Making changes...

I am attempting to somehow balance my hormones and decrease my slavery to the PMS cycle by limiting my dairy, eating gluten/wheat free and reducing my caffeine intake. :)

Monday Feb. 10th
Bfast - 1 cup coffee, cream of rice, 5 eggs, frozen fruit
*Didn't feel as drowsy
Snack - protein bar
Lunch - grilled chicken salad (no tzekee), sweet potatoes
*Felt really drowsy around 12:00ish
- Had two cups of non-caff. tea
- Craved coffee like a mofo
Snack - organic greek yogurt, gluten free crackers, nuts
Dinner - turkey and vegan cheese rolls (with greek pepper spread), tomatoes, sweet potato
*Felt extremely fatigued - did not lift

~ Overall, I felt awful. I craved coffee like a crack addict. Body craved carbs and sugar - ate a bunch of cream puffs :/ Now that I see this was the day before my period, it makes sense. However, I never had this type of carb/sugar surge during my recovery months. I guess it would make sense though - now that I am back to lifting my hormones are more wacky and effect me differently.

Tuesday Feb. 11th - got my period :P
Bfast - same as Mon
Snack - protein shake made with half whey/hemp
*Felt bloaty but it could have been from the period
Lunch - grilled chicken salad with hummus, sweet potatoes, non-decaf tea
*Felt drowsy around 1:30ish
Snack- greek yogurt mixed with gluten free cereal and nuts, cup of tea
*Kind of felt bloated but it's hard to tell b/c of my period
Post-workout shake - whey protein, fruit (waited until I got home to drink)
Dinner - Turkey and vegan cheese sandwich (gluten free bread), tomato soup

~I feel better overall despite having cramps, naseau and some fatigue. I think the decrease in caffeine actually keeps me more awake and less tense. Had a good lifting session. :)

~To ponder...even though I still lifted heavy upper body during my rehab months, I never had really bad periods and never craved carbs or sweets. It was actually hard to eat anything. Now that I am back to intensive lifting, I felt like I did post-surgery. My periods rule my life again. The key is to find the balance between lifting hard and knowing how it will effect my body. In addition, I think the diet modifications I am trying may help. Maybe I should do lighter sessions and no max outs in the 3-4 days before my period..or when I get that "feeling" that it is starting. I maxed out on Saturday and it was awful...3 days before I got the big P. I can focus on technique and other variations I do not normally hit - drop snatches, high pulls, triple or double squats, light jerk variations, posterior-chain stuff...ect.

<3