Going from couch potato to insane exercise during ttc - possible or nono?

[Marika]

I know it's recommended to do the exercise for 6 weeks before ttc, but has anyone gone from no exercise to 6 days a week and kept on ttc meanwhile?

I have been doing no exercise due to some back (and feet) problems but now I feel I am better and would like to give the exercise a try. It'll be hard to find the time but I feel the stats for exercise seem so good it's worth giving a try.

I am now somewhere at CD 1 (don't know cause cycle got totally messed up) and next eventual attempt would be in 2 weeks. We are a bit doubtful about next cycle though because it would be a baby right at christmas week. Well, husband is more doubtful than I am... but i def see his point. I used to think like him too before I became so eager of getting pg.

Anyway, seeing it from swaying aspects I know the best thing would prabably be to skip april and go for may, but it also feels like a waste of the weeks on diet etc not to give it a try. How have others done? And how much would two weeks of cardio sway towards blue?

Any advice for me?

[Marika]

The more I think about it myself I should really skip next attempt in 2 weeks considering the exercise.

The only thing neg about waiting would be that the eventual sway from m/c wouldn't scount anymore. But wich would have more impact, the loss or 6 weeks of exercise (and 12 weeks on LE-diet)?

I try to tell myself to see in a longer perspective; whats more important - to make a good sway with best chances of a girl or to get pregnant quickly?

Directly after our loss I would have said pg, but now I am leaning towards the girl.

Sorry for all this babble but it kind of makes things clearer for me to write them down here :-)

[SamS_TTCPink]

I'm in the same boat....I started the exercise but after a hip injury I stopped. I was going to start again now with the plan to have our next attempt in May. But now DH really wants to attempt in April and I don't know whether it's enough to start the exercise now or just leave it as doing none??!?! 😕
Although my diet has been off too for the last week. 😞

Sorry I'm no help but I'm interested to see what others suggest too. 😊


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[maidentomother]

Based on how long it can take to conceive a girl, especially on the diet, I say start exercising now but DONT skip a month. I also really want to skip April (and May and June) as I suffer from depression that is very bad in late Winter and I'm concerned about PPD and surviving those first few weeks with a newborn. But, I want a baby ASAP...and I want to return to my normal eating habits. I am also hoping to start exercising intensely, hopefully once I get more muscle relaxers for my back.

It seems so many ladies end up going months or years before conceiving...why waste a month?

[Marika]

Oh, it is soooo hard! Thank you so much maidentomother and Mumofsix for your input.

I feel so split and can't decide how to think.

I had lunch out with my husband just now and tried to sort my thoughts out. Ended up sitting crying at the restaurant - I just couldn't stop it! I feel so frustrated about this sway planning, the Vitex screwing cycle up (and I don't know weather to drop it or continue it) about the bleeding (early AF?) and I ended up feeling really upset about the m/c again and also added in some tears for a relative that this week just found out has severe cancer and a only few months left probably. Just a lot of things that make me hyper sensitive and emotional.

Poor husband tried to get my focus back on all the positive things we've got (which are plenty!) and also promised to cut down on meat and try to go running as much as he can. Before he wasn't really keen on skipping red meat.

He thinks we should skip april, but says he'll let me decide.

Mumof six - I'd be really interested in hearing what you decide to do!

[NCBeachyGrl]

If anyone hasn't seen this program (couch to 5K), it is awesome and allows you to build endurance. I did this after DS2 was born to get rid of pregnancy weight and I never looked better!!

The Couch-to-5K ® Running Plan | C25K Mobile App (http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml)

[maidentomother]

Hugs Marika! Your DH sounds fab, very supportive. It sounds like you're doing a great sway. I wouldn't drop the Vitex as it could be the MC causing the weird bleeding etc. If you lived nearby, I'd totally be your walking/running buddy. I do recommend running with your DH, it helos a lot to have a partner. I loved it when DF would run/walk with me.

[stephk]

Not sure what I can add here as I think great points have already been made, but given how difficult it is to O/get PG anyway I wouldnt skip a month either anymore.

Definitely go running with DH if you can x

[dreamingofwin]

I am starting exercising again from next week. I have done it on and off due to a back injury. I have now decided to swim 3x a week and do an hour on the bike at home twice a week. This should have minimal impact on my back otherwise ill end up as a couch potato again!!

I 'think' we have decided to skip a month. Partially as we do not want an xmas/eve/day etc.. baby. We were doing a questionaire in maths at work today and the amount of kids that said they hated their bday near xmas/new yr was enough to make my decision.

xx

[carmella_marie]

My DS was right after a mc and neither of my two boys were concieved with mass exercise. I would definitely start exercise, do a super strict sway in April and just expect a bfn and try again on May!

[Marika]

maidentomother - thanks for your kind support!

Thank you all for advice and support, it's so fantastic to log on here and be able to speak out freely about all this, irl no one knows about my swaying plans or wish for a daughter.

It truly helps to be here!

Carmella Marie - I am afraid I wont be able to make a super strict sway in just a few weeks. Or I don't know how big impact last nights cheat will have.... We were invited ti dinner at friends and I just felt so tired of "hiding" food and skipping things, so I ate the whole piece of grilled salmon that I was serveed. Maybe 125 grams or so. AND a baked potato (first potato since starting LE) and some of the quesadilla they served before dinner. Going out for dinner with other friends tonight and I studied the menu and it just doesn't have any great alternatives. Will probably have a pasta and pick out the eventual meat... The also have fish and seafood soup, but fish twice would def be too much, right?

[Marika]

maidentomother - I just read your post again abou your mood during the winter months. So sorry you have to struggle with that :-( If you get pg and have a baby during that tougher period, would it be possible to get any preventative help from maternal health or something?

So hard to try to get all the pieces and parts in life to match and find the perfect timing.

[Prepsina2014]

Based on how long it can take to conceive a girl, especially on the diet, I say start exercising now but DONT skip a month. I also really want to skip April (and May and June) as I suffer from depression that is very bad in late Winter and I'm concerned about PPD and surviving those first few weeks with a newborn. But, I want a baby ASAP...and I want to return to my normal eating habits. I am also hoping to start exercising intensely, hopefully once I get more muscle relaxers for my back.

It seems so many ladies end up going months or years before conceiving...why waste a month?

Hi!
I read your post and really want to share with you how I completely got rid of winter blues/depression.
I lived in Southern Europe for almost 10 years and moved to Northern Europe at age 20. I got a massive winter blues the first winter - feeling low and tired, crying and feeling sad for months. So awful. The next winter was exactly the same and I then got a light therapy lamp and after only two winters of light therapy it is completely gone! I now have a light therapy wake up light and there have been no signs of the winter blues coming back. You can get both types of lamps in most stores that sell electrical appliances. Mine are from OBH Nordica and were both about 150 Euros. They come cheaper now.
Wishing you all the best and hoping that you might benefit from the lamp.
:happy:

[maidentomother]

Oh gosh, thanks ladies for the help! I have tried one of those wake up lamps (a 300 dollar one, back in 2007) and it didn't help. In high school/college I started going to a tanning salon and that DID help, but I am really anti-tanning now as I am fair with a family history of skin cancer. I have been on antidepressants before and those help, but I'd like to avoid them while pregnant/BFing.

It can be pretty variable and depends on how I am feeling in late fall. So, it's possible if I'm really happy and excited prior to giving birth, that plus new baby will be enough to keep the worst SAD away. I did take care of my friend's 4 month old for 2 weeks during March (in 2010) and I did pretty well...I know I will make it through, it's just a matter of how much it will suck until I do! It's not so bad that I wouldn't be able to take care of a child, thankfully.

I might look into lamps again, maybe I just need a bigger/stronger one. Halogen lamps definitely seem to take the edge off.

Marika, IME soup doesn't have loads of actual seafood in it...unless it's bouillabaisse. So that plus a salad could be a good option. Personally I think fish is a much better cheat than actual meat.

I am still waiting to O and have been immensely craving fat/protein and getting so hungry I'm nauseated (hate that), so I've had a couple days of cheats where I definitely ate too much cheese. But it is literally the only remotely LE friendly food that stops the nausea/intense hunger. Anyway, I know how you feel!

[Prepsina2014]

Oh gosh, thanks ladies for the help! I have tried one of those wake up lamps (a 300 dollar one, back in 2007) and it didn't help. In high school/college I started going to a tanning salon and that DID help, but I am really anti-tanning now as I am fair with a family history of skin cancer. I have been on antidepressants before and those help, but I'd like to avoid them while pregnant/BFing.

It can be pretty variable and depends on how I am feeling in late fall. So, it's possible if I'm really happy and excited prior to giving birth, that plus new baby will be enough to keep the worst SAD away. I did take care of my friend's 4 month old for 2 weeks during March (in 2010) and I did pretty well...I know I will make it through, it's just a matter of how much it will suck until I do! It's not so bad that I wouldn't be able to take care of a child, thankfully.

I might look into lamps again, maybe I just need a bigger/stronger one. Halogen lamps definitely seem to take the edge off.

Marika, IME soup doesn't have loads of actual seafood in it...unless it's bouillabaisse. So that plus a salad could be a good option. Personally I think fish is a much better cheat than actual meat.

I am still waiting to O and have been immensely craving fat/protein and getting so hungry I'm nauseated (hate that), so I've had a couple days of cheats where I definitely ate too much cheese. But it is literally the only remotely LE friendly food that stops the nausea/intense hunger. Anyway, I know how you feel!

I would love it if the lamp could help you. I think it sounds like a different type the one you tried. Also I started off with the "real" light therapy lamp and only started using the wake-up light once I was over my winter blues. I don't think it would be powerful enough on it's own. I think you need the big lamp. I have found a (random) example to show which type I mean:
Verilux Light Therapy: Winter Blues Lights, Light Therapy Lamps (http://www.verilux.com/light-therapy-lamps/)

All the best :)

[maidentomother]

I looked into Verilux and spent a while researching different types, as I've had SAD since I was a teenager. Here is the specific model I had: Amazon.com: Sunrise SAD Therapy Light Box w/ Dawn Simulator: Electronics (http://www.amazon.com/Sunrise-Therapy-Light-Dawn-Simulator/dp/B0010AX7UY/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=0FZEHY5FC9EMBGE955Y4)

It really did nothing for me. I also had other issues with that box. But there are unfortunately no light therapy boxes that I find appealing as I am extremely anti-plastic and it really bothered me to have an ugly, cheap looking plastic box next my bed, which is my sacred space. It fundamentally disturbed the santictity and serenity of my bedroom. As it is I have insomnia and am really bad at waking up (I don't wake up to alarms, not even fire alarms! Only my name and a crying baby/cat), sleep very deeply and take a long time to be functional in the morning. And I have delayed phase sleep, so maintaining a remotely normal daytime schedule is nearly impossible.

I sound like a mess, don't I?! Fortunately I am very good at functioning on little/no sleep.

Do you think another light box would actually help? Which one specifically? Price is no issue. I think the main problem with mine, was its dimness. It just wasn't bright enough. I have seen/tried a Verilux box in a store and it wasn't bright enough either. I also don't like the quality of light produced by LED bulbs. I'm very sensitive to light and only incandescent and halogen bulbs produce acceptable light, IMO. I can't stand fluorescent bulbs of any type and I'm not crazy about LEDs. And I really prefer sunlight or candle/firelight to artificial light.

Thank you for your input! I really appreciate it.

[Prepsina2014]

Maiden:
I am working tonight so I only have time for a short answer. I used OBH ordica (as far as I remember - me PIL have the lamp at the moment) and YES it is big, plasticy and not very pretty, but for me it worked. If you would like I can ask my MIL to tell me the make and model.
My wake-up light is also white plastic, but really it helps me so much I don't mind it not being pretty. And my DS loves playing the radio on it in the mornings ;)
The wake-up light is a Philips model HF3485: http://www.amazon.com/Philips-Hf3485-Wake-up-Light-White/dp/B003Y6B4XE

[Prepsina2014]

Marika - sorry for spamming your post with another topic. Only just realized it now. I was a bit distracted and just wanted to write to Maiden about the lamp seeing as I know how bad winter blues can be :)
Hope you don't mind.

[atomic sagebrush]

did I answer this in a different thread??

I just do not have the data to be able to say what is ok, how long on exercise, how much something sways blue, etc. Above all else you have to be able to be happy with the outcome and have no regrets. But never forget you may be skipping a "pink" month in favor of a month that is actually more blue friendly.

[atomic sagebrush]

maidentomother - thanks for your kind support!

Thank you all for advice and support, it's so fantastic to log on here and be able to speak out freely about all this, irl no one knows about my swaying plans or wish for a daughter.

It truly helps to be here!

Carmella Marie - I am afraid I wont be able to make a super strict sway in just a few weeks. Or I don't know how big impact last nights cheat will have.... We were invited ti dinner at friends and I just felt so tired of "hiding" food and skipping things, so I ate the whole piece of grilled salmon that I was serveed. Maybe 125 grams or so. AND a baked potato (first potato since starting LE) and some of the quesadilla they served before dinner. Going out for dinner with other friends tonight and I studied the menu and it just doesn't have any great alternatives. Will probably have a pasta and pick out the eventual meat... The also have fish and seafood soup, but fish twice would def be too much, right?

Cheating is not only allowed on LE Diet, it is MANDATORY and this is esp. true after having a loss - you need to give your body what it needs to recover fully.

Potatoes are 110% allowed on LE and are one of the absolute best foods. I do not want anyone avoiding potatoes, those are the mineral balancing diets that do that and when on LE, you actually need to try hard to include some potassium-rich foods to be sure you ahve enough for your body to function.

[dreamingofwin]

Total interest here. What do you mean when you says *pink* month and a more blue friendly one?
I have decided to attempt this month even though I gained 5lbs in my 2ww last cycle. I am loosing that now. I am also not taking suppliments this cycle. Would this be classed as a blue month? X

[Marika]

Oh, sorry I never realized there were new posts here! Thanks!

I know no one can say exactly how much or little exercise is pink and when it turns blue. I know I am asking for almost impossible advice and I am so thankful that you try to help me anyway :-)

If I could I would have you to tell me weather to attempt or not this weekend (O is coming up!) cause I really cant make my mind up.

Have been good on the diet this week but just started exercise and dh started OLE a few days ago. A baby at this attempt would get the due date 25 december! My dh is really sceptic not only because of christmas, but also because he feels sorry for the kid having a late birthday and always being youngest in school. It is said in a few reports that kids born earlier in the year get better results in school so he feels we might give the baby a bad start just by being born in dec.

I have agreed before but now it feels like a waste of eggs not ttc.

Still I know next attempt would probably be a better sway. Haven't done any FR this month, not taken any antihistamine either. Would it be enought to take it when I see EWCM? And use hurry up FR if we decide to attempt?

Lost about 4,5 kilos (about 9 pounds?) during these 7 weeks that I have been doing LE. Would that be enough to consider swayable weight loss?

[SamS_TTCPink]

Atomic told me there is never going to be a "perfect" month but it does sound like you've been doing well anyway. You can take antihistamine the day of attempt (I think it's a few hours before?! Hopefully Atomic will answer that) but take a quick acting type like Benadryl. I didn't exercise at all or lose weight but we attempted anyway, but it's a choice you've got to make. 💜

And here the school age cut off is April 30th, and we have 2 late April kids. We had the choice to start them the year they turned 5 just before the gut off (so they'd be the youngest) or we could hold them back.

We sent our DS2 and he has just started high school and is younger than some of the others but he has settled in really well and we have never had problems with school grades or anything else. We also just started DS5 at preschool and he is 2 days before the cut off so we thought about keeping him back, but he was so ready and loves preschool.

Hopefully Atomic will see this and give you some advice, but she also says by not attempting you might be giving up a good pink month for a blue one.

Goodluck with your decision. xx


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[Marika]

Thanks Mumof six, I know next month may have some other things that could have been done better, husband might be gone travelling for work etc etc.

We'll see how we do, but I have a feeling that if I am really in to attempting, he'll change his mind and just to as I say. At least he might not be able to resist if I invite to bd after a few glasses of wine :bigsmile:

Problem is I would want him to do it twice and only attempt second round. :think:

[maidentomother]

Marika, just take the antihistamines starting a few hours before your attempt, or once you seeEWCM. They dry you out more effectively anyway if you haven't been taking them regularly.

I think your weight loss sounds great and it's totally worth doing an attempt with one BD this month. It is harder to get pregnant than with more frequent BD so you may well have to try next month anyway. I thought I would get pregnant the first month but nope, here I am on my 4th month!

[Marika]

Thanks maiden!

I took an opk earlier but it's not positive yet, line is pretty strong though. I started getting EWMC (or well, the "blob" that I sometimes get before the real stuff comes, sorry TMI!) so I guess O is probably to show up during weekend.

[Abifasc]

Hey just jumping in here to say that I had my son on Christmas Eve 2012...not what I planned (he was a week late and that was the earliest they would induce) I didn't want him born Christmas Day or in the few days after. I think it's going to be fun to come up with ways to plan his birthday and make him feel special. Yeah, it's not the perfect birthday, but I'd rather have HIM anyways!

[Marika]

Abifasc - thanks. I guess that when you get that lovely little baby it doesn't really matter when he och she is born. It's just meant to be!

We did attempt last night and now I feel relieved that I just wont have to think about anymore. If it makes me pregnant I will be the happiest and if not I at least know I didn't waste any chance. :-)

[maidentomother]

Fx for you!

[LilithWiser1979]

Here's the "girl months vs boy months" explained, dreamingofwin:

http://genderdreaming.com/forum/gender-swaying-general-discussion/1693-seasons-swaying.html

[Marika]

Ah, interesting Lilith.

Even though I don't really believe in the chinese calendar and such things I checked it and april was a pink month for me :-)

[atomic sagebrush]

Total interest here. What do you mean when you says *pink* month and a more blue friendly one?
I have decided to attempt this month even though I gained 5lbs in my 2ww last cycle. I am loosing that now. I am also not taking suppliments this cycle. Would this be classed as a blue month? X

I am saying we have really no clue what all sways or how much (and it may vary by individual anyway), and it is VERY possible that people are skipping months when they would have gotten a girl, in order to "perfect" their sway and inadverently skip a month they'd have conceived a daughter in favor of conceiving a boy.

[atomic sagebrush]

Here's the "girl months vs boy months" explained, dreamingofwin:

http://genderdreaming.com/forum/gender-swaying-general-discussion/1693-seasons-swaying.html

Thank you, but just to clarify that's not what I'm talking about in this thread. i am saying, we can't see whether we are more boy or girl friendly in any given month, and it may very well be the case that our condition or fertility was lower in Month A than in Month B. But people get so overly focused in on sway tactics (some of which do absolutely nothing) that they can't see the forest for the trees and skip Month A because they didn't do frequency or antihistamine or exercise, etc etc etc. But Month A may have been the absolute best month you ever had to TTC a girl, you just can't know for sure. So I am loathe to start having people skip months because there is NEVER the ideal month, and the people who are the most dedicated to getting everything perfect are oftentimes the ones who have opposites anyway due to the Mary-Martha stuff. I just really really don't want people letting months go by if things are anything less than ideal.

[atomic sagebrush]

Ah, interesting Lilith.

Even though I don't really believe in the chinese calendar and such things I checked it and april was a pink month for me :-)

I do not believe in the Chinese Gender Calendar and the link Lilith posted had nothing whatsoever to do with the Chinese Gender calendar.