Need to increase bodyfat but still sway pink - How?

[LacePrincess]

I find myself in an odd predicament. I'm pretty convinced that my bodyfat is just a touch too low for reliable ovulation. I'm not entirely anovulatory, I don't think, but it seems for the past year my ovulation has been sporadic.

My bodyfat % is 14-16%. My googling seems to say that bare minimum for fertility is 17%. Soooooo.......seems like that's why I sometimes have a 'normal' cycle, and sometimes don't, it's right on the cusp of the lower limit.

Now obviously it's not hard to gain weight, lol, but how to gain weight (and fat!) without ruining my girl sway? What should I be eating more of that's not TOO protein laden and TOO nutrient heavy? I don't want to sway boy. I'm already worried about putting on a few pounds and that that will sway boy, but I also figure if my ovulation is so supressed right now that it's not even happening my fertility is pretty sucky anyways, lol.

I'm upping carbs but I don't think it's enough. I'm thinking full fat dairy is the way to go? What about fried foods? I want to stay vegetarian to avoid high protein meats. I'd pack on the cheese but cheese is awfully high protein. I don't seem to gain weight on empty carbs like rice and bread, and pasta is really high protein. I do gain weight easily on full fat dairy/cheese but again - too much protein. So I'm not sure what to eat more of??

I'm also going to back down the workouts to 5 times a week and not go as intense. And it's not really an option for us to take a few months to put the pounds on, then go back on the LE diet for 6 weeks, because by then we're looking at next spring and my DH is likely to be posted away from us next summer. So I really can't afford to lose any time.

Ideas and suggestions?

[Wishing4Princess]

Lace, that's a great question!! I wish I had an answer to that, but I don't, as I feel like I may be in the same situation:nails:

[LacePrincess]

Lace, that's a great question!! I wish I had an answer to that, but I don't, as I feel like I may be in the same situation:nails:

Oh noes!!! :( Isn't it crazy how, for once in your life you want to GAIN weight (I've never had that problem before, lol!) and yet everything that would pack it on is a no-go on this diet?

I'm not sure what to do aside from downing pure butter. Never thought I'd say I was sick of dessert before, but I really am. I know burgers/fries would put weight on but yikes on the protein and sat-fats.

Were you a runner too? Me getting into running seriously in the past few years has really really leaned me out. I like my body a lot, but not to the point of killing my fertility!

And, the other thing that makes it hard is how we're not supposed to snack. Adding snacks would probably bump up the weight faster, but it's a no-no on the LE diet. And there's only so much I can stuff into me at a single mealtime! Urgh.

[wilma_five]

I want to know this to!!! I thought maybe the sugary stuff and things like white bread and full fat yoghurt can help?

[LacePrincess]

I want to know this to!!! I thought maybe the sugary stuff and things like white bread and full fat yoghurt can help?

It's worth a try. Unfortunately for TTC purposes (but maybe good for the rest of my life!) I can't seem to gain on just upping white carbs. Genetically my fertility seems happiest at 125-130lbs, which is actually pretty chubby for my 5foot frame. I'm happy with my body where I am now, 105-110lbs, but my ovaries don't seem to be! ARRRRGHHHHHHHH!!!! My metabolism is pretty good, I think, from all the muscle I have and my fitness from all the exercising in the past few years, so I think eating more bread/pasta is just burning off.

I know from my past history that fries and creamy/rich stuff make me gain really fast, but I'm not sure if that would swing blue for me, and I certainly don't want to do that.

Right now I'm trying to switch over to full fat dairy instead of skim and add an extra serving of bread/pasta/cereal. The hard part is eating SO MUCH at once because we're only supposed to have 3 meals and no snacks.

[wilma_five]

I know, it's so hard. I have long, irregular cycles with sometimes mid bleedings. So frustrating. I'm 56 kilo's and I know I must weigh more than this but my body seems to burn everything really fast!

[LacePrincess]

I know, it's so hard. I have long, irregular cycles with sometimes mid bleedings. So frustrating. I'm 56 kilo's and I know I must weigh more than this but my body seems to burn everything really fast!

It's weird, eh? I feel odd whining about needing to gain weight. Well, THAT part is easy, but not how to gain weight but not eating all the boy foods!

Can I ask if you've always had this problem, Wilma? Or is it losing weight and doing the LE diet for the girl sway that seems to be causing it? Just wondering since you've had 5 boys, I would assume that your fertility was ok with the boys?

See, I'm wondering if I should just go ahead and eat some junk to bump up my weight to get me ovulating again, and not worry too much about protein counts for now. Even gaining 5lbs would put me at 20lbs less than the weight I conceived my boys at.

[Navywife620]

why don't you eat empty calorie foods.. like candy, brownies, doughnuts, stuff that may be higher in fat but a bad fat.

[Dreamofpink]

why don't you eat empty calorie foods.. like candy, brownies, doughnuts, stuff that may be higher in fat but a bad fat.

I was thinking along the same lines too. How about biscuits, cakes and milk/white chocolate? Or maybe milkshakes made with Nesquik? (Not sure if it has added vitamins though) It's a tricky dilemma, hope Atomic can help you.

[LacePrincess]

Oh I am adding extra bad fats, lol. I have like 3 servings of icecream daily already, ugh, I am so sick of dessert! (Don't hate me!)

I'm gonna give it a week on what I'm eating now - mostly the same meals but extra serving of carbs, more butter, condiments, etc. If I don't see a difference I'll start adding milkshakes to the meals too.

Omg I feel like such a glutton!

[atomic sagebrush]

I think you got a lot of great tips and have a lot of fine ideas so I won't elaborate on that.

What I do want you to be careful of is going too far in the opposite direction - yes, I think it's a great idea for you to gain a hint of weight (and you'll probably gain it in the form of fat) but what a lot of people do is go to the other extreme. What you're trying to do is like tuning in a station on the radio - right now you've cranked the dial too far one way and all you're picking up is static, you want to turn the dial just a tiny smidge so you're picking up NPR and NOT so far that you're back at the middle of the dial. The dial is super easy to turn and very easy to go too far, so use a light hand.

Your body WANTS to get pg and it will shoot out an egg as soon as it thinks a pg is viable.

[atomic sagebrush]

I was thinking along the same lines too. How about biscuits, cakes and milk/white chocolate? Or maybe milkshakes made with Nesquik? (Not sure if it has added vitamins though) It's a tricky dilemma, hope Atomic can help you.

Nesquik does not have added vitamins, instant breakfast does.

[LacePrincess]

Yup, I agree. :) Tempting but I know not to let it get too out of control, lol!

I think my addiction to cardio workouts will keep it from getting too out of hand too fast. And I'm going back to eating instinctively which usually maintains my weight pretty steady around 110-113lbs, and 16-17% bodyfat so that's probably a good level to be at.

The thing is not being allowed to snack keeps me from eating TOO much, since there's only so much one can eat at a sitting and my bad calories always come when I'm snacking out of control.