Quote Originally Posted by run it, ride it View Post
okay--I've been there. High performance athlete (varsity running), 5'5", 115lbs, 17% body fat. Yes, even -heavier- than the original poster. But that was muscle, and let me tell you, my genetics do NOT dictate a thin build.

I looked like a freak. My period stopped, I lost my boobs; I -thought- I was eating too much because I kept collecting fat around my jaw and middle, but that was just my body going into starvation mode. I had to stop running due to injury; thought it would be a few weeks offtime.

Two years later, I think I -might- be ready to go back into light speed training. But with my injuries I simply cannot push the speed. Cycling has been a godsend: non-impact excercise that I can't hurt myself with the same way I did running; easy on the asthma; builds all the right muscles. When I was too injured to run a track practice, the workout was modified and I sentenced to the stationary bike. Now, I hardly think of cycling as a second-rate sentence!

I am finally getting my curves in the right places. The weight under my chin is dissipating. I know when I'm hungry and don't just have to guess. My metabolism isn't going to speed up any and my digestive system is a nightmare, so I have to be extremely careful of what I eat--but damn it, I look like a girl!

I look THINNER now at 124lbs because I have a jawline and a waistline. My hormonal levels are normal. I feel emotion again; trust me, going from 'training too hard to feel anything' to 'experiencing all repressed emotions from aforementioned time period' is no walk in the park.

What I'm trying to articulate is: DON'T push your body past its normal function. Doctors will tell you it's 'normal' for high-performance athletes to stop menstruating. Normal does not mean healthy. Your hormonal levels are worth more than a few percent body fat.

So happy to hear that I'm not the only one that has experienced this. I went through the same thing. Swim team did it for me, I am 5'4, and somewhere around 105 lbs. My period stopped, I had almost no body fat, I was a stick. I can't imagine what was going on with my body because at the time I know I wasn't getting enough nutrients to keep myself healthy, who knows what kind of long term damage I've done to my bones and organs. Worst of all I just looked sickly thin.

Here I am a 8 years later, I weigh 135lbs - yes 30lbs is a lot and it's a little more than I would want, but that's ok (I'm vowing to take off 10lbs). I feel good, I look healthy and people I haven't seen since I weighed 105lbs tell me how good I look. And I still get comments on how skinny I am - even at this weight (I guess I hide it well).

But just really think about the long term damage you are doing to your body, it's not worth it. When you're old and gray you still want to be riding, or just even walking for that matter.