Restoring Menstrual Cycle after a Diet

I've been asked about this topic multiple times, and I believe it's important to provide a comprehensive explanation once and for all.

This information is for girls who have been exhausted by foolishness and discipline.

If your menstrual cycle becomes irregular or stops completely, follow these steps:

1. Ensure that you meet your body's energy needs by monitoring the quantity and quality of your food intake. For fitness enthusiasts, it is advisable to consume at least 1.5-2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, preferably from animal sources. Fat intake should be no less than 1.1-1.3 grams per kilogram of body weight.

2. Slightly increase your calorie intake by 20-30% or reduce the intensity and frequency of physical activities. Based on short-term experiments, an energy level of 30-31 kcal per kilogram of lean body mass (weight without fat) per day is sufficient to maintain a normal pulsatile secretion of luteinizing hormone.

3. If you engage in any form of exercise, the calories burned during the activity should be compensated by increasing your intake, adding to the "30-31 kcal per kilogram of lean body mass" mentioned earlier.

4. Ensure that you get enough rest and recovery.

5. Consider taking:

   • High-quality vitamin and mineral supplements (vitamins, mineral additives).

   • It may be beneficial to incorporate calcium and iron into your diet, depending on your current intake and sources.

   • Don't forget about fish oil (1.8-3 grams of EPA/DHA per day, equivalent to 6-10 one-gram fish oil capsules with a standard EPA/DHA ratio of 180/120).

   • Oral intake of 1-2 grams per day of acetyl-L-carnitine (specifically acetyl-L-carnitine, not just L-carnitine).

6. Make each meal complete, meaning it should contain protein, fats, and carbohydrates, including complex carbohydrates or slow-digesting carbohydrates.

7. Normalize your psychological and emotional state. Avoid stress and nervousness as much as possible. Watch movies, listen to music, or engage in activities that bring you pleasure.

8. Get hormone tests done, at least for thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), prolactin (PRL), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol, progesterone, free testosterone, cortisol, and pelvic organ ultrasound (as a precautionary measure). However, these tests should be prescribed by a gynecologist or endocrinologist. Please note that I do not interpret test results.

9. Consult a doctor to rule out underlying medical conditions or injuries.

10. Be patient. Depending on the severity, it may take 12-20 weeks (or possibly earlier) for your menstrual cycle to normalize. If your cycle disappears while using hormonal medications, the recovery process may take longer.

11. Do not try to fix the situation using achievements of the pharmaceutical industry. There is no guarantee that it will help, and it may even complicate the process. Taking oral contraceptives may seem like the easiest solution, as prescribed by doctors, but it only treats the symptom and not the underlying cause. Additionally, it can lead to complications in terms of gynecology. Taking oral contraceptives is like playing Russian roulette, but with more bullets in the chamber.

12. Unfortunately, there is a high likelihood that you will need to regain some fat until you reach a minimally safe level according to your body's assessment. Interruption of the menstrual cycle is understandable when body fat percentage is low.

Women need more fat than men because it serves as a resource for life, reproduction, and lactation for future offspring, among other things. However, this doesn't mean you should overeat and justify it with the need for a "healthy reproductive system." Both a sedentary lifestyle and excessive weight have negative effects on the menstrual cycle and overall health, including the female reproductive system.

Recommended body fat ranges:

• For boys, the lower healthy limit is 10-15%. (hm... why do I even mention boys in this context)

• For girls, the lower healthy limit for body fat is 18-22%.

The ABSENCE of a menstrual cycle is not a FAT PROBLEM but an IMBALANCE PROBLEM.

Overweight women face similar issues as those who have lost excessive weight, but through different mechanisms.

It is beneficial to combine the process of restoring the menstrual cycle with hypertrophy training to rebuild skeletal muscles. This will provide a solid foundation for future body development and improve overall health.

If you are unhappy with your body despite having a healthy body fat percentage, it means you lack SKELETAL MUSCLE MASS!

The Most Important Thing! Two Points!

Don't get too absorbed in fitness 24/7; divert your life towards other directions. While it can be a priority for a period of time, it should not consume your entire life.

We easily fall into the trap of focusing only on what we excel at, which often leads to imbalances in life. A businessman may only think about money, a homemaker about borscht and children, a fitness enthusiast solely focused on the next recipe. This is not necessarily a bad thing when you concentrate on a single goal, but artificially introduce activities into your life that you haven't tried before.

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If you're searching for a personalized nutrition (not DIET) plan or workout program that is specifically tailored to your needs, I can offer you an individual online session. During this session, I will guide you through the process, providing you with a solid foundation to create your own program moving forward. --> LEARN MORE