[ppeddi]

Hello ,
I am 41 yrs old with regular cycles and having been working out regular for yrs and have done some strenuous training in the past but never been on a structured plan . With Mt Rainer as goal I have 13 weeks left on my 24 mountaineering plan and having been good but did not get my period last cycle which got be worried. I left like I was going to get it but did not. I have some level of constant fatigue which is expected as per TFNA . I do fasted training and sometimes don’t get to eat till noon . I do make a conscious effort to eat more and have been doing recovery drinks. Has anyone else experienced this ?? Is this normal ? Am I not getting enough calories or is it the stress that having an effect?

Topic

[Anonymous]

Anonymous on February 25, 2022 at 3:07 pm #63654

Hello! A skipped period for any woman who normally has regular menses is not normal. I’m fairly certain you’re to young to be beginning to miss periods due to peri-menopause. So the likely culprit is the fasted training. We want to keep you strong and healthy and if your body is stressed enough by training to not keep a normal menstrual cycle then you are likely not getting the most from your training and recovery either which is a slippery slope we want to avoid. Fasted training is great for being metabolically efficient however there is a time when we need to balance it with recovery and wellness. I’d begin by fueling all your longer aerobic workouts this next month and see where that takes you. Shorter weekly aerobic workouts 90 min or less you should have enough fuel on board to complete the training in a healthy way and you’ll still be staying metabolically efficient, but eat immediately after your session. The Big Priority now is to get your period balanced again. Make sure you’re getting enough healthy fats in your diet. Also fatigue on board is “ok” though you should feel good and sharp and ready to go after your recovery weeks so again, I think we need more fuel, and less fasted. I am assuming you are fueling all strength and any upper threshold work you are doing.
Sending my best,
Carolyn

[lucye]

lucye on February 25, 2022 at 3:49 pm #63657

Hi ppeddi – Adding to Coach Carolyn – a good resource is Stacy Sims’ book Roar which talks about fueling the female physiology. She also has a thorough discussion of RED-S (Relative Energy Deificency in Sport) among female ultrarunners, some guidelines for evaluating oneself, and how to get out of it (including fueling before/during/after workouts).

[ppeddi]

ppeddi on February 25, 2022 at 4:18 pm #63659

Thank you Carolyn for your input.I do think I am going way too long without food. Every 14 days I fast for 24 hrs, just water and I have continued to do that during my training but do it on my rest days but now I have decided to hold off on my 24hr fasting till I am done with my training. I am also making the mistake of doing fasted training on max strength days. I haven’t lost any weight and feel great most days definitely after recovery week so I thought I was doing fine will I skipped my period .I would like have a phone consultation with you. I will fill the form out and request you. I think I need some guidance for next 13 weeks. Thanks
Silpa

[ppeddi]

ppeddi on February 25, 2022 at 4:20 pm #63660

Thank you Lucye, Ordered the book.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous on February 25, 2022 at 4:50 pm #63661

Hi Silpa, I’d be happy to chat and have some flexibility next week for sure.
Additionally Stacy Simms book is quite good and a phenomenal resource I’ve recommended it to many athletes for a host of reasons and it’s in my library at my training facility. I’d additionally consider having a call with Rebecca Dent our performance dietician. Stacy’s work is focused on Triathletes/Runners/Cyclists. Fueling strategies are quite different for mountaineers due to the limitations of food that can be carried and ease of fueling. Rebecca specializes in the mtn athlete and is quite knowledgeable, just another thought and resource to consider.
Best,
C