So of course my new years resolution, like everyone else's on the planet (besides you lucky expectant mothers! ) was to get back in shape. So I began dieting and exercising and started the Special K challenge (2 bowls of cereal, sometimes 1 snack with less than 12 grams of fat, and a regular dinner with less than 12 grams of fat)... with a target of 1200 calories a day. I stuck to my diet strictly for 2 weeks. I also began taking several fitness classes and working out, with a 50 min pilates class on monday, a 15 min butt and gut toning class on tues, a 50 min kickboxing/hip-hop class on thurs, and50 min mat/ball pilates on friday... all followed with 30 minutes of jogging and 30 minutes of elliptical machines and strength training every time I went to class. I attended all classes for a week and a half, and then for the past week and a half I have almost abandoned my diet entirely (I've had company over), simply eating smaller portions, fewer "bad" fast food meals, and reaching for lean cuisine tv dinners. I lost about 5 pounds, and now since I haven't attended any fitness classes since last tuesday and have been skipping out on my strict diet for just as long, I have gained about a pound and a half back.

I didn't realize what an impact I made on myself. I'd always heard that diet and exercise can interfere with your period, but I didn't think that the little I did in two weeks could mess me up so much. As most of you know, my husband and I use the rhythm method (refraining from unprotected sex during my "fertile days) and condoms. I have had a regular 24-day cycle, and I used to chart religiously. Any way... this month I was siiixxx days late. Of course our first reaction was that this was it... we'd finally gotten pregnant But after I took a FRER pregnancy test a day after my missed period and got a negative, I was sure I wasn't. I finally started my period today.

I was wondering if I should now expect my cycle to be this long, or if my body should return back to its 24-day cycle. I guess I ovulated later than normal this month because of the dieting? Anyone know when I should expect my period next month?