Missed "." cycle

[nycgirl]

Hey everyone!!

It appears that I am not going to get my "." (or as my bf likes to say "female inconvenience") this month. I've been bloated for 3 weeks (I feel and look like a whale) and have experienced other pms symptoms. This happened in Sept. when I started running consistently and training for a race. I cut back on Cardio in January and got into the lifting lifestyle.

Since Jan., I have lost weight and my bf% has decreased. With the exception of my cheat meals, I'm eating a lot less.

Is this normal? I didn't know lifting weights can cause this to happened. How long does it take for the body to bounce back to normal? Has anyone else experience this?

 

[Sassy69]

It can get interrupted when your body is going thru significant change. How long did it take to come back after your race in Sept? Generally (and this is generally and not a hardened limit) around 12% bf you can experience amenorrhea -- the body is programmed to figure out that the bodyfat levels are no longer sufficient to safely carry a baby. This trigger point can vary in women, in discussion we've heard on here about people who experience it at 14%. But a significant change in the body in a short period of time, extra stress, etc. can also result in a missed cycle.

I guess to your question, yes its probably pretty normal, but when it will stop & when it will return is very individual. Be aware of the possible contributors, and note when things like stress start to settle down, exercise habits have "settled in" as "the norm" for your body, if your bodyfat drops significantly around or below 12% and when will it be returning (e.g. post competition). If it persists, and you don't normally have irregular cycles, then start looking for issues.

 

[Gymgurl]

Go buy a test just to put your mind at ease and don't worry about it...

 

[Sassy69]

LOL d'oh. Good point....

 

[nycgirl]

Well, my "." arrived 3 weeks late. Now I'm going to the bathroom every 30 minutes due to all of the water retention. Hopefully, my body is done adjusting and it will get back on a normal cycle.

 

[Gymgurl]

Happy dance for you!! 3 weeks late is a long time!