How to Jump-start Your Period After Low Carbs

When a new diet or exercise program and the loss of a menstrual cycle occur at the same time, it is most likely connected to calorie reduction, a loss of body fat or a change in body composition. These changes have hormonal repercussions, affecting the amount of estrogen in a woman's body, and this directly affects her cycle. Many female athletes who drastically change their diet and exercise regimen experience the loss of their periods for months at a time. A low-carb diet can effortlessly and significantly reduce calories. A return to a more moderate exercise and diet program might be the only solution to regaining a normal cycle.

Things You'll Need

• Notebook
• Pencil
• Body fat caliper
• Scale
• Doctor

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Instructions

• 1

  Record your daily food intake, including the calorie count, for one week. Try to record these things as accurately as possible by reading labels and using an online calorie counter. Don't forget liquid calories.

• 2

  Take your body measurements, including height, weight and body composition. You can do this with a body fat caliper, which typically cost between $3 to $7 at sporting goods stores.

• 3

  Calculate your basal metabolic rate (BMI). This number tells you how many calories you burn in a day simply by being alive. When you eat below this number of calories, you will lose weight. When you eat at this number, you maintain your weight. When you eat above it, you gain weight. The formula to figure out a female BMI is: 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years).

• 4

  Compare your week-long calorie count with your BMI. If you have been eating below your BMI for an extended period of time, you may need to cycle low-calorie days with higher-calorie days to return your cycle to normal. This will not interfere with your weight as long as your long-term calorie intake is maintained at your BMI. This cycle can consist of two to three high-calorie days a week with the rest being at or slightly below maintenance.

• 5

  Compare your body-fat percentage to the healthy body-fat levels of females, both normal and athlete levels, depending on your activity level. Essential fat, or fat that you must have to be alive, is 10 percent to 12 percent for women. Athlete women can safely be 14 percent to 20 percent body fat. Those who engage in regular exercise typically have between 21 percent and 24 percent body fat. Acceptable body fat for women before they are considered obese lies at 25 percent to 31 percent.

• 6

  Adjust your calorie intake and/or activity levels to incorporate higher-calorie days into your week, especially if you have significantly low body fat. It may be safer to increase body fat slightly to bring your estrogen levels back to normal. Do this under the supervision of your primary care physician.