Okay, I know we're all built differently but this just bothered me Lately.
Quick background, I'm 5'0 and lost 20 pounds to get to my goal weight of 108-110 pounds. By bmi standards, it's right in the middle of healthy, and again, i really am short. I personally FEEL the best and most confident and feel I look best at that weight. However, i lost my period for a while. There was no doubt that it's due to the "low" weight. I got my monthly visitor back after gaining weight and getting up to 115. Now, that may only be 7 pounds, but on my height and small frame, it really makes a difference. My health is more important than anything so I will stay here at this weight since my period has been back now, but it is NOT the weight i feel best and look best at. I guess I'm just frustrated! I see other women with lower bmi's or who weigh 95-100 pounds at my height and have no problem with their periods - all i wanted to feel my personal best is 110!
I'm sorry if this is coming off as a useless rant. Again, my overall health is most important to me and i'm constantly still worried that i'll lose it again. I was just wondering if you've dealt with losing periods as you lost weight?
When I began working out last August my period skipped a full 2 cycles which was weird but I attributed it to the initial weight loss. It came back but I was not exercising as much however, I was maintaining my weight loss. I was still overweight by BMI standards so perhaps you skipped a few cycles just because of the initial weight loss and not because you are underweight/unhealthy, both of which you are not. But this is def something to talk to your physician about.
i am definitely not at my ideal weight...still hovering in the 208-range...and i lose my period every single time i put my body through unusual stress/force such as increased exercise, new way of eating, even the stress of buying our first home...i've been low carbing since march and i havent had a single period since then...i'm on BCP pills so it could be more that, than my actual TOM...since i need to be low carbing as a permanent lifestyle, i guess i just have to live with no periods, since i am pre-diabetic
I had a baby almost 6 months ago and I still haven't gotten my period back (I only breastfed her for 2 weeks, so that's not the reason). I'm about 5 lbs from my goal weight and it honestly never occurred to me that the lack of period could be a result of decreased calories and increased exercise. I'll be getting an appointment with my OBGYN next month and will address this issue.
I realize that this isn't a helpful comment, but you're not alone!
It could be so many things. It could be the weight, but it could be something else. It's more likely something else (unless you did a starvation/hard core fitness way of getting to your goal weight and did it quickly).
So, talk to an ob/gyn, but drop slowly and sensible and test it out again. A one time deal is not conclusive evidence. It could have been a fluke.
It could be a lot of things but the simplest answer is usually the right one. Thus - it is likely related to your weight loss. I don't know how fast you lost the weight but if you lose weight slowly than your hormones generally are not affected or if they are it is substantially less. At your size I'd say losing 1-2 lbs a month would probably be the right pace to drop those 10 lbs again.
Having said that - most female fitness competitors (the ones with normal genetics) don't try to live their lives contest ready. (13-16% body fat) They generally live their lives in the high teens - low 20s and then diet down for their competitions.
My suggestion would be to check out leangains.com because from what I have seen Martin (who runs the site) has the best plan for leaning out slowly and maintaining it.
I don't know how fast you lost the weight but if you lose weight slowly than your hormones generally are not affected or if they are it is substantially less.
I'm losing no more than 1lb/week and my hormones have gone crazy. As far as I know, that's relatively normal with weight loss, what with the oestrogen stored in fat being released as the fat is burned off.
Count me as part of the "hormones gone crazy club," and my weight loss was over about a year and a half - NOT blazing speed by any stretch of the imagination.
I missed 4 cycles and eventually saw my doctor, who put me on a round of hormones (progesterone, then estrogen, then a round of progesterone again). TOM came back, but that was only a few weeks ago so I'm crossing my fingers I'm back to normal now. For the record, my cycles had been like clockwork for over 15 years, so it's not like this was normal in any way.
My BMI is smack dab in the middle of normal. I've had my body fat measured by caliper and it's around 24%, and even if that's inaccurate there's no way it's lower than 20%.
I attribute the missed periods to my body momentarily going wonky (very scientific explanation, don't you think?). I think it just needed to take a break and maybe "re-set."
OP, I do think it's worth it to see your doc, just to see what's up.
I lost the weight over a long period too. I lost the weight, maintained at 108 for a few months and then, looking back, it was when i started to exercise( i didn't exercise a single day to lose weight, just watched portions) that i lost my period for several months.
Doctor said it was probably due to exercising for the first time etc, but when it never came back after my body got used to exercise, i knew it was because of my weight. I'm happy to keep my weight at his slightly higher level, it just boggles my mind to see bmi's MUCH less than mine and to see people with perfectly normal cycles. Every "body" is different obviously! Thanks for the responses guys!
yeah i havent seen a doctor for my missing TOMs...i cant afford to pay hundreds of dollars for a local doctor to tell me what i already know about myself...and i dont want to be asked to take additional hormones (in addition to my BCP) just to create a period...i don't need that in my body....besides, you can choose to take BCP that prevent a period from ever happening, by not taking the placebo week, so i think my body is perfectly fine missing some periods all on its own
Hi all,
I've had issues with missing periods, mainly from PCOS, but I wanted to jump in and add a comment. My gynocologist told me that if you are NOT on the pill, not getting your period can cause estrogen to build up in your body and it isn't good for you--you really should try to have a period every couple months at the very least. She said that it is different when you're on the pill because your "period" is simply withdrawal bleeding from the pills themselves, not a real period, and the hormones in the pill are keeping your body from having that estrogen build up.
most females will menstruate at 105 lbs. If you are dangerously close to that threshold as you have been, it can be causing a lost of the menstruation from that low weight. I think it is healthier to have that extra 7 lbs, just do lean gains like John suggested.
I am 5'2 and 102# (down from 111# about 4 months ago) and my cycles are still regular. I have a pretty small frame (1/2 Asian). I would call and ask your OB about it...
Losing your period..
