Amenorrhea?

[satt]

I lost about 20 lbs these past few months--I know, drastic loss, I think it was from going vegan, but I'm at a health weight now, if at the lower end of the spectrum of healthy weight. However, I haven't had a period since last December, but it started happening before I lost the weight. I've been eating more now, more healthy fats and such (nuts, avocados, etc.), and it's been about a month. One thing I noticed is that I was cramping a bit last week, and this week I've been breaking out on my face (which doesn't usually happen unless I'm premenstrual).

My nutritionist said to perhaps cut back on my running--I run 4 miles nearly every day. I understand that I may have not been eating enough (unknowingly) for my activity levels. Now, I am, and I'm wondering if I need to cut back on running to regain my menstrual cycle, or if it will eventually come back as long as I'm eating enough?

[Hiking Fox]

Running every day is a bad idea, have some rest days.

Try 4 days a week, with 3 rest days, and see whether you feel better.

Also don't stress about healthy fats, it's fine to have some fried food as well, provided you have balance. All the members of our fell-running club snack on chips and curry and drink beer and they can run 40 miles over mountains in a race.

[Konstantin]

Not a lot to add to the above really. There's a lot of 'general' dietary advice which may not apply to you, and may be less relevant to vegans. The Western world probably eats too much fat, that doesn't mean the average vegan does, and it doesn't mean you do. If you're at the lower end of the weight scale, eat more. I grind seeds and eat them with ground dried pineapple and/or soaked dates - loads of calories and protein and tastes good. Peanut butter is a common favourite, and there's some good bulking shakes. A lot of vegans are keen on coconut milk.

As for the running, IMHO maybe mix it up a bit with some rest days, cross training and different distances activities (eg intervals).

[Linnéa76]

Running 4 miles/day isn't that extreme, but if your problem is that your bodyfat percentage is too low,
it could obviously make it harder to put on some fat. Have you seen a gynecologist about this? If not
I think it's time you did, also to eliminate glandular disturbances or something else that should be treated.

[ColleenE]

The amount of running is not excessive at all--even if you're doing it 7 days a week that's only 28 miles. I think the problem was the quick and drastic weightloss, with your body still adjusting to that hormonally. Eating good fats and stabilizing your weight will probably result in a restoration of your cycle without cutting back on the running.

[lobsteriffic]

[quote="ColleenE"]The amount of running is not excessive at all--even if you're doing it 7 days a week that's only 28 miles. I think the problem was the quick and drastic weightloss, with your body still adjusting to that hormonally. Eating good fats and stabilizing your weight will probably result in a restoration of your cycle without cutting back on the running.

[baldy]

[quote="satt"]I run 4 miles nearly every day.

[quote="baldy"][quote="satt"]I run 4 miles nearly every day.