I am so bad at this diet! :(

[pinkdreams]

I am like a child! When I know I can't have things I want them so much more. I have cheated more times than I am comfortable with but my attempt is in under two weeks and I feel like it would be a perfect month otherwise. I have not had any red meat at all, but fear my sodium levels are higher than would be ideal. I have also had more chicken than recommended. I have no problem skipping breakfast but at night I become insatiable. What would you do? Would you follow through with the attempt for the month? I think I will be dropping the calcium and magnesium for myself and DH and keep myself on the Saw Palmetto and baby aspirin (plus folic acid of course) and cranberry. For DH it will be licorice root, baby aspirin and cranberry. We are both drinking tons of crystal light and equal in everything. Dh is laying off red meat and trying to keep sodium levels but I can't stop his M&M addiction or daily Dr. Pepper (he is limiting the soda to just 1.) I have been using rephresh and plan on using sylk. Going back and forth about timing, I don't think it really matters too much. Any advice would be so awesome!!

[swish]

I would go for it, it doesn't sound like you've been too bad with the diet, gl!!

[pinkdreams]

my biggest concern is that i'm not losing weight, I'm considering doing more of a "fast" around my attempt. What do you think?

[rainbowflower]

that's what I'd do - try and lose an extra lb or two around/just before OV!

[swish]

Zanacal posted a study that showed reducing calories near to ovulation swayed pink, I only ate rice on the day before ov and the day of ov. And sweets!!!!

[indigoviolet]

that's a good idea, a bit of fasting around O, didn't realise it would have such a quick effect? or is it only if you have been on the diet as well?
By the way PinkDreams your sway sounds amazing, if mine were anywhere near as good I'd be very proud of myself. Don't be too hard on yourself

[zanacal]

It's not really known indigo. There was a study which showed that loss of maternal condition sways pink - but it's unclear what timeframe it actually applies to (and the study was in horses!). An egg takes 90 days to mature so it's possible that your body notes what's going on with your body long before you ovulate so it can pop out an egg which stands the best chance of survival (given that girl sperm do best in a low glucose environment and vice versa for boy sperm). It may be that loss of condition compared to when you conceived in the past is the best reference, it may be the few days prior to ovulation or something in between! I personally don't think cutting back even more before and around O can do any harm and may help, but if you're on the Low Everything diet anyway it probably isn't necessary. (I think it was a great idea for you though swish when you've had to add stuff back in recently!). The most important time to keep blood sugar levels low is in the 2ww.

[pinkdreams]

Thanks so much !! That makes me feel so much better. I am really trying to be super strict these 2 weeks leading up to the attempt and after DTD. I really appreciate the input and support. I have a binder with all my info, a daily checklist and DTD checklist, can we say OCD!!! I am really trying to relax and trust in the sway I have put together but my natural instinct is to obsess

[atomic sagebrush]

Zana already said most of what I would have to say (only better) but I did want to add one thing. I really kind of doubt that sodium sways much at all. People and mammals of all sorts seem to have an almost insatiable appetite for salt and always have (archaologists have found a salt mine dating back to 6000 BC) and mammals in the wild will do anything to get salt. I find it extremely unlikely that given this appetite for salt, that extremely low sodium intake is required to conceive a baby girl, because people are eating tons of sodium everywhere and still getting baby girls in very close to 50-50.

[atomic sagebrush]

that's a good idea, a bit of fasting around O, didn't realise it would have such a quick effect? or is it only if you have been on the diet as well?
By the way PinkDreams your sway sounds amazing, if mine were anywhere near as good I'd be very proud of myself. Don't be too hard on yourself

No, a low cal diet right around O (no need to fast, just starting up the LE Diet is fine) can only help your sway by lowering your blood glucose levels. Some aspects of swaying take a long time to change but that one can change fairly quickly (pH also lowers quite quickly as well.) As Zanacal mentioned, I suspect that it's best to be on the diet for longer because your body takes note of that and also because it's better for lowering T and E, but there are still benefits to be gained even if you are starting late - if you suddenly decide to TTC a month sooner or something, don't panic, just do what you can do and it will still help. (a lot of people don't even get pg that first month anyway, if they are doing a lot of otehr things to sway.)