working out and hormones level

My hormones levels are messed up everytime I try lose weight. I started counting calories again in Feb, 09 and exercised 1-1:30 hour a day ( 3 times cardio and 3 times weight). Last June, my estrogne level was very low and I was at a risk of being infertile. ( in other words, my body stopped ovulating)..

the obgyn told me that exercise did add pressure on my body and she said 30 minutes of workout 3-4 times a week is enough. I think she said walking is ok.

I used to lift heavy. my  muscles were getting stronger. I also love cycling so I did a lot of spinning.  now I stopped all together and I will have to start all over again. I gained 35 pounds back in 2 months. I know it is a lot. but guess what? my estrogne level is back to normal.

I want to know if there is any relation between working out and hormones levels ? how can I monitor this?

I don't want to mess up my hormones again. what should I do and Who can help me? I doubt there will be a PT who is educated in the subject.

The best thing I can tell you is to see an endocrinologist. 

Safina,

Unfortunately love, there is just some women who for some reason respond negatively to working out... myself being one of them. I battled to get my period back; hormones and being able to concieve? psh. I can forget it.

I am the same way, I was really responding well to working out. I was much smaller and tighter and just sexier than ever working out hard... I stayed the same weight (135 ish) and went from a size 8 to a 3/4. I have had issues in the past with misscarriages, so I personally think that prior to working out I probably had low levels of progesterone anyhow. Working out made it worse. My level of estrogen was at the lowest end of normal; progesterone was almost zero (normal fluctuates between 8.0-45.0, mine was >0.2).

While it's irritating your weight has had to increase so much, maybe try a different approach - less stressful? Go on a walk everyday for 30-45 mins with a friend or your dog... kick back a little more and don't worry too much. Keep that up for 6 months and get your levels taken; see if your bosy responded negatively to it. If not then you can try kicking it up a notch. Add 2 days of weight training per week (like 30 mins). etc etc.

Good luck

Original Post by sharpshootinstar:

The best thing I can tell you is to see an endocrinologist. 

 thanks. I thought about that too. I think he will know more better than OBGYN. my point is these people don't know that much about exercise routines. I was hoping to get an advice from someone in the fitness world.

littlemalynda. Thanks. I tried to lose weight back in 2007. by the end of the year, I lost 80 pounds and my hormones were messed up. I stopped CC and gained weight in 2008, then back to CC and exercise in 2009 but I messed up my hormones again.

Now, I am sad. and yes, I am making excuses to not work out and just eat whatever I want. you know? it makes me feel very unmotivated to start again because I KNOW what is going to happen.

so  what? I am not going to get the body I 've always wanted?:(

I think I read somewhere that low estrogen level can affect your mood. maybe that is why I feel down most of the time.

I've actually been trying to teach myself about hormones and how they affect my health, but I am nowhere near to being qualified to give you advice.  But yes, an endocrinologist would (hopefully!) know more than your obgyn.  They can test your blood for hormone levels, tell you what needs work, and should be able to tell you how to fix it, or may even prescribe medication.  Good luck, I really hope you can get some answers.

As for your mood...doll, it's just another obstacle.  Find a way around it, right?

sharpshootinstar. do you know that a low estrogen level can affect your mood??? I just read about that recently.

yes, an endocrinologist will test my blood for hormone levels but my question now how much exercise is enough?

I want to start spinning again and lift weight but ??

safina,

we are two of a kind hun! I lost about 75lbs over the course of 2+ years and then in one year I did a whole body transformation by adding the gym; it was weird how easily I found I could go from never really running in my life to running 10-15 miles. Or the fact I can squat 135lbs after only lifting for about 6 months. Weird. Anyhow, just as my body is getting great - my hormones are really plummeting.

I wish you the best of luck - personally my belief is that while we might be able to conduct this kind of vigorous training it will take time for our bodies to really get used to operating at such low weight and body fat. Fat creates a safe-haven for hormones... so losing it makes sense that we lose our hormone levels also.

it is interesting when you say low weight and low body fat. When I had this problem, my weight was about 155 and  I am 5'3'. it is not like I was skinny or something, you know?

Anyway, thanks.

any other ideas regarding a workout routine for me? fitnessgirl? Melkor??

Original Post by safina1:

it is interesting when you say low weight and low body fat. When I had this problem, my weight was about 155 and  I am 5'3'. it is not like I was skinny or something, you know?

Anyway, thanks.

Sorry, I assumed that was your picture! lol!!! My bad

 I'm thinking that your best bet is to work this out with an endocrinologist - if you start up one of your old exercise programs (and you should, your old squat weight was a thing of beauty) while you're working with an endocrinologist who can monitor your hormone levels and intervene appropriately you'll be in a position to exercise with no negative effects. But this is a medical issue more than an exercise one, and way beond my competence level.

thanks everyone. 

Melkor, it is really hard to start all over again. I think having a break doesn't work for me. since I had a break in May, it is really hard to go back to my workout routine again. I lost weight and reached 150 then now I am back to 190 in a matter of 3 months. 

Safina...I don't seem to have the hormonal issues, but I certainly have gotten into a break from regular exercise.  Sometimes it seems to me that I just need to pick a day and do it and then a week and do it to get back into the routine and keep reminding myself that if I stop I'll have to restart again from the beginning.

On the hormones, an endochronologist (sp?) is probably the best idea.  I know that there's also some hormone replacement therapies that are available which might help.