Can calorie restriction cause you not to get your period?

[falcon 1]

Hi,

I know that being very underweight and/or doing excessive exercise can cause you not to get your period.

I am not extremely underweight (as a matter of fact my BMI is still slightly overweight) and do not exercise excessively (3 hours/week, moderately).

However, I do eat very few calories (which is how I lost close to 70 pounds in less than 6 months) and my period is late by several days. FOUR pregnancy tests say I am not pregnant so I assume that is not it and am now starting to worry that I am eating too few calories (900-1000/day) and this is somehow messing up my body? Has anyone here heard (preferably from a medical source) that eating too little (NOT being underweight, they are not the same thing) can cause you not to get your period?

I know I can/should call my doctor but am don't really feel like doing so when I think in a day or two, I will wake up to a) my period or a positive pregnancy test. Meanwhile, in case that doesn't happen, I'm wondering what you guys think!

Thanks!

[honk 780]

When I went on a stringent diet at 18 I stopped having my period for about a year. I was eating very low calorie; but for part of that year I was doing pretty intense exercise. Some elite athletes (which I certain was not) don't have periods. I watched a documentary once on elite gymnasts and ice skaters that said the exercise would dely puberty by several years.

[Meduseld 29]

When were you banded?

Actually, my cycles just started to stabilize again, though they are still a little sporadic. I used to be 28 days on the dot before the band, but after it can come even 5 or 6 days early. I'm 7 months out and they haven't exactly stabilized yet. How long has it been since your last one?

I've had my periods wait and WAIT and WAAAAIT until it finally came. You could be going through the same thing I did.

I doubt it's the calories or the exercise. Your body can go into shock from low cal diets, but I doubt that's the case. How long have you had the band? That's a big factor in all of this.

To actually delay your cycle you would have to exercise like... I can't even describe. I honestly doubt it's that!

[Jachut 487]

A few days late is nothing to worry about - anything can cause that.

[falcon 1]

In answer to how long I've had my band, I've had it a bit less than six months (and been regular before and after it-up until now) and have maintained the same calorie intake/lifestyle more or less since I had it so I don't know things would change now. I have NEVER been this late before but I guess it happens sometimes!