complicated swaying questions for experts...

[janie]

Ok, ladies. So I read in one of Atomic's awesome essays how not to cut calories too much because it can cause an increase in testosterone and then sway blue...and it occurred to me that perhaps that is exactly what happened to me, why i have 2 boys.
I have always eaten a low calorie diet, exercised quite a bit, and have been quite slim and muscular. iNow I totally understand the logic behind a low calorie diet to ttc a girl, but i'm wondering, in ladies like myself who do not eat a ton to begin with, if gaining weight might not be a better strategy? i am following low everything, but i am losing weight but still look muscle-y.
Maybe it would be better for me to get a little more fluff on me?
thank you in advance!!

[nuthinbutpink]

I'm sure atomic will chime in but are you getting your calories from different sources then when TTC with your boys?

[atomic sagebrush]

I actually just addressed this very question here:http://genderdreaming.com/forum/gend...e-%96-how.html

There is just no way that you could possibly gain enough in a reasonable time to sway pink. This is esp. true if you're starting off with a lot of muscle, because the more muscle you have, the more you tend to build when you gain a few pounds (your body is smart like that.)

Losing weight on a lower protein, lower calorie diet WILL shrink your muscle mass over time. Eating less fat will also tend to reduce testosterone over time as well. What I don't want anyone to do is cut calories to 600-800 and cause their bodies to panic and think starvation is imminent and send out a big burst of T. If you stick to 1200 calories minimum and preferably 1500-1800, that's all you need to do.

Tons of slim women have boys. It's not about being slim that sends your body into crisis mode, it's having no food coming in, esp. when you're thinking/planning/hoping/dreaming about swaying constantly. A slim, healthy woman in great physcial condition has every chance in the world at conceiving a son.

It's not the weight you are that sways. It's your physical condition/environment/fertility. The weight loss is just a way to send a signal to our bodies that times are hard and resources are scarce, while slightly depressing our condition and fertility.

[Mochagirl]

I just thought I'd mention that after a few months on the LE diet, my arms shrank into little twigs, so it definitely had an influence on my muscle mass!

[amari]

Me too. I don't know what I am having yet, but I started the LE at only about 102 and I am 5'4". I went down to 93 and I think most of it was muscle shrinkage. I got quite mushy with what was left! I stopped the meat and nuts and I think that helped. Good luck!

[fresas]

If you are lifting weights, you may want to stop. You may also want to switch meat sources if you eat a lot of red meat. I get your idea of doing the opposite to get a girl than what you did to conceive boys. I conceived my sons during times of major weight loss, lots of exercise, and very limited calories, but it might be possible to keep your weight low even if you don't change your calorie intake. Maybe change where your calories are coming from.

[atomic sagebrush]

I just want to clarify that fresas also has PCOS and sometimes PCOS can sway blue even with an otherwise good sway. As a general rule, weight loss and limited calories, will sway pink.

I think doing the opposite of what you were doing to get boys, only makes sense if the opposite actually sways pink. Doing the opposite will only backfire on you if you end up making yourself MORE blue friendly. If you didn't lose weight on the Atkins Diet, there might be many reasons for why that was but the solution is not to do the opposite and start eating massive amounts of birthday cake and expect to lose weight...that's even worse for losing weight.

[Praying4Pink]

Hi all! I am a newbie and I have an even more complex question about diet and signaling your body to sway one way or the other. In January, I began a physician monitored weight loss program which included phentermine, 500 -700 calories a day, and cardio 6 times a week. I lost 35 pounds. My question is would there really be anything further that I could do since my body is already accustomed to the low cal-low fat-low carb plan? Might it be more beneficial to increase a bit for a month then put my body into "famine mode" or maybe just go low everything with veggies rather than the protein?

[atomic sagebrush]

No, and increasing for a month would actually be the worst thing you could do. Your body will grab onto anything it gets and will hang onto it for all it's worth. You'd take a big step backwards and then start swaying and probably just end up right where you are already - or even BEHIND where you are now, because your metabolism will have shifted and your body will cling to those nutrients. Much better to stay where you are and either hold steady than to take the risk!

[Praying4Pink]

Thanks Atomic! Since I was doing mostly protein I went out and purchased lettuce, white grapes, apple slices, ect...I shouldn't have too much trouble with it all...only skipping breakfast since eating breakfast was a requirement on the weight loss plan. It's funny that before I never ate breakfast and now I can't go without it!! I can but I am starving by lunchtime, lol. Oh and my iced decaf