One of the loveliest parts of my job is receiving a message several months after a client has completed their programme simply saying, “Pippa, I’m pregnant.”
After more than sixteen years working in nutrition and behavioural change, those messages never lose their magic.
Every client arrives with a different goal and a different story. Some want more energy, some want to improve their body composition, some want to reduce their stress, some are preparing for menopause and others simply want to give themselves the very best chance of starting a family.
Whatever the goal, my role is always the same: helping people create a healthier body and a healthier life.
Why fertility is about creating the healthiest possible foundation
I can never promise somebody they will become pregnant because fertility is influenced by many factors, many of which are completely outside our control.
What I can do is help people create the healthiest possible environment for conception by improving their body composition, nutrition, lifestyle, sleep, stress levels and overall health.
Every year I’m delighted to see several clients achieve pregnancy after making those changes, and sharing that journey with them is one of the greatest privileges of my career.
Why fertility is not only a woman’s issue
Interestingly, although it is almost always the woman who books the appointment, very quickly the conversation becomes about both partners because fertility is rarely just a woman’s issue.
Male fertility plays an equally important role, and one of the first things I explain is that creating a healthy pregnancy often starts with creating two healthy people.
Current fertility guidance also recommends considering the health of both partners when trying to conceive.
Why lifestyle matters when trying to conceive
One of the biggest misconceptions is that fertility is simply about age.
Age certainly plays an important role, but it is only one piece of a much larger picture.
Body composition, nutrition, sleep, stress, movement, alcohol, smoking, overall metabolic health and emotional wellbeing can all influence fertility.
None of these guarantees pregnancy, but together they help create the healthiest possible environment for conception.
Why body composition matters before pregnancy
This is why I always begin by looking at body composition rather than simply body weight.
Your smart scale tells me far more than the number on your bathroom scales ever could. I want to understand your skeletal muscle, visceral fat, subcutaneous fat, metabolic age, hydration, protein levels and the way your body is functioning as a whole.
Two women can weigh exactly the same yet have completely different body compositions and very different metabolic health.
If you would like to understand this in more detail, I explain it here: Weight loss vs body composition: why the scales don’t tell the full story.
How weight can affect fertility and reproductive health
For clients who are carrying excess body fat, improving body composition can make a significant difference to overall health and, for some people, fertility too.
Likewise, being underweight can also affect reproductive health.
National guidance recommends achieving a healthy weight before pregnancy wherever possible because it benefits both fertility and pregnancy outcomes.
Why stress can affect the fertility journey
Stress is another area I spend a great deal of time discussing because trying to conceive can become one of the most emotionally demanding periods in a person’s life.
Month after month, many couples experience hope followed by disappointment, and over time that emotional rollercoaster affects confidence, relationships, sleep and everyday wellbeing.
If stress is something you recognise in your own life, you may also find this article helpful: Can stress stop you losing weight? Why stress, fight-or-flight and food cravings make weight loss so much harder.
Why living in fight-or-flight can make healthy habits harder
Regular readers of my articles will know that I often use Carl Jung’s archetypes when discussing stress.
I frequently see clients living almost permanently as the Warrior, constantly solving problems, worrying about tomorrow and rarely allowing themselves permission to stop.
Our bodies are incredibly good at dealing with short bursts of stress, but many people today spend months or even years living in a constant state of fight-or-flight.
When we remain in that state for long periods, we often sleep less, recover less effectively and make different food choices. We don’t suddenly forget everything we know about healthy eating; we’re simply mentally exhausted.
Highly processed starchy and sugary foods become far more appealing because they provide quick comfort at a time when our minds are already overloaded.
How the Magician, Lover and Monarch can help
Part of my role is helping clients move away from permanent Warrior mode towards the Magician, the Lover and the Monarch.
The Magician gains perspective and practises gratitude instead of panic.
The Lover remembers that spending time with family, meeting a friend for lunch, reading a book or simply laughing is not time wasted but part of looking after ourselves.
The Monarch becomes the strategist, deciding what genuinely matters today instead of trying to complete an endless list of tasks.
Although these ideas come from psychology rather than fertility medicine, I have found them incredibly valuable in helping clients feel calmer, sleep better and approach the whole fertility journey with greater confidence and resilience.
What to eat when preparing for pregnancy
Nutrition remains an important part of the picture.
Rather than following the latest trend or looking for a quick fix, I encourage clients to build meals around plenty of vegetables, fruit, salads, herbs, spices, pulses, seeds, healthy fats and good-quality protein so they are nourishing their body consistently every day.
Small changes, repeated consistently over time, almost always achieve more than dramatic changes that are impossible to maintain.
If you would like support creating a healthier, more sustainable way of eating, you may also find my Reclaim Your Life programme helpful.
Why movement supports body composition and long-term health
Movement is equally important, although perhaps not in the way many people expect.
My focus is on helping clients improve their body composition, maintain healthy skeletal muscle and enjoy movement that fits naturally into everyday life because healthy bodies are built through consistency, not extremes.
Why men need to be part of the fertility conversation too
One conversation I always have is about men.
Too often the responsibility for fertility falls entirely on the woman, yet male fertility contributes to around half of fertility problems experienced by couples.
Supporting the health of both partners almost always gives couples the best possible foundation.
Why there is often more to optimise than people realise
Many of the women I see have already been told to “just keep trying” or “try to relax”.
Whilst those comments are usually well meaning, I believe there is often far more we can optimise.
Body composition, nutrition, stress, sleep, movement, gut health and emotional wellbeing all interact.
Looking at each of these areas together allows us to build the strongest possible foundation for conception, pregnancy and the months that follow.
Why these changes matter beyond fertility
One of the things I enjoy most about this area of my work is that these changes don’t simply support fertility.
They often improve energy, confidence, body composition, resilience and long-term health as well.
Whether somebody conceives naturally, goes on to fertility treatment or simply wants to become the healthiest version of themselves before starting a family, those improvements are worthwhile in their own right.
For me, that has always been the aim. Helping people become healthier, stronger, happier and more resilient, whatever their reason for walking through my door.
Pregnancy is simply one of the many wonderful outcomes I sometimes have the privilege of celebrating alongside my clients.
Sometimes, months after we’ve finished working together, my phone lights up with the simplest of messages.
“Pippa… I’m pregnant.”
If you would like personal support improving your nutrition, body composition, lifestyle and long-term health, you can find out more about working with me here.
