To think I don’t need to eat like a rabbit to be fertile?

[Limeandlemon]

Have been trying to conceive for one year. Dh results are normal, mine too. Progesterone levels aren’t at optimal level but I’m ovulating.
I’m four stone overweight, I have been told to lose weight.
I started doing slimming world, which I know will work with shedding the pounds but I’ve been told by a fertility coach that slimming world won’t help me prepare my
Body for pregnancy.
She recommends cutting out gluten and dairy, only have organic meats. No sugar, just water and herbal teas only.
To me that is very restrictive and not compatible with family life, as someone who works full time, very busy and prepares meals for the family.
With slimming world I am eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and still have a little treat within the limits and don’t feel so deprived. Surely weight loss will help balance the hormone levels?
Would really appreciate opinions or experiences to help me decide what route to go.
Such conflicting advice all over the internet and by medical professionals.

This was recommend to me by a endocrinologist not a quack by the way.

Same!

@NameChangedForThisFeb21 it was his podcast I listened to and it did make a lot of sense. The science behind how insulin works and how it sends hormones haywire would tie in with my weight and the things I’ve been eating. I basically have to treat my wonky hormones like I have diabetes. It can be reversed.
I think this may be the way to go without cutting out actual food groups like dairy, but just go a lot lower on the carbs and reset myself to manage my insulin levels. Diabetes runs on both sides of my family and I suspect I’m not far off from having it myself. The sub fertility really is a massive wake up call that my body is not happy.

[quote Limeandlemon]@NameChangedForThisFeb21 it was his podcast I listened to and it did make a lot of sense. The science behind how insulin works and how it sends hormones haywire would tie in with my weight and the things I’ve been eating. I basically have to treat my wonky hormones like I have diabetes. It can be reversed.
I think this may be the way to go without cutting out actual food groups like dairy, but just go a lot lower on the carbs and reset myself to manage my insulin levels. Diabetes runs on both sides of my family and I suspect I’m not far off from having it myself. The sub fertility really is a massive wake up call that my body is not happy.[/quote]
It definitely sounds like you are a good candidate for Michel Mosely’s
Fast800 (and also as though if you did SW as the consultants advise it could be a disaster for your body with all those carbs, fruit, sugar and artificial sweeteners).

You don’t need to pay to follow his online programme. The book is only £4 on Amazon and there’s also the Blood Sugar one and Fast 800 Easy which are good.
I track on MyFitnessPal which is a free app. I also think that his programme Lose a Stone in 21 Days is on YouTube. It’s a real eye opener and goes into more detail about reversing diabetes etc.

Good Luck. Hope you are soon back telling us you’re expecting!

I have PCOS and I wouldn't recomend fasting as a way to improve your condition and loose some weight. Been there, done that, results (if I had any) were just short-termed and then when we relax a bit, we put on more than the weight we initially lost.

I believe that a healthy balanced diet is the best option. I'm trying to remind that even to myself when I'm discouraged and I want quick results.

It's true oestrogen is stored in fat so you need to lose weight. I would just do that, and ditch the quacks

Personally I’d avoid any fad diets and take the advice of the fertility coach with a huge punch of salt 🤔 but I would definitely try to lose some weight. I tried for 18m to get pregnant with #2 and only had a successful pregnancy after I lost a couple of stone. Also recommend reading Fat and Fertile: how to get pregnant in a bigger body as it may help with preparing for conversations with healthcare professionals.

Weight loss will help, the rest is nonsense

Ben Goldacre famously registered his dead cat Hetty as a "certified professional nutritionist". Anyone describing themselves as a nutritionist is to be avoided.

It seems pretty clear to me that your top priority is to lose the excess weight. Whatever way works for you to do that would be my starting point.

@BiddyPop An adult human does not need a cow's breast milk to obtain an adequate amount of calcium in their diet. Baffles me that people actually think this,

@Limeandlemon

I do have an 11 year old child that I had when I was 19! I am 30 now and three stone heavier The coach is asking for £100 for an hours call to analyse blood results, send out herbs and give me a diet plan to follow for four months. The other option she has is £750 plan which is a diet plan, herbs and a weekly call and guidance. I was confused because I am committed to losing the weight and hearing all sorts of conflicting advice. I want to do it the right way. She says slimming world is too carb heavy and I shouldn’t be eating pasta or rice or bread....or dairy...or sugar...or meat that isn’t organic! Crikes. My worry with all that is I would get the blues and end up binge eating!

Wow, she has seen you coming! Goodness me.

You don't need a specific diet. Being obese does reduce your fertility and comes with additional risks to you and the baby during pregnancy and afterwards, so getting down to a BMI below 30 is really key. But you don't need a 'nutritionist' or 'herbalist' or to spend any money on losing weight. Download MyFitnessPal, set a calorie goal, and eat whatever you want within your calorie budget. You'll likely find within a few weeks you end up eating better food because you'll be full for longer on 300 calories of pasta or rice than 300 calories of crisps or chocolate, but ultimately it's irrelevant what you eat, you'll lose weight if you stick to your calorie budget.

I know you're desperate and looking for any solution but this is a charlatan/quack who as others have said is preying on your desperation right now. Stop seeing and paying her immediately, save your money for your future child or IVF if needed.

Thank you @PassionfruitOrangeGuava you saved me a lot of time. I agree with every single word of your post.

OP, listen to this!

@HaplotypeK

Thank you *@PassionfruitOrangeGuava* you saved me a lot of time. I agree with every single word of your post.

OP, listen to this!

I'm gutted when I see people spending money on nonsense like this, it's so unnecessary. Losing weight should actually be saving you money because you're eating fewer calories and buying less junk, not costing you money!

If you're in a calorie deficit you'll lose weight OP. Let go of all the researching and freaking out about different diets and stop overcomplicating this.