Strong cravings and hunger during your period are real. There are legitimate and scientifically proven reasons why you and many others want to eat all kinds of food before your period.
Why does this happen to you?
Changes in estrogen and progesterone levels cause strong cravings for carb-rich foods and sweets before your period.
Your hormones might not be the only reason you crave every sugary food in the kitchen. Eating all those foods can also help fight the feelings that come with the premenstrual phase.
Your body releases serotonin when you eat starchy foods and sweets. Serotonin is a chemical that boosts your mood. Boosting good feelings is always nice, especially when your hormones make you feel all kinds of period stuff.
Binge eating and strong food cravings before your period might be signs of PMDD, a more severe form of premenstrual syndrome.
If you have irregular periods, you might be more likely to overeat.
How do you resist that without ruining your diet?
It can be tempting to eat a whole pack of Oreos when your cravings beg to be satisfied. A lot of sugar usually leads to a really annoying crash.
But there are other ways to satisfy strong sugar cravings. Here are some sweet and healthy ideas:
- Juices
- Fruit and yogurt
- Apple slices with honey
- Oatmeal bar with dried fruit
Keep these foods in mind that fight those strong sugar cravings.
If you need chocolate:
Chocolate is one of the most trusted foods people crave before their period. Stick to dark chocolate if you want its health benefits. Dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants and minerals. Just one or two squares of high-quality dark chocolate is enough.
If you want to feel less hungry:
Instead of trying to eat everything in sight, try activities proven to boost your happy hormones: endorphins, serotonin, oxytocin, and dopamine.
-Do resistance training.
-Walk for at least an hour.
-Go for a run.
-Do Zumba or aerobics.
