Looking for advice, not in a hurry :)

[PinkSabra101]

Hi :) I've been looking at this site for a few weeks....I think it's great there's somewhere people can chat without judgment as obviously it's an evocative subject for a lot of people, understandably. We plan to TTC in about a year form now, so not in a major hurry and have time to gather information about making changes safely. We are lucky enough to have a healthy boy and girl. We do have a slight "preference" for a girl next time though will be happy either way and mainly just want a 3rd child, so no major pressure on a sway though would like to feel I gave it a go. We are both willing to make minor changes to our diet and lifestyle but I have a tendency to obsess, so definitely don't want to go in that direction. I am vegan (actually went vegan when I conceived my son; was eating dairy with daughter!) and have PCOS tendencies (hormones have tested fine but have longer and unpredictable cycles even before breastfeeding). Husband eats meat but we don't have it in the house, so he doesn't get ahold of it too often :P
I am currently breastfeeding and we are both co-sleeping with our 16 month old son (and don't see that changing in the next year!). I drink A LOT of coffee--had given it up to TTC daughter but not son...just looking for a bit of advice on sustainable, gentle changes that we might make to sway pink. I don't want to count grams and calories but happy to cut things out, estimate, etc...though we are planning a trip to NYC right about when we will start so can only do the best we can do while away. My main questions are--is gradual or sudden the way to go? Do I need to give up my coffee/when? I know with my daughter we were...trying...very actively (every day, if not more...!) and, with my son (due to already having a toddler!)..not so much. Do these things make a difference? I also live on Soya...tofu...milk...yogurt..soya everything, and things like flax seed and chia seed, so wondering if--and how--that sways. I'll be 35 when we start, so not in a major hurry but also don't want a massive gap between number 2 and 3 :)

Thanks in advance for any advice, and nice to "meet" you all--everyone seems really friendly x

[atomic sagebrush]

Hi and welcome!

With PCOS + vegan diet we have to be careful for you not to get too many carbs. Vegan diets can sometimes aggravate PCO-tendencies which can raise testosterone and blood sugar sway blue (even though overall, vegans do have more daughters.) So I want you at 50-60 g protein and fat every day and then focus your carb intake more on healthier carbs like whole grain, fruit and veg which are better tolerated. I understand you don't intend to count grams and that's totally up to you, point being eat more protein/fat, fewer carbs, and focus on better tolerated carbs.

We have found coffee to be a solid pink sway (even though you got a boy while drinking it before) it's been a strong swayer for us. I would not have you give it up but that's of course at your discretion.

RE number of attempts, we have found that having one attempt in the fertile window does tend to sway pink, BUT hubby releasing many days in a row before your attempt may sway pink. So I would have you do FR and one attempt to start with...have hubby release daily for 7-10 days before having one attempt.

[PinkSabra101]

Thank you so much for such a quick response; would you say that soya and chia/flax are ok to keep? Also, would you start this early or wait til closer to TTC?
Thanks again :)

[atomic sagebrush]

I prefer you guys do soy 2-3 days a week because ~some~ people believe it may sway blue (I don't, but I figure it's a good compromise)

Chia seeds are fine but I'd still keep them to 2-3 servings per week. We don't have a big body of data to know if they sway or not.

I can't recommend anyone do flaxseed or flaxseed oil while TTC. Not only has it been rumored to sway blue, but additionally more than occasional dietary amounts of flax (like 1-2 days per week) may be harmful in pregnancy and since no one is really quite sure how it works and how long the effects last, I feel it's best to avoid it when pregnant and TTC.

[PinkSabra101]

Thanks again; I will be looking into purchasing a specific plan closer to the time, but in the meantime this is useful information and thanks again for fast response.

[PinkSabra101]

...would you combine this with LE diet and exercise? I currently exercise 1-2 times a week (formally...I would say pushing a double buggy up a hill daily is no small feat...) and am 5 foot tall and relatively thin (110 ish pounds, small frame but gain and lose weight easily), snack constantly. Hope this thread is helpful to any other sort-of-PCOs vegans :)

[atomic sagebrush]

Yes sure - LE Diet in terms of not eating a bunch of heavily fortified foods, keeping to 2-3 meals a day instead of grazing all day, trying to keep fat and protein in the 50-60 g range if you can, limiting cals to 1500-1800 (you may need more, at least to start out, since you are already petite)

Exercise absolutely completely and totally 100% endorsed. It's among the best sway tactics there is and additionally it will really help with the PCOS as well. All PCOSers or even those with tendencies that way should do exercise, and while the 60 6-7 recommendation is most reliable, PCOSers need to exercise even if you can't get that much exercise in. The benefits for blood sugar control are so huge that you should exercise even moderately (but more is better.)

Glad to be of help!

[PinkSabra101]

Thanks again....my husband is willing to make a few tweaks as well, dietary but not supplements. Does him going veggie or even vegan while ttc help at all? I was also wondering, with the LE diet, is there any effect of the distribution of calories? Would someone who chooses to sit down and eat 1500 cals in one sitting likely have a different outcome (all being equal) from someone who chooses to eat tiny amounts all day long but doesn't exceed cal limits? (I'm more like option B by nature). While I don't want to overhaul my life entirely, I am willing to do a bit more of an intense sway than originally thought, so getting my research in way in advance :) When ttc my daughter, I was taking loads of herbs...shatavari, black cohosh, rhodiola...all for unpredictable periods rather than ttc per se (didn't help, though I felt the best energy-wise I ever have in my life...probably more an effect of being younger and pre-kids to be honest)...with my son I wasn't taking anything as was breastfeeding and also saw that late ovulation wasn't an obstacle to conception for us...both were conceived well after cycle day 40. With both, I had accupuncture twice a month (again, not sure it helped anything but did feel good). Any advice on that? Aware there are loads of questions snuck in there, so take your time and thanks in advance!
x

[atomic sagebrush]

Yes, hubby going veg/vegan may help as may increasing soy milk/soy food intake for him.

There is a LOT of room between eating one meal of 1500 cals and eating constantly the whole day. Please do either 2 or 3 meals a day, if you can. Go to 4 or 5 if you MUST, but 2-3 is best. Snacking all day is not so good for your sway, and one 1500 cal meal a day, I'm not sure why anyone would do that. That makes no sense for a sway or for your ability to stick to diet (could also delay or stop ovulation) and no one is doing or has ever done that.

I don't recommend any of those herbs. None of the pink sway herbs worked when we tested them in our results and while I haven't tested those per se (black cohosh is bad juju - please stay away from that!) I can't recommend any of them since even the things that people once strongly believed in for swaying, have not panned out.

To control your irregular cycles, diet and exercise can really help considerably. So like we discussed I'd def. want you on the alt. diet with very great care taken not to get too many carbs. Exercise is a must.

Acupuncture at your discretion. It may sway blue.

[PinkSabra101]

Thanks :) No idea why someone would eat 1500 cals in a go, just wondering if it's the pattern of eating that sways or the total intake itself...?
I think the best thing for me is to sort of gather all the info and then implement what I can and forget the rest...do you think the best/most efficient way to do this is to buy a plan a bit nearer the time? We're thinking of starting this time next year so maybe start the plan around Christmas time? Or, in your opinion, is it best to start some of the things now, in a gradual way? I am trying to stay clear of obsessiveness and also I think that if I were to do anything I would resent too much, including giving it heaps of thought and energy, I would end up being more disappointed :/

[atomic sagebrush]

I think it's both. Nutrients overall and also the pattern (because of the blood sugar stuff)

:agree: that is the best way to go. Figure it out, then set it on autopilot and forget about it.

I actually think it wise to start making small gradual changes right away firstly because it gives you time to turn them into second nature, and secondly because that way if you have an oopsie or change your mind and decide to TTC sooner, you have done at least some things to help your sway. We originally had thought it might be better to hit it hard and fast and "shock the body" but over time it's become glaringly obvious in our results that it's by far better to make small changes gradually and stick to them longer.

[PinkSabra101]

What are your thoughts on coffee (with soya milk) between meals? I'm
Sure it's been asked, sorry 😳

[atomic sagebrush]

Coffee with some type of creamer and either unsweetened or artificially sweetened is fine between meals or in the morning instead of breakfast. Try to keep it to the minimal amount (so no double tall lattes with 1-2 cups of milk or milk replacers in them! just enough to make the coffee palatable.) If you want to have it with real sugar, best to have it with a meal instead of in the morning or between meals.

[PinkSabra101]

Likewise diet soda?

[atomic sagebrush]

Yes!

[PinkSabra101]

Hello again; we've decided to delay TTC plans to next fall...I think, when we do, the best thing for me is a plan so that I don't have to think (read: obsess) over every detail...but as it's good for 6 months I'll wait til closer to the time. In the meantime, I was reading a bit about the alternate/PCOS diet and noted that, when I had my daughter, I was completely sugar and white-flour free in an attempt to regulate periods (it actually never did). Gave that up completely (though did go totally vegan) when I had my son two years later. I'm not ready to go full LE yet, but my husband suggested we both give up sugar/white flour now rather than wait til closer to sway o' clock. Would you recommend this? Also wondering how you feel about Zumba, swimming, and step aerobics 3-4 times weekly.
Many thanks in advance :)

[atomic sagebrush]

I think that if you guys want to change your diet in that way, that's fine, I also think it's fine to wait till closer in. WE really do not know if there is any upside or downside (in terms of possibly adjusting to the diet over time) starting diet changes very far in advance; as a general rule I think it only helps but most people aren't starting a year or more out. So I think ther's a compromise to be had (which is what you're suggesting) go ahead and drop sugar and white flour now, then wait till closer in to start full LE Diet. :agree:

[PinkSabra101]

Belated thank you! :)

[PinkSabra101]

I'm not so tech-savvy so please tell me if these ?s are better posted elsewhere! Just looking at the old thread about all the milk replacers and wondering if the info has changed or if it's one of those things that's tailored to unique circumstances...I drink a lot of soya milk (probably go through several cartons a week) and have recently started having hemp milk too (in coffee/cereal). As I don't really have a preference (almond/soya/hemp/oat), is any better than the other for a pink sway? I was drinking cow's milk when I had my daughter and soya when I had my son. Thanks again-so much info! :)

[atomic sagebrush]

It's really up to you, we try not to get too uptight about who posts what where but you may want to join us in the TTC a girl forum which is here: https://www.genderdreaming.com/forum/trying-to-conceive-a-girl/

All milk replacers are not created equal. Soy has actual demonstrable effects on hormones and thus I think it's best avoided for everyone swaying - pink or blue - in anything beyond dietary amounts 2-3 times per week. We simply do not have enough info to know how it works and thus I think it's best to stay away from it.

Rice milk and almond milk, I've actually witnessed people swaying blue, doing everything right, but ingesting large amounts of those things and getting girls. It's happened enough so I am forced to wonder if they sway pink (probably due to the large amounts of vegetable oils in them but we honestly don't know for sure)

I"ve seen both girls and boys conceived with dairy.

I haven't seen enough people use oat/hemp milk to know for sure how they sway.

[PinkSabra101]

As always thx for quick and thorough reply :)

[PinkSabra101]

Happy Holidays everyone :) Planning to very loosely begin PCOS LE diet after Christmas and go more "hard core" after buying a plan around April..anyone have good tips for estimating quantities, or is the only way to know reading ingredients/keeping track? I have no idea at this point what, say, 50 g of protein looks like. I want to stay within limits but worry about getting obsessive with counting. Thanks for any tips :P

[Lilawt]

Happy Holidays everyone :) Planning to very loosely begin PCOS LE diet after Christmas and go more "hard core" after buying a plan around April..anyone have good tips for estimating quantities, or is the only way to know reading ingredients/keeping track? I have no idea at this point what, say, 50 g of protein looks like. I want to stay within limits but worry about getting obsessive with counting. Thanks for any tips :P

I often wonder this! I’m not swaying at the moment but when I start the diet I obviously want to keep track so I know I’m within the limits. I have downloaded the app my fitness pal, but I find it a bit tricky to use and it’s not always accurate with portion size. I’ll be interested to see what advice you get!

Good luck for next year with your pink sway.

Lil


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[atomic sagebrush]

Just read the ingredients and keep track, but you'll only need to do it for a few days before you'll start to recall about how much protein, fat, cals is in the things you eeat the most of. It is really quite a lot easier than you think it will be.

[atomic sagebrush]

I often wonder this! I’m not swaying at the moment but when I start the diet I obviously want to keep track so I know I’m within the limits. I have downloaded the app my fitness pal, but I find it a bit tricky to use and it’s not always accurate with portion size. I’ll be interested to see what advice you get!

Good luck for next year with your pink sway.

Lil


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My advice is just to use paper and pen. It takes less time than figuring out MFP and the quantities are more reliable since you're getting them straight from the package and not from info that someone else may have entered incorrectly.

[PinkSabra101]

Thanks! I'll give it a go starting Jan 1 ;) Hope you (and everyone else) enjoyed the holidays. Does LE diet-pcos version include the same "restrictions" re minimal snacking and skipping breakfast (if one chooses to include that)?

[atomic sagebrush]

Thank you! You too!

Yes with PCOS-type LE Diet you still need to avoid snacks and skip or push back breakfast by a couple hours.

[PinkSabra101]

One more for you....I see that PCOS diets in general seem to avoid caffeine? I know you can't answer for a specific individual until you go over their history, etc., but in general--weighing in PCOS-tendencies (only cysts and weird/absent periods), would you avoid?

Thanks again!

[atomic sagebrush]

We don't do that on here. We have regular coffee with PCOS + an otherwise PCOS-friendly diet.

The advice to avoid caffeine is based on some old studies that coffee raised blood sugar (temporarily). But these were badly done studies and subsequent studies have found that over time, coffee actually improves insulin response and helps prvent Type 2 diabetes. We have great results using coffee for pink sways with PCOS. But def. follow a PCO-friendly diet...don't just add on massive sugary lattes onto a very carby diet and expect it to help your sway. Unsweetened coffee with a PCO-friendly diet.

[PinkSabra101]

Ohhhh great to hear; giving up coffee would be torturous :flowerz: