What about body fat percentage?
I'm new to this board - a little nervous!
I'm 5'8" 130 lbs, so not crazy skinny, but def. on the thin side.
I just started TTC, but for the past few years I've been working out 6 days a week. I run, do ashtanga yoga, lift weights. I think my body fat is low - like around 15 -16%. Any thoughts on how low is too low?
I was diagnosed with PCOS by my RE. I asked him if he thought I was too thin and he said no because my BMI is around 19.5, which is in normal range.
I'm reading Rose Frisch's book right now and I'm trying to eat more full-fat foods (this is hard for me) and not work out as much (even harder). I'm kind of depressed, because I always thought I was super healthy. :-(
To add more mystery to the mix, my TSH was high! So I'm hypothyroid and on Synthroid now. I show NO hypo symptoms (other than having dry skin and being cold a lot) and NO PCOS symptoms.
I went off the pill last March (after being on it for 15 years), got my period a few times, and the since June I was not getting it at all. Used Provera and got a tiny little bit of flow. Just did a round of Femara. Got a u/s on Thursday - many small follicles but nothing big enough. Get another u/s on Monday.
While it's true that it's in the 'normal' range, that's just an average that doctors use, so it could very well be that you don't have enough fat on you to have a baby at the moment, since it is on the low end of things.
I've also read that eating full fat things can be helpful in fertility--like eating full fat milk and cheese, etc. They just say to make sure to comensate the extra calories you are consuming by watching what you eat elsewhere.
I too initially asked my doctor if he thought I was too thin to get pg and he said he didn't think that was the problem. But he did suggest scaling down the exercise. I used to work out at least 5 days a week and do really active classes. But in the month I got pg I had had surgery and was unable to work out, so that could have been a coincidence, or it could have helped with things. Who knows!
Good luck with everything.
__________________ Metformin 1500mg since November 2006
Clomid Round 1 (100mg) March 2007 (BFN)(didn't O)
Clomid Round 2 (100mg) May 2 (BFN) O'd on CD30
Clomid Round 3 (150mg) June 15...CD50 BFN--a bust
Metformin XR 2000mg starting July 31
Clomid Round 4 (150mg) August 12
SURPRISE--BFP on 10/2!! It's a GIRL!!! (oops!)
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Well, I don't know my percentages, but I got really low while ttc and still got pregnant. I was nursing my daughter still and got down to 107 lbs at 5'4.5" (so how do you figure what that is?). I definitely looked too skinny, but i got pregnant with my son.
I used to be really into working out, frequent step-type aerobics classes, weight-lifting, etc. My RE recommended I cut back some while TTC, not only to get my fat up a little, but to avoid torsion when stimulating my ovaries. My body fat is around 19%. I'm enjoying the suggestion of adding full fat dairy products, though it is definitely weird to do. I don't think you're necessarily too low in body fat for a normal person TTC, but if your RE recommends you cut back a bit on your exercise I would do it. You can always get back into super good shape when you have your baby!
I'm also hypothyroid (diagnosed when they were working me up for no periods), but easily controlled with meds. RE doesn't think this will be an issue.
__________________ Whitney, 33
After soy, Femara, Follistim, an ectopic pregnancy, and IVF, FINALLY BFP 8/08 -- twins -- but lost baby B at 7 weeks Preterm labor at 25 weeks... baby boy is here safely at 36w3d!
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Thanks, all of you!
I've been reading some articles about athletes who basically threw their thyroid out of whack when from training too hard and ended up with a hypothyroid diagnosis. http://www.heractivelife.com/women/c...on-or-reality/
I'm really hoping the synthroid kicks in and gets my other hormones into gear. My RE sent me to an endo - she said that the hormones need enough fat to work. So I'm really trying to welcome some full-fat foods into my diet.
It's frustrating because I've definitely had some super-skinny friends get pregnant - but you can be skinny and still have a critical amount of body fat.
Body fat percentage? 
