New to Board & Trying for a Boy

[francisrich]

Hi Everyone!

I hope this is in the right thread (I'm sorry in advance, if not!)

I just wanted to introduce myself. I have been following this board for about a month and I am trying to gain as much information as possible. I will not be trying until next year (the Sept., Oct., Nov., time frame) but I wanted to plan ahead and begin to sway as early as possible. With that being said, did anyone find committing to the lifestyle/diet plans of a boy sway far in advance result in a higher likelihood of swaying blue?

Is there anything I could be starting a year out to help my chances? I will definitely be purchasing the meal plan, etc. in the new year- but perhaps starting on some supplements early will do me good. Any suggestions?

This board has such a wealth of information- I really appreciate everyone's insight!! I am also excited to document my journey.

[Quinn31]

I don't know how early you should start with supplements but I would think changing your diet now is good. Eat breakfast, meals and snacks with protein and carbs, and eat more meat. Maybe start lifting weights too. Again, the professionals should answer but that's what I would say.


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[Quinn31]

Oh and welcome!! [emoji3]


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[francisrich]

Thank you!!

I am definitely going to begin exercising more and incorporate the big staples that I know about (meat, coconut water, tomatoes, potatoes) early.

[sushikitty]

I have 4 sons. I can tell you I eat really crappy hearty meals, sodium rich foods and a lot of meat.

[atomic sagebrush]

Hi and welcome francis.

You can def. start eating better, taking prenatals and giving DH a multivitamin, lifting weights, getting lots of rest, cutting back on smoking and drinking as far in advance as possible.

But in terms of weight gain and really upping calories on HE Diet, on that you should hold off till about 6 weeks before. Some people have started off dieting super early and gained a ton of weight. That's not necessary and if you go too far with it, can even undermine your sway if you gain 30-50 lbs(seriously don't do that!) Gaining 3-5 lbs of mostly muscle is fine, 30-50 lbs not what we're going for.

Also, if you are a believer in the "minerals" for TTC a boy, you should wait to alter that aspect of your diet till the last minute, because cutting back on calcium and increasing sodium is not good for health. IF you MUST do that (and as you may be able to tell I am not a fan or a believer in that at all) then wait till no more than 6 weeks before TTC.

[atomic sagebrush]

Thank you!!

I am definitely going to begin exercising more and incorporate the big staples that I know about (meat, coconut water, tomatoes, potatoes) early.

Meat is fine, but there is nothing magically boy-making about potatoes or tomatoes in and of themselves. What you should be doing is aiming to increase intake of nutrients across the boards and don't get overly focused on "potassium". You may end up gaining a ton of weight if you start upping potato intake and ther are gobs of better sources of potassium (if you believe in potassium for swaying) that are less calorie dense and have more other nutrients as well. 9-11 servings of colorful fruit and veg a day and they don't need to be potatoes, you'll be getting plenty of potassium from those.

[francisrich]

Thank you so much, Atomic! I'm relieved to hear that any major diet changes (if any) shouldn't be implemented until 6 weeks before.

Do you have any multivitamin recommendations for men and women? I've been taking a prenatal for a couple of months (my hair dresser recommended it bc I wanted to grow my hair long lol) but I wanted to get DH on a vitamin. Also, should we both take fish oil?

Thank you!!

[atomic sagebrush]

I personally recommend One a Day for women and One a Day over 50 for men. A lot of vitamins have megadoses or weird herbs or cost an arm and a leg and those ones are just good all purpose supps without a lot of stuff we don't need in them. :agree:

You guys can take fish oil but I'd prob. wait till closer to your attempt. In the here and now I'd focus on eating a good intake of animal (like butter) and healthy saturated fats like in coconut oil

[francisrich]

Awesome! I am the type of person that can eat the same thing everyday and not get sick of it- this is the meal plan I have made for myself for the time being- let me know what you think or if you have any suggestions. They are greatly appreciated!

Breakfast: egg whites/ tomato/ full fat cheese/ avocado on multi grain english muffin

Snack: 2 rice cakes w/almond butter, banana and shredded coconut

Lunch: sweet potato & soup

Snack: Trail Mix

Dinner: I vary too much. My breakfast/lunch/snacks are easy to keep track of because I need to plan and pack for lunch.

I am also taking women's one a day (DH is taking men's one a day) and I am taking a prenatal (which I have been for a few months to grow my hair)

I don't drink coffee, but I have been drinking a lot of lemon water, regular water and green tea throughout the day. I also try to have a glass of coconut water and will try to do a teaspoon of coconut oil, because I heard the benefits are tremendous.

Lastly- I mainly do cardio, but I am beginning to incorporate weight training into my routine.

What do you guys think? Should I add/change anything? Does everything stand out as ok?

[The Anchor]

Welcome! I got my boy doing a Travis Willard sway (on Atomic's advice). GL!

[essnce629]

Awesome! I am the type of person that can eat the same thing everyday and not get sick of it- this is the meal plan I have made for myself for the time being- let me know what you think or if you have any suggestions. They are greatly appreciated!

Breakfast: egg whites/ tomato/ full fat cheese/ avocado on multi grain english muffin

Snack: 2 rice cakes w/almond butter, banana and shredded coconut

Lunch: sweet potato & soup

Snack: Trail Mix

Dinner: I vary too much. My breakfast/lunch/snacks are easy to keep track of because I need to plan and pack for lunch.

I am also taking women's one a day (DH is taking men's one a day) and I am taking a prenatal (which I have been for a few months to grow my hair)

I don't drink coffee, but I have been drinking a lot of lemon water, regular water and green tea throughout the day. I also try to have a glass of coconut water and will try to do a teaspoon of coconut oil, because I heard the benefits are tremendous.

Lastly- I mainly do cardio, but I am beginning to incorporate weight training into my routine.

What do you guys think? Should I add/change anything? Does everything stand out as ok?

Are you vegetarian? I don't see any meat listed in your diet at all. I have two boys and eat meat twice a day usually-- lunch and dinner. I also think you need to do the entire egg, not just egg whites for breakfast. The yolk is where all the nutrients and fat are which is what you need for a boy sway. I'd add bacon or sausage with your breakfast, chicken on a salad for lunch, and another meat dish with your dinner.

I have two boys and here's what I did naturally:

Multivitamin, probiotics, vitamin D, fish oil, and b-complex daily
No coffee, alcohol, soda, or diet drinks ever
Full fat dairy daily
High protein cereal like Kashi Go Lean Crunch
2 attempts in fertile window
No exercise
Green or white tea daily
Salmon regularly over white fish
Usually had seconds with dinner

[francisrich]

Not a vegetarian! Good point...I usually have meat for dinner, but I definitely should incorporate it into lunch as well.

Full fat dairy...do you mean whole milk? I don't know if I can do whole milk (I'm not a milk person in general) , but maybe I can substitute with yogurt?

Thank you for your insight!

[essnce629]

Yes whole milk. No need to drink milk if it's not your thing, but you should definitely add whole milk yogurt (preferably Greek style), regular cheese (not low fat), cottage cheese, etc.

[francisrich]

Another question- I don't drink coffee, but I drink a lot of green tea which I know helps a blue sway. At the same time, I know caffeine does not help a blue sway. Should I be drinking decaf green tea?

Also, if DH drinks one cup a coffee a day (he's trying to ween off of it) can he supplement with caffeinated green tea?

[atomic sagebrush]

Mod caff intake is fine. Higher levels seem to sway pink but a sensible amount of caff was shown in the best study ever done on maternal diet and gender conceived, to be neutral.

DH can both continue with that small amount of coffee and also or instead have green tea.

[atomic sagebrush]

Yes whole milk. No need to drink milk if it's not your thing, but you should definitely add whole milk yogurt (preferably Greek style), regular cheese (not low fat), cottage cheese, etc.

:agree: between my 2nd and 3rd boy I became lactose intolerant, but continued eating tons of dairy. So I got 2 boys drinking milk, and 2 boys eating tons of full fat cheese and yogurt. (I would eat 4 oz. of cheese every morning for breakfast!)

[atomic sagebrush]

Whole eggs???

you're taking both a Women's One a DAy and a prenatal?? Overdose of vitamins is not good and I would have you do ONE of these and not both.

Everything else is looking great!

[francisrich]

Thank you, Atomic! I will just stick to one. At any point (like 6 weeks out) can you take multiple vitamins? Or should you stick to just one? I see on the blue sway spreadsheet that there's quite a few that sway blue, like evening primrose, false unicorn root (those names just stick out to me lol). Can you combine these?

[atomic sagebrush]

I never recommend FUR, it's endangered and most of what you get any more is garbage from other sources.

Evening primrose can be used along with other supps but you have to be sure you're taking equal or greater amounts of fish oil along with it.