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Cut out trans fats

Weight gain isn’t the only problem with diving into bags of chips and cookies. Increasing trans fat intake by just 2 percent (about 4 grams per day) could increase a woman’s risk of infertility due to anovulation (when ovaries do not release an egg) by as much as 79 percent.

Trans fats make it harder for the body to respond to insulin, and the body reacts by secreting more insulin (this is known as insulin resistance), Chavarro explains. Greater insulin levels influence the levels of other hormones, including many that directly affect ovulation. Focus on monounsaturated fats instead, such as those found in olive and other vegetable oils and foods like avocados, says Chavarro. Monounsaturated fats increase fertility by improving insulin sensitivity and reducing inflammation, he explains.