The AFA Blog

New Year's Resolutions

by Merry Armentrout

I've noticed a pattern in my New Year's Resolutions- they're always the same. Eat healthier, lose weight and exercise.  I'm already justifying my bad eating habits over the holidays with the promise for a new year, new you attitude.  I've made a decision. This year will be different. I mean it!

It started this morning over breakfast.  Instead of using the holdiays as an excuse to eat unending calories, I chose egg whites, wheat toast and fruit instead of the french toast with real Vermont maple syrup and whip cream...not an easy thing to do.  Don't get me wrong, I've had my fair share of rich and delicious food choices over the holiday, but enough is enough.

There are a number of articles citing the importance of health and fertility. The female body is most likely to conceive when it is within 15% the ideal weight. So if you're looking to get pregnant, losing weight shouldn't be just a New Year's Resolution- it should be something to strive for year round.  

As 2011 approaches, end 2010 on a positive note. Don't use the last few days as a pig fest, use it as a way kick-start your body and health.  During infertility, so many things are out of your control.  That's why it's important to control the things you can- your health, mindset and mood.  It's important to make sure you're getting adequate vitamins, including folic acid- for your health, and your future baby's health as well. Folic acid supplementation is particularly important since studies have shown that adequate stores of folic acid can greatly reduce the risk of neural tube defects in the fetus.  It's best to get vitamins through food- focusing on lots of fruits, vegetables, grains and lean protein can help you get the nutrients you need.  A vitamin supplement is always a good back-up plan.

If you're a smoker, than a perfect New Year's Resolution is to quit!  The Attain IVF website has a great article on the 5 Facts About Smoking and Infertility.  Bottom line, it's bad for you, your fertility and a baby.  Smoking also effects infertility treatments- such as IVF, and smokers have an increase risk for miscarriage. 

The New Year is a great time to focus on a new you.  This year I'm forgoing a resolution.  I don't have to wait until December 31st to eat healthy- I will start now.  Here's to a Healthy and Happy 2011!

 

Combating Infertility

By: Stephanie Himel-Nelson

 You may read me on the Attainblog and on the Attain Fertility Facebook page.  If so, you  probably have this picture in your head of what I look like and how I sound, so I thought I’d share the real me with you in my first Video Blog for Attain Fertility.  In this video, I tell you a bit about the Attain Great Expectations Fertility Trivia Challenge!

I’m pretty excited about this because I love anything that might possibly be considered a contest and I know a boat load (that’s a technical term) about infertility. I’m not competitive at all. Just ignore my nose growing by leaps and bounds….

The Great Expectations Fertility Trivia Challenge is running through the end of January and you can enter every. single. day.  Every time you take the challenge, you’ll be entered into a random drawing for some really cool prizes.  Attain will be giving away $1000 that you can use for a shopping spree or a spa getaway and is also giving away 25 Kindles with Amazon gift certificates, to celebrate Attain Fertility’s 25th anniversary!

You can enter every day. I’m pretty sure you’ll learn something too.  Despite my insistence that I know everything, I’ve gotten quite a few questions wrong.  (Don’t tell!)  But, I’ve also learned the correct answers about quite a few fertility topics.

You can take the challenge every day at http://attainfertility.com/challenge.