Questions on TTC Girl

[Scurlys]

I am looking to start TTC in July. I already have two boys. My youngest is almost 9mo so when we try he will be 15mo old.

When should I STOP lifting weights/doing yoga/doing Pilates/doing abs and just do cardio to help sway girl? In swaying girl is running, walking, elliptical and Zumba acceptable forms of cardio to do? I would need to do it 6x a week for one hour correct? How far out would I need to start the cardio exercises before TTC in July?

Also - I am a vegan. Will this diet be bad for swaying girl?

When I had my boys I was just a vegetarian but I also did weights/yoga/abs, I ate a lot of dairy and potatoes, I BD during ovulatjons, ate very healthy and had NO caffeine and NO aspartame.

I just read yesterday that aspartame might not actually sway? Is it ok to include this in my sway still? I started drinking it a few months ago. Also, I drink tea and did during my past two conceptions. Should I switch to coffee? Do I need to drink caffeine or can it stay decaf?

[atomic sagebrush]

switch exercise 6 weeks in advance of when you plan to TTC.

I am the least enthused about elliptical since that can build muscle but all the others are fine, and people have done ellliptical too.

Vegan diet is great for TTC a girl. :agree:

Potatoes don't sway blue, you should keep eating them as they're very handy for LE Dieters, vegans especially http://genderdreaming.com/forum/ttc-a-girl-best-practices/60703-potatoes.html

Yes I don't think aspartame does anything at all and larger amounts may even sway blue. 2-3 servings a day of 12-16 oz. is fine, more than that I don't approve of. http://genderdreaming.com/forum/gender-swaying-general-discussion/44710-hypothetical-aspartame-thread.html

Yes, switch to coffee, it's been very effective for pink. We don't know if it's caffeine or coffee itself or both. Thus I prefer everyone to use caffeinated coffee but decaf coffee is fine for a compromise, and several people have had success while drinking decaf.

[Scurlys]

Wow thank you so much for the fast reply! I plan on buying a plan but want to get some questions answered before buying the plan on April.

I’m going to use the elliptical as a back up as I live in an area where we have gotten snow pretty late and with two kids I can’t alwyas get outside to exercise. If I use the elliptical on the LOWEST tension would that be ok? Or still building too much muscle? Also is pushing a double stroller on a walk too much for building muscle or ok for pink?

When I buy the plan I will need to discuss diet with you more because as a vegetarian I got two boys but I ate VERY healthy so I’m wondering if that’s why I got boys?

I’m currently only drinking at most one diet soda a day. Is this ok?

If I compromise and drink half caffeine coffee some days would that be ok? How far before TTC should I be drinking the coffee? 6 weeks as well for diet (same as exercise)?

[atomic sagebrush]

As long as you're losing at least a bit of weight on a lower protein diet the elliptical is ok, but you had asked me what was best so that's how I answered - fine to do elliptical if that's what works for you.

Pushing the stroller is fine, lots of us did that for our exercise.

You absolutely can get boys on a vegetarian diet, it's about the overall nutrient content of your diet in terms of calories, protein, fat, and other nutrients especially in fortified foods.

1 diet soda a day is fine.

Yes it's fine to do half caf coffee. We don't totally know how long is "enough" for the coffee, 6-12 weeks just like diet, we believe.

[Scurlys]

Thank you.
I will use elliptical as back up. I’m going to buy some Zumba DVDs. I’m not sure what other forms of cardio I can do at home.

My weight is already pretty low (I’m 145 and 5ft9/10in) so is losing only a pound or two ok?

I have heard from others that the body reacts to a total shock to sway pink and to do a turbo diet to get a girl. Do you have any info on why diet 6-12 weeks before TTC is better?

And last question - what supplements should I be taking? I read the supplement info and I can’t figure out what I should be taking now! Should I not take prenatals when swaying girl?

What could my husband do, overall, to help sway? He’s willing to do anything. He agreed to do hot showers before BD, any supplements he can take? And he’s going to start running more often.
Should he also drop weights? Drink coffee? Increase soy? Stop taking fish oil pills?

[MiaMelb]

The best results for swaying girl have come from being on the LE diet for 12+ weeks. It is not about 'shocking' the system which is why doing the diet for less than 12 weeks is not as successful. The LE diet is based on the lower range of a healthy pre pregnancy diet. The goal is to be in a 'declining' but still healthy maternal condition.

[atomic sagebrush]

Can you please tell me where the "turbo" thing is coming from? I've heard that a lot lately.

The idea that diet may be better off as a shock to the system originally came from me. When I started off designing the LE Diet it seemed equally plausible that it would be best to hit it hard and fast on diet vs. slow and steady. So we had people doing both options at the beginning. IMMEDIATELY it became glaringly, obviously clear that 2-4 weeks (even when people were very very strict) was completely ineffective, 6-8 weeks was better but still underwhelming, 8-10 weeks better still, and at all points 12 weeks or beyond we had results in the 70% and up range (these numbers fluctuate a bit but this is the average over the 7 years of the site). It has been visibly, measurably clear that less time on diet is not adequate even when the people are strict (because everyone who diets a short time is stricter than those who diet longer) and thus ever after that I no longer recommend anything less than 6 weeks and more like 10-12 is my preference.

Everyone should take fiber and folic acid or folate and I have info about those here http://genderdreaming.com/forum/ttc-a-girl-best-practices/62405-fabulous-fasting-fantastic-fiber-fhenominal-folate.html#post959026

I really can't give blanket advice on supplements without a custom plan, there are just too many interactions and variables to consider. None of the pink sway supps for DW have really worked (at least, the ones that are appropriate for everyone) Yes please wean off your multivitamins/prenatals and resume them only at BFP.

Best thing hubby can do is jogging/running so if he's willing to do that, it actually works. Hot showers aren't really proven. Coffee, alcohol, soy milk may help. Dropping weights and fish oil is less proven than the rest but if he's willing we don't believe it hurts anything and may help some.

Again without a sway plan I can't totally sound off on supplements for hubby, either. Options include olive leaf extract OR cranberry (not both) along with peppermint tea OR licorice root (not both) but some guys don't take any of those things. To be honest I am a much, much bigger believer in the power of the running/jogging over all the supplements and so if he's doing that one thing above all else, he's really helping!

[Scurlys]

Thank you so much!!! If we plan on trying in July and I want to be on tuebdiet for 12 weeks that would be April. Should I purchase a plan from you at the end of March so I can get a hold of the diet we should be doing and figure out the supplement information at that point too?

One last question - would it be possible for me to train for a marathon while swaying? I have ran a marathon before and over half a dozen halves. If I got pregnant I would not run the marathon but I’m realistic that it could take months to actually conceive. I’m hoping it’s possible and you would be able to help me with my diet to still be LE but still able to exercise consistently haha

My husband said he’ll absolutely run more

The turbo sway I heard about from a FB group I’m in. But it seems SO unhealthy. People eat like two English muffins a day and that’s it!

[atomic sagebrush]

Yeah, see I just don't have time to go all over FB shutting all these people down. GRR.

I always recommend plans if you think it would be helpful to you. Lately I've been able to answer q's in the free forums fast since I've been doing my updating project and on here more than normal but sometimes it takes me 4-5 days to get to your questions and custom plan people get same-day question service. :) Most people buy a plan about 12 weeks before they plan to start trying to conceive, which gives you 12 weeks pre-TTC, 12 weeks while TTC, but you can buy one whenever you want to, whatever works for you. The coaching is renewable for a small fee so you can keep it going however long you need to.

Yes absolutely many people have trained for a marathon while swaying. We would have you start off on higher cal intake and protein as well. :agree:

[Scurlys]

Oh that sounds PERFECT!!!! I’ll probably buy a plan in March/April. I just got my period back last month so hopefully I can see when my cycle would be in July and count back 12 weeks and get it then.

I’m glad I can train for a marathon. I feel better knowing I’ll habe help from you with the diet. My husband is worried I won’t eat enough but I told him that’s why I’m getting a plan because you’ll make sure I do haha.

Do you recommend tracking ph as well? What about tracking temps? If so I would want to get an idea of ph before starting a sway.

[atomic sagebrush]

Nope we have seen no benefits from tracking pH at all whatsoever (sooo many opposites going every which way that it cannot be telling anyone anything about their sway) and for pink swayers, they get really obsessed over these tiny fluctuations in pH that cannot matter at all (even if it did help, which it doesn't) that it really aggravates the control freakishness which totally does sway blue. Don't even bother. I got my girl without testing after getting my 4th boy testing constantly with a pH of 4.5-5 range which never went up till after I was already pregnant.

Tracking temps - same thing. People get really obsessed over their temps and analyzing them and worrying about what it all means. But at least unlike with pH, the temps really do tell us something about whether or not we've ovulated. Now, we can absolutely live without knowing that, and I actaully prefer people who aren't already temping, not to start. But it's up to you and like I say, at least it is somewhat useful unlike pH which is much ado about nohting.

[Scurlys]

Thank you.
So looking at my cycles, 12 weeks from when I should start my cycle in August is end of May. I’ll buy a plan right before that so I can start the diet for12 weeks before TTC. Does exercise (cardio only) for the 1hour 6-7x a week start 6 weeks before TTC or 12 weeks?!

And in your opinion, what do you feel is the most important thing when swaying? (Diet, supplements, exercise) or really a mixture of all?

[atomic sagebrush]

Perfect! Sounds great!

We honestly don't know how long the exercise needs to be. I'm inclined to have you guys wait till the 6 week mark to prevent excess weight loss but I don't know if that is good or wise to do.

LE-type Diet longer than 12 weeks plus fiber, coffee, alcohol, exercise (plus giving up probiotics and vitamin supps), one attempt, Clomid or Femara if you can get them, jogging/biking and smoking for DH. Those are the things I"m sold on. Not sold on anything else. I can't pin it down any more than that.

[Scurlys]

Hi Atomic - I bought a plan this afternoon but I cannot find the questionnaire. I found where I think it should be but it’s not showing up.
I posted this in another spot too but I’m not sure if it’s the right place so I figured since I have a thread with you I mind as well post here too.

I haven’t changed my eating habits (12 weeks until I ovulate in August is this Friday) so I’ll try to start LE Friday before I get my plan back.

When you say you don’t know if that’s wise to wait 6 weeks for exercise do you mean we should maybe do it LONGER or less than 6 weeks?

[atomic sagebrush]

I replied in your other post - just let me know if it's not working in that link I posted.

Yes I meant "wait till you are only 6 weeks before TTC, NOT longer, to avoid excess weight loss". What I DON"T want to see people doing is going b@lls to the wall on diet and exercise for 12 weeks (or more, because sometimes people think that if 12 weeks is good, 20 is better) and waste away to nothing. Then right when they're ready to TTC, ovulation has stopped and you will basically have to sway blue just to get pregnant at all.