Delayed or Missing Cycle With Intense Workout

Enchanting_Carrot

Anyone here missed their period or got it delayed during intense workout?

I'm on a 90 day journey. The first money my cycle was normal and on time. This month it's almost 6 days late so far. I don't know whether I should be concerned or this is something normal for people who workout consistently? Not even sure if my workout is considered "intense".

I workout twice a day, every day except weekends, for 4-5kms per session, and I strength train 2-3 times a week. The workouts are not that crazy but the power walks/jogs are.

yirara

Are you eating enough, and eating back your exercise calories if you're using MFP to determine your calories? How fast are you losing weight?

Basically, if you put too much stress on your body, both with exercise and with undereating too much and you lose your cycle then that's a sign to slow down. Your body just doesn't have the energy to go through with it.

Lietchi

I would look into calorie intake (too few calories can cause issues), fat intake (we need enough dietary fat for hormone health) and body fat percentage (low bodyfat can also cause hormonal issues)

Enchanting_Carrot

I'm 42, so I didn't know what to think. I'm eating a high protein diet. Typically my meals are more or less like this:

Breakfast:
Yogurt or milk
Mandarin
Protein bread (2 mini slices)
Topped with (hummus, cottage cheese, mozzarella)
or basked beans/fava beans

Lunch:
Grilled chicken (around half my palm)
Sweet potatoes (air fried)
Salad

Dinner:
Varies.. sometimes a bowl of soya beans
Sometimes peas, green beans, or chickpeas
Yogurt
Bowl of parsley & coriander

Snack
Protein chips
Apple
1 cup of blueberries

Supplements
I'm taking (on and off) Vitamin b complex supplements when I'm feeling achy, collagen, iron feroglobin very rarely.

I'm trying to drink 3 liters a day but that never happens. I mostly settle on 1 liter to 1 liter and a half.

yirara

Hi @Enchanting_Carrot

But how many calories are you eating? This whole list looks very, very low calorie, especially considering the amount of exercise you do. I also don't really see any fats in your diet apart from hummus.

What is your current weight and your goal weight and how tall are you?

With this info I can only guess that you're trying to lose too much weight too quickly and am running a huge calorie deficit.

Enchanting_Carrot

I don't count calories (I don't even know how). I'm just following a prototype a nutritionist gave me. She did ask me to eat tuna every morning, which I couldn't do. I think I'm also eating less protein than what she prescribed.

I'm 5'2. I'm currently around 57kg, trying to go down to 55. My fat levels are high though (that's the whole point of this). The Inbody machine analysis showed me it was 33% and now it's around 32%. I lost 1 kg only.

In 9 weeks according to the Inbody analysis machine, I only lost 1 unit of fat % and 1 kg only. The scale is not changing at all but my body does look thinner. My face looks thinner. My legs look firmer and stronger. I feel stronger, but the scale is not changing much.

I didn't figure I'm losing a lot to be honest, when I hear people say they lose 1 kg per week. I don't feel that's my case unless I'm overlooking something.

I really don't know. This is all confusing to me and I feel like crying. I feel my hormones are all over the place.

loulee997

Enchanting_Carrot wrote: »

I don't count calories (I don't even know how). I'm just following a prototype a nutritionist gave me. She did ask me to eat tuna every morning, which I couldn't do. I think I'm also eating less protein than what she prescribed.

I'm 5'2. I'm currently around 57kg, trying to go down to 55. My fat levels are high though (that's the whole point of this). The Inbody machine analysis showed me it was 33% and now it's around 32%. I lost 1 kg only.

In 9 weeks according to the Inbody analysis machine, I only lost 1 unit of fat % and 1 kg only. The scale is not changing at all but my body does look thinner. My face looks thinner. My legs look firmer and stronger. I feel stronger, but the scale is not changing much.

I didn't figure I'm losing a lot to be honest, when I hear people say they lose 1 kg per week. I don't feel that's my case unless I'm overlooking something.

I really don't know. This is all confusing to me and I feel like crying. I feel my hormones are all over the place.

If you are doing a lot of exercise--it is best to do waist, thigh, arm, and neck measurements. You will often see loss of inches before a loss of weight when you work out this heavily.

But it appears here that you are not eating a high enough amount of calories for this work out---and not enough protein.

Perhaps add an egg with breakfast or add some fish/chicken to dinner. An egg is about 66 calories. A grilled chicken breast (try different seasonings) is about 126 calories. I'm still not sure that will be enough calories added to your day. This will add about 192 calories to your day. See if this added calorie amount will get your cycle to restart. If it doesn't, you may need to have your diet re-evaluated by your nutritionist. It seems as though your work out regime is too heavy for this low amount of calories. Let's try adding about 200 calories to your day and see if that helps. I was thinking you'd want some more protein. If you don't want egg, you can try oatmeal or something else you like.

I know you take as-needed vitamins--but I'm worried you may have a deficiency. This diet seems very light for this amount of working out. Maybe discuss with your doctor or nutritionist about adding a daily multi-vitamin. I really think you are undereating.

Also, make sure you have at least 1 day a week of rest. One day of rest lets your muscles start to repair. If you never let your muscles rebuild...it can cause you problems in the long run.

yirara

Seriously, TO: You don't write how much you eat, but this might very well be around 800 calories. Plus all your exercise on top. The general recommendation is to not eat less than 1200 calories per day for women, and that means eating back your exercise calories. Say you exercise for 300, then you eat 1500. The very least you're putting a massive strain on your body, and for what? for measly 3kg? Your body is telling you it's time to hit the break and eat properly and don't overexercise. Trying to lose so little will take a long time. Trying to look better though will take a lot longer as you'll lose muscle mass with such a potentially radical approach and then you'll look even more flappy.

If you don't have a history of disordered eating then get a food scale and log your food in grams. Everything. Make sure you eat enough and eat back your exercise calories. Do a progressive strength training to build muscle and look better (no, this doesn't mean more muscly)

cupcakesandproteinshakes

How about you stop focussing on weight loss and try and maintain your weight for a few months while continuing with training. I’m hearing a lot of stress. There’s no rush and it is a small amount you want to lose. I’m not sure the nutritionists advice sounds like it was tailored to your needs.

yirara

cupcakesandproteinshakes wrote: »

How about you stop focussing on weight loss and try and maintain your weight for a few months while continuing with training. I’m hearing a lot of stress. There’s no rush and it is a small amount you want to lose. I’m not sure the nutritionists advice sounds like it was tailored to your needs.

And besides that, if TO is in the US than she should be looking at a registered dietician anyway and not a nutritionist as everyone can call themselves that without any relevant education. And indeed at least maintain weight and get a proper trainer for building muscle.

Enchanting_Carrot

I don't know what to say. I really really appreciate everyone who took the time to add input. Everything you guys wrote has been simmering inside my head. I really didn't think I was eating little. I also underestimated the training I'm doing. The strength training is really not that strenuous. I only lift 1-6kg for 4 reps (2 leg days and 1 arms). I think you're right. Maybe my body is just not handling it well. I just didn't know what to think. I thought maybe it's menopause but I've never had irregular periods before this happened. It always came on time. I'm just so lost.

I know they're only 3kg but I'm very petite. Those 4 or 3 kilos I added during lockdown put a massive strain on my bones. Because I have fibromyalgia flare ups every now and then, the aches are horrible, especially in the morning. When I'm lighter, I feel less pain on my body and overall healthier.

The biggest problem right now is the cholesterol. I'm skinny but the fat levels in my body are very high (33%). For my age that's the maximum. I need to lower it. My bad cholesterol did go down and my good cholesterol went up. My total cholesterol is now around 5 (used to be 6). So the walking is doing something positive.

I saw a licensed nutritionist. He's very good, but I didn't understand the program he gave me. There's just too much to think and calculate. I'm the type that finds it easier to just hold a paper and follow what's written on it from A to Z in order.

I will try to fix my diet. After reading your comments last night, I ate more this morning. I had 2 toasts full of hummus. I had an apple, orange, and I boiled milk with turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, and anise star. I'm really praying it comes down soon. My emotions are all over the place; otherwise I feel somewhat fine.

Thank you again. I really mean it 🙏🏻