How Can I Lose 20 Pounds Without Losing My Menses?

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donewithmyself
donewithmyself Posts: 30
in Health and Weight Loss
Last time I lost weight, I ended up losing my period, but now I have regained and gotten my period back for three cycles. I would like to drop this weight again but I'd like to do so without losing my menses. Should I go for a light calorie deficit (TDEE -15-20%) so I don't unbalance hormones and the weight loss is gradual?

Replies

  • summerroxygoodin
    summerroxygoodin Posts: 62 Member
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    My sister had the opposite, when she gained weight she lost hers. I think you should talk to your doctor. My sister had to take BC pills just to have them.
  • donewithmyself
    donewithmyself Posts: 30
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    My problem isn't getting the period back--it's keeping my period at a weight that I feel comfortable at.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    How old are you?
    How tall are you?
    How much do you currently weigh?
    Do you have an eating disorder?

    NVM: I read your posting history. Talk to a doctor.
  • donewithmyself
    donewithmyself Posts: 30
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    How old are you?
    How tall are you?
    How much do you currently weigh?
    Do you have an eating disorder?

    NVM: I read your posting history. Talk to a doctor.
    I've been to a doctor--Just today in fact. I assure you that my blood pressure is normal, heart rate is normal--Everything's dandy. But she noticed I had a significant weight gain since the last time I saw her.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    How old are you?
    How tall are you?
    How much do you currently weigh?
    Do you have an eating disorder?

    NVM: I read your posting history. Talk to a doctor.
    I've been to a doctor--Just today in fact. I assure you that my blood pressure is normal, heart rate is normal--Everything's dandy. But she noticed I had a significant weight gain since the last time I saw her.
    I was more referring to the potential EATING DISORDER.
  • donewithmyself
    donewithmyself Posts: 30
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    The disorder is behind me, I will say that. I gained back 30 pounds and low calorie dieting is no longer an option for me. I'm currently eating 1900-2000 calories a day (TDEE) and have been for about three months now.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
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    What is your current height and weight???
  • susieoj
    susieoj Posts: 181
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    Small deficit yes, and focus not on weight but on healthy, consistent eating. A healthy nourished body leads to a healthy weight and part of a healthy body is a healthy and balanced mindset toward food and toward eating to nourish your body. Focus less on calories and more on balanced, consistent nutrition to give your body what it needs not just to survive but to thrive and feel good or even great.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
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    My problem isn't getting the period back--it's keeping my period at a weight that I feel comfortable at.

    maybe the weight you feel comfortable at isn't one that's healthy for your body.... maybe you need to learn to feel comfortable at a weight where your reproductive system isn't shutting itself down due to being chronically underfed.

    I know it's not easy in a world where we're bombarded with photoshopped images of impossibly slim models etc (some photoshopped to biologically impossible shapes/sizes, but try to learn to love yourself the way you are when you are healthy and strong.

    You're not going to be able to keep your period at a weight that's below what's healthy for your body. If you're not satisfied with how you look when your body fat percentage is in the healthy range, then maybe the answer isn't to try to be 20lb lighter, it might be better if you eat more and do some exercise that works your muscles hard, so your body firms up all over and you look fit and toned. weighing less does not always equal looking better. http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
  • donewithmyself
    donewithmyself Posts: 30
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    I'm 5'0" and 117-118 pounds.
  • jenniferb_00
    jenniferb_00 Posts: 81
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    Honestly its going to be hard to get to a wight where you feel happy and are still getting your period regularly. It was and still is for me. I was without a period for a year. I regained some wight but now i'm horribly unhappy, its just proving very difficult to lose again, and i know in the back of my mind i can only go so low. I had lost 9lbs since my last doctors appointment and needless to say i got the worry look.
  • AllTehBeers
    AllTehBeers Posts: 5,030 Member
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    My problem isn't getting the period back--it's keeping my period at a weight that I feel comfortable at.

    maybe the weight you feel comfortable at isn't one that's healthy for your body.... maybe you need to learn to feel comfortable at a weight where your reproductive system isn't shutting itself down due to being chronically underfed.

    I know it's not easy in a world where we're bombarded with photoshopped images of impossibly slim models etc (some photoshopped to biologically impossible shapes/sizes, but try to learn to love yourself the way you are when you are healthy and strong.

    You're not going to be able to keep your period at a weight that's below what's healthy for your body. If you're not satisfied with how you look when your body fat percentage is in the healthy range, then maybe the answer isn't to try to be 20lb lighter, it might be better if you eat more and do some exercise that works your muscles hard, so your body firms up all over and you look fit and toned. weighing less does not always equal looking better. http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

    clapping-o.gif
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
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    If there's any way you could get your BF% checked, that would help you decide a lot, I think.

    It's possible that you just really stressed your body by doing the extremely low calorie thing for so long (relatively speaking). It might have just freaked out for good reason because of the extreme speed of it at your already-fine BF!

    I think 20 probably sounds like too much, but a real BF test could guide you there. I do think it's probably fine to slowly lose a few lbs at your BMI, but what if you are more muscular and your BF is already quite low? I really think you should 'tone up' first. Then you can see what's what, and you have to eat well to weight train successfully, so it's a two-fer :)

    If you just have a bit of cellulite or a touch of a tummy pooch, etc, I can tell you that those do not always go away at safe weights/bf%. Bodybuilders get liposuction sometimes to take care of that, remember!
  • donewithmyself
    donewithmyself Posts: 30
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    I'd like to try a slow deficit first, but if it really just doesn't work for me, I'll try to be happy with what I have.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    I'd like to try a slow deficit first, but if it really just doesn't work for me, I'll try to be happy with what I have.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1086014-calorie-spiking-to-gradually-recover-but-still-lose-weight
    Again: talk to someone. Your user name, your ticker Indicating your weight loss, your avatar, your posts....all suggest you're on a troubling path.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    I'd like to try a slow deficit first, but if it really just doesn't work for me, I'll try to be happy with what I have.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1086014-calorie-spiking-to-gradually-recover-but-still-lose-weight
    Again: talk to someone. Your user name, your ticker Indicating your weight loss, your avatar, your posts....all suggest you're on a troubling path.

    I agree with this. You are small and don't need to lose anymore weight. You need to talk to your doctor about your dissatisfaction with yourself.
  • donewithmyself
    donewithmyself Posts: 30
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    I made this account long ago when I really was going to restrict. I do plan on making a new account since the ticker is not true to how much I actually weigh anymore.

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