A tough decision - Get pregnant or lose weight?

culled from:tescohealthandwellbeing.com

Overweight women may find it more difficult to conceive, so what is the right strategy for losing weight before starting a family? The first point to remember is that balance is key, as you want to ensure you get a variety of essential vitamins and nutrients to stay healthy.
Ideally, women should have a body mass index of between 18.5 and 25 before they try to conceive. If you exceed this range and are planning to get pregnant, talk to your GP or nutritionist about setting a weight loss goal. It is worth keeping in mind that you should aim for no more than 1kg (2.5lbs) of weight loss per week and don't use extreme diets to hurry up the process as this can put your body under pressure and could cause irreversible damage. Not what you want before you try to have a baby.

The importance of folic acid

Rather than trying out a fad diet which could deprive your body of valuable nutrients, opt for balanced meals packed with vegetables, protein and good carbohydrates. Green leafy vegetables and brown rice are especially important as they can help boost your folic acid intake.
The NHS recommends taking 400 micrograms of folic acid every day when trying to conceive, as well as 12 weeks into the pregnancy to help prevent the threat of birth defects including Spina Bifida. On the other hand, the health service suggests steering clear of any supplements containing vitamin A as these may harm the baby.

Incorporating exercise

As well as consuming a nutrient-rich, low-fat diet in an effort to lose weight, you should also follow a healthy exercise regime. Government guidelines suggest getting 150 minutes per week or 30 minutes five days per week. This can be split throughout the day so you could try a strength training workout in the morning and a light run or walk in the evening. It's best to devise a plan that suits you and your lifestyle rather than an unrealistic one that you know you won't follow through on.
Overweight women will find that healthy weight loss will improve the regularity of their periods, which in turn should help with conception. However, speaking to a GP or nutritionist is also paramount to ensure the right goal is set and the best procedures are taken.