My temporary lifestyle overhaul

I finished reading my book last night, and am currently in a sort of "mental-prep" stage before starting in on all the diet and lifestyle changes recommended for the "S.tuc.k" fertility type. I plan on starting the diet next week, and easing into the other changes until then. Maybe this prep time will help me actually stick with it! As a disclaimer/reminder (to myself as much as anyone else), this is only a three-month program, what the book refers to as a "pre-me.ster," designed to optimize fertility and prepare your body for pregnancy.

Let me just "throw" in "a few" more "quotation marks." Okay, that's better. (I mean "better." Okay, for real now, I'm done.)

Before I lay out what the book wants me to do, I think I'll give you a little idea of what my diet and lifestyle are currently like:

Diet: I love bread, carbs, starch in general. Love, love, LOVE it. And cheese. Those are like, my two main sources of sustenance. Lean meats (including fish - as long as sushi counts) and cheese make up my protein intake, which is about half of my carb intake. Veggies only exist in my world as toppings on a sandwich or the occasional side salad or stir-fry. I eat fast food several times a week. I skip breakfast more often than not.

Exercise: What's that?

Lifestyle: I drink alcohol (mostly wine, also beer, and rarely hard liquor) relatively regularly, about 4 times a week... maybe 5. I usually have 2 (large) glasses when I drink during the week, more on the weekends. I'm an anxious, stress-ridden person, and I admit that I somtimes use alcohol to combat that. Before starting acupuncture and the Ci.rcle+Bl.oom program, I didn't do much to try to alleviate my stress. I drink coffee on average once a week, I never drink sodas, and I rarely drink other sweetened drinks.

Supplements: I am the proud owner of prenatal vitamins, royal jelly, B complex, fish oil, and raspberry leaf tea... Unfortunately I forget to take all of those things about half the time. (In fact, writing that made me remember that I forgot to take them today.) I forget to take my TCM herbs about 1/4 the time. I drink green tea every morning.

Got all that? I'm a hot mess, I know. Just let that marinate for a few seconds...

Okay, now that it's sunk in how horribly unhealthy I am, here's a quick rundown on what they want me to do for the next 3 months:

Diet: 60% of my diet should be fruits and veggies (cooked lightly), 30% whole grains - a variety, and 10% lean protein, preferably plant-based. But no soy. Avoid dairy and refined sugars, and in particular avoid processed foods. Whenever possible, all these things should be fresh and organic.

Exercise: Moderate aerobic exercise most of my cycle, walking or yoga during menstruation.

Lifestyle: Avoid alcohol, and (huge emphasis on this) do everything possible to reduce stress in a healthy way. Make time for food - no eating on the run, or when I'm stressed or upset.

Supplements: I can't remember all of them, but the ones I do remember are: drink hot water with lemon in the morning, take evening primrose oil and B complex. Hey at least I already have the B complex sitting in my cabinet!

The good news is the book encourages you to cheat at least once a week. They say, "80% is perfection." Meaning if you're following the guidelines 80% of the time you're golden. Thank goodness because life without Taco Bell is no life at all!

I don't expect this pre-m.ester (haha, I think that term is so funny) to miraculously make me fertile, so I'm also planning on talking to my parents about helping us out financially with treatments. Although just the thought still makes me nervous, I find that I'm getting more and more discouraged with TTC, and I think I'm almost ready to be done. However, I don't think I can call it quits until I reach my personal limits of what I'm willing to try. (Let's just hope I don't also meet the limits of my wits while I'm at it!)

And hey, I'm probably not supposed to do this, but if anyone wants more information about their fertility type(s) (see yesterday's post) let me know and I'll e-mail you what the book says :)