Where do I begin?  I have been here before … It seems like a long time ago that I was on my diet.  All the memories are coming back now, going to a restaurant and looking at the menu not being able to eat that much.  I remember thinking, wow – I am now that super picky eater, requesting special substitutions and asking a ton of questions of how the food is cooked! Here I am again.

The basic breakdown of my previous fertility diet was pretty straight forward:

• no caffeine
• no dairy
• no refined sugars or sweeteners (this includes agave)
• no carbs
• no alcohol

This time around, I will be following basically the same diet with the exception of eating eggs, honey and I’ll be a little more flexible with the carbs, eating grains and brown rice.  The hardest for me will be the coffee.  This is not because I need it for the caffeine, I really enjoy the art and craft of a good cup of coffee.  If it’s not a quality cup, I won’t drink it (not to be snobbish) .. but it’s just not worth it to me, since I am not drinking it for the caffeine but for the taste and experience.  This explains how I see coffee as my “treat” every day.  Some people have chocolate, some have a glass of wine, my treat has been coffee.  I am no stranger to stopping coffee though, I did for well over a year previously on my first journey.  So, I know I can do this and I am going to make it fun by considering it a chance to experiment and be creative with alternatives to coffee.   I already started trying to create my own version of a turmeric latte at home that does not have sweeteners in it.  Wish me luck!

I use to joke that my instagram account was all about coffee and babies (that’s how much I love coffee!! .. haha)

In reality, this diet shouldn’t be called a “diet”, but be considered how I should be eating.  Of course, I don’t want to be as strict about it, but all the things that I am omitting from my diet are things that I probably should decrease intake even if I wasn’t trying for #2.  I will say that after doing this diet the first time around it has changed my eating habits.  I now am super aware of the ingredients in products and if I see a product with an endless amount of chemical ingredients, I instantly put it down and don’t even consider it.  Sugar also tastes different to me.  I remember experiencing refined sugar after I went off the diet last time around, and it tasted awful to me.  I was super aware of the sugar in the product I was consuming, it tasted artificial.

It’s strange when I think about it but in a way I am grateful not only for my daughter and being able to have her but I am grateful for the struggle that it took to have her.  I learned so much about myself along the way, became more aware of others hardships and became even healthier in mind and body.  Not so bad right?  I would not have experienced or appreciated any of the above as much, if I had had an easy pregnancy.  I am the person I am today because of this struggle and I think I am a better person than I was previous to this.  Funny how things work out.

With that … LET’S DO THIS!! Here’s to feeling/being healthier, having more energy and to miracle babies!!

(and of course, if you have delicious alternatives to coffee .. let me know!! I’m on a mission!!! )

View my last coffee (cortado) on FB Live before the official start of this fertility diet: