New here - Natural set point hell.

xtxtxtx
xtxtxtx Posts: 83 Member
in Introduce Yourself
I am 20 y/o, 5'1 and 104 lbs right now, looking to be 101 lbs of mostly muscle.
This is supposedly within the 'healthy' weight range but I have a huge issue with natural set point.
Whenever I go below 110 lbs, I lose my period! At 5'1"!!! In the past, I didn't get to 109 by starving, I ate 1800-2000 (yep, seriously) and exercised. Still, I, without fail, lose my period at exactly 109 lbs and *feel* starving on 1800-2000. I hate the way I look at that weight--cannot stand, hate, cannot live with, looks TERRIBLE--and since I knew I was going to lose my period regardless, on this current endeavor I've eaten 1200 or less. Right now I'm at 104, still planning on eating 1200 or less, but just so beyond frustrated. Most people at my height would be able to be healthy enough at <110 lbs. At 110 lbs, I just look like a shapeless bag. Also, get this, one summer when I was hovering in the 112-115 range and working out a lot--no food restriction whatsoever, just 3-4 hours of exercise per day--I LOST MY PERIOD. It's like if I want to be healthy, I'm stuck at 112 lbs with no muscle tone. It makes me want to cry. I hate it so much, it looks terrible and I'd always get called chubby and a pig for eating so much (to maintain that weight, I ate 2200-3700 calories/day...somehow). I hate that my body naturally needs more food than most peoples' in order to be healthy. I hate that my body is naturally less efficient. It's also as if I'm meant to be sedentary, being that exercise makes me lose my period too.
Anyway, I currently don't have a period and to me it's in the end worth it to look the way I want to, but I'm just so frustrated and I guess looking for, I don't know, sympathy, advice, anything. Please help.

Replies

  • botography
    botography Posts: 95 Member
    My feeling exactly. I cannot seem to go below set point. However I have more to lose than you and I am much older. I just don't want to use those facts as an excuse. I need help because I cannot figure it out.
  • NoMoreBlameGame
    NoMoreBlameGame Posts: 236 Member
    I think the reason you're not having your period when you've reached 109 and below is because your body fat percentage is too low. I don't know much (admittedly)...but maybe you'd enjoy the results that show in your body if you tried weights rather than *only* exercising other ways (weights in addition to what you're doing already)? You said the lack of muscle tone is bothering you. Like I said...I don't know much, but it sounds to me like an increase in body fat percentage would keep your periods, and weightlifting might give you the desired effect you want with regard to appearance.

    I *do* know that not having a certain amount of body fat will make periods disappear...it's in several of my countless infertility books, and in the pamphlet at my ob/gyn's office.

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