Is the Slimming World diet safe while trying to conceive (TTC)?
Juliet Blank
Associate EditorIf you’re trying to get pregnant, you might be wondering if it’s safe to diet when you’re TTC. Especially if you’re already following a specific weight loss plan like Slimming World. And can losing weight REALLY help with fertility?
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Is Slimming World safe to follow when you're TTC?
Many of our Netmums members are on the Slimming World diet – which lets you eat as many ‘free foods’ like lean meat and vegetables as you want.
And a hot topic in the Netmums forum is dieting when you’re TTC. (You can find out all about the Slimming World diet here.)
So is it safe to lose weight when you’re trying for a baby? And how much weight do you need to lose to get pregnant?
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Is it okay to diet while trying to conceive?
First up, is it safe to diet when you're trying to get pregnant?
Fertility expert, Professor Adam Balen told Netmums:
'Yes, but it's best not to do anything too drastic. Have a variety of food types in your diet, combined with sensible control of calories and exercise.'
Can losing weight help with fertility?
In a word, yes. There is evidence that being overweight can contribute to period problems, hormonal imbalances and irregular ovulation. This in turn can mean problems with your fertility.
Professor Balen says:
'Overweight women experience menstrual cycle disturbance and are up to three times more likely not to ovulate than women of normal weight.'
All of which means that if you're overweight, losing weight could help you conceive.
On its website, Slimming World advocates the following official advice.
It says:
'If you are overweight and thinking of starting a family, the best advice is to follow the guidance released by the government’s health advisory body for England and Wales, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), and get down to a healthy weight before trying to conceive – of course you can always carry on practising in the meantime!'
If you suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which affects up to 10 percent of women and can cause infertility, losing weight could help you get pregnant.
Studies have shown that losing 10% of your body weight (if you’re overweight) can help reduce the symptoms of PCOS.
How does Slimming World work if you're TTC?
If you're trying to get pregnant, you can follow the same Slimming World plan as other slimmers. This includes unlimited fruit, vegetables, potatoes, lean meats and pasta.
You are also allowed two measured portions of Healthy Extras a day (including cheese, milk and bread) and up to 15 Syns. These include chocolate, nuts and crips.
Find out more about Syns here.
‘Following a healthy, balanced diet, which helps you lose weight and gives you all the nutrients you need, can help rebalance hormones and improve your fertility, and so increase your chances of becoming pregnant,’ says Slimming World nutritionist, Jenny Barber.
'Slimming World sees many members who find that by losing weight at a healthy rate, they are able to get pregnant – in fact, many say it’s the reason they joined!’ she adds.
If you're TTC you'll also be encouraged to join the Body Magic programme.
This aims to get you active for 30 minutes a day, five days a week. Activities can include hitting the gym or simply going for a walk.
It’s important you tell your consultant (the person who leads your Slimming World group) when you get pregnant so you can start following the pregnancy Slimming World plan.
Here are three key points about the Slimming World diet when you're trying to conceive:
1 You can still have Syns
There are no ‘forbidden foods’ on the Slimming World diet.
Instead, you are allowed between five and 15 Syns a day. These are the things you love that aren’t necessarily healthy – like wine and chocolate.
This stays the same if you’re trying to get pregnant.
However, it’s worth noting that UK alcohol unit guidelines recommend that women trying to get pregnant should not drink alcohol at all. This is to keep health risks to the baby as low as possible.
2 Your calorie intake stays the same
On the Slimming World diet you don’t have to count calories. Instead, you can eat as many free foods as you like (including fruit, vegetables, pulses and lean meats).
You can also have two ‘Healthy Extras’ a day - one that is calcium-rich (like cheese) and one that is fibre-rich (like bread).
These amounts stay the same when you’re TTC.
3 The amount of calcium you need stays the same
For any adult over the age of 19, the UK reference nutrient intake (RNI) for calcium – in other words, the recommended amount – is 700mg a day. This stays same when you’re trying to conceive – and when you’re pregnant.
On Slimming World, you are limited in the amount of foods like cheese and milk you can have a day - for example, the plan only allows for 250ml of semi-skimmed milk or 28g full fat hard cheese.
But you can get enough of this vital nutrient for pregnancy from other calcium-rich foods like green leafy vegetables, tofu, oranges and almonds.
(Although bear in mind that 10 almonds counts as 8.5 Syns.)
What should you eat when you’re trying to get pregnant?
If you’re trying to conceive, you’re advised to eat a healthy diet including:
- Fruit and vegetables (five a day).
- Starchy foods including fibre-rich wholegrain pasta and brown rice.
- Beans, pulses, fish, eggs, lean meat and other proteins.
- Foods rich in folic acid.
- Calcium-rich foods, including milk and cheese.
Which means it's good news if you’re TTC and thinking of joining Slimming World – you can eat all these foods on the plan.
How much should you weigh if you're trying to conceive?
If you're TTC, it's a good idea to work out your body mass index (BMI) as this will tell you if you're overweight or even obese for your height. You'll then be able to bring that number down to a safer level with a healthy eating plan.
NHS guidelines advise that a BMI of over 30 or under 19 can affect fertility, with the safest range being between 20 and 25.
However, the NHS also states that, regardless of your BMI, you should try to lose weight if your waist is 80cm (31.5ins) or more.
At Slimming World, you set your own target weight. Their advice is that by reducing your weight by just five to 10 percent you could help improve your fertility.
As such, this is a good starting point to pick your target weight. They also have charts available for members to use as a guide if they want to aim for the ‘healthy’ BMI range of 20-25.
Men should also think about losing some weight when TTC.
Find out what he needs to know to get pregnant here.
How to find your nearest Slimming World club
There are 16,000 clubs across the UK. You can find your nearest club here.
When you join, you'll be given the nearest Slimming World groups to your postcode, complete with location, map and details of your Slimming World consultant.
Have you been on Slimming World when you've been TTC? Let us know in the chat thread below ...
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