Diet to improve chances

[BabyNextYear25]

I'm looking to start TTC in April. I'm 33 and my BMI is 19. My diet is horrendous. I only eat dinner (no breakfast or lunch) and snacks. I only really drink diet coke and tea.
Sometimes dinner is curry or pasta or chilli. But lots of time it is take away or chips and chicken.
I know this needs to change but have no idea where to start.
Thanks so much

You mention your BMI as though you are concerned but 19 is in the healthy range.

But yeah your diet probably needs some attention. Start by cutting out coke/fizzy drinks (including Diet Coke) and stop buying takeaways and processed crap. Figure out a few healthy, balanced meals you can make for yourself at home.

Thank you- I read it was on the lower end but relieved to hear it is healthy!

@BabyNextYear25 18-25 BMI is considered the healthy range but you're already aware your diet isn't giving you all the right nutrients, so it's brill that you're reaching out for help.

The best advice I can give you is start simple. It's easy to get overwhelmed. The NHS website advice on food is a good place to start. You want to focus on getting protein (meat, cheese, eggs etc or meat substitute such as soya, tofu, beans etc), veggies (green leafy veg is packed with vitamins and minerals), healthy fats (i.e. not saturated fat you get in take away but the type you get in nuts, dairy etc), and carbs (very important for fueling the body) - wholewheat carbs such as wholegrain bread or pasta have better nutritional value than white bread and pasta, but if you prefer white then it's not a big deal 😊

I find that making a pasta or rice with a sauce packed full of chicken and veg is a good way to get a healthy meal (plus you can batch cook and freeze portions for later!).

I would advise following a simple Mediterranean diet. There are some good recipes books or just getting a few ideas from bbc food is good. The Fertility Kitchen book is gret and I like Awakening Fertility too. But I was advised by private fertility specialist to follow a Mediterranean diet and I absolutely love it. I would also recommend taking some supplements too, particularly vit d and folic acid. there are others that can be good but might be an idea to have a blood test to see if you have any deficiency. Good luck!!