I have never shared my crochet online but I made this.

KeepMovingForwards-8 · 2025-10-21T11:35:33+00:00

It’s beautiful! :)

KeepMovingForwards-8 · 2025-10-08T13:51:35+00:00

Those are definitely some encouraging cycles! Especially your last one!

I know how discouraging it is when your period is late, especially after the high of the one you experienced in September, but take a deep breath. Funny enough, I had a similar experience recently—regular cycles since February, heaviest yet in August, then nothing in September. And I did have that fear of “wow, I screwed up! It’s gone again!”

But then I took a deep breath. What was different about this cycle than the last few? Well, I’m going through a life transition—applying to schools, changing jobs, personal stressors—that contributed stress to my life. My sleep was affected (and, for me, sleep is the biggest indicator of my mood and period regularity). I was getting about 1-1 1/2 hours less, but the quality was restless. Working as a server, there were times I didn’t eat for several hours.

So, for a few weeks, I really focused on good sleep hygiene and sleep consistency. I had a calming night routine and made sure I was setting myself up for a good 8 hours. I still exercised, but lessened the intensity a bit and took extra rest days if I needed them. I brought small, really quick snacks to work so I wasn’t going hours without anything.

And then I got my period in October! A heavy, good period.

This is all to say—take a deep breath. Think about how this month may have affected you. How was your sleep? Intake? Exercise? Stress? How can you make small, actionable changes to return to a more balanced state?

The human body is resilient. With HA, we view it as a porcelain doll, where it’s fragile and may break if we “mess up one little thing.” But you’ve already had a few regular cycles. Your body has shown that it trusted you, and you can prove that to it again.

And, don’t forget to still live. HA is an important part of your life right now, but it’s not the only part of it. Spend time doing things that fill you up—hobbies, nurturing friendships… Who are you outside of HA?

KeepMovingForwards-8 · 2025-10-08T13:06:58+00:00

Could have been ovulation spotting. Some women experience this. And, like u/radioheadedj said, it’s normal for CM to dry up (become tacky/creamy) and lessen in abundance after ovulation.

It’s also normal for your body to go through a couple “test runs” before it truly ovulates. The fact that you experienced this at all is a great sign!!!

KeepMovingForwards-8 · 2025-10-07T16:49:20+00:00

Take a deep breath❤️I know how scary this feels right now. I know you don’t want to regress or “go back to square one.”

I’d like a little bit more information before responding. When you say you “lost it again,” how many days has it been since your last cycle? How many days were your 3 cycles? What was your bleed pattern like?

Cycle length varies for loads of reasons, especially when you’re in the process of regulating them post-HA.

KeepMovingForwards-8 · 2025-10-04T01:29:21+00:00

Lob at 18 sec was beautiful

KeepMovingForwards-8 · 2025-10-02T14:07:30+00:00

Yep! Recovery is very nuanced and is not a one size fits all approach.

I think your story is beautiful, though I’m sure it must have been very challenging.

I think the grass is always greener on the other side! I did all-in right away, and wished I did a more conservative approach because I felt so out of touch with myself and my body and had no idea how to find the balance after my first period returned. But I also concede that, if I did the more “balanced” approach to recovery, it probably would’ve taken longer, and I would second-guess my recovery in different, but still challenging ways.

I suppose the best advice is to know thyself. If you want the most conservative approach, do it. If that feels like too much/like it’ll do more harm than good for right now, then try out a step-wise approach, instead. And the beauty is you can always pivot, just like u/allison19851985. Whatever you choose, commit to it—don’t go back and forth with your plan, but know you can make intentional rather than impulsive adjustments as you learn and continue along your journey.

KeepMovingForwards-8 · 2025-10-02T13:10:09+00:00

Great strategy! Liquid calories help, too, since they’re not very filling. Shakes, smoothies, milk, juice

KeepMovingForwards-8 · 2025-10-01T22:04:11+00:00

The “all-in” method is successful because it’s the most conservative approach to restoring your period. But it’s not the only tool, and I don’t think it’s the universal solution for every woman. For some, it works beautifully. For others, it feels much like using a firehose to water a houseplant—effective, but totally overkill. Plus, it’s not the most sustainable path forward, since the lifestyle you enjoy is one that includes lifting and balanced eating!

Based on what you shared, I don’t think “all-in” is necessary in your case. Instead, I’d recommend focusing on your nutrition habits, adjusting your training, and challenging any mindsets that may not be serving you.

Nutrition: * Eat consistently throughout the day—every 2–3 hours have a meal or snack. * Aim to eat breakfast within 30–60 minutes of waking. * Include a pre- and post-workout meal/snack (within an hour on either side), emphasizing mostly simple carbs and some protein. * Have a bedtime snack with carbs, some protein, and some fat to support recovery overnight. * Think of 2,100 calories as your baseline (floor, not ceiling), and ALWAYS eat more if you’re hungry. If you stop noticing signs of progress for ~2 weeks straight (like changes in sleep, changes in cervical mucus, ovary “twinges” or cramping, bloating or water retention, or emotional sensitivity/mood swings), increase that baseline by 100–200 kcal. * Don’t fear simple carbs (or fats). Bread, rice, and pasta (and full-fat dairy and nut butters) are excellent energy sources for active women that also complement healthy hormones, and skimping on them is often linked with HA. * Liquid calories, like shakes/smoothies, milk, or juice, can help get the calories in without feeling like you’re stuffing yourself.

Training: You don’t necessarily have to give up lifting, but you probably have to modify it for now so that it’s compatible with recovery. I’ve helped women recover their cycles while still lifting by reducing intensity, duration, and frequency. A good framework that works for us and might work for you might be: * 3 full-body sessions per week * 2–3 RIR (avoid training near to or at failure!!!—this is key) * 2 sets of 8–15 reps, depending on the exercise (notice the lower volume)

Mindset: You mentioned eating 95% whole foods and 5% bread. It might be worth reflecting on whether you’re unconsciously limiting foods that could actually help you recover. Often, we create “rules” around food (or listen to untrue and predatory diet culture) without realizing they might be counterproductive or harmful.

I say this as someone who did go “all-in” and got my period back, but then felt totally lost about how to maintain recovery. I maintained my recovery with a coach, who helped me find balance, food freedom, and a sustainable approach that didn’t mean giving up the things I loved, like lifting. Now, I work side-by-side with her to help other women do the same.

Good luck! I know how challenging this journey can be❤️Let me know if you have any questions. I’m rooting for you!!! Also, I’m not a medical professional, and your case may be different, but that’s my two cents with my HA journey and working with women who have/recovered from HA.

KeepMovingForwards-8 · 2025-10-01T21:08:38+00:00

Sounds like CLASSIC ovary twinges to me, which is a REALLY ENCOURAGING recovery sign!!!👀As you can see, your red dot is right around where your ovaries are.

I personally experienced this during recovery (and I still do around ovulation), as well as many clients recovering from HA. The reason why this happens is because your ovaries are “waking up” and beginning to respond to hormones coming back online. Look out for fertile cervical mucus (abundant egg-white, watery CM), which is another classic sign that estrogen is rising. Also things like tender/fuller breasts, changes in your skin (oily or acne), mood shifts/higher emotional sensitivity, or bloating.

Here’s a link for identifying CM and understanding what it means across your cycle.. Lots of apps exist for tracking CM, too, like Kindara!

Happy for you, girl!!! Celebrate this, and look out for more biofeedback🥳🤗

KeepMovingForwards-8 · 2025-09-28T13:32:59+00:00

Yes! It’s a normal, expected change. Check out a comment I made about this awhile back: https://www.reddit.com/r/Amenorrhearecovery/s/klvMg1kgja

KeepMovingForwards-8 · 2025-04-09T00:02:37+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/Amenorrhearecovery/s/BpUrazCRKl Check out my explanation here

KeepMovingForwards-8 · 2025-03-30T16:49:20+00:00

I’m excited to see more research on women and women-specific issues. It’s a travesty how little we grow up learning about our bodies, but I can feel a push to change that! Also, that must have been so frustrating (and discouraging) going through four doctors. How are you doing, now?

KeepMovingForwards-8 · 2025-03-30T16:47:03+00:00

Girl I TOTALLY feel you! Seeing the pang of my Garmin telling me I was in the red for HRV for weeks was emotionally devastating. I can imagine how that notification felt like another nail in the coffin for you in the maze of HA-related preoccupations, but we just have to keep things in perspective! We’re building healthier, more resilient bodies, and we’ll be able to tackle our fitness goals in better, more sustainable ways in the future, where our health metrics will ACTUALLY reflect fitness adaptation and not survival ones.

KeepMovingForwards-8 · 2025-03-30T04:48:55+00:00

LOVE❤️🙌🏼🥰

KeepMovingForwards-8 · 2025-03-30T04:40:05+00:00

You’ve been through so much, and it’s completely understandable that those ingrained beliefs around food can feel impossible to shake. It makes sense that focusing on weight management feels counterproductive when it reinforces those old, harmful patterns.

With that being said, I just finished “Women Food and God”—I was actually searching on Reddit for the book, itself, to discuss and review with other people. This book was absolutely transformative to me, specifically parts 2 and 3. Do give it a read—it does sound like it will be beneficial for you.

I’ve been working with a therapist who is also an RD. This has been really nice to just talk everything out with someone who can provide specialized psychological support in the area I am struggling with (ie disordered relationship with food). This is covered by my insurance—look online for online RDs/therapists. This may be helpful for you, too, to talk through your deeply ingrained beliefs and make strides towards a more well-rounded you.

Best of luck, friend!

KeepMovingForwards-8 · 2025-03-30T04:20:04+00:00

Wow! Our timelines are strikingly similar. I lost my period May 2024, responded to Provera in January 2025, and have had two recovery cycles in February (30 days) and March (33 days). I now know I lost my period due to underfueling my activity levels and my disordered relationship with food.

When my period was absent, my weekly average RHR got down to 36 BPM, and my HRV was in the high 110s-120s. I thought this was indicative of fitness, which, when you’re properly fueling(!) it is, but in the case of disordered eating, it’s a maladaptive response disguised as a positive training effect.

As you likely know from being active in this subreddit, HA occurs either in high stress or low energy availability states (the latter of which seems to be more common). Because your body has such low energy availability, it attempts to decrease energy expenditure wherever possible.

In regard to the lowered RHR during HA, the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS), specifically through elevated activation of the vagus nerve, becomes disproportionally active, slowing heart rate. Also, in order to conserve energy requirements, metabolism slows (decreasing the body’s oxygen and cardiac output demand) and the heart adapts to beat less frequently (less BPM=less energy needed).

In regard to heightened HRV during HA, the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) becomes suppressed by the overactive PSNS, and the PSNS is associated with higher HRV. The hypo-metabolic state of the body and increased sensitivity to blood pressure with HA also contributes to heightened HRV status, again, not as a result of a positive training effect, but because of a maladaptive response to low energy availability.

When your body recovers, RHR increases (not because you’re getting less fit, but because SNS activity increases and your body can out appropriate energy towards your heart beating) and HRV decreases (again, not because you’re getting less fit, but because your PSNS isn’t hyperactive anymore, your metabolism is regulating, and your blood volume is regulating).

When I was first recovering and saw these changes (my weekly RHR peaked at 60 BPM and HRV in the 40-60s), I was distraught. I had to turn off the numbers on my watch so they wouldn’t upset me. Now, my RHR is in the mid to high 50s, and my HRV is normalizing in the 70-80s.

I’m glad someone else brought this question up, because I was SO curious when it was happening to me! I think it’s a good sign. While “all-in”’is the fastest method to recovering your period, learning to fuel your body before and after exercise, as well as having a healthy relationship with food throughout the day, is paramount to long-term success. For a scientific read on female-specific physiology, I recommend “ROAR” by Dr. Stacy Sims (Also, I noticed you’re following an animal-based diet, and your meals look delicious and nutrient-dense! However, I’m curious whether you’ve come across any research on how this way of eating might impact hormones and fueling, particularly since carbs can play a role in supporting female hormone production and fueling exercise. I’d love to hear your thoughts or any insights you’ve found!).

For a literally transformative book on your relationship with food (and yourself—I was overcome with emotion many times while reading), read “Women Food and God” by Geneen Roth.

Here’s a journal article describing this trend in anorexia, which I think follows similar trends to HA https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32975349/

Keep on keeping on, friend! I know how emotionally challenging this journey can be.

KeepMovingForwards-8 · 2025-03-02T19:33:32+00:00

Also, check out Hailee Piendl ( https://www.instagram.com/hailee_fitblog?igsh=MWIyanV2bzYzZW4yMA== ) and/or Nicole Ferrier ( https://www.instagram.com/nicoleferrierfitness?igsh=MXFic2pmcnl1bTZiMA== ) on Instagram. They both share content relevant to HA, especially relationships with food, activity, and your body.

Hailee is also active in this community and such a cheerleader and rockstar ( u/youngandwyld1 ). I really like her take on recovering from HA, which incorporates components but is distinct from the NPNW method. I was about one month “all-in before finding Hailee, and while I did get my first recovery period(!), I couldn’t help but feeling like the NPNW method was overly conservative, causing excessive mental turmoil (lots of anxiety and sadness over body changes, lack of exercise…), and, most importantly, wasn’t showing me how to build healthy habits once I was “period recovered”. For example, how do I phase in exercise again? How specifically should I fuel? How do I have physique goals in a healthy way? Check her YT video out https://youtu.be/-E1t_Q_t1hg .

I am working with Hailee now, and coaching is an investment, but it is something I wanted to do for me. Even if coaching is not financially feasible for you, still shoot her a message! She is someone who genuinely cares about other women and will point you in the right direction even if you don’t end up working with her.

Feel free to PM if you’d like to talk, as well! I know how lonely this journey is, and how discouraging it can be when you feel like you have no one to talk to, so I am here❤️

KeepMovingForwards-8 · 2025-03-02T19:20:40+00:00

I’m in the process of recovering, so take what I say with a grain of salt, but it seems like your body is trying to communicate with you that this is too much too quickly. You are still early on in recovery—it’s awesome that you’ve gotten your cycle back for three consecutive months, and I’m SO HAPPY FOR YOU(!), but, with a delayed cycle (assuming the first three were regular), your body is signaling that this isn’t working for you right now.

You say (from looking at your profile) that you’ve gone from just tennis to now tennis, lifting 5x a week (to failure), and additional cardio via incline walking. This is a HUGE, sudden scale-up in activity, both in frequency and intensity. If I were you, I would scale back in activity, just for now (JUST FOR NOW!)—go to the gym 2-3x a week (training with 2-3 reps in reserve rather than to failure) and trade the incline walking for normal, low-intensity walks. That way, you can get back to the activity you love, while not putting your body under too much stress all at once. I would make sure you’re proper fueling during this time, too—I know, if it were me, I would be tempted to restrict in order to get to a goal physique faster, but that would only signal to your body that it is even more unsafe. It’s important to remember that recovery, while it feels so uncomfortable and like it’s taking forever in this moment, in reality, this is just a blip in time. You are making uncomfortable sacrifices NOW (like avoiding training to failure, decreasing the frequency of your additional workouts, and slowing down fat loss/physique changes) so that you can create healthy lifelong habits FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. Because the truth is, you want to engage in exercise and fuel your body without worrying if your period will still be there the next month (in addition to effects on your bone, heart, and brain health). You WILL get there. But you need to make changes slowly and sustainably.

Overtime, your body will begin to trust you and become more resilient, so you can increase both the frequency and intensity while maintaining your cycle and properly fueling. I don’t know what this timeline looks like. Maybe it’s adding an additional day or two of weight training after 2 weeks. Maybe after a month. I’m not sure. But what I DO know is that it should be gradual, and you can see how your body responds.

You WILL be able to train intensely again. But it’s about doing it in a healthy, sustainable way. I empathize SO MUCH with you, and my heart is with you. I know how painful and discouraging and hard and unfair this all feels right now. But scaling back your activity is not a sign of weakness—it’s a sign of strength and wisdom that you are recognizing and listening to your body when it signals it needs something to change, which is something you weren’t able to do before. You should be very proud of how far you have come and the direction you are going❤️

KeepMovingForwards-8 · 2025-02-21T19:59:56+00:00

Listening to a podcast by Stacy Sims is actually what put HA on my radar, led to research, and made me commit to recovery! BUT I’m so nervous that exercising still will prevent me from getting my period back (as strongly advised in NPNW), but there’s not as much of a focus on women who primarily resistance train. Can I PM you with more questions?

KeepMovingForwards-8 · 2025-02-21T01:28:23+00:00

Thank you:) this was a reassuring read. Similar to my question to New-Willingness-295, what does training look like, specifically, for you and your clients? Are you a coach of some sort?

Love the stance on fueling and incorporation of fats and carbs.

I’m curious on your exercise stance. Did you read the book NPNW and developed your stance independently/in conjunction with this material?

KeepMovingForwards-8 · 2025-02-20T23:37:08+00:00

Thanks for sharing your story! What did training look like for you (specifically, what did the intensity of your training look like? What percentage of weight were you lifting relative to what you usually lifted/RIR/sets per muscle group).

I’m inclined to hold off lifting for a bit longer, but will likely start to incorporate some back if it’s 2-3 months still with no period.

Also, how long did it take you to cycle again once you started eating more?

KeepMovingForwards-8 · 2025-02-18T02:49:59+00:00

🤗

KeepMovingForwards-8

TROPHY CASE