Do you have PMS Symptoms?

Don’t you just hate that time of month!? You’re cravings are out of control, you feel beyond bloated, you’re tired all the time, lack motivation to do anything let alone getting to the gym…it’s one of the most tedious things about being a woman…that time of month.

If you are one of those women that suffer from PMS, I’m here to fill you in on what you can eat, and what you should do during that time of month to stave you off of bloating, cravings and everything else that accompanies being a woman during that one unfortunate week.

Here are some healthy tips in the meantime:

Eat small frequent meals: This is the best way to keep your blood sugar stable and avoid cravings. Make sure you’re eating at least 5 meals throughout the day, if you crave sugar, have some fruit, if you crave a saltier snack, have some almonds, just TRY to stay away from chocolate and chips!

Stick with complex carbohydrates: Opt for whole grains, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat, or 12 grain bread, brown rice, yams etc. You get the idea.

Avoid salt for the last few days before your period: This can help reduce bloating and fluid retention. And you’ll feel less likely to grab those “fat jeans” from your closet;)

Avoid caffeine and alcohol: These can interfere with a good night’s rest as well as affect your mood and appetite. The last thing you want to be doing a day or two before your period is tossing and turning in bed, aren’t you already irritated enough!?

Take a calcium and vitamin D supplement: Centrum High Potency works wonders for me, it may do the same for you, just consult with your doctor before hand.

Drink plenty of fluids. Often, women with PMS avoid drinking a lot of water because water retention is such a common PMS symptom. But drinking plenty of water may actually help reduce premenstrual bloating.

Relax and get moving. Staying physically active can help reduce PMS symptoms. Not only does exercise burn even more calories (considering when you’re on your period you naturally burn 200-500 additional calories), but it’s a natural stress-reducer and mood enhancer.

Happy PMS’ing!

For my early risers

The thought of waking up first thing in the morning the night before is a breeze, but the actual process of waking up first thing in the morning, when all you want to do is hit snooze on the alarm clock, is just trecherous sometimes!

However, after about 3 months now of waking up 5:30 every morning, and getting into my gym clothes, and getting my butt to the gym, I have to say that I have never been so productive.

The earlier my day starts, the more I get accomplished, the more productive I become and the better night’s sleep I get, but one thing to keep in mind here though is you need to make it a habit in order to keep up with early morning rising – consistently.

Also, it was once said by Robin Sharma, that the worlds most successful people are early risers, they get in their workouts, a good healthy breakfast, and sometimes even meditate and then off they go to face the world. Another great question to keep in mind is, do you want your day to control you, or do YOU want to control your day? Think about it;)

– Sonya