Ideal Protein Helps You Lose Weight to Get Pregnant

Patients who are having trouble getting pregnant and are overweight frequently hear from their doctors that they need to lose weight to get pregnant. Overweight is a common cause of infertility. In fact, many doctors will not start fertility treatments until the patient loses the needed amount of weight. A report from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine Practice Committee explains more about why some people need to lose weight to get pregnant.

Processed foods today are among reasons leading to infertility. The Ideal Protein diet reverses that effect by removing toxins and getting the body back to organ and system efficiency. Of those patients who started Ideal Protein and stayed on it until they met their weight loss goal, 98% became pregnant. Some having been on Ideal Protein even got pregnant naturally before ever starting treatment. It is an extremely efficient and effective way to lose weight to get pregnant.

Ideal Protein is a personal, one-on-one program that includes the patient working with a health coach. It consists of four phases, which lead to a lasting healthy lifestyle. On typical diets, people lose weight, but often gradually go back to their past habits and gain the weight back—plus more, since many have lost muscle as well. That's how the yo-yo diet happens.

Here are the four phases of the Ideal Protein diet that help patients establish a healthy lifestyle and avoid future weight gain:

• Phase 1 is a low carb, low fat, low sugars, sustainable diet with the right amount of protein to maintain your muscle mass while losing weight. The program includes a daily breakfast, lunch and snack to ensure your success. Between these provided foods and foods that are required as well as restricted, your body will be in the healthy state of ketosis which enables your body to use your stored fat as fuel. The weight loss is steady; women lose 2-3 lbs per week, men lose 3 - 5 lbs per week. You will remain in Phase 1 until you reach your weight loss goal.

• Phase 2 is making a gradual adjustment to your system by exchanged your lunch for additional protein which gets your metabolism working more efficiently to burn calories, this phase is only for two weeks and is essential to prepare your body for the next phase.

• Phase 3 is a concept unique to this weight loss method and is arguably the most important part of the method. This phase always lasts for two weeks. In this phase, a morning meal is added, which re-introduces fats, carbs and sugars in a limited and controlled manner to slowly increase the caloric intake so that your metabolism can keep up with the increase of fuel. This "re-starts" the pancreas's production of insulin and actually "trains" the organ to produce the correct amount of insulin in response to the carbohydrates that are consumed. This addresses the problem of hyperinsulinemia, a condition which many experts feel is the root cause of metabolic syndrome or syndrome X.

• Phase 4 is the time to enjoy freedom while maintaining your new shape! Accountability continues with this 12-month winding down phase. You continue to be supported with discussions, tips, hints, dietary structure and basic principles of the Ideal Lifestyle. The knowledge you gain will start the next generation healthy!

Many women ask what they'll do if they get pregnant in Phase 1. This has happened with many of our patients at InVia Fertility. We take them out of Phase 1 and proceed to Phases 2, 3 and 4, which are not only safe for mom and baby, but healthy for both. We even have a maintenance protein shake that is approved for pregnancy. The Health Coach provides pregnant women further support, sending them off with a list of good and important foods to eat while pregnant as well as those that you should avoid or are potentially dangerous. After birth and breastfeeding, moms start meeting again with their Health Coach to lose their "baby fat" and to continue where they left off in reaching their weight loss goal.

The result? Hot, healthy mamas!

To work with a fertility team that includes your own Health Coach to help you get pregnant and stay healthy, make an appointment at one of our four Chicago area fertility clinics.