Girl Gone Crazy

I used to think that people were making it up- that "girl" issue that happens every month.  I seriously thought that people were using "that time of month" as an excuse to eat like a pig and treat everyone like a piece of trash.  And then, right after my second son was born, something very weird started happening to me.  Every three weeks or so, I turned in to some weird, freakish, alien-type version of myself.  I would randomly start crying for zero reason, freak out on anyone in my way, question things that otherwise made me very happy, and eat as if I'd never seen food before.  I tried to explain to Husband that I had PMS, but he didn't want to hear it.  No, Captain Rational instead made me feel like a complete idiot for not being able to explain what was going on.  Thank God my doctor is a woman. I now take both a calcium and a B vitamin supplement every day (well, when I remember) to even out my moods.  And so far they're working.  Well, they were.  I haven't remembered to take them in a while.  (Read:  I am currently a raging, hungry lunatic). Wanna hang out?

I have done a little bit of research and have found that PMS is a very real thing that affects 85 % of women. Bloating, cramping, fatigue, mood swings, food cravings... yep, they're all real.  (Wow, we are so attractive).

Here are some things that the experts say that you ladies can do to help ease the symptoms:

1. Eat complex carbohydrates (whole grain pasta and bread, rice cakes)

2. Avoid sugar

3. Drink a ton of water (more than usual)

4. Stay away from salt

5. Stick to a low-fat diet

6. Avoid stressful situations

7. Say NO to both alcohol and caffeine

8. Get enough sleep

9. Exercise

Seeing as how I downed a piece of pizza yesterday and some chocolate ice cream over the weekend, I'm finding it safe to say that I am CLEARLY not an expert.  (But how comforting is this:  those exact foods are craved for a reason- it's all related to imbalanced estrogen, cortisol, and serotonin.  Even though eating those things for the instant gratification is probably the worst thing you can do.  Sigh...) But I'm not letting my current state get in the way of my workouts- it was a nice sweaty Power Body class last night, and a Zumba/Treadmill session tonight!

Have a healthy day,

J

PS- Since I missed GSM yesterday, here's the condensed version today:
Goal 1- Don't gain 10 pounds this week.
Goal 2- Keep the crazy B*#&* somewhere deep inside.


The source for today's info:  http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=56732

TGIF!

Man, how happy are you that this week is over?!?! How'd you do with your goals this week? I set a few back on Monday, and I must admit- I did pretty well!  I wrote a bunch a lists (and crossed a lot of things off!) and workout number 4 is already scheduled for tomorrow morning at 9 AM.  (I REFUSE to be shut out of yoga tomorrow!) The only thing I didn't do is finish my book....

I can't wait to set new goals for myself on Monday.  It really is amazing how much more I get done when I write it all down.  And I know I've said it before, but nothing can beat that feeling of accomplishment when I get to look at my list of crossed-out tasks.  I could get used to this!


So what's on the agenda for this weekend? I am doing the single mom thing until Sunday afternoon. There is a wedding happening all the way across the country and it just didn't make sense for all of us to make the trip. So the boys and I will be doing some bonding. Last night was our first night alone, and so far so good. (But I'm sure I'll be ready to rip my hair out by the time Sunday rolls around. Pray for me! haha!) But in all seriousness, I'm looking forward to a weekend of yoga, chick flicks, and a break from my getting-crazier-by-the-minute job.
Whatever you do this weekend, I hope you enjoy yourself! Do something fun, something healthy, and something that's just for you! I'll be back Monday with another round of GSM!


Have a healthy day,

J