# How to increase Low BMI before IVF?



## JJG (Apr 17, 2012)

Hi Ladies

Just wondering if anyone has any tips of how to increase your Body Mass Index in a healthy way before IVF?

I'm due to start IVF in October but have been advised to put on weight as my BMI is 17 and it should be 19 or above.

My doctor hasn't given me any tips on how to gain at least 5kg in the next month and half...but she seems pretty insistent as I'm prone to OHSS especially when using Gonal F. IUI in July ended up giving me the worst OHSS I've ever experienced but I did get pregnant so they think my hcg levels would of made it worse.

Any tips on how to prepare myself for October will be greatly appreciated.

Jenna x


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## goldbunny (Mar 26, 2012)

it sounds as if (with a BMI that low) that _any_ weight gain would be healthy, and that trying to 'gain in a healthy way' would be a slow and ineffective process. Really you could load up the pancakes and not do yourself much harm. do you like food? what is your favourite food? I was really skinny years ago but that was because at the time I had no cash so I didn't eat much to save getting into debt. Soon as I had the money to eat the weight magically appeared. (well, over time. it's not like I won the lottery I just gradually ate more.)
to gain weight you have to take in more calories than you use. If you're an exercise fanatic who is eating a lot but just not gaining you will have to burn fewer calories. If you're not eating much you will have to eat more, and eat higher calorie foods.

you can gain three kinds of weight I think, water, fat and muscle. (i'm including water because being dehydrated can make you seem lighter than you should be). We all need a bit of fat, it's not the bad guy. Muscle is hard to gain weight by gaining it since you have to exercise a lot which burns calories...

I reckon you should try eating outside when the weather is good. It does wonders for the appetite. 
try eating more protein, try and get some with each meal. and try and LOVE the idea of yourself with curves! no amount of trying to eat more will help if you're stressed about eating/trying too hard to be healthy. figure out when you are happiest about food and try and recreate the joy. do you like Italian? indian? Chinese food? do you prefer to pick at a huge arrangement of delicacies or tuck into traditional fare? A little of what you fancy will do you good. see, for me, it's Yorkshire pudding! *happy foodie sigh*. Everyone has something they really like. don't try and force feed yourself stuff that isn't tasting good. Just allow yourself to have a bit of fun with food and let go of any control issues.. (we've all got a bit of food guilt in there too).

have you tried buying a pair of jeans a size up from your usual size? it's much easier to put on weight if your clothes are roomy... 
it's also been shown most people eat more when there is a variety of food available (hence salad bar overloads and pick and mix bags) and when there are more people around.


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## bubbles2010 (Apr 10, 2011)

I wish I had a low BMI  

Don't know if its any help but I got a BMI of 29 by eating takeaways, drinking cola and eating chocolate lol.

Hope you manage to increase it.

x


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## JJG (Apr 17, 2012)

Thanks ladies!

Last few years my thyroid has been all over the place, it decided to work in over drive so I think that kept me under weight but since being on meds which I now no longer need my thyroid levels are coming back fine.

It is in my genes to be small but with water retention fom OHSS I've gone up to 56kg in the past but that was from the fluid in my abdomen.

I do work out 4 times a week and eat well during the week but that goes out the window at the weekend.

Hopefully cutting back on exercise and increasing my daily calorie intake will help I'm just worried it won't go up enough in time or October! We're currently living in the Middle East due to hubby's work so I'm pretty sure ll the sweating in this heat isn't doing me any good!


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## JFizz (Oct 16, 2012)

I work with people trying to increase there weight we advise:

Eat 3 balanced meals and 3 snacks per day including plenty of milk.

Here's a link to a meal plan, skip the first few pages and look at page 4.

http://www.kcl.ac.uk/iop/depts/pm/research/eatingdisorders/resources/RESTORINGREGULAREATING.pdf

xx


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## Cloudy (Jan 26, 2012)

Im in a similar position - if i lose a pound in weight then I will be underweight and refused NHS funding!  

It's taken me a year to get from 17 to 18 and it's been hard; I had been the same size for 15 years! 

I have found the best way has been to increase snacks and have a late "meal". If you're anything like me you can't eat big massive portions, although I bet you have a fast metabolism too!

In the evening, about an hour before bed, I have supper, something like 2 weetabix and a banana, or a 5 fruit salad (or a couple of slices of bread and a dairy milk when I'm being lazy). I also drink a pint of milk a day, and have a few of those breakfast bar things (Brevitas?) between meals.

Good luck!


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## JJG (Apr 17, 2012)

Thanks JFizz I'll have a look through the link  

Cloudy it's lovely to hear from someone in a similar situation. As we're having treatment overseas we're having to pay for it, just wished they'd brought up the weight gain issue a bit earlier! I'll def try a few of your tricks and maybe give up the cardio but that'll send me   When are you due to start IVF? Hope you keep your weight up  

Jenna


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## Cloudy (Jan 26, 2012)

Yes thank you JJG   Its hard when you have been the same weight all your adult life isn't it!

I focus more on weights and yoga (I find the cardio type stuff tricky with my endo anyway). It helps that my dad used to be a body builder so has helped sort me out an easy little routine for doing at home with kettle bells and I go round (health permitting) to my parents to use his gym once a week. He tries to get me on the protein shakes, but I normally only use them when I have had a nasty endo flare up.

Could you change your routine and swap the cardio for something less fat burning?

We are still waiting for our appointment to come through, hopefully October though x

X


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## ♥JJ1♥ (Feb 11, 2006)

I wish I had the problem
but tips are to do things like sprinkle cheese on top of things like baked beans, have full fat things, to load the calories up
can your gp help with supplements  as well, I know there is something called Scandishakes that dieticians gave a relative with cancer to boost weight
also add calories (things like colleen) to water if you are having squash/water.
reduce your exercise
good luck
l xx


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## flowerfaery (Apr 26, 2012)

Hi, I am a similar build and also needed to increase my BMI to boost my chances of successful fertility treatment.  Make sure that everything in the house is full fat e.g. yoghurt, milk and use butter rather than low fat spreads.  Carbs are the most effective way of driving short term weight gain as protein tends to make you feel fuller quicker (this is the basis of the Atkins diet).  I find liquids an easier way of taking calories as I can't eat large meals, you don't need any special nutritional supplements and they usually don't taste great, but full sugar soda, fruit juice, smoothies or milk shakes are all loaded with calories but won't fill you up.  In a hot climate full fat ice cream should be a good option.  If you do eat salads make sure you have a nice oil based dressing to go with it and maybe chuck some cheese on top for good measure.  Eating quickly means that you consume more calories before your brain receives the signal that you are full.  Oh and a tip we sometimes use for cancer patients is that a small sherry or other tipple of your choice before a meal can sharpen the appetite!

My clinic weren't too bothered about my weight as it was stable and had never caused my cycle to be irregular but it's possible that they have a little more discretion for privately funded treatment.  Anyway, it didn't stop ivf working for me and I am watching my waistline expand for all the right reasons   I hope things work out for you as well.

Flower


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