Have you heard of the ketogenic diet?
Over the years of IVF cycles I have done a lot of research of what diet supports IVF.
A ketogenic diet is high in fat, moderate intake of protein and low carbs (I try and stick to 20-23 grams a day.
Keto puts your body into a natural metabolic state called ketosis. It’s amazing after doing my homework I have read up how changing to keto changes your body to burn fat for energy instead of carbs/sugar.
Did you know that fat doesn’t make you fat. For me to be successful with a keto diet, I’ve had to train my brain again that fat is not bad and that fat won’t make me fat. In my family mum and dad were always on low fat diets, it must be a 90’s thing but I think in today’s society the health and fitness and wellbeing industry has grown so much and people are so much more woke on how to become fitter and healthier. Low fat foods are actually bad for you, they tend to have more sweeteners and sugars. Some sweeteners are so detrimental for fertility. Why would you want to pump your body with chemicals that have been made in a lab? I’d rather eat good fats like salmon, avocados, nuts, cheeses, olive oil etc. I’ve also found that changing to keto has stopped my sugar cravings and made me feel fuller for longer.
Instead of burning carbs, I am trying to get my body to break down stored fat which is a more consistent form of energy. I’m literally turning my body from a sugar burner to a fat burner
Benefits
Controlling epilepsy and PCOS
Promoting weight loss
Stabilising blood sugar level
Helping women with conceive with IVF
When you have hormone imbalances from a poor diet It can play a huge toll on the reproductive system. Sperm and egg cells may not function the way they should, therefore, causing miscarriages.
In fact, some clinics will tell both women and men to lower their carbohydrate intake and increase the fat and protein in their diet to naturally enhance the health and fertility of their eggs and sperm before undergoing fertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization (IVF). Adding a low-carb diet along side medical treatments may increase your chances to better quality eggs, more fertilised embryos, higher rates of implantation, and more successful pregnancies while undergoing IVF.
Did you know many moons ago I was a personal trainer so I’ve educated myself over a decade ago that the body breaks carbs down into sugar (glucose) so even having chips and bread turn into sugar. I do not recommend losing weight while pregnant or breastfeeding. You store toxins in your fat cells.
I recommend the free app called Carb Manager to log your foods. It’s great because you can scan your food with the barcode from most packaging. They make Keto easy and have great recipes.
Here’s an example of what what a typical week may look like for me now -
Day 1
Breakfast Scrambled eggs in butter on a bed of lettuce topped with avocado
Snack Sunflower seeds
Lunch Spinach salad with grilled salmon
Snack Celery and pepper strips dipped in guacamole
Dinner Pork chop with cauliflower mash and red cabbage slaw
Day 2
Breakfast Bulletproof coffee (made with butter and coconut oil), hard-boiled eggs
Snack Macadamia nuts
Lunch Tuna salad stuffed in tomatoes
Snack Roast beef and sliced cheese roll-ups
Dinner Meatballs on zucchini noodles, topped with cream sauce
Day 3
Breakfast Cheese and veggie omelet topped with salsa
Snack Plain, full-fat Greek yogurt topped with crushed pecans
Lunch Sashimi take away with miso soup
Snack Smoothie made with almond milk, greens, almond butter, and protein powder
Dinner Roasted chicken with asparagus and sautéed mushrooms
Day 4
Breakfast Smoothie made with almond milk, greens, almond butter, and protein powder
Snack Two hard-boiled eggs
Lunch Chicken tenders made with almond flour on a bed of greens with cucumbers and goat cheese
Snack Sliced cheese and bell pepper slices
Dinner Grilled prawns topped with a lemon butter sauce with a side of asparagus
Day 5
Breakfast Fried eggs with bacon and a side of greens
Snack A handful of walnuts with a quarter cup of berries
Lunch Grass-fed burger in a lettuce “bun” topped with avocado and a side salad
Snack Celery sticks dipped in almond butter
Dinner Baked tofu with cauliflower rice, broccoli, and peppers, topped with a homemade peanut sauce
Day 6
Breakfast Baked eggs in avocado cups
Snack Kale chips
Lunch Poached salmon avocado rolls wrapped in seaweed (rice-free)
Snack Meat- keto bar (bought on amazon)
Dinner Grilled beef kebabs with peppers and sautéed broccolini
Day 7
Breakfast Eggs scrambled with veggies, topped with salsa
Snack Dried seaweed and cheese
Lunch Sardine salad made with mayo in half an avocado
Snack coffee with full fat milk
Dinner Spag Bol with Aldi no carb black bean pasta
Day 8
Breakfast Smoothie made with almond milk, greens, almond butter, and protein powder
Snack Two hard-boiled eggs
Lunch Chicken breast made with almond flour on a bed of greens with cucumbers and goat cheese
Snack Sliced cheese and bell pepper slices
Dinner Grilled prawns topped with a lemon butter sauce with a side of asparagus
Day 9
Breakfast Fried eggs with bacon and a side of greens
Snack A handful of walnuts with a quarter cup of berries
Lunch Grass-fed burger in a lettuce “bun” topped with avocado and a side salad
Snack Celery Nush yogurt found in M&S and Waitrose
Dinner Keto pizza
Day 10
Breakfast Baked eggs in avocado cups
Snack kale chips
Lunch Poached salmon avocado rolls wrapped in seaweed (rice-free)
Dinner - Tuna salad with boiled eggs
Love and light
Nikki xoxo