It’s been three weeks. Your diet has been going well, you see progress, and suddenly, you lose control of your cravings. Does this sound familiar? If you feel it is difficult to diet around your PMS, you’re not alone. About 85% of women experience emotional and physical changes in their bodies. And unfortunately, this can last up to two weeks, depending on their cycle. As many as 70% of these women suffer from irritability, food cravings, mood swings, sleep disturbances, fatigue, bloating, and food cravings.
PMS Could be Sabotaging Your Diet
This happens because your cortisol levels are in overdrive. As a result, you become more metabolically charged, stimulating the appetite. This is why many women seek fats and carbs around their PMS. If this sounds alarming, the following is how we at HiDow International fight the cravings.
Eat small meals throughout the day.
Try eating a handful of meals daily to prevent your brain from craving unnecessary foods. Cravings tend to happen when you’re slightly hungry, so make sure you have a small meal ready to munch when it strikes.
Incorporate good fats and carbs.
Give what your body wants when it is craving carbs or fats. Okay, this might sound crazy, but hear us out. Instead of choosing a croissant, eat a simple slice of bread with a tablespoon of peanut butter. And instead of selecting a pint of ice cream, grab a yogurt. There are many ways you can substitute bad fats and carbs for good ones, which can trick your body into thinking you’re feeding it what it wants.
Drink water first
Sometimes it is easy to succumb to hunger by grabbing a snack in the fridge. But did you know that you could be thirsty instead? Before you indulge in something delicious, grab a glass of water first. Wait a few minutes and see if it goes away.
Do some workouts
Decrease your appetite by exercising to boost your endorphin production. It’s not just your routine exercises that can help curb the cravings. Being physically active throughout the day can make an impact. You can simply take the stairs, walk the dog, or vacuum.
Consume more protein
Eating protein for every snack or meal will help moderate your blood sugar imbalances. It can also slow down your digestive system making you feel less hungry throughout the day. Select healthy proteins like peanut butter, fish, turkey, chicken, or eggs.
Get your mind off of it.
Sometimes you crave food because you have nothing else to do. Always keep yourself busy to get your mind off of eating. Often, boredom tends to amplify your cravings, making you want to run to the pantry to indulge in something sinful. So grab a book or watch a movie instead.
Give in
Your cravings are not the only thing on the rise. Because your metabolism is too, you could be burning an extra 100 calories per day which means you’d be counteracting with the extra snack you’re about to indulge in. Of course, as long as you do this in moderation, there is no harm!
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