am i excercising too much?

[fawn]

I havn't been menstruating, and my doctor told me that my case has somthign to do with annovulatory. She said one of the cause is too much exercise...Here's my weekly routine....is this too much exercise?

Monday: attend aerobics class (mederate) 1 hour. Somtimes i do stair master for 5 min.
Tuesday:abs, weight train(about 2 hours): Chest/Biceps. I always do 3 sets 12 reps.Sometimes i added weights and make fewer reps (i want to built some muscle)=
Wednesday: Swim, 50min. i do 80 laps . 25 meters all crawl style(free style)
1st 10 laps= slow
10-30 laps = interval (25m slow, 25m fast)
30-40 = slow
50-70 = interval (sometimes i do this slow, depends on my capability that
day
70-80= slow
Thursday: abs, weight train(2hrs): BAck, triceps
Friday: rest day
Saturday: abs, weight train: Legs, shoulders
Sunday: rest day

[imperfectly_lou]

You are spending too much time weight training. Your weights workout should go no longer than 45-60mins. Any longer and you are overtraining and not working with enough intensity.

However, if you are weight training for 2hrs, it is likely your intensity is low. Added to your other workouts, I would say NO, it is unlikely your exercise is related to your lack of menstruation.

[MDC]

You really shouldn't be lifting weights for more than 45-60 minutes at the most. Longer than that causes stress on your body that might be involved with your problem. Some of the other possible causes of being annovulatory are insufficient calories or really low bodyfat levels.

If you can lift for 2 hours, you're not lifting heavy enough. Especially if you're doing a split.

[Helene]

I agree with the other, after 45min-1 hour (max) of weight training, I'm dead. Up the intensity of your workouts. Remember that longer isn't better. Focus on quality instead of quantity.

[fawn]

they are indeed not high intensity weight train

I do about 30min of abs and the rest is 1 hr, so more or less 1 1/2 hours of training

I don't know how much my body fat is. I know its above 20%. I weigh 106-107 lbs. stands 5'2

and i do eat lots

[aprilai]

if you want to build muscle then why would you settle for low intensity weight training when obviously if you train at a higher intensity the more likely you'll put on muscle mass?

also what kind of ab exercising could you do that takes up 30mins? my direct ab exercises usually take me the most at 10mins.

training at long periods puts your body into a catabolic state [muscle eating state, something you do not want].

many people who say that they eat a lot actually do not. you might want to show us a sample of your daily diet.

[god hand]

if you want to build muscle then why would you settle for low intensity weight training when obviously if you train at a higher intensity the more likely you'll put on muscle mass?

also what kind of ab exercising could you do that takes up 30mins? my direct ab exercises usually take me the most at 10mins.

training at long periods puts your body into a catabolic state [muscle eating state, something you do not want].

many people who say that they eat a lot actually do not. you might want to show us a sample of your daily diet.

Yes youre right. And to answer youre ? As long as u get in proper nutrition, u can workout as much as u want.

[aprilai]

Yes youre right. And to answer youre ? As long as u get in proper nutrition, u can workout as much as u want.

even if you're overtraining and eating thousands of calories a day, you're still overtraining. overtraining doesn't always mean undereating.

[badziggy34]

no you are not working out that much. what is your diet like. and what is your bodyfat to begin with...

[fawn]

I want to build a few muscle mass but not bulky. I think i may need a few more..but i'm currently satisfied with what i have right now.

I know i'm doing the abs the wrong way...Doing lots of reps actually until i feel the burn. I don't want "rippled" abs, but a "lady abs"

As for the amount of what i eat, i don't have the exact amount in weight....

Preworkout: 1/2 c skimmed milk
WORKOUT
Post workout AM: usually 2 cups cooked oatmeal, 1 egg white, 1 glass i calcium powdered milk, 1 banana (sometimes 1 apple)
Mid am snack: 1 cup cooked oatmeal, less than 1 egg white
Lunch: veggies, protein, fruits
snack: protein, somtimes with wheat bread
dinner: veggies, protein, 1 glass powdered milk. Recently i adde some nuts

** i'm not sure if i'am taking enough fat. The fat mostly comes from the food (like they way its cooked = which is with oil)

Protein always means chicken for me LOL. That's our main dish most of the time. I know that usually i consume about (this is just an estimate) 3/4-1 whole chicken per day ( distributed). Sometimes less since we don't have chicken, and we have meat instead or fish. As for the veggies, i eat lots (but there are times, we don' the it at home, but i try to buy some) especially for lunch about 3 cups (and sometmes more) As for dinner, about 1 cup.

[Helene]

You should be eating Complex carbs (oatmeal) and protein before working out, especially with weights. Weight training on an emply stomach (or 1/2 of milk) is not good.

[luv2live]

I know i'm doing the abs the wrong way...Doing lots of reps actually until i feel the burn. I don't want "rippled" abs, but a "lady abs"

What are lady abs Vs ripped abs?
(she asks as she rubs her six pack)

[terracotta]

What are lady abs Vs ripped abs?
(she asks as she rubs her six pack)

[imperfectly_lou]

What are lady abs Vs ripped abs?
(she asks as she rubs her six pack)

LOL my thoughts exactly!

[Erika78750]

This is a tricky one but I don't think it's due to the workouts although you are working out a little too much. Calm it down just a tad. I was going to ask if you eat but I see that you said that you do. I find it hard to believe that your body fat % is above 20% if you are 5'2" and around 105. I am 4'11" and I weigh 135lbs and my body fat is only 25% so unless you have no definition at all then you should be lower than that, somewhere around 18% sounds right to me but you should have it checked out anyway. Now, if you are on birth control that could cause a missed period, also stress can add to that. You might want to have an exam to check your ovaries, and you might need to get on birth control to make you have cycles. Also if everything else fails, have your thyroid checked. This is all that I know. Hope it helps.
Erika

[fawn]

luv2live lol, well, lady abs for me isn't ripped but you can see the 2 vertical lines of the obliques.

Come to think of it, i lift light weights compared to you ladies

Erika78750i'm not on BCP, i've been to several doctors, some diagnosed me with having polycystic ovarian syndrome (pcos) and my current one said i'm not

She said my ovaries just dind't mature enough (even if i had regular periods before). all i have to do is wait till my period comes back to normal. And i think she'll prescribed Hormone replacement therapy drug to provide me estrogen (coz i have low estrogen).

does that make any sense?

[Helene]

luv2live lol, well, lady abs for me isn't ripped but you can see the 2 vertical lines of the obliques.

Come to think of it, i lift light weights compared to you ladies

Erika78750i'm not on BCP, i've been to several doctors, some diagnosed me with having polycystic ovarian syndrome (pcos) and my current one said i'm not

She said my ovaries just dind't mature enough (even if i had regular periods before). all i have to do is wait till my period comes back to normal. And i think she'll prescribed Hormone replacement therapy drug to provide me estrogen (coz i have low estrogen).

does that make any sense?

Well then if you want "lady's abs" don't loose too much bodyfat to have too defined abs. Of course you have to have muscle there to have abs also.

[luv2live]

luv2live lol, well, lady abs for me isn't ripped but you can see the 2 vertical lines of the obliques.

She said my ovaries just dind't mature enough (even if i had regular periods before). all i have to do is wait till my period comes back to normal. And i think she'll prescribed Hormone replacement therapy drug to provide me estrogen (coz i have low estrogen).

does that make any sense?

Ah, lady abs are ripped abs hiding behind a layer of fat. Gotcha. Huh, I have "ladyabs" during my bulk up...and a "ladybutt" to. (I hope my humor is coming across)

As for your ammenorhea, unless your bodyfat is below 14% or so, it's not from the exercise. Have they run an FSH/LH on you? If it's low w/o any other cause it's menopause. I suspect this is what your last MD is saying when she says your ovaries didn't fully mature and wants to put you on ERT (estrogen replacement therapy). I hope somewhere along the way you've had the following tests done:
FSH/LH
TSH and free T4
GnRH
Prolactin
ACTH
HCG
These rule out the most common causes of secondary ammenorhea (had periods at one time and now doesn't).

[fawn]

luv2live Thanks! Now i know it wasn't because of my current state/weight/bodyfat that i'm in annovulation.

I did tests for insulin, fsh, lh, estradiol, insulin. I will post them soon, i don' t have the results with me right now.

Everything is normal, most are on the low normal. My estrogen is very low though, that suggests that i'm in menopausal stage? Oh my

[luv2live]

luv2live
I did tests for insulin, fsh, lh, estradiol, insulin. I will post them soon, i don' t have the results with me right now.
Everything is normal, most are on the low normal. My estrogen is very low though, that suggests that i'm in menopausal stage? Oh my

No. If your FSH/LH are low without another source (pitutary growth, etc) then it's menopause. Low estrogen can be a number of things and is not necessarily menopause, but the doc should be running tests and scanning your head and abdomen to see if there is a source for the low estrogen.

Sorry, I'm sure all of this is being done, medicine is just something I happen to know about so I get caught up in posts that have medical aspects to them.

[imperfectly_lou]

Some recent research has found that amenhorrhea can also result from too low calorie intake even where the woman's body fat remains at a healthy level.

[fawn]

luv2live really appreciate all your medical knowledge

By the way, here's the result of my blood exams. My RE only took these sets:

Fasting Serum Insulin 5.2 uU/ml
Estradiol 12.61 pg/ml
FSH 5.18mIU/ml
LH 1.14 mIU/ml
PRL 8.5 ng/ml

And said that it doesn't indicate that i have PCOS

imperfectly_lou what does it mean whey you said too loose calorie intake?

[imperfectly_lou]

imperfectly_lou what does it mean whey you said too loose calorie intake?

My bad... I meant too low calorie intake

So for example, you could weight 180lbs, have 30% BF but if you are only eating 500cals per day (or eating 1000 and working out 2hrs a day), you can still lose your period.

[fawn]

imperfectly_lou i agree, but i dont' think i eat that low calories.... if i register the foods i've been eating on fitday...i think it shows more than 2,000

[luv2live]

[QUOTE=fawn]luv2live really appreciate all your medical knowledge

By the way, here's the result of my blood exams. My RE only took these sets:

Fasting Serum Insulin 5.2 uU/ml
Estradiol 12.61 pg/ml
FSH 5.18mIU/ml
LH 1.14 mIU/ml
PRL 8.5 ng/ml

[QUOTE]


I somehow missed this thread when you posted your lab results. My apologies for not getting back to you sooner. You are welcome to PM me if yo uhave questions. Remember that I can only give you data here. Your provider has probably asked all the important questions (meds you are on, recent changes in stressors, etc)
The FSH/LH test may be okay, it depends on when during your cycle it was taken though. Mid-cycle peaks are three times the baseline of 6-30 ImU/ml
Insulin level clears you from diabetes (although not as commonly used as glucose tollerance or fast glucose level)
Prolactin level being normal means they doubt your pitutary gland is malfunctioning.
Estradiol level - did they do an ERA or an estrogen fractions?

Wish they had done a TSH, an HCG, and a complete pelvic exam at a minimum. Any abdominal pain? Ever get worked up for endometriosis? Sexually active or ever been? Don't answer these questions on the forum - to personal. Just things a provider has to consider in treating you.
In young women the most common physical causes for lack of menstruation are:
PID
Pregnancy
Hormonal imbalances

Stress is a big non-physical factor because the body sees the stressfull time as a bad time to reproduce, so it stops the normal hormones that trigger our cycle every month. I don't know how old you are or how long you have missed your menses, but even women entering basic training (does it get more stressful than that) who stop menses start again within two months provided there isn't a medical cause for their problem. Stress isn't as big of a source as people think it is. I treat a tons of athletic women in practice and I rarely see ammenorhea (more than 6 months w/o menses) unless their bf gets really low. It's just an "easy diagnosis" to use. Reality is, we can't diagnosis ammenorrhea as stress or exercise enduced until we've ruled out everything else. it's called a "diagnosis of exclusion" which literally means we've proven it isn't from any other source.
Ha,ha, I get so caught up in this forum on my long treadmill walks.

[fawn]

No no, you dont have to appologize..., i'm glad i have someone here to help me. BAsed on what you've said, i don't think me having amennorhea is due to low bf. Coz i look normal. No one said that i'm too skinny... I'm not even mascular.

As for stressed, i was stressed before (when it stopped, and later didn't eat the right nutrition coz i try to loose a lil weight), but not now....

when i tested for LH/FSH, i wasn't menstruating (it wasn't induced either) so i have no basis.

What's ERA or an estrogen fractions? hcg?

I tested for these (when i wasn't taking any Insulin resistant pill yet)
TSH 0.9 uiU/ml normal value (0.27-3.75)
FT4 11.8 pM/L (11.5-23.0)
OGTT Fasting 81.1mg/dl (70.9-110)
After 2 hrs 80
Insulin after 2 hrs 23.77uiU/mL (1.9-23.0)

I'm not having abdominal pain, and i doubt i have endometriosis. I'm not sexually active

My doctor told me i am having hypogonadism, coz the blood results doesn't indicate i have polycystic ovarian syndrome.... and the only treatment i'll undergo is to take Hormone Replacment Therapy... I don't want to rely on these drugs. Do you think there's any way to normalize my hormones?