Concerned...

[myrainbowgirl]

Ok, so I have been on the LE diet 3-4 weeks, and have lost 7.5 lbs. The thing is, I am 5'7" and started out at 125.8 lb. I'm currently 118.2...BMI of 18.5, the lowest BMI considered to be normal. When I dropped to 121.6 in 2 weeks, I increased my calories so I would stop losing...well, I'm still losing, although more slowly now. I don't have my cycle back (got it back at 12.5m & 14.5m with DS1 & DS), but was getting lots of cm (& spotting). My cm has really dried up since losing weight. I am still bf my almost 1-yr-old, but am starting the process of weaning. I know that my calorie burn will slow down once I start weaning, so that will help me keep weight on. My concern is that I weigh too little now to get my cycle back in a reasonable amount of time. Also, I am 36 & DH is 38. We don't have much time to waste.

Interestingly, I looked up some info on BMI & ovulation, and most of the women I read about who got pg with a lower BMI had girls! This is encouraging, but I am concerned I have already lost too much weight.

Should I stay on the diet as is, or are there parts of it I can fudge on that won't sway blue? I can't really do too much sugar, because I have PCOS.

AAAH, what to do? Anyone else have experience with this? Atomic, advice?

[atomic sagebrush]

I will answer from desktop computer tomorrow but sending hugs...EAT a vegetarian pizza tonight!

[myrainbowgirl]

Thanks, Atomic! :)

[myrainbowgirl]

Just a quick note...I conceived all of my boys at 124.5 lbs. Wondering if even just 2-3 lbs less than that might be my magic girl weight. Hmmm...

[amk2013]

I tried it, but lost too much weight. My normal BMI is between 16.5-17, and I don't ovulate below a certain weight (105lbs at 5'6"), and even at that, I ovulate, but had a luteal phase defect. My doc thought if I gained more weight it would help me get pregnant without needing fertility meds, but who knows. Any way, every woman is different so there is no way of really knowing how the lower weight will affect your cycle. Personally, I'd skip the diet & use protection until your cycle comes back, then you know for sure if it's the diet and lost weight that's holding it up, or just that you're still BF. Then once it returns, kick it into gear and hopefully you won't have to be dieting long. You may be dieting forever waiting to be fertile again... Oh, and I've had below normal BMI when I conceived both my BOYS, haha...wish that theory was true for all! Good luck!

[myrainbowgirl]

Thanks for the advice, amk. I am tempted to stick with the diet (I'm actually not doing it hardcore anyway) till I get to 14 m postpartum (the latest af has returned with my other two), assuming it doesn't return before then...but I don't want to lose anymore weight! Did you end up gaining before you got pg with #3? Or did you just use fertility meds? It crossed my mind that maybe I could do clomid if I don't get it back soon, but the thought of twins scares me...I'm 36 so my chances are higher anyway. Ugh.

We'll see...I think even if I keep upping calories till I gain back a few pounds, or at the very least maintain, my diet has changed so drastically that maybe it will sway pink for me anyway.

I know that empty carbs are good for swaying pink, but right now I am really reducing the amount of sugar I was eating. I have PCOS, and I've always wondered if my diet causes or at the least exaggerates it. I'm going more the semi-vegetarian route (very occasional meat), with way more veggies than I used to eat, and also a lot less sugar. I also was a breakfast cereal junkie...cutting way back on that, too, and delaying breakfast till I am really hungry for it, and eating waaay fewer calories in the morning than I used to.

Funny, I read somewhere on this site that people generally don't have a problem meeting their protein guidelines, but sometimes do with fat. I am the opposite. Almost always am higher in fat, but lower on protein. Anyway, I think I'm just trying to find ways to up calories without extra sugar, but without swaying blue.

Thanks for your thoughts!

[amk2013]

I didn't gain weight. I took a month of clomid and a month of Fremera-got pregnant on the Fremera. It's starting to show that it's more effective in getting you pregnant than clomid, so I think will be used more as first line agent soon. Although, it doesn't sway at all. I know another in my group that just got pregnant in her first round of Fremera after months of failed clomid cycles. Although, if AF has not returned, that wouldn't be a reason to take fertility drugs at all unless they were needed in the past. Hopefully will be back soon for you! Sounds like your on the right track!

[atomic sagebrush]

Eventually, your metabolism does adjust and the weight stops coming off, but I think you need to up cals. Whole grains and higher carb veg instead of sugar and eat the upper limit of fat - the fat will really help keep the cycle going (or restart) even at a lower weight.

[atomic sagebrush]

Femara is great, it is better for conception than Clomid and better for older moms, BUT I do not believe it sways (which is why it's easier to get pg using it)

[atomic sagebrush]

Re second post YES with PCOS I woudl shy away from the empty carbs unless the weight just keeps flying off. the good news is, the slimmer you are, your insulin resistance will improve and you may be able to include the empty carbs at least a little bit as a brake on the weight loss.

I believe that the diet does sway even if you do not lose weight (or have lost in the past and have now plateaued).

I had the same prob as you did. I had trouble getting enough protein, I was fine on everything else. I ate butter and mayo. That is GOOD for your scenario though because fat can help keep you ovulating even if you have lost a fair bit of weight.

[atomic sagebrush]

Just a quick note...I conceived all of my boys at 124.5 lbs. Wondering if even just 2-3 lbs less than that might be my magic girl weight. Hmmm...

:agree: I got 3 of my 4 boys having just gained 3 lbs, my other boy I was holding steady a few lbs above where I really should ahve been. With DD I had just lost 3 lbs!! It doesn't have to be a massive amount of weight gain or loss.

[myrainbowgirl]

Atomic, remind me what the upper limit on fat is? I wanna say I'm regularly going over my MFP limit already. And I weighed 118.0 this morning. :( So should I gain a little weight back or is that a bad idea? Or just try to maintain and hope af returns soon?

[myrainbowgirl]

Oh, and what are the higher carb vegs? Any veggies I should really stay away from? I remember reading peas, beans, corn, and avocados are not the best, but in my situation, would they be ok?

[myrainbowgirl]

Also, just FYI, I don't have insulin resistance & never had gestational diabetes with any of my pregnancies. BUT, my diet was very high in sugar...major sweet tooth. :oops: Working on that big time now.

[myrainbowgirl]

Bump for Atomic :)

[atomic sagebrush]

Atomic, remind me what the upper limit on fat is? I wanna say I'm regularly going over my MFP limit already. And I weighed 118.0 this morning. :( So should I gain a little weight back or is that a bad idea? Or just try to maintain and hope af returns soon?

30% of calories from fat, for 1800 calories this is about 60 g fat.

Personally I would hold steady and wait, but if you prefer to gain weight, it is your call to make and may bring it back sooner.

[atomic sagebrush]

Oh, and what are the higher carb vegs? Any veggies I should really stay away from? I remember reading peas, beans, corn, and avocados are not the best, but in my situation, would they be ok?

Potato, carrot, yam, beet, sweet corn
Peas and beans are allowed but you do need to count calories and protein

Avocado can be good if you have a hard time getting fat, cals, potassium without going over on protein

[atomic sagebrush]

If you are really having trouble keeping weight on you may have no choice but to try some empty carbs.

[myrainbowgirl]

Thank you for your responses. They are so helpful! Unfortunately, I was 117.8 this morning. I just HAVE to stop losing, or I'll never O!! The thing is, I'm exercising (always have), and really don't want to stop...so my calorie intake is actually more in the 2100-2200 range, and I'm still losing. It has to be the bf that is causing the weight loss, although we are now down to 2x/day. Planning to drop another feed in a couple days, so maybe weight loss will stop soon. I am hardly tracking fat at all, just trying to watch protein (and sugar) more than anything. I think I am comfortable with this, as my diet is still so drastically different than it used to be. I hope to plateau or maybe even gain back a couple pounds...thinking I should be somewhere closer to 120. BUT, if I feel O is about to come back, I will not try to gain any weight. I could possibly be impatient about it, as I know I hadn't gotten it back yet with DS2 at this point. But, with my cm drying up, I feel like I am kinda devoid of hormones, ya know? Oh well, I will just have to see how it all goes...thanks again so much for all the info!

[atomic sagebrush]

It may be that your ovulation will come back in 3 months if you do everything you can to bring it on, and a quarter of a year if you do nothing and just wait it out. I PROMISE that if you're eating a reasonable amount of cals, it will come back in time, even if you're down a couple lbs. People think they need to "fix" everything but your body will fix itself, it just may take a month or two or three.