BONUS EPISODE: Weight, Nutrition & the Road to Conception

A branded mini series in partnership with Wild Nutrition, celebrating the launch of The Fertility Disconnect report.

Weight and fertility is one of the most charged, confusing and often poorly handled topics in reproductive health. I have spoken to so many people who have been told to lose weight in order to access funded treatment, sent away with no guidance on how to actually do that. And all the while, the internet is full of conflicting advice, fad diets and quick fixes that can make the whole thing feel completely overwhelming.

In this second episode of the Wild Nutrition mini series, I am joined again by Gail Madalena, fertility and cycle health specialist and registered nutritional therapist, to cut through the noise. They cover everything from ultra-processed foods and GLP-1 medications to mitochondrial health, exercise, rest, and how to actually rebuild your body between cycles.

This is not about restriction or guilt. It is about understanding what your body actually needs and finding an approach you can sustain. I hope it helps.

What we discuss in this episode:

• Why the weight and fertility conversation is so often handled badly by medical professionals
• The stigma around weight and why so many people feel they are not being taken seriously
• Why BMI is such a divisive and limited measure of health
• What metabolic health actually means and why it matters so much for fertility
• The problem with fad diets and starvation mode when trying to conceive
• Ultra-processed foods: what the research actually says about their impact on fertility
• The stat from The Fertility Disconnect report: over 60% of the average UK diet is made up of ultra-processed foods
• How UPFs drive inflammation, oxidative stress and poor sperm and egg quality
• Practical strategies for reducing ultra-processed foods without overhauling your whole life
• What mitochondria are and why they are central to egg quality and early embryo development
• Why the egg is the largest cell in the body and demands an enormous amount of energy to ovulate
• How blood sugar balance, antioxidants and healthy fats support mitochondrial health
• GLP-1 medications: what people trying to conceive really need to understand
• When GLP-1s can be a useful preconception tool and when to stop taking them
• How to protect nutrient status and hormone health while using GLP-1s
• Exercise and fertility: why high intensity training can elevate cortisol and affect progesterone
• Why strength training and daily walking may serve you better than five gym sessions a week
• The vagal nerve and why switching on your parasympathetic nervous system matters for conception
• Mindfulness, rest and recovery: finding what actually works for you
• Environmental and lifestyle factors: starting small rather than overhauling everything at once
• Rebuilding nutrient stores between cycles and why recovery time is often overlooked
• Why being kind to yourself is not soft advice, it is clinical advice

A note on GLP-1 medications

GLP-1s came up in consultations with Wild Nutrition clients frequently enough that Gail wanted to address them directly. The key things to know if you are trying to conceive:

• You cannot take GLP-1 medications while actively trying to conceive
• In the preconception window, they can be a useful tool for shifting weight, reducing inflammation and supporting metabolic health, particularly for those with PCOS, endometriosis or fibroids
• Aim for gradual, micro-dosed weight loss rather than rapid loss
• Prioritise protein intake, movement and nutrient density while taking them
• Coming off them requires a plan to maintain the healthy habits built during that period

Links mentioned in this episode

The Fertility Disconnect report by Wild Nutrition:

• Download the full report at wildnutrition.com/fertilitypodcast

Free fertility consultation with Wild Nutrition:

• Book your free one-to-one with a nutritional therapist at wildnutrition.com/fertilitypodcast

Exclusive listener offer:

• 50% off Wild Nutrition supplements for 3 months
• A free personal consultation with an expert nutritional therapist

Visit wildnutrition.com/fertilitypodcast to get started. Terms and conditions apply.

About Gail Madalena

Gail Madalena is a fertility and cycle health specialist and registered nutritional therapist with deep expertise in IVF, recurrent miscarriage and unexplained infertility. She combines advanced functional medicine training with her own lived experience of a three-year conception journey and works with Wild Nutrition to offer personalised consultations for those trying to conceive.

About this mini series

This is a three-part branded mini series in partnership with Wild Nutrition. If you missed the first episode, go back and listen:

• Episode 1: Understanding Your Fertility Health
• Episode 3: Secondary Infertility: The Hidden Struggle (coming next)

Thank you, as always, for your ear holes. Until next time 💛