exercise and menstruation

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afbigg
afbigg Posts: 33 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I apologize as I know a lot of men use this site, but I am curious and am hoping to find some answers. I started working out on a regular schedule on December 5th. 30min, 45min, 60min workouts 3-5 days/week. Before this schedule I was pretty sedentary, working out here and there when I felt like it, (maybe once a week or once every 2 weeks). I was supposed to get my period almost 2 weeks ago and it still hasn't shown up yet. I have taken a couple pregnancy tests; the week i was suppose to get my period, the next week, and one this week and they have all been negative. I have heard that exercise can mess with your cycle. I have asked a couple nurses that I know about this and they have all told me that usually exercise only impacts a woman's period if you have a really low BMI or if your workouts are intense and/or you aren't giving your body time to recover. Well I only do an hour tops; always cardio and some weight lifting, and is by no means intense, however I did go from no activity to at least 3 days/week. The only reason I even care is because I don't want to do anything to hurt a fetus if there even is one. Anyone else have this problem or know someone who has and any advice you could give me?

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  • rie_q
    rie_q Posts: 73
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    Visit your doctor. Even if you are pregnant, from the sounds of it you're not doing anything intense enough to harm the potential baby. But if you've gotten a negative result from a properly used pregnancy test AFTER your missed period - well, they're usually pretty accurate. Visit your doctor, it could be a sign of anything going on.
  • afbigg
    afbigg Posts: 33 Member
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    I should also add, that I have only lost 3-4 lbs in the month since I started regularly exercising, and I am 27. My period has been regular for almost 5 years, since my last child was born, and I stopped taking the pill 3 months ago after being on it for about 8 months, so this should not be afffecting it.
  • MaeRenee94
    MaeRenee94 Posts: 175
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    Those nurses are right for sure. But periods can stop because more than a low BMI. For instance when I played volleyball I would always take a month or two off from hard training and just do lighter stuff like yoga and light cardio. But when I started back up with 3-4 hour practices every day, double days, and weight training mine would stop or delay for a bit, but than get back on track.
    Stress too could also affect it.
  • afbigg
    afbigg Posts: 33 Member
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    thank you to both of you! I plan to see the doctor, but I recently moved and havent switched doctors yet, and my doctor at this time is over an hour away from me. Just hoping if I wait long enough, my period will come!
  • 0shifty0
    0shifty0 Posts: 35
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    Well, if you are two weeks late, then do go see a doctor. As far as exercise, I have had a desk job for the past 6 years or so, so I too went from sedentary to working out 3-4 days/week at the very least, and for an hour at a time. This should not affect your period at all. Before my desk job I would work out 2 hrs/day, 4-5 days/week. And it never affected my period. Oh, and your weight loss for the month sounds right on. I average 4-5lbs/month while doing cardio and lifting weights.
  • honeysprinkles
    honeysprinkles Posts: 1,757 Member
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    mine occasionally comes a week or 2 late also, it's really annoying but I think it just happens sometimes.
    It could be from the exercise or it could be from a lot of other different things, but seeing a doctor never hurts!

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