We are pleased to announce that on March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor will be introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the upcoming changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

Dieting and Menstrual Cycle

ligenzch
ligenzch Posts: 1 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
I have been trying different ways to lose weight over the past year. I tried low calorie and lately ive been on a low carb diet. My general eating habits for a day are eggs and some kind of meat for breakfast and then meat and vegetables for lunch/dinner with some minor snacking on cheese or something throughout the day. I drink lots of water with a few cups of coffee. With this low carb diet, my menstrual cycle has been late for the past 2 months. I definitely know that I am not pregnant. I was wondering if anybody has any idea if and how my diet has affected my cycle. Id prefer to stay low carb because it has helped me lose weight more than anything. Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Replies

  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I lost my period a few times when I had a big deficit. It came back when I started eating closer to maintenance.
  • louise13dunstan
    louise13dunstan Posts: 74 Member
    Ive been no/low carb for 2 months and both times my cycle has come early but lighter than normal minus the migraines. Maybe check it out with docs but it prob is just ur body reacting to the change. We are all different and not every lifestyle suits every person
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    edited September 2015
    If you know for a fact you aren't pregnant, is there a real problem with your cycle being longer? To me that sounds like a good thing as long as it isn't also heavier or accompanied by other, non-pleasant side effects. :smile:

    Seriously, it could be the way you're eating or it could just be that your cycle is changing on its own. Mine fluctuates all of the time and for awhile last year I was going 25 days, 31 days, 26 days, 31 days, 25 days, 30 days... it eventually evened itself out a little more but I hadn't changed my diet or anything else that I'm aware of. I'd personally prefer that it be closer to 31 days than 25, that's for certain.
  • fitmomma182
    fitmomma182 Posts: 13 Member
    I just started exercising again/eating better and my period was almost a week and 1/2 late this month. I was expecting this as it has happened before (but I still bought two pregnancy tests just to make sure). Eating differently can change your cycle but I would talk to doc to be sure.
This discussion has been closed.