Allie, you said you might go into marketing after pro running….perhaps think about counseling, mentoring, sports psychology…maybe you’re already naturally doing that through your platform. Such a continuing great job through sharing your experience. You are really at the forefront for women in sports. When I hear these stories I’m reminded how much bravery and drive it took to face up to these issues, especially while continuing your career. Maybe only other athletes can understand how young athletes might think, no period…great! Thanks for breaking down the dangers in such a relatable, compassionate and inspiring way. Keep on doing what you do. I feel the momentum building!
I've done a lot of career counseling, to be honest, therapists in general actually tend to burn out due to boredom a lot. I am a person who loves helping, but I would make a terrible therapist, in terms of meeting my own needs. I am in nonprofit PR & community education. While there are therapists who do a lot of marketing & public speaking, most days are spent 1:1. I would say your gut is leading you in the right direction. You are a natural to be in the public eye, and folks who have been elite athletes can enter into areas like motivational speaking fairly easily. Without additional schooling, you could easily become a public educator/leader around the issues you are passionate about. And work with a consultant or head hunter, as a fairly well known athlete you shouldn't have to go apply for jobs the traditional way. Have someone shop you around to national nonprofits you like, see if you can come on board as a speaker/content presenter/educator/PR type advocate.
@@allie_ostrander get into marketing, make money and win at it. You are going to get all kinds of advice throughout your life from all kinds of people, and maybe nice ones will have more time to give "nice" advice. Making yourself successful takes planning and hard work and no one is going to tell how to do it
When I was in 8th grade a girl was pointed out to me at track practice. The coach said that this girl had just come back from being hospitalized for anorexia. She apparently died 3 months later. When I was a senior and my coach said that I was developing hips and needed to lose weight, I recognized this as a red flag. Thank you for warning so many girls as to the dangers of eating disorders.
as someone in the middle of my period (and just got off the pill, so it's a little out of whack at the moment) i really appreciate this video. it's a great reminder that having a period may be inconvenient, but SO important. also hearing you talk about this gives big sister vibes in the best way and i love it!!
I didn’t start my period until I was 15. I’m so glad that my doctor was concerned that I hadn’t gotten it yet, and recommended I incorporate high fat foods such as whole milk into my diet. She also recommended I get a scan to check my bone density. Yay good pediatricians!!
This is why I view your content. You are totally honest, offer incredibly important scientific backed information and do this in a way that everyone can understand and relate to. So well done. Thank you.
In my experience, that was a super professionally prepared and delivered presentation of a difficult topic. The medical profession should be pointing to you as the poster "child" for those seeking to gain a basic understanding of amenorrhea.
If anybody has the time or will to read my comment, please, and offer any advice that you can. This popped into my recommended at a strangely opportune time. At age 13, I was extremely overweight/borderline obese as a result/side effect of a psychiatric medication that I took for 2 years at age 10. I started my period than, and had about 5 periods. Right at the start of high school, I intentionally began a calorie deficit to lose the excess weight and my period stopped immediately. I had not lost any weight yet, and I was never an ultra-endurance athlete. Eventually, I lost around 50 lbs and went through a traumatic 3-4 year cycle between hospitals and ED centers for an ED, even though I was never characteristically "underweight." My heart rate did drop enough, however, to necessitate a couple medical hospitalizations. Fast forward to today, I am 22, have graduated from a 4-year college, and am maintaining healthy vital signs and a "healthy" weight, but still have not had a single period since its disappearance at 13. Just as Allie described, it is impossible for me to know what weight is optimal for my body, having been overweight from a medication, and all of this happening in my early adolescence. My BMI is 22 for reference, although I know BMI is largely meaningless. I starting running around 3 years after my period disappeared, and began weight training around 5 years after the period stopped. This is to emphasize that exercise became a relatively newer regular habit. I have been pouring my heart and soul into trying to recover my period throughout all these years and I am so incredibly desperate to understand what my body needs, and to be accepting of this truth. I have already suffered from one stress fracture, and am delayed significantly in female secondary sexual development. I think one of the things I struggle with is the idea of "health at every size." As in, maybe my body needs to be at higher body fat percentage and weight (aka, could be "overweight" according to the BMI scale), in order to function optimally. But I cannot tell you how disabling, painful, and debilitating life was for me a higher weight that just did not feel right for my body. So, if I am unwilling to accept being bigger, than I need to accept the consequences of my amenorrhea. I hope what I am saying makes sense, but my dream would be a solution that meets in the middle. Aka, a body that I am comfortable in, that is strong and looks strong, AND having a regular period. I am still searching for a way to make this happen, but the day my period returns will certainly be an exciting one.
RED-S or underweight is a common cause of amenorrhea but not the only one. With a BMI of 22, i.e., healthy normal body weight, you should rather go see a gynaecologist, ideally specialized in gynaecologal endocrinology and reproductive medicine. Through an ultrasound and hormonal lab tests, they can evaluate differential diagnoses. For example, PCOS is another common cause of amenorrhea, further some psychiatric drugs can cause amenorrhea, and there are many other potential causes. So before you try to gain more weight, go see an ob/gyn!
Thank you for your reply. In the effort to keep my comment relatively short, I didn't share all the details. I have seen MANY ob/gyn doctors, have gotten 3 bone scans, 3 pelvic ultrasounds, 1 intravaginal ultrasound, and 2 MRIs. And blood hormone panel more times than I can count. Everything is "normal" except that my estrogen is nearly nonexistent (not surprising) and bone density is low. My latest ob/gyn recommends HRT (estrogen patch + progesterone) but I wish I could return my period naturally without synthetic hormones, as I theoretically should be able to menstruate with a normal brain, uterus and both ovaries intact. I really appreciate your feedback regardless!@@anja188
Honestly, I think it's entirely possible that you are under your set point weight, and that is the reason for your amenorrhea. I know people who have had similar situations, and didn't think that increasing their caloric intake would help but it turned out to be the solution. If you have food rules, limit calories, eat low fat, etc, that could likely be the cause.
Thank you so much for your reply! I know my comment wasn't short, haha! Yes, this is the possibility I have been sitting with for years. I have gone through several periods of increasing my caloric intake to 3000+ cal per day for months to years, with no period. So I have always wondered, maybe I just need to be at a higher weight than I am willing to accept? So there is a constant battle between living in a body that I am uncomfortable in (but menstruating), or a body that feels more 'right' but am not menstruating. I know one day I will conquer this and be able to speak to it with eloquence and confidence. You are incredible for bringing awareness to this, as it often feels that many of us are alone.@@allie_ostrander ❤
Great video Allie. I think all coaches ESPECIALLY men that coach female athletes should have training in female nutrition. At least they should watch this video. Best of luck in the Olympic trials.
I had amenorrhea/eating disorder at a very young age too. One consequence was my hips never widened like they should as my bones were maturing. As a result, I had to have c-sections for my three children. I am so thankful I was able to have them. They are miracles. Periods are important. Thank you so much for this video.
Girl, I just wanted to say SAME! I had ARFID from a really young age which evolved into full-blown AN by 9 years old. Hips didn't widen enough and my period was really delayed. About to have my 3rd c-section. Fully recovered now, but definitely made babies more challenging. Just wanted to say, you're not alone! ❤
As a guy I tend to shy away from videos about women's health but I really appreciated your candor and openness on this topic. Men definitely should know about women's health issues! Excellent and informative video. Congratulations on your recovery and continued athletic excellence!
Don't shy away from women's health topics! Understanding those around you is *always* a benefit. Women should learn about their bodies and men's, and men should learn about their bodies and women's!
I ran xc and track in high school. My coach was also my biology teacher. I’m so grateful bc he told us about amenorrhea and that if we didn’t have a period for 3 months+ we’d need to talk to a dr.
Thank you so much for making this video!! It is so important for there to be education on this topic. On my high school cross country team, none of us had regular periods and we just thought it was normal. Our coaches were pretty much our only source on training and diet, and as they were both older conservative men, we sure weren't going to ask them. Almost all of us have struggled with repeated injury ever since. I hope that kids who may be dealing with this will see your video or one like it and not have to go through that!
I'm really glad you are sharing this. I'm a 42 year old woman who ran cross country and restricted calories in the late 1990s and early 2000s. I was diagnosed with amennorhea at 18 after not getting a period until 18.5 when I finally started eating enough fat and calories. It has totally wrecked my reproductive system and my abilty to reproduce. I'm OK with it after a lot of therapy but girls need to know this stuff. thank you for your openness.
I had anorexia and exercise bulimia for 7 years. I was young and naive and basically had no idea what my actions would do to my body. I too lost my period for several months to year. I also developed gastroparesis which I have now suffered with for the past 20 years. It never went away or got better once I started eating normally and recovered. Some of the effects of eating disorders can be permanent. I wish someone would have told me before that gastroparesis can be permanent and never to starve your body. I had no idea, I was 23 years old and young and naive. I understand what you went through. So thankful to be recovered now I haven't had an eating disorder for 13 years. But my stomach is still crippled. If anyone is thinking about starving yourself or becoming anorexic please never ever do this. I wish I never went down this road. You don't want to suffer with a crippled stomach. It's horrendous. I hope my story helps someone.
For people in USA certain states please be carefull when using period tracking apps - make sure you are looking into the data privacy policy or just use pen and paper
@@findingbeautyinthepain8965if you are in a state the bans abortions/certain birth control and you get one they can subpoena your period tracking data in court
@findingbeautyinthepain8965 To see if a person has potentially been pregnant, and is then no longer pregnant. Could be used as evidence of having a pregnancy terminated if you live in a state where this is a political matter. It's a gross invasion and misuse of private medical information.
I think you're doing some extremely critical education here with these videos. I really, really appreciate it, as an older former athlete who is also dealing with the consequences of some really wild menstruation dysfunction on my health now that I'm in "middle" age. Just really appreciate this video, keep being awesome, thanks so much.
I’m glad my swim coach in HS at least talked to us about caloric intake per day (it was like 5,000-7,000) and how not getting that number could affect us later. Coach Max is the best.
Allie O - I know how hard primary amenorrhea is. I used to have a girlfriend when I was young who suffered from anorexia and she had the same problem. Thank you for sharing your experience and being so open and transparent with your followers.
Allie, I coached woman runners in the past and this video would have been a great help to some of them at the time. You gave a really good review of the dangers of an eating disorder as well as how to resolve the disorder and improve your health. Best regards...
Thanks Allie, I needed this… I am trying to get my period back while currently in marathon training and it is really diffucult mentally. I constantly need to remind myself that I have to eat enough to perform at my best and stay healthy. This video was a great reminder of why I have to keep going. Wishing the best of luck to everyone else who is dealing with amenorrhea, we got this 💪
I appreciate that the app Femmi is "challenging the outdated idea that periods limit performance" but I would caution that presenting periods as non limiting may present a high bar for some of us. They can and very much do affect performance for some of us. The drop in iron in particular can be super challenging for training even with supplements, particularly if you are a vegetarian or vegan.
Being a man I had no clue the importance of having a period for adolescent girl athletes. I just assumed if a girl was getting her period as an athlete, she just wasn't training hard enough to get it to stop and be a better athlete. Thank God I didn't speak my thoughts to my daughter even though I was thinking it about her. THANK YOU for sharing this important information. Just not to young girls, but their parents as well. ❤❤❤
YES, that is such a misconception! I remember feeling somewhat accomplished that I never got mine, because to me that meant I was a serious athlete. This video is to help change that narrative and educate people on how important the menstrual cycle is!
What in the world. This is rooted in such misogyny. The idea that If I girl gets a period it’s because she isn’t trying hard enough. Wow that’s frightening that people are walking around with this idea
What the... People actually think this? It's like when my dad kept dismissing labor and it's complications as not a big deal "because that's what women do" despite my mom and me nearly dying in the process. Till it was time for his own daughter to go through it, then he started panicking. And no, he is not a bad man or a parent, he really tries, just is very ignorant. Doctors dismiss the female body too.
for the sake of your daughter, do better bro. it’s literally your job to educate yourself on this basic information before pettily judging your own child.
Sometimes you may feel guilty for no training or resting. Also, be afraid of increasing the amount of calories. Training the mind for the shift needed is not easy. Thanks for sharing your story, the facts, the science… All the positive content
While I was running at the D1 level, I didn't have a period for almost a year. During that year, and after, I suffered several fractures in my feet and had lots of tendon and muscle problems. I am much older now and still have problems with those fractures-they ache and I've reinjured them many times. When I was young, I thought I'd be "healthy" forever and did not realize the toll it took on my body. THANK you Allie for all these vids. I often seen young runners about who are WAY too thin and I want to warn them. You're warning them. Thanks!
This is great information for all female athletes and mostly their coaches. Yes the coaches whom many athletes go to with their health related issues and follow their instruction. I've heard about the eating disorders and coaches just pressing for results. Mary Cain went through a similar episode. You are more than a great runner, you are a great roll model.
I didn't get my period until 18 due to my ED/overexercising. I'm 8+ years recovered and while recovery takes time and brings about sometimes unpleasant changes at first (water retention, bloating, etc) it was so worth it! I'm looking more like the person I wanted to look like (muscular/defined) at a healthy BMI than I ever did when I was underweight. I also heal so much faster now, don't get crazy muscle cramps, no heart palpitations etc.
This is a brave and informative video. I see you discuss the presence of RED-S. You've mentioned energy deficiency, and many people are not aware of RED-S in female athletes. Thanks for raising this important topic.
As someone who has recovered from anorexia and 7 years of amenorrhea, I appreciate this video and you so so much!! Everyone’s journey will be different for recovery, but so so worth it!!
I was in gymnastics..but dropped out at 18. It turns out, my genetic disorder, Nail-Patella Syndrome was behind me not starting until almost 21. At 17 I had a bone scan and was told my bone age was 12. I was 22, right after my eldest child was born, that I reached 5’5. At 18 and graduation, I was 4’10” and 85lbs. I had been told I was more than likely sterile and my “quack” told me I had no business on birth control..,of course, he also came really close to calling me derogatory names, saying I had no business sleeping with anyone. My “mother” agreed and actually tried to have me committed for being “a deformed freak”. I don’t have nails or kneecaps, excelled in school, dance, gymnastics…but mostly volunteering at a human and animal hospital. In other words, I destroyed my “mother’s” life the day I was born, am a complete failure and am undeserving of happiness, love or even life. I’m in my mid-60’s, I had 3 incredible children and was a healthcare professional most of my life. Unfortunately, I had a spinal injury at 40 and my health has been up and down since…we discovered many other internal anomalies inside. My younger daughter, who doesn’t have NPS, didn’t start her period until 18 despite being a larger stature than me or her sissy. She’s now 35 and has never been regular. They did extensive genetic testing on her, but came to the conclusion her amenorrhea was due to her “father” abuse. She and her wonderful husband continue to try IVF, BUT her age and 4 miscarriages…they’re going to try one more time. Her husband is 10yrs older and still recovering from a major CVA 2 years ago. Despite my daughter being a nurse practitioner; the State refused to approve them for adoption. 😔
I lost my period for almost 10 years during my ED and I can't begin to explain how weird it was as a 20 year old woman to tell the doctors who asked when my last period was that I hadn't had one since I was 16. Or when friends ask if I have a tampon and I'm thinking "why would I carry that around when I haven't had a period in years". Whats worse was I was underweight but not emaciated and most people don't understand that everyone loses their period at different levels and mine happened to be at a higher body weight. Most people didn't even believe me when I said I didn't get them anymore. It was weirdly invalidating
I'm so sorry that was your experience :( Everyone's set point weight is so different, and our physiology is unique. The struggles that you had are valid, and I hope that you've been able to find the support you need to move past them :)
My experience is weird because even at a very low BMI AND with mosaic Turner syndrome, I cycled, although irregularly from not quite 14 through recovery. It was actually in recovery that I actually had true misses not just delays. It made me feel as though I wasn’t a true anorexic because clearly I was healthy enough to have periods so I wasn’t sick enough. Ah the sick game the anorexia/Ed brain plays…
I found out about amenorrhea at age 37 while training to hike Mt. Washington and Mt. Katahdin. I was offered estrogen and progesterone, but I changed my diet and successfully hiked the mountains. My cycle returned natural,y over three month’s time.
@@allie_ostrander Your generous spirit is a true inspiration. You are doing an invaluable service to the running community by so openly and eloquently sharing your experience. Keep shining your light, and keep taking excellent care of yourself on every level.
I am not a woman, and will never have a period. But this video was really insightful, and I hope to now have a better understanding of what some women have to work through as athletes. Thank you Ally for sharing your experience, and hopefully providing resources to so many people!
Im a 20 year old college runner who has never started my period and its so relieving to know there are those who have recovered. I was very underweight my middle and high school years and my male doctor was still stumped by my amenorrhea and had me take all these blood and chromosome tests even though it was clear it was my training and underfueling. Wish this was more talked about!
Why? If you havent had periods due to extreme exercise, that doesnt work long term as contraception, because as soon as you begin to have a cycle, before actually having a bleed, you can get pregnant.
Exactly . A lot of people seemed to have failed her. This underlines the importance of this video so young runners can be informed if they don’t have adults in their life reacting to warning signs
@@orangew3988That’s not the issue. To accept extreme exercise or elite athlete status as an excuse/reason is unacceptable without further workup or investigation. I understand that she was hesitant or not exactly forthcoming but that’s the professional’s job to push back.
Well, if you were going to start your period dropped an egg had sex got pregnant you wouldn’t know you were pregnant because you hadn’t ever had a period. Now it should have all been sorted out first but birth control afterwards is needed and use of protected sex with condoms. You should always do that anyway. She did a really good job. She most likely doesn’t have a lot of symptoms due to her exercise and diet. Actually, exercise really can help both feeling down, depression and period pain.
Watching your content is so healing! Im the same age as you and I WISH I had heard this information back in high school. Amenorrhea was treated as a full on right of passage- not something to see as dangerous. I found myself fighting puberty so hard and rejoicing when my body started skipping periods. I thought my hips widening and developing any sort of chest would be the death of me. I actually remember girls bragging about their periods stopping or never starting. That toxic attitude is so damaging. Surely you are inspiring so many young girls with your story and showing them the real truth.
may I ask where the idea of fighting puberty comes from? is it something common among child athletes? I have never done serious sports, so for me it sounds bizarre! today is the first time I have heard such a thing
@@WellValUa I cant speak for other sports, but at least in distance running theres a fear that when girls' hips widen and their body develops any curves that they will be slower. So when youre competing at a high caliber girls are sometimes told "shes fast now but she'll slow down when she goes through puberty and her body fills out". The desire to stay as tiny as possible and delay puberty is common among girl distance runners for that reason.
@@isthatlauren yes, and that's not limited to running alone. Figure skaters face the same pressures to remain tiny so that they can do the high jumps with 4 rotations. If they get hips and breasts, they can't rotate that fast and they'll be heavier. There are documentaries on the problem in young Russian female figure skaters on RUclips. I watched one a couple of months ago.
Allie, as a Family doc with a sister who had bulimia. The high school doctor was a total failure. SO NOT NORMAL TO NOT HAVE A PERIOD!! Great job on your recovery. Rooting for you.
Hi Allie, I’m a 15 year old female athlete who has currently got no period. I don’t think I’m underweight but I’m deathly afraid of gaining any weight, particularly to my thighs. If you have any tips on coping with such problems I would greatly appreciate it! Many thanks for this awesome video!
Those fears you have are so so common, and definitely something I can relate to. I would recommend talking with a counselor or therapist to work through those thoughts. And if you don't get your period in the next couple years, definitely talk to a doctor about that!
I’m glad you’re doing better now. While I was never a runner or sporty growing up (I only started jogging last summer at age 37), I was opposite and started puberty earlier than most of my female peers and started my period at age 10 in 4th grade. It gave me body image issues as I’ve been overweight most of my life. I also ended up with macromastia which I finally got a reduction for last summer (I started a couch to 5K program after I was cleared to be able to work out again). Currently I can jog for up to around ten minutes before needing to walk for a few minutes. I try to get about 20 minutes of jogging in. I have had some spotting in between periods which might be exercise and/or stress-related. Some months my period is delayed a few days and others it comes a few days early. When I was in junior high and high school, I often felt nauseous/sick on the first day of my period. My other workouts of choice are walking, dancing, hula hooping, and shooting basketball hoops.
Periods are very important and if you miss one when you are otherwise healthy.. it’s a good sign something is wrong. Usually it will be delayed if you are under extreme stress.
I've seen a few national level high school aged female runners whose body fat is clearly problematic. It's hard to believe that no one is intervening to help them. Thanks for being so transparent with your history. It might be a lifesaver for someone.
This is so important!! Regarding the topic, I am currently reading a book about hypothalamic amenorrhea (which is the most important cause for amenorrhea in athletes). It‘s called „No period, now what?“ by Nicola J. Rinaldi for everyone who‘s interested.
Thank you so much for this video! Your honesty is a blessing. I can relate so much to this, and am quite saddened that all my doctor did for my amenorrhea was put me on the pill. Asked me if I had an eating disorder and of course I said no 🙄 Running was my passion but I was injured ALL the time, and underfueling. I stopped running and increased my fat intake before I was able to have my two babies. Now in my late 30’s, my body seems really adverse to running. I’m hopeful my daughter can have a healthier perspective on all of this, and I plan to share your videos with her when she is older. Thank you
Thank you for making this video! I just started HA recovery 2 months ago after being diagnosed with osteoporosis as a 20 year old. I had not wanted to do anything about it for years (I have had an eating disorder for a long time), but that scared me so bad so here we are. If anyone else is considering recovery- please do it. You don't want to fracture your spine because you have been running too much and not eating enough.
I lost my period for 5 years in college due to an ED caused by a traumatic incident & poured my heart & soul into college running to help me cope. I thought it was normal to not have my period because I was running so much, but I was not honoring my body with fuel & was not coping with anxiety in a healthy manner. I realized that I wasn't fully a woman anymore until I got serious with recovery. Here I am now & I have my cycle back, I am fueling wiser & happier & running more mileage than ever with a heart of joy! I feel hopeful that I do have a future, as a woman with high ambitions! Thank you for sharing your story & for being an incredible inspiration, Allie! You're doing amazing & you have a VERY bright future ahead, in all aspects of life :) Keep doin you, Allie O!
Big kudos for you to speak honestly about this. It’s shocking how common major ED are among female athletes. Hope you can help at least one young woman out there. 🙌🏼
Allie, thank you so much for sharing your story. Do you have the name of the doctors who helped you go through this journey? The dietician or your coach? Thanks a lot. You’re such an inspiration !!
I can't believe doctors would simply prescribe the pill and think that fixes the issue. They should know that the bleeding from the pill is not a real cycle bleeding and that losing your period is a sign of a serious underlying issue that needs fixing. This is regular sex ed level of education, never mind the extra training that doctors go through to be certified. Glad you're speaking about this topic if this is how bad the discourse is...
I’ve always had a very irregular cycle, even now I barely have periods and I’m recently taking it serious. I’m swimmer not a runner but I’ve heard similar things from doctors, it’s just a normal thing for athletes. Glad I’ve watched this
Thank you so much for making a video on this topic. I also appreciate you didn’t make it about exact numbers and instead focused on doing what is right for fueling yourself and staying healthy!
Hi Allie, I did not have a regular period until I was at least 20. I'm sure that many young women will benefit from hearing about your own experience with amenorrhea and the factual information that you present so clearly. I did see doctors for other reasons while I had amenorrhea (~12-20) but none of them asked about my period so it didn't seem important. I started taking the pill when I was 20; I didn't know that this could cause a 'fake' period so I'm not really sure when my cycle normalized. Your advice about seeking advice is so important. It may be the only way to receive the support and treatment you need. 🦋
Thank you so much for sharing this. I developed secondary amenorrhea (which persisted for a year), 6 months into picking up running (as part of what I thought was a sensible weight loss approach of 500 to 700 calorie deficit a day). I achieved my goal of losing 30kg, but at a cost. Luckily there was no need to gain all of that back to get my period back - it took gaining 4kg from my lowest weight for periods to be restored and I'm maintaining 2kg above that now. It still makes me anxious if a period comes late (like the one that arrived today, 1.5 weeks late), because I get nervous that maybe my body is refusing to accept my new exercise load. That said, I went from a 25km a week runner to closer to 60km now and I'm more muscular and fitter - and eating as much as 4000 calories on long run days! Even on some rest days, I'm eating 2800 calories to match energy needs for recovery from previous training and dog walks that still need to happen, rain or shine 😊 Also, what you said about understanding that rest and down time is an important and crucial part of your training plan is probably one of the most important points. For me, i used to feel guilty for having spare time to just sit down. Now i take it with both arms opened, understanding there's no point in training hard if i don't take the rest i need to benefit from it.
Hearing you mention that an IUD/the pill could mask the presence of a period is something I've been trying to ask doctors about for a while! I've been on the pill for 3.5 years now and the more I think about it the more I want to come off of it and really see what my "natural" hormone state is. 3 of those 3.5 years I've been running D1 in college doing higher mileage than ever, so i really have no idea if I'm fueling enough to get a cycle. Thank you for speaking about all of this!!!
@@heidiandersen8289Yea for sure! I'm on the kind where it does affect the monthly period and I get the synthetic "fake period" that's really just withdrawal symptoms from the pill itself; I can skip it with no consequences. There's so much information that a lot of women do not receive when prescribed any form of birth control and I think that's an issue that needs fixing
Yes, I wish that this topic was discussed more! It could be a good idea to come off the pill and make sure you're getting a natural cycle. It's also possible to check your bone health and other biomarkers; if you'd rather stay on it, I would recommend going to an endocrinologist or women's health specialist. There's also some anecdotal evidence that hormonal birth control can negatively impact performance. Its impacts vary greatly between people though, so if you feel fine on it, it's probably not negative for you.
I respect you so much for talking about this so openly, kudos to you! I never lost my period even at my lowest weight, which i always found interesting (and annoying at the time!) Now I'm pretty grateful that I didn't cause so much damage as i could have done...
I’m so happy you’re finally getting to experience a period now! I also did not have healthy or often periods until my 20s, probably from the trauma and toxic relationships in my childhood. I now know that having a period is a positive sign that I’m healthy, happy, and that my life is balanced ❤ even if we are high level athletes, we still deserve to be healthy enough to have periods! The No period super athlete thing is a myth and not the healthiest!
Please mam please reply anyone can a girl get pregnant if she never had her periods in life please reply mam what are the chances of getting pregnant please reply 😢
Thank you for speaking out on this issue! Our cycle is key to our health and fitness, and not enough young women know that. Appreciate your openness and the helpful information.
You are so smart and encouraging. Thank you for sharing the video, I am a dancing queen in sport aerobic, tap and ballroom and I struggle with skipped periods for multiple years since I started at 11 and sometimes I get 2 periods a month. That story inspires me to take good care of body.
A story from the book of 1 Kings, where a prophet by the name of Elijah when he beheld 400 false prophets of the false object of worship called Baal said to them if you think you're God to be the answer then assemble yourselves and call me fire down from heaven; Elijah said to them likewise shall I do the same as the story goes the 400 false prophets of the false being made themselves a bunch of ruckus calling out to the lie they believed. Elijah surely used scripture from the word of God the Old Testament or Old Covenant or Agreement and fire did fall from heaven. The more you get right about God the more he shows up. God is a spirit those that worship him must do so in spirit and in truth. John 4:24 Don't just have faith, have faith in God, and his word. There is surely a type of extreme unpleasantness already in the Earth, have you seen it, are you delivered from it? Job 38:17 "Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?" Job 38:33 "33 Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?" As a child, I would have dreams in be in many nightmares where underground tentacle monsters could sense my slightest movement and impel me, wars, dreams of persecution, the grim Reaper, things would get wild. I remember calling on the Old Testament name of God Jehovah, and I remember things did not end well for me when I was being assaulted by a witch. However, ever since I was a child the name of Jesus has never failed me, when I began to call on his name Even recently, a spider demon with a human face around the size a 42" TV was crawling on my wall when I awoke from my sleep. I spoke the name of Jesus quite a few times and I attained Mercy unto myself, for that because Jesus has the authority for this reason. John 3:35 " He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." 1 John 2:23 "Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also." I believe that God cares for his creation and doesn't want to lose them, because I believed in Jesus and had the humility to honor his name many times throughout my life. I attained mercy through the New Covenant, agreement, or Testament. Only parts of the old still apply. The old prepared place for the New. I believe Love is many things, and is doing many things read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (KJV) and study the language of the time (Middle English), saying an agreement to do some things all the time, and some things so long as it is not provoked which is not easily accomplished. Look at the Greek interlinear and see what to it says. Love is kind while not provoked and is out to to preserve and protect you not always for your short-term satiation but your long-term health, wealth, and viability. John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:14 "And the Word:λόγος(in ancient Greek) message, expression of God's ideas), was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." For if I read James 1:5 (KJV), do not leave out James 1:6,7, and 8 (KJV), and while we at it live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. If there are 18000+ religions in the world I know to whom I say go to save me trouble, the name and the ideas that I will confess as Lord to be serving of and to call my friend. Proverbs 4:19 “The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.” A concept of the word is the idea that is behind it or what should pop into your head by what the author is meaning. If you do not have the idea of the word correct you have a misconception and it changes the whole story. Read the KJV, pray for wisdom, pray without ceasing: don't go a day without it. Genesis 18:14 "14 Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son." El Shaddai, is one of God's names: meaning, the Almighty. The deductions you can make with your eyes are not as important to me as the decisions you can make with your heart. I believe God set the stage before we got to the play. God putting bones in the ground isn't him being deceptive, he wants to know if we will be presumptuous. There is a song by elevation worship called I trust in God.😅😅
Getting into running I also started to notice that my energy levels had very low lows and my period seemed infrequent. I really love that you talk about this as a female athlete, there are so many demands of this sport and people don't realize how it affects women
Some of the problem here is that many coaches for these young girls are men who have no understanding of how the female body works nor its requirements. Its likely not purposeful but all coaches that coach females need to realize that the male body is not the default body for athletics. Hopefully this will change. The medical field is just now finding out that women are not just little men with a uterus..
I'm from France. Nuts about track /trail and road running i just love your channel! You are so strong! I learn so much thanks to you.😊 Finally a was curius about all your pb.... I discoverd you was born the same day as me ( 24/12/1996). I feel so happy to share the same birthday ''''👌😉😁
The female athlete triad. So Important to be aware of as a woman athlete!! Allie, your channel and videos continue to be a light not only in the runner community, but in content creation in general. Thank you so much for being you. I also had amenorrhea, didn’t have my first period until 19. My hormones were wacky for YEARS, but they eventually stabilized and recovery is always worth it. Highly recommend your advice and videos to women. Love to see you so happy and healthy 😊🏁
Allie, you said you might go into marketing after pro running….perhaps think about counseling, mentoring, sports psychology…maybe you’re already naturally doing that through your platform. Such a continuing great job through sharing your experience. You are really at the forefront for women in sports. When I hear these stories I’m reminded how much bravery and drive it took to face up to these issues, especially while continuing your career. Maybe only other athletes can understand how young athletes might think, no period…great! Thanks for breaking down the dangers in such a relatable, compassionate and inspiring way. Keep on doing what you do. I feel the momentum building!
+1, she would be amazing
I have definitely considered this before! I would also love to do public speaking.
@@allie_ostranderyesssss…. You should definitely do speaking.mi love your work
I've done a lot of career counseling, to be honest, therapists in general actually tend to burn out due to boredom a lot. I am a person who loves helping, but I would make a terrible therapist, in terms of meeting my own needs. I am in nonprofit PR & community education. While there are therapists who do a lot of marketing & public speaking, most days are spent 1:1. I would say your gut is leading you in the right direction. You are a natural to be in the public eye, and folks who have been elite athletes can enter into areas like motivational speaking fairly easily. Without additional schooling, you could easily become a public educator/leader around the issues you are passionate about. And work with a consultant or head hunter, as a fairly well known athlete you shouldn't have to go apply for jobs the traditional way. Have someone shop you around to national nonprofits you like, see if you can come on board as a speaker/content presenter/educator/PR type advocate.
@@allie_ostrander get into marketing, make money and win at it. You are going to get all kinds of advice throughout your life from all kinds of people, and maybe nice ones will have more time to give "nice" advice. Making yourself successful takes planning and hard work and no one is going to tell how to do it
When I was in 8th grade a girl was pointed out to me at track practice. The coach said that this girl had just come back from being hospitalized for anorexia. She apparently died 3 months later. When I was a senior and my coach said that I was developing hips and needed to lose weight, I recognized this as a red flag.
Thank you for warning so many girls as to the dangers of eating disorders.
as someone in the middle of my period (and just got off the pill, so it's a little out of whack at the moment) i really appreciate this video. it's a great reminder that having a period may be inconvenient, but SO important. also hearing you talk about this gives big sister vibes in the best way and i love it!!
yes! I literally have to remind myself that it's a GOOD thing every time I get mine!
I didn’t start my period until I was 15. I’m so glad that my doctor was concerned that I hadn’t gotten it yet, and recommended I incorporate high fat foods such as whole milk into my diet. She also recommended I get a scan to check my bone density. Yay good pediatricians!!
That being said, I still did experience amenorrhea as a college runner. I wish this was something our coaches had talked more to us about.
wow, such a star of a pediatrician!
This is why I view your content. You are totally honest, offer incredibly important scientific backed information and do this in a way that everyone can understand and relate to. So well done. Thank you.
this is so kind, thank you!
In my experience, that was a super professionally prepared and delivered presentation of a difficult topic. The medical profession should be pointing to you as the poster "child" for those seeking to gain a basic understanding of amenorrhea.
thank you!
This is so important for young athletes to know!
This is such a well-researched video, and your personal experience is invaluable. I hope this video reaches everyone who needs to see it 💗
If anybody has the time or will to read my comment, please, and offer any advice that you can. This popped into my recommended at a strangely opportune time. At age 13, I was extremely overweight/borderline obese as a result/side effect of a psychiatric medication that I took for 2 years at age 10. I started my period than, and had about 5 periods. Right at the start of high school, I intentionally began a calorie deficit to lose the excess weight and my period stopped immediately. I had not lost any weight yet, and I was never an ultra-endurance athlete. Eventually, I lost around 50 lbs and went through a traumatic 3-4 year cycle between hospitals and ED centers for an ED, even though I was never characteristically "underweight." My heart rate did drop enough, however, to necessitate a couple medical hospitalizations.
Fast forward to today, I am 22, have graduated from a 4-year college, and am maintaining healthy vital signs and a "healthy" weight, but still have not had a single period since its disappearance at 13. Just as Allie described, it is impossible for me to know what weight is optimal for my body, having been overweight from a medication, and all of this happening in my early adolescence. My BMI is 22 for reference, although I know BMI is largely meaningless. I starting running around 3 years after my period disappeared, and began weight training around 5 years after the period stopped. This is to emphasize that exercise became a relatively newer regular habit. I have been pouring my heart and soul into trying to recover my period throughout all these years and I am so incredibly desperate to understand what my body needs, and to be accepting of this truth. I have already suffered from one stress fracture, and am delayed significantly in female secondary sexual development. I think one of the things I struggle with is the idea of "health at every size." As in, maybe my body needs to be at higher body fat percentage and weight (aka, could be "overweight" according to the BMI scale), in order to function optimally. But I cannot tell you how disabling, painful, and debilitating life was for me a higher weight that just did not feel right for my body. So, if I am unwilling to accept being bigger, than I need to accept the consequences of my amenorrhea. I hope what I am saying makes sense, but my dream would be a solution that meets in the middle. Aka, a body that I am comfortable in, that is strong and looks strong, AND having a regular period. I am still searching for a way to make this happen, but the day my period returns will certainly be an exciting one.
RED-S or underweight is a common cause of amenorrhea but not the only one. With a BMI of 22, i.e., healthy normal body weight, you should rather go see a gynaecologist, ideally specialized in gynaecologal endocrinology and reproductive medicine. Through an ultrasound and hormonal lab tests, they can evaluate differential diagnoses. For example, PCOS is another common cause of amenorrhea, further some psychiatric drugs can cause amenorrhea, and there are many other potential causes. So before you try to gain more weight, go see an ob/gyn!
Thank you for your reply. In the effort to keep my comment relatively short, I didn't share all the details. I have seen MANY ob/gyn doctors, have gotten 3 bone scans, 3 pelvic ultrasounds, 1 intravaginal ultrasound, and 2 MRIs. And blood hormone panel more times than I can count. Everything is "normal" except that my estrogen is nearly nonexistent (not surprising) and bone density is low. My latest ob/gyn recommends HRT (estrogen patch + progesterone) but I wish I could return my period naturally without synthetic hormones, as I theoretically should be able to menstruate with a normal brain, uterus and both ovaries intact. I really appreciate your feedback regardless!@@anja188
Honestly, I think it's entirely possible that you are under your set point weight, and that is the reason for your amenorrhea. I know people who have had similar situations, and didn't think that increasing their caloric intake would help but it turned out to be the solution. If you have food rules, limit calories, eat low fat, etc, that could likely be the cause.
Thank you so much for your reply! I know my comment wasn't short, haha! Yes, this is the possibility I have been sitting with for years. I have gone through several periods of increasing my caloric intake to 3000+ cal per day for months to years, with no period. So I have always wondered, maybe I just need to be at a higher weight than I am willing to accept? So there is a constant battle between living in a body that I am uncomfortable in (but menstruating), or a body that feels more 'right' but am not menstruating. I know one day I will conquer this and be able to speak to it with eloquence and confidence. You are incredible for bringing awareness to this, as it often feels that many of us are alone.@@allie_ostrander ❤
Good information for young athletes hopefully they see it
Great video Allie. I think all coaches ESPECIALLY men that coach female athletes should have training in female nutrition. At least they should watch this video. Best of luck in the Olympic trials.
Lucky!
Were you scared of weight gain when you were trying to get your period?
yes because I was also recovering from an eating disorder, and that was one of my main fears.
I don’t see anything wrong with getting a period late 🤷🏾♀️🤎
You are older than 20???
I had amenorrhea/eating disorder at a very young age too. One consequence was my hips never widened like they should as my bones were maturing. As a result, I had to have c-sections for my three children. I am so thankful I was able to have them. They are miracles. Periods are important. Thank you so much for this video.
I'm so happy for you and your miracles :)
Girl, I just wanted to say SAME! I had ARFID from a really young age which evolved into full-blown AN by 9 years old. Hips didn't widen enough and my period was really delayed. About to have my 3rd c-section. Fully recovered now, but definitely made babies more challenging. Just wanted to say, you're not alone! ❤
Same here! I just thought I had genetically super narrow hips but that makes sense.
As a guy I tend to shy away from videos about women's health but I really appreciated your candor and openness on this topic. Men definitely should know about women's health issues! Excellent and informative video. Congratulations on your recovery and continued athletic excellence!
Love that you have taken the time to stay informed on this!! Good on you!!
Don't shy away from women's health topics! Understanding those around you is *always* a benefit. Women should learn about their bodies and men's, and men should learn about their bodies and women's!
I ran xc and track in high school. My coach was also my biology teacher. I’m so grateful bc he told us about amenorrhea and that if we didn’t have a period for 3 months+ we’d need to talk to a dr.
Thank you so much for making this video!! It is so important for there to be education on this topic. On my high school cross country team, none of us had regular periods and we just thought it was normal. Our coaches were pretty much our only source on training and diet, and as they were both older conservative men, we sure weren't going to ask them. Almost all of us have struggled with repeated injury ever since. I hope that kids who may be dealing with this will see your video or one like it and not have to go through that!
this is so sad to hear :( but I hope that high schoolers today will have better resources!
Sports psychology is your calling after you’ve finished elite sports
Allie, this is gold. I hope a lot of people watch it, who need it. So important for young women in sport (and women in general!).
thank you! I hope it reaches the right audience!
So true. I echo this comment entirely. Great video Allie.
I'm really glad you are sharing this. I'm a 42 year old woman who ran cross country and restricted calories in the late 1990s and early 2000s. I was diagnosed with amennorhea at 18 after not getting a period until 18.5 when I finally started eating enough fat and calories. It has totally wrecked my reproductive system and my abilty to reproduce. I'm OK with it after a lot of therapy but girls need to know this stuff. thank you for your openness.
Dealing with secondary amenorrhea at 24 as an endurance runner, so this video came at the perfect time for me - thank you!!
So glad it was helpful! Always feel free to leave a comment or send me a DM if you need support or have questions
I had anorexia and exercise bulimia for 7 years. I was young and naive and basically had no idea what my actions would do to my body. I too lost my period for several months to year. I also developed gastroparesis which I have now suffered with for the past 20 years. It never went away or got better once I started eating normally and recovered. Some of the effects of eating disorders can be permanent. I wish someone would have told me before that gastroparesis can be permanent and never to starve your body. I had no idea, I was 23 years old and young and naive. I understand what you went through. So thankful to be recovered now I haven't had an eating disorder for 13 years. But my stomach is still crippled. If anyone is thinking about starving yourself or becoming anorexic please never ever do this. I wish I never went down this road. You don't want to suffer with a crippled stomach. It's horrendous. I hope my story helps someone.
For people in USA certain states please be carefull when using period tracking apps - make sure you are looking into the data privacy policy or just use pen and paper
Yes, especially since recently there has been alot of anti-abortion legislation getting passed !
Wait, why would the government want to track our periods?
@@findingbeautyinthepain8965 Alot of pro-life people are pushing to criminalize abortions and these apps track people's periods.
@@findingbeautyinthepain8965if you are in a state the bans abortions/certain birth control and you get one they can subpoena your period tracking data in court
@findingbeautyinthepain8965 To see if a person has potentially been pregnant, and is then no longer pregnant. Could be used as evidence of having a pregnancy terminated if you live in a state where this is a political matter. It's a gross invasion and misuse of private medical information.
I think you're doing some extremely critical education here with these videos. I really, really appreciate it, as an older former athlete who is also dealing with the consequences of some really wild menstruation dysfunction on my health now that I'm in "middle" age. Just really appreciate this video, keep being awesome, thanks so much.
I’m glad my swim coach in HS at least talked to us about caloric intake per day (it was like 5,000-7,000) and how not getting that number could affect us later. Coach Max is the best.
Allie O - I know how hard primary amenorrhea is. I used to have a girlfriend when I was young who suffered from anorexia and she had the same problem. Thank you for sharing your experience and being so open and transparent with your followers.
Yes, it can be pretty devastating, but I am so thankful that I was able to recover from it and share my story!
Haven’t had a period since I was 13. Now I’m 20 and I’m actually starting to worry about. Hopefully starting ED treatment this summer.
good luck, wishing the best for you
You got it this ! You can do it!
Allie, I coached woman runners in the past and this video would have been a great help to some of them at the time. You gave a really good review of the dangers of an eating disorder as well as how to resolve the disorder and improve your health. Best regards...
I hope this can be helpful to many :)
Thanks Allie, I needed this… I am trying to get my period back while currently in marathon training and it is really diffucult mentally. I constantly need to remind myself that I have to eat enough to perform at my best and stay healthy. This video was a great reminder of why I have to keep going. Wishing the best of luck to everyone else who is dealing with amenorrhea, we got this 💪
I appreciate that the app Femmi is "challenging the outdated idea that periods limit performance" but I would caution that presenting periods as non limiting may present a high bar for some of us. They can and very much do affect performance for some of us. The drop in iron in particular can be super challenging for training even with supplements, particularly if you are a vegetarian or vegan.
I think those "limiting factors" can be minimized when they are acknowledged and adjusted for!
Being a man I had no clue the importance of having a period for adolescent girl athletes. I just assumed if a girl was getting her period as an athlete, she just wasn't training hard enough to get it to stop and be a better athlete. Thank God I didn't speak my thoughts to my daughter even though I was thinking it about her. THANK YOU for sharing this important information. Just not to young girls, but their parents as well. ❤❤❤
YES, that is such a misconception! I remember feeling somewhat accomplished that I never got mine, because to me that meant I was a serious athlete. This video is to help change that narrative and educate people on how important the menstrual cycle is!
What in the world. This is rooted in such misogyny.
The idea that If I girl gets a period it’s because she isn’t trying hard enough. Wow that’s frightening that people are walking around with this idea
What the... People actually think this? It's like when my dad kept dismissing labor and it's complications as not a big deal "because that's what women do" despite my mom and me nearly dying in the process. Till it was time for his own daughter to go through it, then he started panicking. And no, he is not a bad man or a parent, he really tries, just is very ignorant. Doctors dismiss the female body too.
for the sake of your daughter, do better bro. it’s literally your job to educate yourself on this basic information before pettily judging your own child.
Sometimes you may feel guilty for no training or resting. Also, be afraid of increasing the amount of calories. Training the mind for the shift needed is not easy. Thanks for sharing your story, the facts, the science… All the positive content
While I was running at the D1 level, I didn't have a period for almost a year. During that year, and after, I suffered several fractures in my feet and had lots of tendon and muscle problems. I am much older now and still have problems with those fractures-they ache and I've reinjured them many times. When I was young, I thought I'd be "healthy" forever and did not realize the toll it took on my body. THANK you Allie for all these vids. I often seen young runners about who are WAY too thin and I want to warn them. You're warning them. Thanks!
This is great information for all female athletes and mostly their coaches. Yes the coaches whom many athletes go to with their health related issues and follow their instruction. I've heard about the eating disorders and coaches just pressing for results. Mary Cain went through a similar episode. You are more than a great runner, you are a great roll model.
I hope it can be informative for both athletes and coaches!
I didn't get my period until 18 due to my ED/overexercising. I'm 8+ years recovered and while recovery takes time and brings about sometimes unpleasant changes at first (water retention, bloating, etc) it was so worth it! I'm looking more like the person I wanted to look like (muscular/defined) at a healthy BMI than I ever did when I was underweight. I also heal so much faster now, don't get crazy muscle cramps, no heart palpitations etc.
This is a brave and informative video. I see you discuss the presence of RED-S. You've mentioned energy deficiency, and many people are not aware of RED-S in female athletes. Thanks for raising this important topic.
RED-S is being talked about more and more, so hopefully it will be common knowledge in the future.
As someone who has recovered from anorexia and 7 years of amenorrhea, I appreciate this video and you so so much!! Everyone’s journey will be different for recovery, but so so worth it!!
Yes, agreed! Also go you for recovering..it’s literally so hard and YOU DID THAT.
I was in gymnastics..but dropped out at 18. It turns out, my genetic disorder, Nail-Patella Syndrome was behind me not starting until almost 21. At 17 I had a bone scan and was told my bone age was 12. I was 22, right after my eldest child was born, that I reached 5’5. At 18 and graduation, I was 4’10” and 85lbs. I had been told I was more than likely sterile and my “quack” told me I had no business on birth control..,of course, he also came really close to calling me derogatory names, saying I had no business sleeping with anyone. My “mother” agreed and actually tried to have me committed for being “a deformed freak”. I don’t have nails or kneecaps, excelled in school, dance, gymnastics…but mostly volunteering at a human and animal hospital. In other words, I destroyed my “mother’s” life the day I was born, am a complete failure and am undeserving of happiness, love or even life.
I’m in my mid-60’s, I had 3 incredible children and was a healthcare professional most of my life. Unfortunately, I had a spinal injury at 40 and my health has been up and down since…we discovered many other internal anomalies inside.
My younger daughter, who doesn’t have NPS, didn’t start her period until 18 despite being a larger stature than me or her sissy. She’s now 35 and has never been regular. They did extensive genetic testing on her, but came to the conclusion her amenorrhea was due to her “father” abuse. She and her wonderful husband continue to try IVF, BUT her age and 4 miscarriages…they’re going to try one more time. Her husband is 10yrs older and still recovering from a major CVA 2 years ago. Despite my daughter being a nurse practitioner; the State refused to approve them for adoption. 😔
Thank you for sharing so many intimate details. I wish you and your daughter the best!
I lost my period for almost 10 years during my ED and I can't begin to explain how weird it was as a 20 year old woman to tell the doctors who asked when my last period was that I hadn't had one since I was 16. Or when friends ask if I have a tampon and I'm thinking "why would I carry that around when I haven't had a period in years". Whats worse was I was underweight but not emaciated and most people don't understand that everyone loses their period at different levels and mine happened to be at a higher body weight. Most people didn't even believe me when I said I didn't get them anymore. It was weirdly invalidating
I'm so sorry that was your experience :( Everyone's set point weight is so different, and our physiology is unique. The struggles that you had are valid, and I hope that you've been able to find the support you need to move past them :)
My experience is weird because even at a very low BMI AND with mosaic Turner syndrome, I cycled, although irregularly from not quite 14 through recovery. It was actually in recovery that I actually had true misses not just delays. It made me feel as though I wasn’t a true anorexic because clearly I was healthy enough to have periods so I wasn’t sick enough. Ah the sick game the anorexia/Ed brain plays…
I found out about amenorrhea at age 37 while training to hike Mt. Washington and Mt. Katahdin. I was offered estrogen and progesterone, but I changed my diet and successfully hiked the mountains. My cycle returned natural,y over three month’s time.
I thought she was a teenager.
Thank you for taking the lead on this important topic Allie! ❤
I know that I can't change my past, but it's always possible to change someone else's future :)
@@allie_ostrander Your generous spirit is a true inspiration. You are doing an invaluable service to the running community by so openly and eloquently sharing your experience. Keep shining your light, and keep taking excellent care of yourself on every level.
I am not a woman, and will never have a period. But this video was really insightful, and I hope to now have a better understanding of what some women have to work through as athletes.
Thank you Ally for sharing your experience, and hopefully providing resources to so many people!
Yes, it's a lot to adjust to, and a whole different element of training to be considered. I'm glad that this was educational for you!
Lucky you for not being a woman and never having a period !
Im a 20 year old college runner who has never started my period and its so relieving to know there are those who have recovered. I was very underweight my middle and high school years and my male doctor was still stumped by my amenorrhea and had me take all these blood and chromosome tests even though it was clear it was my training and underfueling. Wish this was more talked about!
Hmm. My concern is that your doctor gyn would insert an IUD in a patient with amenorrhea.
Why? If you havent had periods due to extreme exercise, that doesnt work long term as contraception, because as soon as you begin to have a cycle, before actually having a bleed, you can get pregnant.
Exactly . A lot of people seemed to have failed her. This underlines the importance of this video so young runners can be informed if they don’t have adults in their life reacting to warning signs
@@orangew3988That’s not the issue. To accept extreme exercise or elite athlete status as an excuse/reason is unacceptable without further workup or investigation. I understand that she was hesitant or not exactly forthcoming but that’s the professional’s job to push back.
Well, if you were going to start your period dropped an egg had sex got pregnant you wouldn’t know you were pregnant because you hadn’t ever had a period. Now it should have all been sorted out first but birth control afterwards is needed and use of protected sex with condoms. You should always do that anyway. She did a really good job. She most likely doesn’t have a lot of symptoms due to her exercise and diet. Actually, exercise really can help both feeling down, depression and period pain.
You’re doing great work Alie!!
Watching your content is so healing! Im the same age as you and I WISH I had heard this information back in high school. Amenorrhea was treated as a full on right of passage- not something to see as dangerous. I found myself fighting puberty so hard and rejoicing when my body started skipping periods. I thought my hips widening and developing any sort of chest would be the death of me. I actually remember girls bragging about their periods stopping or never starting. That toxic attitude is so damaging. Surely you are inspiring so many young girls with your story and showing them the real truth.
YES, that's exactly how I felt in high school! I really hope this reaches the right audience to save some girls from sharing that experience :(
may I ask where the idea of fighting puberty comes from? is it something common among child athletes? I have never done serious sports, so for me it sounds bizarre! today is the first time I have heard such a thing
@@WellValUa I cant speak for other sports, but at least in distance running theres a fear that when girls' hips widen and their body develops any curves that they will be slower. So when youre competing at a high caliber girls are sometimes told "shes fast now but she'll slow down when she goes through puberty and her body fills out". The desire to stay as tiny as possible and delay puberty is common among girl distance runners for that reason.
@@isthatlauren yes, and that's not limited to running alone. Figure skaters face the same pressures to remain tiny so that they can do the high jumps with 4 rotations. If they get hips and breasts, they can't rotate that fast and they'll be heavier. There are documentaries on the problem in young Russian female figure skaters on RUclips. I watched one a couple of months ago.
Ohh that's so toxic :( it's really sad when you're a girl and you're constantly told such things
Fabulous messaging Allie!! Thank you for using your platform to make this information more visible. ❤
thank you! I'm happy to do it :)
Allie, as a Family doc with a sister who had bulimia. The high school doctor was a total failure. SO NOT NORMAL TO NOT HAVE A PERIOD!! Great job on your recovery. Rooting for you.
Hi Allie, I’m a 15 year old female athlete who has currently got no period. I don’t think I’m underweight but I’m deathly afraid of gaining any weight, particularly to my thighs. If you have any tips on coping with such problems I would greatly appreciate it! Many thanks for this awesome video!
Those fears you have are so so common, and definitely something I can relate to. I would recommend talking with a counselor or therapist to work through those thoughts. And if you don't get your period in the next couple years, definitely talk to a doctor about that!
I’m glad you’re doing better now. While I was never a runner or sporty growing up (I only started jogging last summer at age 37), I was opposite and started puberty earlier than most of my female peers and started my period at age 10 in 4th grade. It gave me body image issues as I’ve been overweight most of my life. I also ended up with macromastia which I finally got a reduction for last summer (I started a couch to 5K program after I was cleared to be able to work out again). Currently I can jog for up to around ten minutes before needing to walk for a few minutes. I try to get about 20 minutes of jogging in.
I have had some spotting in between periods which might be exercise and/or stress-related. Some months my period is delayed a few days and others it comes a few days early. When I was in junior high and high school, I often felt nauseous/sick on the first day of my period.
My other workouts of choice are walking, dancing, hula hooping, and shooting basketball hoops.
Periods are very important and if you miss one when you are otherwise healthy.. it’s a good sign something is wrong. Usually it will be delayed if you are under extreme stress.
I've seen a few national level high school aged female runners whose body fat is clearly problematic. It's hard to believe that no one is intervening to help them. Thanks for being so transparent with your history. It might be a lifesaver for someone.
This is so important!! Regarding the topic, I am currently reading a book about hypothalamic amenorrhea (which is the most important cause for amenorrhea in athletes). It‘s called „No period, now what?“ by Nicola J. Rinaldi for everyone who‘s interested.
Thank you so much for this video! Your honesty is a blessing. I can relate so much to this, and am quite saddened that all my doctor did for my amenorrhea was put me on the pill. Asked me if I had an eating disorder and of course I said no 🙄
Running was my passion but I was injured ALL the time, and underfueling. I stopped running and increased my fat intake before I was able to have my two babies.
Now in my late 30’s, my body seems really adverse to running. I’m hopeful my daughter can have a healthier perspective on all of this, and I plan to share your videos with her when she is older. Thank you
Thank you for making this video! I just started HA recovery 2 months ago after being diagnosed with osteoporosis as a 20 year old. I had not wanted to do anything about it for years (I have had an eating disorder for a long time), but that scared me so bad so here we are. If anyone else is considering recovery- please do it. You don't want to fracture your spine because you have been running too much and not eating enough.
I lost my period for 5 years in college due to an ED caused by a traumatic incident & poured my heart & soul into college running to help me cope. I thought it was normal to not have my period because I was running so much, but I was not honoring my body with fuel & was not coping with anxiety in a healthy manner. I realized that I wasn't fully a woman anymore until I got serious with recovery. Here I am now & I have my cycle back, I am fueling wiser & happier & running more mileage than ever with a heart of joy! I feel hopeful that I do have a future, as a woman with high ambitions! Thank you for sharing your story & for being an incredible inspiration, Allie! You're doing amazing & you have a VERY bright future ahead, in all aspects of life :) Keep doin you, Allie O!
props to you for recovering and giving yourself the best future possible :) you're amazing!
Very courageous of you. You are awesome.
I'm sure this was a awkward one to make. Thanks for sharing your personal experiences and insight into how it impacted you. Appreciate you!
Preach the explanation was gorgeous your tips are vital and helpful to many! You will save the bones of many runners !!
I really hope that bones will be saved!
Do you have normal bone density now?
Big kudos for you to speak honestly about this. It’s shocking how common major ED are among female athletes. Hope you can help at least one young woman out there. 🙌🏼
Absolute boss. Thank you for doing this.
Allie, thank you so much for sharing your story. Do you have the name of the doctors who helped you go through this journey? The dietician or your coach? Thanks a lot. You’re such an inspiration !!
I can't believe doctors would simply prescribe the pill and think that fixes the issue. They should know that the bleeding from the pill is not a real cycle bleeding and that losing your period is a sign of a serious underlying issue that needs fixing. This is regular sex ed level of education, never mind the extra training that doctors go through to be certified. Glad you're speaking about this topic if this is how bad the discourse is...
Amazing video, thanks allie!! ❤
Glad you liked it!
I’ve always had a very irregular cycle, even now I barely have periods and I’m recently taking it serious. I’m swimmer not a runner but I’ve heard similar things from doctors, it’s just a normal thing for athletes. Glad I’ve watched this
Thank you so much for making a video on this topic. I also appreciate you didn’t make it about exact numbers and instead focused on doing what is right for fueling yourself and staying healthy!
yes, I just don't think focusing on the numbers is helpful at all!
Hi Allie, I did not have a regular period until I was at least 20. I'm sure that many young women will benefit from hearing about your own experience with amenorrhea and the factual information that you present so clearly. I did see doctors for other reasons while I had amenorrhea (~12-20) but none of them asked about my period so it didn't seem important. I started taking the pill when I was 20; I didn't know that this could cause a 'fake' period so I'm not really sure when my cycle normalized. Your advice about seeking advice is so important. It may be the only way to receive the support and treatment you need. 🦋
Yes, that sort of experience is so common! Unfortunately, we really have to advocate for ourselves and our health!
Great video for the future female runners!
Id love to do a poll of all the women at the US Olympic Mara trials and see how many dont get their period. Would be quite interesting...
it would be interesting!
Thank you so much for sharing this. I developed secondary amenorrhea (which persisted for a year), 6 months into picking up running (as part of what I thought was a sensible weight loss approach of 500 to 700 calorie deficit a day). I achieved my goal of losing 30kg, but at a cost. Luckily there was no need to gain all of that back to get my period back - it took gaining 4kg from my lowest weight for periods to be restored and I'm maintaining 2kg above that now. It still makes me anxious if a period comes late (like the one that arrived today, 1.5 weeks late), because I get nervous that maybe my body is refusing to accept my new exercise load. That said, I went from a 25km a week runner to closer to 60km now and I'm more muscular and fitter - and eating as much as 4000 calories on long run days! Even on some rest days, I'm eating 2800 calories to match energy needs for recovery from previous training and dog walks that still need to happen, rain or shine 😊
Also, what you said about understanding that rest and down time is an important and crucial part of your training plan is probably one of the most important points. For me, i used to feel guilty for having spare time to just sit down. Now i take it with both arms opened, understanding there's no point in training hard if i don't take the rest i need to benefit from it.
Hearing you mention that an IUD/the pill could mask the presence of a period is something I've been trying to ask doctors about for a while! I've been on the pill for 3.5 years now and the more I think about it the more I want to come off of it and really see what my "natural" hormone state is. 3 of those 3.5 years I've been running D1 in college doing higher mileage than ever, so i really have no idea if I'm fueling enough to get a cycle. Thank you for speaking about all of this!!!
It can also depend on what kind of pill it is. Different pills use different hormones and some do and some do not affect having a monthly period.
@@heidiandersen8289Yea for sure! I'm on the kind where it does affect the monthly period and I get the synthetic "fake period" that's really just withdrawal symptoms from the pill itself; I can skip it with no consequences. There's so much information that a lot of women do not receive when prescribed any form of birth control and I think that's an issue that needs fixing
Yes, I wish that this topic was discussed more! It could be a good idea to come off the pill and make sure you're getting a natural cycle. It's also possible to check your bone health and other biomarkers; if you'd rather stay on it, I would recommend going to an endocrinologist or women's health specialist. There's also some anecdotal evidence that hormonal birth control can negatively impact performance. Its impacts vary greatly between people though, so if you feel fine on it, it's probably not negative for you.
This may be the most important video you'll ever make. Thanks for everyone you help - in advance.
❤
Just got my period after 3 months without it
I respect you so much for talking about this so openly, kudos to you! I never lost my period even at my lowest weight, which i always found interesting (and annoying at the time!) Now I'm pretty grateful that I didn't cause so much damage as i could have done...
it's good you didn't lose it! If you are worried about negative impacts of being at a low weight though, definitely talk yo a doctor just in case!
I’m so happy you’re finally getting to experience a period now! I also did not have healthy or often periods until my 20s, probably from the trauma and toxic relationships in my childhood. I now know that having a period is a positive sign that I’m healthy, happy, and that my life is balanced ❤ even if we are high level athletes, we still deserve to be healthy enough to have periods! The No period super athlete thing is a myth and not the healthiest!
Please mam please reply anyone can a girl get pregnant if she never had her periods in life please reply mam what are the chances of getting pregnant please reply 😢
Thank you ... for being you ... and sharing. You're making a difference. I hope you are well.
Excellent! A public service.
Good luck
former ballerina here! similar experiences.
yes, it's so common in many sports!
Thank you for speaking out on this issue! Our cycle is key to our health and fitness, and not enough young women know that. Appreciate your openness and the helpful information.
Thank you so much for sharing this!!
You are wonderful. Great luck!❤
You are so smart and encouraging. Thank you for sharing the video, I am a dancing queen in sport aerobic, tap and ballroom and I struggle with skipped periods for multiple years since I started at 11 and sometimes I get 2 periods a month. That story inspires me to take good care of body.
Thank you so much for this video!!!! Awesome job!!!!!
Thank you always for your honesty ❤
I started my period when I was 10. Hopefully i have great bones lol
haha I hope so!
I once dated a lady that claimed that she didnt have hers until she was 28. I thought she was just bs’ing me until i seen this. Thank you
Such a good video. Thank you
A story from the book of 1 Kings, where a prophet by the name of Elijah when he beheld 400 false prophets of the false object of worship called Baal said to them if you think you're God to be the answer then assemble yourselves and call me fire down from heaven; Elijah said to them likewise shall I do the same as the story goes the 400 false prophets of the false being made themselves a bunch of ruckus calling out to the lie they believed.
Elijah surely used scripture from the word of God the Old Testament or Old Covenant or Agreement and fire did fall from heaven.
The more you get right about God the more he shows up.
God is a spirit those that worship him must do so in spirit and in truth. John 4:24
Don't just have faith, have faith in God, and his word. There is surely a type of extreme unpleasantness already in the Earth, have you seen it, are you delivered from it?
Job 38:17 "Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?"
Job 38:33 "33 Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?"
As a child, I would have dreams in be in many nightmares where underground tentacle monsters could sense my slightest movement and impel me,
wars, dreams of persecution, the grim Reaper, things would get wild. I remember calling on the Old Testament name of God Jehovah, and I remember things
did not end well for me when I was being assaulted by a witch. However, ever since I was a child the name of Jesus has never failed me, when I began to call on his name
Even recently, a spider demon with a human face around the size a 42" TV was crawling on my wall when I awoke from my sleep.
I spoke the name of Jesus quite a few times and I attained Mercy unto myself, for that because Jesus has the authority for this reason.
John 3:35 " He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."
1 John 2:23 "Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also."
I believe that God cares for his creation and doesn't want to lose them, because I believed in Jesus and had the humility to honor his name many times throughout my life.
I attained mercy through the New Covenant, agreement, or Testament. Only parts of the old still apply. The old prepared place for the New.
I believe Love is many things, and is doing many things read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (KJV) and study the language of the time (Middle English), saying an agreement to do some things all the time, and some things so long as it is not provoked which is not easily accomplished. Look at the Greek interlinear and see what to it says. Love is kind while not provoked and is out to to preserve and protect you not always for your short-term satiation but your long-term health, wealth, and viability.
John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
John 1:14 "And the Word:λόγος(in ancient Greek) message, expression of God's ideas), was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."
For if I read James 1:5 (KJV), do not leave out James 1:6,7, and 8 (KJV),
and while we at it live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
If there are 18000+ religions in the world I know to whom I say go to save me trouble, the name and the ideas that I will confess as Lord to be serving of and to call my friend.
Proverbs 4:19 “The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.”
A concept of the word is the idea that is behind it or what should pop into your head by what the author is meaning. If you do not have the idea of the word correct you have a misconception and it changes the whole story.
Read the KJV, pray for wisdom, pray without ceasing: don't go a day without it.
Genesis 18:14 "14 Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son."
El Shaddai, is one of God's names: meaning, the Almighty. The deductions you can make with your eyes are not as important to me as the decisions you can make with your heart.
I believe God set the stage before we got to the play. God putting bones in the ground isn't him being deceptive, he wants to know if we will be presumptuous.
There is a song by elevation worship called I trust in God.😅😅
Getting into running I also started to notice that my energy levels had very low lows and my period seemed infrequent. I really love that you talk about this as a female athlete, there are so many demands of this sport and people don't realize how it affects women
Yes, there is not nearly enough research on female training or support/information for female athletes about their health and performance!
100% agree that the sooner you address amenorrhea and/or and ED the better. Great video!
Some of the problem here is that many coaches for these young girls are men who have no understanding of how the female body works nor its requirements. Its likely not purposeful but all coaches that coach females need to realize that the male body is not the default body for athletics. Hopefully this will change. The medical field is just now finding out that women are not just little men with a uterus..
I'm from France. Nuts about track /trail and road running i just love your channel!
You are so strong! I learn so much thanks to you.😊
Finally a was curius about all your pb.... I discoverd you was born the same day as me ( 24/12/1996). I feel so happy to share the same birthday ''''👌😉😁
The female athlete triad. So Important to be aware of as a woman athlete!! Allie, your channel and videos continue to be a light not only in the runner community, but in content creation in general. Thank you so much for being you. I also had amenorrhea, didn’t have my first period until 19. My hormones were wacky for YEARS, but they eventually stabilized and recovery is always worth it. Highly recommend your advice and videos to women. Love to see you so happy and healthy 😊🏁