along with our monthly 'gift'.


Answers.com says:
Yes. It takes about 200 to 300 calories for a woman's body to menstruate.



also from answers.com, a little more detail:

According to a study I recently read, women tend to burn slightly more calories 7 to 10 days prior to the 1st day they begin to menstruate. Their basal metabolism is slightly higher at that point. However, your basal metabolism on the first day of the period falls. Near the end of the period, the woman's BMR (basal metabolic rate) returns to normal. This of course may vary depending upon a woman's physical activity level.
Based on this data, if women consumed an additional 200 calories in the week prior to the initial day of menstruation, they would not gain weight. However, keep in mind that other symptoms of menstruation may include bloating (water weight gain).

Conversely, if a woman decided to lose weight, the week prior to the first day of menstruation would enable her to maximize her potential to lose weight by exercising and thus raising the BMR even more.

Note: Some articles suggest that a woman burns approximately 200 calories more per day the week prior to the 1st day of menstruation. Remember, each individual is different. Therefore it is only through one's personal experience that one can determine whether this is true.


Here are a couple of links you can cut and paste to help combat this issue:

http://www.sixwise.com/newsletters/08/01/09/six-foods-that-can-help-you-fight-menstrual-stress.htm



this one is great!!:
http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/food-and-menstrual-cramps-1375.html

okay, so that was a lesson for me today, and I plan to do even more research to make sure that I am better prepared next month!

Hope you're all still with me...

I know that excercise generally makes me less hungry, but I didn't have the energy to do anything at all when I got home except eat, take a bath and go to sleep early. Not a very eventful day, but hopefully we all learned something...even you guys!!

One little quote:
Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall.
..................................... Confucius

Learning and growing into a healthier me!
~Cindy Lou