Any overweight cysters trying to shape up to get ready for pregnancy?
 

Of course, I want to get more healthy but another huge motivation for me is that I want to start my family after Graduate School. That means I have about 2 years to get there. I'm pretty scared that it's going to be very difficult to get pregnant. Is anyone else obese and losing weight to get ready to ttc?

I am. I have two kids already(age 9 and almost 3), and I really want one more. But I started my first pregnancy at around 200lbs, and the second at about 190 and I'd really like to be lower to start this time. I do NOT want to start a pregnancy at the weight I'm at now(253) even if I could get pregnant, even at 200 start it was miserable-gained 50 with my first, 30 with my second. This time I'd like to start at like 180 and only gain like 20! But I have to get going, I'll be 39 in March and I would really like to be trying to get pregnant within a year. So I may decided to start trying even before I hit my goal just because of age. But I HAVE to get down to at least 200 first, I do NOT want to start a pregnancy any bigger than that.

As far as difficulty getting pregnant...the first time it took me met and Clomid. In the year before I got pregnant with #2, I lost 60lbs..and that pregnancy was a total unmedicated surprise! I totally credit that to my weight loss, as my cycles got more regular the more I lost.

I am! I will be 31 next month. I have been married for two years now and no luck yet on the baby front. However, I am about 330 pounds and 5'11". I am actually glad I haven't gotten pregnant yet because I am concerned about my health. I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 18 but I started showing symptoms around age 9.

I was on birth control for years and years but then I stopped. My periods have been normal-luckily that was one thing I never had a problem with. They come like clockwork every month. But obviously I am not ovulating. My RE said I need to lose weight and hopefully that will help with the eggs maturing. He said for my height, a safe pregnancy weight would be around 200 lbs.

I struggle with binge eating and stress eating. I bounce back and forth between eating "plans"-I rarely exercise because I have plantar fasciitis in both feet which makes it excruciating to even walk some days. I bought a treadmill a few months ago but I have barely been able to use it because of the pain. I have been to the doctor, gotten medicine, gotten the orthopedic inserts for my feet. I think now they are finally starting to get better. The left foot is slow to heal. My hope is that I can lose enough by modifying my diet that it helps the pain in my feet to subside.

I tried South Beach several years ago and I lost 10 lbs in one week. It is very restrictive during those first two weeks. I was thinking of doing Whole30 (Paleo) but that is extremely restrictive and expensive because of all the organic everything. I have also tried the IR diet and I have been successful with that, but my patterns of binge eating got in the way. I think I am going to go back to the IR diet because it is fairly easy to follow and sustainable for a lifetime. I just have to find some way to get over this binge eating thing.

It's funny, because I am stressed about my weight and getting pregnant, and that makes me eat more. WTF? I am finally motivated to change-it would be great to have a support group of like-minded people.

Welcome Annie!

I am doing Paleo and my belief is that you don't have to do organic or grass-fed unless you can afford it. Even if you follow Paleo guidelines without organic or grass-fed/free-range meat, it's better than not following it at all.

Don't let that stop you from going after a diet/lifestyle that's been shown to work just because you don't think you can afford it! It would be shame if you didn't do it and you could have lost weight with it.

Hi Rana,

Thanks for your support. I think I just got overwhelmed after reading Whole 30. I might try to have a go at it again but not approach it so strictly. In looking at all of these plans (South Beach, Low GI, IR Diet, Paleo) the focus is on whole, clean foods with minimal grains or processed foods. So maybe I will kind of start broad and then tighten it up as I get more comfortable with it.

For example, I really like dairy, legumes, and some convenience foods like pre-bottled salad dressing. I am just so busy that I don't have the time or the desire to make every little thing from scratch. Truthfully, the only dairy I eat is butter and cheese. I know, two of the worst! But I use both sparingly.

Do you do very strict Paleo or do you fudge some things? Also, what do your carbs look like? I know for weight loss we should limit fruit, but what about sweet potatoes? Would it be possible to have a half of one a day and still be in the zone for weight loss? I am thinking of Mark Sisson's curve here:

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/press...#axzz2Iixnl3PR

Thanks again for your help.

Nice to meet you ladies! Now I don't feel so alone. :) I also struggle with binge-eating and stress eating. I've been 100% to Weight Watchers since the first of the month and so far, I'm doing great! I didn't think it would work for someone like me, but I really like the whole "budgeting" thing so no food is off-limits.

AnnieC (and for anyone looking into Paleo) you should really check out Stephanie Rupurt's Paleo for Women blog: www.paleoforwomen.com

The thing about Paleo and why I like Stephanie so much, is that women are different creatures than men. And much like Mark S. and even Robb W. and others out there, they are focusing on MEN. The studies are usually done on MEN.

Women have a different set of requirements.

Stephanie warns, through her observations and review of studies, that women need more carbs -- but NOT cake or cookies! -- than men do in order to reach reproductive health.

She has PCOS as well and just recently came out with a book about PCOS and Paleo.

She does recommend eating more carbs and not going below 90 carbs a day (I think, I would check that number out) in order to not go into adrenal failure.

Personally, I eat 150 - 100 g (whole, not net) and I can lose weight slowly comfortably.

If I go any lower, I can't handle it. And if I go much higher consecutively, I maintain or gain.

You will have to experiment on your own body to see what works -- you may be able to eat a lot less carbs and later have to increase it.

Initially, I lost weight by simply eliminating everything but fruit, vegetables, and starchy vegetables like sweet potato and cassava. I had no problems eating a whole sweet potato -- that didn't affect my rate of loss.

Right now, I'm just maintaining, so I can't offer you more advice because I'm overwhelmed with work and school and I just need to finish before I can concentrate on my weight loss again.

I eat salads but I only put on balsamic vinegar and olive oil (if any) on my salads, so I don't bother with salad dressing, period.

I legumes every once in a while but infrequently. My body can handle a lot of legumes, but I was eating them twice a day for a while and THAT was too much. Paleo made me realize I had to find the right amount, which is more like twice a week, if that often.

As for dairy, I don't eat dairy -- I know Paleo allows for small quantities of dairy if you want it, but I have developed an intolerance for it. And no, it's not the lactose. I break out in a rash!

My philosophy on Paleo and any diet, really, is that you have to do what you can and do it slowly. Doing the Whole30 has a specific philosophy for it, but you have to be ready for that mentality/plan. I was doing Paleo before I ever did a Whole30 (back in August/September of last year). I needed to ease into it slowly and not give my body/mind a shock like that -- and I was eating healthy already, it wasn't like I used to eat when I was 200 lbs.

If you can make small changes, that's what I would do -- gradually change something here or there.

Personally, I started changing my diet not by ELIMINATING stuff, but adding to it. I told myself I had to eat 5 servings of fruit and vegetables every day. I could go over calories, I could eat cake, but I still had to eat my 5 servings. It was weird at first, to be eating so much, but it was also really healthy and I realized that some of my cravings for sweets were really cravings for fruit and fresh vegetables. Isn't that weird? So, I was satisfied eating those fruit/veggies and I found myself craving less cake and other sweets.

You need to figure out what you can do easily and change that now, and what may take a while. I gave up soda three years ago, but I switched from sweeten soda to diet soda to finally sparkling water. I couldn't do it cold turkey because I like bubbles!

I also learned to cook a lot on the weekends and freeze. A great book to help you out with the pre-planning and stuff for eating Paleo is "Well Fed" by Melissa Jouwan. I think her recipes are GREAT, but it's not my type of food (it's very Mediterranean) but they are easy to follow, she has great cooking tips, and they freeze well.

I agree with you that it takes a lot to cook at home and I hate to cook. But I also find that the more I eat at home, the less I like restaurant food and processed/convenience foods. I used to drive by fast food places for snacks and now, even when I'm starving and that's all I have as an option, I would rather wait to get home. It's amazing. I used to never be able to pass up McD's french fries and now I think they're kinda gross.

Oh and to answer your question, I'm not strict Paleo 100%. I do put 1 teaspoon of sugar in my coffee, I eat legumes twice a week, and I go to restaurants and not drill them about the ingredients in their sauces or dressings. (That's only for Whole30 or if you have a severe allergy/intolerance!)

The goal is not perfection! Don't get caught up in perfection because you'll miss out on all the benefits of being 90% or 80% or 75% or even 50% compliant.

Rana, thanks so much. I didn't get a reply notice so I almost forgot about this thread.

Also, thanks for the book recommendations. I have several already, but I am always on the lookout for new recipes, especially if I can make them in advance.

It's good to know that about the potatoes and stuff. I am not big into bread, or pasta, but I do love rice every now and then. I can't take my carbs down below 100 or I feel like major crap.

I also like your point about adding stuff to your diet. I might try to meet a goal to at least have a salad before lunch and dinner, so I don't overeat at those meals. I actually tend to eat a huge breakfast though. I almost can't get enough to eat at breakfast. Lunch I usually skip, and dinner is just normal. But I am going to find a way to get in all of my fruits and veggies.

Thanks again for sharing your story!