No offence, luv, but you're obviously a bloke and have no understanding of the raging hormones that can seize hold of a woman. I would even venture that you're single, because if you lived with a woman who experienced symptoms of PMS you wouldn't imply there was an easy solution to my problem. I'm not trying to be offensive or patronising, but only other women can fully understand the overwhelming and insatiable cravings that hit you like a truck every month and refuse to be ignored.
I'm 37 yo and have been experiencing this phenomenon for over 20 years. Believe me, I have tried many different methods to combat my compulsive eating, including chocolate flavoured products and high protein what-have-yous, but nothing says chocolate like chocolate. When that's what your body craves it won't accept any substitutes.
I do fine 3 weeks out of the month. The eating plan I'm following has worked really well for me so far. You follow either a high-carb plan or a high-protein plan, depending on your preference. You can alternate each day, if you wish, but you must stick to that choice for the day. All fruit and most vegetables are "free" on the plan and you are encouraged to eat as much of these as possible to ensure a healthy, balanced diet. Milk and cheese are restricted, due to their high fat content, although fat-free yoghurt, quark and plain cottage cheese are also "free" foods. Bread and other baked goods are restricted, but you are allowed portioned amounts every day. You are encouraged to drink plenty of water and tea, coffee and sugar-free drinks are also unlimited. I call it the "Greedy B*stards Diet"
. There is even scope to fit in a small amount of chocolate, or a packets of crisps (chips) if you wish.
My problem is that I don't know when to stop. Eating slowly doesn't help. I am a naturally slow eater - everyone I eat with complains that they're finished before I'm even half way through my food. I just don't seem to have an "off switch" that says enough is enough.
As far as exercise goes, I joined a gym last year and went 3 or 4 times a week until I changed jobs in May this year. I haven't been back since, as work is taking up a lot of my time. It's not that I haven't tried. I don't know what it's like in the USA, but here in Scotland the gym doesn't open until 9am, by which time I'm sitting at my desk. Same goes for the swimming pool. It opens at 7am, but not to the general public. They have all sorts of organised activities (swimming lessons, mother and babies, over 50s, etc.), which means there is not a lot of time available to me to access the facility. This goes for every pool in town, as they are all owned by the local Council and have the same schedules. And don't even try to go at the weekend, as it's full of kids larking about, getting in your way, so you can't get a decent swim. I know, I've tried. This goes for the gym too. The kids are in there from 4pm onwards during the week and all day at the weekends, so getting on the equipment is near impossible.
I'd love to be able to go out for a half-hour walk every day, but my foot problems preclude me from doing this. I just feel like I'm in a no-win situation. Natural laziness aside, there seem to be all sorts of barriers in my way. I joined the T'ai Chi class to try and relax, as the new job, my weight loss problem and other aspects of my life have been adding to my stress factor. I just need to chill out. I'm not physically able to do Yoga yet; I have tried, but I'm just too big. I can't achieve many of the basic poses because there's just too much of me at the moment.
I hope you can see where I'm coming from. I've got this mountain to climb and someone's run away with my crampons and guide rope! I'm doing my best without them, but it's an uphill struggle.
I'll keep you posted on my progress.
Cheers,
Chaz