TTC through Donor IUI or Donor IVF - weight loss spin-off thread

[witchmountain]

A few of us on the donor IUI/IVF thread have got some weight to lose, and rather than bore everyone else we thought we'd set up a spin-off thread. So, if you're doing or contemplating donor IUI/IVF and also have some weight to lose, join us here, newbies welcome.

I guess we do introductions/goals? I'll start, but obviously share whatever you prefer in your intro.

I'm witch, froze some embryos last year with donor sperm which are waiting for me to save up enough to fund a career change post baby. I'm fortunate in that I don't have loads and loads of weight to lose, but enough that I could so with some supportive friends to do it with.

I don't really like the idea of dieting per se, I think my aim is more around establishing a healthier relationship with food. I read Fat is a Feminist Issue years ago and I probably need to re-read it again now - it's about women's relationship with food. I'd recommend it, or a much condensed book by the same author, Susie Orbach, called On Eating.

My weight has fluctuated over the years, but the band it's fluctuating within is only trending in one direction. This is almost the heaviest I've ever been, I'm too fat for my fat clothes, and my thighs are getting in the way of each other. In BMI terms I'm a little way into the overweight category, but I carry it all on my stomach so I'm quite a way over the recommended maximum waist measurement. I have been offered a seat on the tube and on one occasion asked if it was my first baby

The numbers aren't the be all and end all - for me that point is that I am at this weight because I don't prioritise sleep and activity and compensate with carbs and caffeine! And for some other more psychological reasons which I'll get to, but this is already the longest intro in history.

I'm going to take Saturday as my starting point:
5'9"/1.75m
12st10.5lb/81kg
BMI 26.4
Waist 36"/91cm
Targets, let's see, but I'm guessing somewhere south of 11st/70kg - I'll head in that direction and see how I feel. I'll never be right at the bottom end of the BMI range, I'm broad!

Eating wise - I'm cutting back on high glycemic index carbs and trying to get some more protein in. I know I feel better and less hungry when I'm not struggling from one sugar rush then crash to the next.

Congrats bear where did you find yr running plan? Does it have an end goal in the amount of distance you work up to??

Well done Bear! And good news about the running. The app I use is called 10K Runner, ever, which builds you up from nothing to 10K or about an hour of running. There is a 5K one too, or you can stop the 10K one early. I like having audio instructions for when to run and walk! Think I'll be lucky to stay at the same weight as last week, but that would mean having put on weight over the weekend and then having managed to sift it during the week, so not all bad - let's see what the final verdict is tomorrow morning.

Vitamin D - I pretty much got all my info from mumsnet! This thread here, and one of the ones it links to: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/2826320-Vitamin-D-deficiency-probably-related-to-restrictive-diet-Any-experts

I did the test where you send it off in the post which is mentioned on the thread (www.vitamindtest.org.uk)

Here's what I gleaned in summary:

You eat Vitamin D3 or get it from the sun. It's basically impossible to eat enough. It's also really hard to get enough from the sun here - you would have to have more skin exposed, without any sun tan lotion, for longer periods than would normally be possible in every day life.

Your body turns it into 25-hydroxy vitamin D3, or 25D3, as an intermediate step. This is what a test can measure circulating in your blood. It is measured in nmol/L.

Your body then converts that into 1,25D3, which is the form it can use.

When you get the test results they come back with this range for explanation:
Less than 15 nmol/L: severe deficiency
15 – 30 nmol/L: deficiency
30.1 – 50: insufficiency
Greater than 50: adequate
Above 220 nmol/L is considered ‘high’, and increase the risk of vitamin D toxicity.

Although 50 nmol/L is deemed as adequate, it is likely that we have historically had much higher levels from more exposure to the sun and from greater consumption of animal fats from outdoor reared animals - more in the range of 120-140nmol/L.

To increase your level, you need to take about 1000ui for every 25 nmol/L increase.

My result was 32.7, so to increase that to 120-140 would be an increase of 87-107. If I divide those increase figures by 25, I get the number of 1000ui tablets that I would need to take - 3.5-4.3. Looking at the threads, others in a similar situation had been advised to take 5000ui.
As it happened I'd already bought some 2000ui tablets, so I alternate between taking 3 tablets/6000ui one day and 2 tablets/4000ui the next day.

I'll test again in a few months and see if it's risen and whether I need to adjust to a maintenance dose.

I use the Nike running club app, am doing a 4 week beginners plan. Didn't want a longer one as I will be starting my cycle then so will adjust my exercise to suit that (probably walking rather than running)

As expected my measurements were pretty much the same as last week, 100g heavier. Have done okish on avoiding sugar, but did have an enormous ice cream today which I thoroughly enjoyed!

Hmmm me thinks 5 Guys bacon cheeseburger and fries I just scoffed were not in the weight loss plan I did leave a load of fries behind?

I think the bacon cheeseburger is fine. The bun and fries less so. Well done for leaving fries, they do good ones!

Had such a bad nights sleep - no doubt from said burger and then the copious amounts of liquorice torpedos I had...
Back on the wagon today!

Oh god Kwick, that sounds like the kind of carb binge I have. Even though I know it will make me feel terrible!

I have been so bad this week but am baking a cake for a friends daughters birthday which usually helps me lose a little weight cause I have no time to eat lol

Well here you all are!!! I so need this thread! That said as Easter has rolled into my birthday week I'm not counting till next Monday!

So yesterday was not great either - dinner comprised of a cheese souffle (no where near as good as the one my mum makes), sucking pig - which was SO disappointing and then when I got home, more Liquorice torpedos... another poor nights sleep. I seem to be on a bit of a death wish at the mo!

The cake was nice though, if I say so myself.

Weight all of the place. Almost 2 kg variation over 3 days. Skipping this weekend for measuring!

Weighed myself this morning... no gain or loss...really need to concentrate on this more!

Hi Everyone!

I am 38, had a BFP from medicated IUI with my husband - using donor sperm as hubby has none. We had an MMC a few weeks ago. Gutted.

I need to lose weight in order to qualify for NHS cycles - we have gone private for 4 cycles IUI - we have 3 left. I am 5ft 2 and currently 80kg and i need to be 68kg to qualify.

I've enrolled in a programme called My Body Tutor where a nutritionist tracks you and your behaviour daily -its expensive but worth it as i need constant supervision to be consistent! Ever and Witch - i eat very similarly to your programme - eggs or oat bran for brek, Protein and veggies with a bit of fat and bit of carbs.

One tip from my nutritionist was actually to eat five times, not three. She says when you get too hungry you risk making bad choices, so its better to eat say, your eggs with veggies and then a couple of hours later the oat cakes with avo or ham that you might have had with the eggs - so just space it out. I have found if i eat nuts and apple or turkey slices and veg or something like that between meals, i am more constant, do not eat more and manage to make sensible choices.

Good luck to us all! I am going to try deliciously ella, thanks for that Ever

Welcome angliski! I'm also a big fan of nuts for snacks. I don't find I can eat more of them than just what I need to respond to the hunger, so they are perfect!

Sorry about your miscarriage which clinic are you with for the private cycles? Are you going straight into the next one?

Looking at a chocolate hob nob has literally just made my mouth water. Backing away now. The sugar addiction will be beaten!

I did run this morning. And do my physio exercises which I need to do every day. Maybe I'll make myself post on here about them :)

Do we have a regular weigh in day? I haven't weighed myself in 2 weeks and I'm terrified!

Well mine is Saturday. I actually weigh every day because mine tends to fluctuate quite wildly. But I'm measuring my waist on Saturdays too because that's the bit of me that needs to shrink.

Lol Witch you and me both!

My weight fluctuates so much its depressing. Will do mine tomorrow morning. I need something that keeps me accountable!

I go by whether I can do my trousers up or not as usually my butt and lower tummy that get bigger first. Today was one of those days where button was open all day long

Forgive me Father for I have sinned:
Yesterday had a Palmier for breakfast, and another plus an almond croissant for dinner pudding... felt yuck afterwards. Need to be more consistent with hypnosis track playing!!

pickle that is why they invented pull on jeans

Ok today needs to be a good food choice day - so there!!!

Does anyone else eye up maternity jeans longingly? Simply because of the stretchy stomach bits.

Good choices today Kwick. I've been up since 4 and have managed to avoid eating the leftover cake sitting next to my desk so far!

Yes, yes, yes Witch - I cannot wait to buy me some maternity jeans - the ones that have the stretchy bit for tummy - none of this hip style!!!

witch you are a tower of strength!!!!!

What the hell is a palmier Kwik? & welcome welcome Angliski

Guys I feel close to giving up with this weight loss malarkey. I bloat quite a bit when on AF and have managed to get a scale reading of 2lbs over what I normally am and struggling. However that was Sunday morning and now I seem to have lost that again, yipppeeee ahhhhh. I never seem to blast thru my target and am hovering at the exact stone margin and I ve experienced this before and its taken a month to get the 3lbs off to make me think...hmmm actually trending in the right direction with this weight loss. 3-4lbs is also my bmi target. Apart from a piece of Witches lovely ginger cake, I have been super healthy.

I am waiting on my Consultant ringing me to confirm whether I can start my IVF cycle. I think its a 50:50 thing, however the crux is being under BMI 35 at egg collection, according to her assistant. That's a target I can make easily (as 6 weeks off) but I have a feeling she ll say no. So its far better to exercise my arse off and eat nothing for a week and I ll make it but then stall my weight loss for probably 3 weeks, but no good to lose it gradually on the understanding my bmi is reached by egg collection, what in case I put on a few pounds in the intervening period? Am sure you can sense my frustration here.

Consultants assistant also seemed to be more cluey also on the vitamin d sitch. Felt that my level was not low really and what am doing to supplement is sufficient. The blood test was 5 weeks ago now anyway and have been out in the sun for half an hour at every convenient sunny interval and have been supplementing at a higher dose since. Belated thanks for the info you gleaned tho Witch. My level is 37.5, so am taking roughly 4000-5000 iu per day and will do so until treatment, then I ll go for the maintenance 2000 iu dose. Don't think I need more than that, unless my Consultant pipes up again with needing a therapeutic dose. Think I ll always need to take a low dose vit d, but frankly most of the UK populace probably do.

Angliski - Deliciously Ella is a brand and she has an app,fb page etc. I ve used a lot of the recipes on the app, personal favourites the potato and peanut curry, fajita bowls and cashew pesto pasta and from one of her books the veggie paella, which I've then added prawns to. You do have to be a lover of sweet potato, avocado, beans, lentils and dates as they are the main staples. Worked well for me last time before IVF, but now am struggling. I'm trying to eat little and often too, and have changed that in the last few days.
Am going to try the couch to 5k again but am hoping I don't put on muscle in a week. Also found a skipping rope so think am going to entertain this as an exercise for half an hour later today

I want to be able to start asap because my cycle has gone back in synch and truly feel its my best shot. Grrrr

Yes to maternity jeans. I didn't have them for Mabel....because of her weeny size was only in maternity wear for the last 6 weeks and it was the summer into the autumn. So yes I would like some of those...