“Lose weight to get pregnant” is a paradox.
And in my opinion, it’s incomplete and borderline terrible advice.
It’s possible to achieve a healthy weight AND get pregnant, but this simple adage isn’t how to get there.
Doctors say this often, and we know why.
They are trying to target outcomes like improved insulin resistance, healthy ovulation, and better hormone levels.
But it’s a lazy thing to suggest without 1.) understanding the root cause of someone’s weight gain 2.) giving proper context that any form of caloric restriction can actually block pregnancy.
Do they even know if you’re currently ovulating? Have they even checked your full bloodwork? Maybe the weight is due to a thyroid imbalance or insulin resistance. Plus I know for sure they aren’t asking to see your menstrual cycle chart, but that would be helpful info here too.
Did they tell you that reducing your caloric intake by just 25% can make you STOP ovulating?! 😱
Caloric restriction can hurt pregnancy chances.
Like we mentioned above: caloric restriction hurts fertility, and hurts it fast. Under-eating has been shown to reduce both estrogen and progesterone levels within just 4 menstrual cycles.
Not sure if you’re eating enough for healthy fertility? Look for the following warning signs:
Missed periods
Scant or light periods
Short luteal phase (length from ovulation to next period is 10 days or less)
Mid-cycle or premenstrual spotting
Low basal body temperatures (below 94.7 F)
The moral of the story is: if you’re optimizing for fertility you need to consume enough nutrient-dense food to maintain proper hormone function. This translates to 3 meals per day spaced 3-4 hours apart, with optional snacks if you are hungry or highly active that day.
But can I still safely lose weight?
You may be pleased to learn that a fertility-forward diet can also help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Your focus should be not on eating less, but on prioritizing macronutrients in the following order: 1. protein —> 2. fats —> then 3. carbohydrates.
Protein is triple-effective for weight management because it helps keep you fuller for longer, you hit your calorie needs with less food (thanks to nutrient density), plus your body burns more calories breaking it down compared to other macros. The optimal intake level is 1.5-2.2 g/kg daily from high-quality protein sources. Great sources are pasture-raised. meats, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, cheese, Greek yogurt, nuts & nut butters, beans, and lentils.
The “low fat” movement did a number on our reproductive health (and it’s not a good one). A 2-year study compared woman on a low-fat diet to those on a normal-fat diet, and found 20% lower estrogen and 35% lower progesterone levels in those on the low-fat diet. This makes logical sense because healthy fats are the building blocks for hormones, and fats are naturally found in high quantities within our egg cells and follicular fluid. Add a fat source to every meal, ideally: animal fat (tallow, chicken skin, lard), dairy fat (butter, ghee, heavy cream, cream cheese), and healthy plant fats (olives, coconuts, avocados, nuts, seeds, extra virgin olive oil, and avocado oil).
Finally, carbohydrates should be supportive actors to a meal rather than the star. Most women thrive on a diet where carbs are 15-30% of total calories, yet most of us are eating around 45-65% carbs a day. Let carbs be a feature on your plate, like a whole grain piece of bread or flour tortilla, starchy veg (like potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, green peas, and corn), high-fiber fruits like berries, and dairy products (milk and yogurt).
Creating meals this way will help with your weight goals because it’s going to get to those outcomes we mentioned at the very top of the blog: improved blood sugar control and insulin resistance, healthy ovulation, and optimal hormone levels.
You’ll be achieving these goals in a way that gets you more nutrition-per-calorie and favors food that keeps you full for longer. You’ll also be doing so in a way that does not disrupt your fertility, but actually enhances it.
Key things to remember:
When you’re in a caloric deficit, your body is unable to prioritize healthy fertility or getting pregnant.
Figuring out the root cause of your weight gain (thyroid, insulin resistance, chronic stress, autoimmune disease, gut dysfunction, etc) will help so much more than simply treating it as an energy balance issue.
Know your primary goal. If weight is your biggest goal at the moment, this plan be adapted to get your to your weight goals faster. But if your main goal is trying to get pregnant, eating enough of the right foods will get you to your pregnancy goal faster than simply trying to lose weight.
Written by Michelle Snyder, MS. 10/22/24The information on this website is provided for educational purposes only and should not be treated as medical or spiritual advice. WTT Nutrition makes no guarantees regarding the information provided or how products may work for any individual. If you suffer from a health condition, you should consult your health care practitioner for medical advice before introducing any new products into your health care regimen. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.
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