Fertility Diet- eating our way to BFP!

[Forevertimes]

Now when I say 'diet' I don't mean the losing weight kind. I mean the what should I eat to improve my fertility kind.

Bit of a back story- I have quite a bizarre relationship with food. I love eating out, trying new foods, cooking at home but my mood really affects how much I eat. I have always been slim but noticed over the last few months the stress of TTC is taking its toll on my diet.

I usually eat breakfast (some toast) at about 6am and then have a late lunch at about 4pm, which is usually a big meal and then maybe a few snacks in the evening. I know it's not enough and probably is affecting my fertility and spending most of the day feeling 'starving' is not good!

I need ideas! Inspiration! Anything to get me back on track.

Any of you ladies want to join on this journey of eating our way to our BFPs?!

Lots of vits needed - so leafy greens, fruit and veg, that sort of thing. Lots of lean protein and iron too.

I think sugars, dairy and carbs should be on the lower side... from what I've read (which is probably just old wives' tales).

So nothing drastic, but just a healthy, balanced diet. Maybe try adding a snack like nuts or something around mid-day? With some fruit?

I'm not great at eating fruit - I never think 'ooh I'll have an apple' - so I now make a smoothie every morning with loads of fruit, spinach, kale, sunflower seeds and chia seeds. I tend to have breakfast and then drink the smoothie. It makes me feel like I'm really upping my intake of fruit and veg but in a really simple way.

I also try to snack on almonds as read somewhere they're good for fertility. There's something about pineapple core at a certain point in your cycle so I've bought one of them to chuck in my smoothie at the appropriate time.

I don't typically avoid anything but do just try to be a bit balanced x

I did a detox week last month (nothing crazy just more fruit and veg less carbs etc) as had put on 1 - 2 kilos after a couple of weeks of living it up. My next AF was soo light. Really shocked me how my diet could have such an impact on my cycle. Back to normal eating and this month's af was back to normal. We really are what we eat.

Totally agree with the greens and almonds! I also try and eat lots of lentils etc to keep my iron up.

Also read somewhere that maca root/maca powder is really good for fertility! But haven't tried it.

@welshmammy do you use recipes for your smoothies or just throw everything in and hope for the best? I'm always too scared to try in case they are disgusting! Any ideas/ recipes would be greatly appreciated.

I've just come back from the supermarket where we've stocked up on fruit and veg, eggs, tuna, nuts and seeds.

Now I've got to make some snacks for work tomorrow- going to try eating something at work so I don't feel quite so hungry.

Also, has anyone tried overnight oats? I've heard there are some great recipes but don't know anyone who has actually tried them.

It's almost like you have been rooting through my browser history! I was googling today as I will be ttc from next month and I want to do everything in my power to make it a good, healthy cycle.
I am a convenience junkie, but not in the usual sense. I don't eat much junk food but I also don't eat much of anything else if it takes any sort of time of effort. I have a busy, stressful job and I hate thinking about what I am going to eat so will often skip breakfast altogether and then just knock together a sandwich of no nutritional value! I think this has also had an impact on my health in the sense of low iron, I was unable to donate blood the other day as it wasn't high enough
So! Enough is enough. I have just ordered a humongous shopping order and planned out my next few weeks of breakfasts and lunches. Packed full of fresh fruit and veggies to maximise my fertility! I'm hoping like lookatthemoon said that I will notice a difference in my light AF.

Also - my friend raves about overnight oats so that is on my plan! Let's try it out together. We can do this!

Hi,

I tend to just chuck anything and everything in to the smoothies to be honest! They usually taste fairly good although I did put red pepper in last week and that really overpowered the taste. Won't be doing that again! I tend to make them with fruit mainly rather than veg as I generally like the taste of most fruit. At the moment I'm using lots of bananas, strawberries, raspberries, apples, pears, blueberries, spinach and kale. I use frozen spinach and kale and have a stash of frozen fruit in the freezer as well which makes life easier.

General diet wise we use 'hello fresh' which works amazingly for us. Think we've used them for about 18 months. Previously I was wasting so much fresh stuff and we were eating loads of pasta due to a lack of imagination. Now we have hello fresh and I'm eating way more by way of a balanced diet. I'd definitely recommend especially if you're short on time and imagination of an evening.

I've seriously cut back on the vitamins etc I'm taking as well as I was taking so much stuff I was rattling! Even if it doesn't help fertility wise the changes I've made do make me feel a bit healthier generally x

There's a book called Mama Glow & it's got loads of recipes & advice for getting your body ready for pregnancy. Think she also has a website you can check out.

How did everyone get on today? So far so good for me, lots of fruit and vegetables and managed to resist a box of chocolates lurking around at work today!

Hi @wiggley. Well done for resisting the chocolate!

I've been doing pretty well so far too!
I've been making overnight oats for breakfast. Tried banana and cocoa powder and banana and peanut butter ones so far and they are delicious. It's so strange almost like porridge but not quite. I really hate milk, cream and natural yogurts and don't eat cereal in the morning because of this but overnight oats have been a revelation! It fills me up until about 12pm, when I have a handful of mixed nuts and slices of apple and grapes.

Still having my big meal at 4ish but it's been much better and have been trying to have a salad on the side.

So a huge increase in my vitamin intake! I'm now drinking a smoothie too @welshmammmy!

I feel so much better (didn't even know I was feeling bad before), more awake, more energy! But not managed to cut out my chocolate just yet (still got Easter stuff to finish off! Ha)

Any more overnight oat recipes?

Hello, excuse me jumping in. If looking for overnight out recipes these guys have a while collection of ideas. They are based around slimming world but are a fab resource for ideas anyway.

Beware some of the blog content is not for those easily offended

twochubbycubs.com/overnight-oats-a-collection/

Oooo thanks @shred!!

How are you trying on @wiggley?

I've still not managed to resist the chocolates but have been doing pretty well I think.

Although today I had peanut butter and jam on toast for breakfast, instead of overnight oats, and I was starving hungry about an hour later!

Managed to give up my morning cuppa and now need to up my water intake.

Anyone else?

I have done okay I think. 5/7 days this week I've been sugar free and the 2 days I have had sugar I haven't binged! I haven't weighed in yet though so I don't know if I've lost anything this week but I have definitely noticed a difference in bloating!
How about you?

I have completely overhauled my diet!

I've cut out all unnatural sugar and any "diet foods/drinks" I'm having full fat natural yogurt and cheese and loads of spinach, kale, seeds, nuts, lots of water and lots of fresh smoothies with banana, kale, lemongrass, avocado, almond milk, sunflower and pumpkin seeds and chia seeds for fibre.

I'm on day 13 now and I have never ever felt so good on a "diet" before. I had headaches for a few days due to sugar withdrawal but since then I feel so energised and don't have that 3pm slump anymore. I was a complete chocolate addict before but I don't even feel like it anymore!

I've lost 2.5lb in the first 10 days which I was surprised at because I've been eating full fat everything. I really hope this helps me get my much awaited bfp !!

Ooh can i join please!?
I've been following fertily food diet this cycle. I do eat well anyway and by no means need to be on a 'diet' but it can only help right!?
In the follicular phase( so week after af up until ovulation) I ate lots of cruciferous veggies(cauli..brocolli..cabbage..sprouts).... nuts.. seeds.. Egg. (Fish is good aswell but i hate fish lol)
Now im 3dpo im eating foods that contain alot of beta carotene like carrots..sweetpotato (anything orange or yellow) and leafy greens.. your supposed to have warming foods like stews and soups not sure why lol.
And a sh*t load of water.... like 4l a day.

Oh yeah and like flossy said...not really any sugar only naturally occuring sugar 🖒

Well done @wiggley

@flossy and @bluee sounds like you're both doing really well! I'm yet to kick the sugar habit! Still suffering with my caffeine withdrawal headaches at the moment so one thing at a time maybe. It's crazy to think that we have condictioned our bodies to become addicted to so many things... which actually make us end up feeling worse.

I love spinach and made myself a spinach, tomato, cucumber, carrot and avacado salad after my post earlier. Then boiled an egg to go on the side... it was delicious. I used to struggle feeling 'full' after a salad but I think the avacado and egg helped.

Now sitting down to read a book with a huge glass of chilled water! Perfect!