Weight Loss and PMS.. *UGH*

As all us women know, dieting is a real bitch! AND, once you add PMS into the mix you have SUPER BITCH! *YIKES! Look out!*

Dieting and going through PMS and menstruation is a horrific experience! Honestly and truly! We all know the symptoms of PMS and menstruation... bloating, water retention, cramps, irritation, mood swings, bitchiness, headaches, skin blemishes. And then there is the actual bleeding and annoyance of running to the bathroom every two hours, wearing your "fat clothes" and having to use tampons or pads for five days straight! It's the biggest natural/physiological injustice.

The cravings are the hardest symptoms to fight, especially when you are doing so well on a diet and making good choices and feeling great about yourself. Then you hit the chocolate and sweet-tooth cravings wall! Good God, it makes me want to scream at times.

The second most difficult thing about the diet-PMS combo is actually getting my bloated, fat cramping ass to the gym! Who the hell wants to go to the gym and run on a treadmill for 30 minutes when you are afraid to move more than three inches else your workout pants will look like they committed suicide. Not me! I can't afford to do laundry that often.. way too many quarters!!

Lastly, and most importantly, the automatic weight gain with PMS. It is beyond not fair! Rarely, rarely, rarely have I ever gone through a menstrual cycle without weight gain. I know it's water retention and bloating. I know it will go away once my period is finished, but when I am on a roll and I'm doing really well on a diet and then my period arrives, the thought of just seeing that number on the scale is so disheartening! While working at Jenny Craig and being on the Jenny Craig diet, I realized that I gain 5 POUNDS on my period!! FIVE WHOLE POUNDS!! It's terrible. What makes it even harder to see that 5 pound heavier number is when I'm NOT doing very well. Because I'm already struggling to begin with, despite the knowledge that I know it will go away, seeing my weight go up on the scale is like a dagger to the heart and has many a times made me fall off the dieting wagon.

Well, ladies, it may not be in alignment with other people, or dieting professionals, but my opinion is this: DO NOT GET ON THE SCALE! Don't exercise those two days of heavy bleeding! Don't go shopping AT ALL while menstruating or PMS-ing! SERIOUSLY! It's too tempting to buy the bad stuff during this monthly monstrosity! And DO keep writing in your journal! DO take as many drugs as possible to help with the bitchiness, cravings, bloating, etc... and DO encourage yourself and motivate yourself and remind yourself HOW WELL YOU ARE DOING! It's at this crucial time of the month that motivational cards, positive thinking and reinforcements are the MOST helpful.

And always, always remember... it's Mother Natures fault! The mean bitch!!