no menstrual cycle--help
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maryannprt wrote: »so I was definitely under fueling for my exercises I was doing...right now MFP says I should be eating 1930 to maintain (without exercise). Wow, I always thought eating 2000 calories would be crazy! You Don t think I can go back into a slight defecit when returning? I feel gross!
You've said repeatedly you feel "gross". Maybe talk to your doctor about the potentially unrealistic view you have of your body and how it functions. Don't do anything until you do. So, so many reasons women need to have a little more fat than men with long term ramifications for your health.
I feel gross because I havent exercised in over a month and I have put on a little over 10 pounds...I was always around 127-135 and never lost my period, yes I have trained much harder then I ever had and more intense, but I was always lean and I just want to maintain my lean body...If not exercising the way I was before is going to allow me to be lean and have my period then thats something I will definitely do...but that is the reason I feel gross.
You say you feel gross and you're trying to get people on this thread to tell you to ignore your doctor's directions. I think we all understand WHY you feel gross. You're used to looking and feeling a certain way, and now you don't. I'm saying that may not be a healthy thing for you to be concentrating on. Your periods don't stop for no good reason, and those reasons can have long term consequences for your health. Talk to your doctor about how you're feeling. I'm sorry if you took my comment in a negative or dismissive way, because that was not my intention. I want you to be healthy AND fit, AND maintain your fertility and long term health. Maybe your doctor can refer you to a team who has experience in working with women in your situation. Good luck.3 -
collectingblues wrote: »VintageFeline wrote: »I would think some cardio would be okay, maybe 3 times a week 20 minutes. Or even just walking. I think it would definitely be prudent to ease back into it.
With the caveat that she's absolutely got to be fueling that cardio -- not using the cardio to create or enhance a deficit.
Absolutely in the mid term. Once health is back on track a small deficit in combination with moderate cardio would likely not be an issue. But priority is sorting out everything else.2 -
Another thought. Once properly fuelled and health on the way to being restored, I wouldn't be at all surprised if your mood lifts a bit. Jacked up hormones can really do a number physically and mentally. Just think of PMS, no fun at all.3
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OP is not in an unusual situation. I don't think she wants us to tell her to ignore her dr. I think she wants to be heard and understood.
Those of us who have been through it recognize exercise bulimia and body dysmorphia when we see it in others. OP needs special TLC right now. If we are asking OP to be gentler to herself - in her mind and to her body - we must exemplify the gentleness and lack of judgment that we are suggesting to OP.9 -
Cyprus_Girl84 wrote: »OP is not in an unusual situation. I don't think she wants us to tell her to ignore her dr. I think she wants to be heard and understood.
Those of us who have been through it recognize exercise bulimia and body dysmorphia when we see it in others. OP needs special TLC right now. If we are asking OP to be gentler to herself - in her mind and to her body - we must exemplify the gentleness and lack of judgment that we are suggesting to OP.
I'm not sure where you're seeing that people aren't acting in this way.
I'm working toward ED recovery. It *sucks*. But what also sucks is the fact that right now, because of the abuse I've given my body, I haven't been able to run in weeks, and I'm facing losing $100+ for races that I'm likely not going to be able to run this month.
One can be sympathetic and matter of fact at the same time. I don't understand why you think that people aren't being gentle and sympathetic with her.
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I think everyone's intentions are good; I think everyone's hearts are in the right places.1
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VintageFeline wrote: »GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »so I was definitely under fueling for my exercises I was doing...right now MFP says I should be eating 1930 to maintain (without exercise). Wow, I always thought eating 2000 calories would be crazy! You Don t think I can go back into a slight defecit when returning? I feel gross!
Well, you need to take a measured approach here. You need to fix the damage you've done. Once you've fixed that damage, you can worry about taking off the weight.
You need a good period of refeeding with high carbs and lower fat and a good ratio of protein to accomplish what you need doing here. At least two weeks if not a month or more.
There are reasons for that macro ratio that have to do with body composition that I learned from Lyle McDonald, but they are escaping me right now.
Honestly I don't think this is a refeed situation, this is an eating at maintenance with a normal macro split to reverse AT and let the body fully recover. Two weeks or even a month just isn't going to cut it at this stage.
When you return to exercise I am in agreeance you need to continue to eat at maintenance for a period. If I recall correctly (and i may be wrong and this is just coincidence) but this has been a problem for a while. Which also means you've been chronically underfuelling for a while. Our bodies don't generally make sudden stops to bodily functions because of a few weeks of too few calories.
Work with your doctor, let them know your thoughts about your body mentally and start increasing calories. Like I said, incrementally would be the best approach, 100 calories per day for a week then again the next week until you hold steady. This is known as reverse dieting.
Its been 4 months since no period...I started to experience over training symptoms 2 months ago and since then I just couldnt get back into the gym. Im not looking to go into a bulk...Yes I do agree that I should eat at maintenance for a bit, Maybe 8 weeks from the time I get my period for another 2 months just to make sure my cycle in on track...You guys have been very helpful...Do you guys think I should do cardio when returning or just weight training and yoga until Im ready to cut? I really dont have anyone whos guiding me or to talk to so I really appreciate all your guidance..
You feel gross? Imagine how you will feel if you lost your hair, nails are Brittle, bone loss and easy to Break, and a sunken face. Not to mention simply feeling fatigued, dizzy, and weak.This is what will happen if you Keep pushing your body and don't allow it enough time to recover. 8 weeks after you get your period is not enough, you need to go over all of what you said and feel with your doctor. I'm not trying to scare you, but this is something you need to have a lot of patience for. It will do you a lot of good in the long run. I wish you the best of luck and good health.
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maryannprt wrote: »maryannprt wrote: »so I was definitely under fueling for my exercises I was doing...right now MFP says I should be eating 1930 to maintain (without exercise). Wow, I always thought eating 2000 calories would be crazy! You Don t think I can go back into a slight defecit when returning? I feel gross!
You've said repeatedly you feel "gross". Maybe talk to your doctor about the potentially unrealistic view you have of your body and how it functions. Don't do anything until you do. So, so many reasons women need to have a little more fat than men with long term ramifications for your health.
I feel gross because I havent exercised in over a month and I have put on a little over 10 pounds...I was always around 127-135 and never lost my period, yes I have trained much harder then I ever had and more intense, but I was always lean and I just want to maintain my lean body...If not exercising the way I was before is going to allow me to be lean and have my period then thats something I will definitely do...but that is the reason I feel gross.
You say you feel gross and you're trying to get people on this thread to tell you to ignore your doctor's directions. I think we all understand WHY you feel gross. You're used to looking and feeling a certain way, and now you don't. I'm saying that may not be a healthy thing for you to be concentrating on. Your periods don't stop for no good reason, and those reasons can have long term consequences for your health. Talk to your doctor about how you're feeling. I'm sorry if you took my comment in a negative or dismissive way, because that was not my intention. I want you to be healthy AND fit, AND maintain your fertility and long term health. Maybe your doctor can refer you to a team who has experience in working with women in your situation. Good luck.
Thank you so much! I really appreciate your help!
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Chances are you're working your body too hard and not eating enough micros and calories to sustain it. Follow doctors orders, that's why you went to the doctors to find out what's wrong and he instructed what to do. You can watch your calories after you gained the weight back but just try to stay around the weight you are now which I'm assuming is 143 because you were 133 but had to gain 10 pounds.0
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To me it also sounds like you have unhealthy unrealistic goals for your body that is putting a strain on your health. Maybe see a doctor for that. It sounds like Body dysmorphia.1
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I agree. OP feel free to message me, I'm always a listening ear.maryannprt wrote: »maryannprt wrote: »so I was definitely under fueling for my exercises I was doing...right now MFP says I should be eating 1930 to maintain (without exercise). Wow, I always thought eating 2000 calories would be crazy! You Don t think I can go back into a slight defecit when returning? I feel gross!
You've said repeatedly you feel "gross". Maybe talk to your doctor about the potentially unrealistic view you have of your body and how it functions. Don't do anything until you do. So, so many reasons women need to have a little more fat than men with long term ramifications for your health.
I feel gross because I havent exercised in over a month and I have put on a little over 10 pounds...I was always around 127-135 and never lost my period, yes I have trained much harder then I ever had and more intense, but I was always lean and I just want to maintain my lean body...If not exercising the way I was before is going to allow me to be lean and have my period then thats something I will definitely do...but that is the reason I feel gross.
You say you feel gross and you're trying to get people on this thread to tell you to ignore your doctor's directions. I think we all understand WHY you feel gross. You're used to looking and feeling a certain way, and now you don't. I'm saying that may not be a healthy thing for you to be concentrating on. Your periods don't stop for no good reason, and those reasons can have long term consequences for your health. Talk to your doctor about how you're feeling. I'm sorry if you took my comment in a negative or dismissive way, because that was not my intention. I want you to be healthy AND fit, AND maintain your fertility and long term health. Maybe your doctor can refer you to a team who has experience in working with women in your situation. Good luck.
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rickiimarieee wrote: »Chances are you're working your body too hard and not eating enough micros and calories to sustain it. Follow doctors orders, that's why you went to the doctors to find out what's wrong and he instructed what to do. You can watch your calories after you gained the weight back but just try to stay around the weight you are now which I'm assuming is 143 because you were 133 but had to gain 10 pounds.
Im sure you are right, I dont really know exactly how many calories Im burning when exercising. I do thnink my exercises were a very intense but I thought that would get me the best fitness look...MFP puts me at a maintenance of 2090 for being 133 and active...I should have increased to maintenance because I was happy where I was but I didnt...I dont think I was severely under eating and it definitely wasnt intentional...I definitley dont think I have a body image issue I just want to be lean, menstruate and be healthy and feel and be fit...Ive always been around 127-133 pounds and never had an issue, I do have more muscle mass now then I ever did, I dont know if that has anything to do with it.
I really appreciate your support and kindness! It means so much to me...I cant wait to finally get my period...I feel like my life has been on hold because of this...I know it sounds crazy but the gym opens my head and without it its closed
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You keep using "lean" in ways that I think suggest you don't understand (or accept? ) that body fat has a purpose, and that there's a reason that women's "average" or "ideal" or "normal" body fat percentage is always more than those numbers for men.
Body fat is very sensitively tied to women's hormones, because in a "real world" scenario (aka, not a modern industrialized society), if you got pregnant without any reserves in the form of body fat, you'd likely be unable to carry a baby to term, have a healthy baby, and nurse it for the 2-4 years it needs in that world. What you're seeing as "gross" is your body's treasured reserves of baby-growing and baby-feeding energy.
Even if you're not intending (right now, or ever) to have that baby, your hormonal system doesn't really care.
You keep saying there's no body image issue except that being non-lean is gross to you. But it sounds like you may be in pursuit of an unattainable level of lean for your body, and that makes it a body image issue.6 -
rickiimarieee wrote: »Chances are you're working your body too hard and not eating enough micros and calories to sustain it. Follow doctors orders, that's why you went to the doctors to find out what's wrong and he instructed what to do. You can watch your calories after you gained the weight back but just try to stay around the weight you are now which I'm assuming is 143 because you were 133 but had to gain 10 pounds.
Im sure you are right, I dont really know exactly how many calories Im burning when exercising. I do thnink my exercises were a very intense but I thought that would get me the best fitness look...MFP puts me at a maintenance of 2090 for being 133 and active...I should have increased to maintenance because I was happy where I was but I didnt...I dont think I was severely under eating and it definitely wasnt intentional...I definitley dont think I have a body image issue I just want to be lean, menstruate and be healthy and feel and be fit...Ive always been around 127-133 pounds and never had an issue, I do have more muscle mass now then I ever did, I dont know if that has anything to do with it.
I really appreciate your support and kindness! It means so much to me...I cant wait to finally get my period...I feel like my life has been on hold because of this...I know it sounds crazy but the gym opens my head and without it its closed
As I noted in a post upthread, your fat intake is very low. That in combination with the low calorie intake was a recipe for disaster because your hormones need a minimal amount of fat to function.
You should be eating at the very least .65 - .85 grams of protein per pound of ideal body weight and at least .45 grams of fat to promote optimal body composition and hormone function. Your diary showed you falling far short of those goals.
When you're eating at your new goal (which should be maintenance for your current weight, not 2090 which is for your ideal weight), check your intake to ensure that you're meeting those targets. You should probably shoot for a bit higher than .45g goal for fat since you're working on restoring hormone function.2 -
Not to hijack your thread but same!! I haven’t had my period for 7 months now and I had to greatly reduce my exercise... I feel fat and gross and have gained 5 lbs from my lowest weight.0
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It is strange how differently bodies work. I trained to an athletic level back in 2013/2014, got to 12% bodyfat (measured by trainer and also confirmed visually by some of the more reputable members here) and I still got my wretched period... I add I hate the things as they are so painful in my case. Heck I still get it now at the same sort of bodyfat and a much lower weight. It is really strange.
The only thing I can think of is that I ate a heck of a lot back then, often 3500 calories per day so I really do think it might be largely down to nutrition intake. Yes, I had low bodyfat but I was also eating plenty to fuel what I was doing on an almost daily basis. Currently, I do not eat so much as I do not train so much, but still usually over 2k calories per day. Or maybe it is only when I go below a certain weight as opposed to bodyfat % that they stop and I know what that number is from past experience.
I would stick to maintenance, maybe add a little cardio back in so you wont feel so uncomfortable with yourself, and remember that you are beautiful regardless of how lean or not lean you are, hard as that might be.2
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