HOW do you fight the "monthly munchies"? It really seems a
losing battle!
It really seems a losing battle! I had a "cheat meal" for
dinner/ dessert and yet, even knowing I was over where I
wanted to be calorically, the only chocolate in the house
HAD to go into my tummy... and now I am having another
snack because I was starving! What is it that the female
body is looking for at that "PMS" time??
Yes - those undeniable monthly munchies..... I cannot tell
you HOW many times I and so many women have looked up from
an empty bag of cookies, chips or even the pint of ice
cream in the garbage and said - "Now what was that all
about?".....Then it hits us..."OH - it must be my monthly
cravings!"
We can get so caught up in the habit of mindless eating
that the results of the monthly cravings can be downright
devastating! Not only for our body, but for our peace of
mind. How can we ever forgive ourselves for going overboard!
Awareness is KEY to gaining control and minimizing the
effect these cravings have.
I suggest taking the time to jot down on your calendar when
you feel....low energy, slight irritability (which has
decreased tremendously for me - I will tell you why in a
minute) and of course uncalled for cravings. After a couple
months of doing this you will SEE a Pattern!
This allows you to plan ahead and Anticipate when those
feeling will hit. You can plan your meals, your activities,
your workload, etc. By knowing - you can account for the
craving splurges.
With this also comes the understanding that One week with a
couple extra splurges is NOT going to hurt you. Your
appetite will naturally increase. We actually need more
calories premenstrually, so it would make sense we might
experience more cravings if we're short on energy.
In fact, afterwards you will be even more motivated to
"work it off" - I actually feel lighter once this phase
passes - even what I describe as a strange sense of freedom
for cravings DO tend to take over and cause us to
experience an uncomfortable lack of control.
Manage those Monthly Cravings! When you know a food craving
is going to strike, you can make substitutions instead of
simply surrendering.
Map it out. Anticipate when it those cravings are coming.
Yes it's okay to give in to some, just in moderation, then
you get right back on track.
Eat balanced meals every 3 to 4 hours. Eat carbs, protein
and a little fat with every meal and snack. Eating meals
that are lacking in one kind of food, we may be more likely
to crave it later. Eating often keeps your appetite under
control.
Craving-proof your home. The simplest way to quash a
craving is to ban crave-worthy foods from your environment.
If you do buy snack foods like chips or cookies, choose
small packages or individually wrapped portions to avoid
going overboard.
Meanwhile, here are three ways to make healthy, low-fat
snacks easily available for regular indulgence:
1. Cut up and bag fresh, munchable veggies....carrots,
radishes, broccoli and celery stick ahead of time. Eat with
low-fat cheese or hummus.
2. Keep light microwave popcorn packages to have on hand,
and sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top.
3. Keep fruit washed and ready to slice into a container of
low-fat yogurt.
Go Ahead! It's okay to have what you are craving. Allow
yourself a single-sized portion as opposed to buying and
eating a larger size. The most common food
craved...Chocolate! It does provide some natural mood
boosters and endorphins, so have some...in moderation!
----------------------------------------------------
Holly Rigsby, CPT, MAT America's #1 Fat Loss Expert for
Busy Moms and the author of Fit Yummy Mummy Lifestyle
System http://www.fityumymumy.com/ and expert contributor
at http://www.efittoday.com She has helped well over 500
Mom's lose the stubborn baby fat and get their pre-baby
body back. Don't miss her Free Report: Top 5 Busy Mom
Metabolism Boosters.
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