How To Lose Weight If You Have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder common in women of reproductive age. The hormonal imbalance creates excess testosterone, which leads to a host of symptoms including hair loss, facial hair, irregular periods, acne and difficulty losing weight.

Weight gain and weight loss issues go hand in hand for people with PCOS. There are two main reasons for this: insulin resistance and inflammation. Low-grade chronic inflammation drives insulin resistance further, and both lead to weight gain, specifically in the mid section.

Insulin resistance is when cells in the muscles, fat and liver don’t respond as they should to insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. This results in too much sugar in the bloodstream.

Why It's So Hard To Lose Weight With Pcos

As insulin resistance develops, the body fights back by producing more insulin. High insulin levels can cause excessive hunger, even after eating a whole meal. Excess insulin caused by insulin resistance leads the body to store fat, particularly belly fat. Naturally, these factors make healthy weight loss a challenge!

Not all PCOS Cysters are overweight or obese, but sustainable weight loss can help those who are. However, “eat less and exercise” isn’t helpful advice for women trying to lose weight with PCOS. Over-exercising and restrictive eating can destabilize blood sugar levels, which is a big no-no when trying to manage insulin resistance and lose weight.

Instead, PCOS Cysters need a tailored plan of action that meets their unique dietary and physical needs. Despite the difficulties accompanying Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, it’s possible to manage PCOS symptoms

How To Lose Weight If You Have Pcos? 5 Lifestyle Tips For Overweight Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Please note this blog post is not a substitute for official medical advice. If you are concerned about your PCOS symptoms, suspect you have an underlying health condition, or wish to make dietary/lifestyle changes, please consult your doctor first.

Gluten and dairy are known inflammatory foods, and since PCOS is an inflammatory condition, going gluten and dairy free can give you an edge in fighting that.

Science shows that both gluten and dairy can be addicting, which can contribute to having worsened cravings for them.Gluten has shown to reduce leptin sensitivity by 50%!Leptin is the hormone that tells us that we’re “full” and when we have reduced leptin sensitivity, we feel hungry all the time!

Weighed Down By Pcos

PCOS women are often told to cut out carbs completely because they spike our blood sugar, butthat’s not a very sustainable approach.

, but how and what you eat make a big difference in digestion. For example, if you’re having fish and salad, you could add a side of rice. The healthy fats from the fish and the fiber from the salad will help you slowly absorb the sugar from the rice into your bloodstream and prevent a huge spike in blood sugar.

To learn more about how many carbs are right for your body, I can help you Discover Your Carb tolerance in The Cysterhood.

Tips For Pcos Weight Loss

If you thought the only purpose of fiber was to keep you regular, think again! As well as relieving constipation and filtering out excess hormones, fiber plays a key role in lowering cholesterol and keeping your blood sugar stable, making it easier to lose weight.

Fiber-rich foods not only provide volume but also take longer to digest, making you feel fuller and energized for longer and on fewer calories!

Protein helps to stabilize blood sugar levels and keep insulin down by blunting the absorption of carbohydrates/sugars. Specifically having a high protein breakfast can set you up for having blood sugar stability for the rest of the day.

Here's How You Can Reduce Pcos Induced Belly Fat

Healthy fats like avocado, nuts, flaxseeds and olive oil are also great additions to a PCOS-friendly diet as they can help to reduce inflammation.

, but when we’re grazing throughout the day, our insulin is constantly up. When insulin is high all the time, it blocks the process of fat burning.

As a registered dietitian with PCOS, I suggest having 3 balanced meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) along with one snack in between lunch and dinner. You’re less likely to have cravings throughout the day when your meals are balanced and you’re prepared for your afternoon snack.

What Are Some Of The Symptoms Associated With Pcos?

Processed foods are high in added sugars, calories, salt, fat and additives such as flavor enhancers or thickeners. Sure, we all love the occasional cookie or bag of chips. But a diet high in sugary and processed foods can cause countless health issues, in addition to weight gain and hormonal disruption.

Prepare for your afternoon snack by swapping the processed, sugary snacks for something more balanced, like hummus & veggies. I’ve got plenty of low sugar snack recipes that you can check out in The Cysterhood.

Regular exercise is shown to improve the metabolic and reproductive symptoms associated with PCOS. It’s proven to help improve glucose metabolism and regulate your insulin levels, which is great for weight loss.

The Connection Between Pcos And Insulin Resistance

Along with a nutritious diet, a combination of doing slow, weighted workouts can help improve insulin sensitivity. Lifting weights helps you build muscle, which helps keep your metabolism moving even after your workout.

What’s more, slow, weighted workouts can reduce the stress hormone cortisol. Having high levels of cortisol for a prolonged period can increase insulin. This is why we strongly advise PCOS cysters totry doing slow, weighted workouts.

Last but certainly not least, the importance of rest cannot be overstated! Sleep deprivation, even after one night, exacerbates insulin resistance. Numerous studies have examined the link between sleep and weight. Lack of energy and sleepiness typically leads to a higher sugar and caffeine intake, leading to weight gain and less exercise.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: What It Is, How To Manage It

You should aim for 8-9 hours of sleep a night to reduce stress, maintain a healthy weight, boost your immune system and lower your risk of serious health problems, like diabetes and heart disease.

Losing weight when you have PCOS can be challenging, as many women struggle with sleep disturbances. However, some of the habits you establish during the day, like keeping cortisol low with slow, weighted workouts or maintaining a PCOS friendly diet so you’re not on a blood sugar rollercoaster, can help you get better quality sleep throughout the night.

For more tips on PCOS diet dos and don’ts, check out our podcast, A Cyster and Mister and our handy blog posts on PCOS and chill.I was extremely active and athletic all through elementary school, junior high, and high school. I played soccer, volleyball, tennis, and ran track. But after I got married at 21, the weight struggle began.

Proven Weight Loss Tips For 2023 For Women With Pcos

My weight piled on pretty rapidly, and I was comfortable. Ultimately, my weight gain was due to the way I was eating and my sedentary lifestyle once I was out of school and in my married life. But I would come to find out a few years later, around age 24, that I had PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), and that definitely played a role in my weight gain too.

I told myself and others that it wasn't my fault—I had a condition. But deep down I knew while PCOS definitely contributed to my weight gain (it is a known side effect of the hormone disorder), I was still the one choosing to put certain types of food into my body, and in large amounts.

What's more: My husband and I struggled for years to conceive our daughter Rory (who is now 5), and I started eating emotionally during that time. I was also undergoing fertility testing and treatments. In short, life was just hard for a little while.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (pcos) Diet: How Does It Help, What Foods Are Included, And More

Once I gave birth in May of 2014, I did what most moms do and put my health and my life on the back burner so that I could keep my new human alive and healthy. I would continue to slowly gain weight over the next four years, maxing out at 240 pounds.

Me. I was absolutely miserable and had also developed high blood pressure, high cholesterol, an irregular heartbeat, and was borderline pre-diabetic. My PCOS symptoms were also out of control. I was 24, considered morbidly obese, and was taking two different types of blood pressure meds as well as another Rx for my PCOS. I felt—dare I say it?—pathetic.

What type of example was I setting for my daughter? How would I ever forgive myself if she adapted my eating habits and ended up like me?

Can Weight Loss Help Reduce Pcos Symptoms?

I thought, I knew I would neverbe able to live with myself if that happened. The way I felt about myself, combined with the fear of my daughter picking up my habits, was enough to light a fire underneath me that would lead to me losing 100 pounds in *one year* naturally.

I began with a strict keto diet but only did it for one month. The part of keto that didn't work for me was the extreme list of ingredients that was off-limits. So, I switched to a low-carb, no-sugar way of eating.

I also began intermittent fasting, meaning I didn't eat anything past 8 p.m. and didn't eat again until 12 p.m. the next day. This was easy for me, as I have never been a big breakfast person. I ate 20 grams or less of net carbs a day, and no sugar. I even eliminated fruit. (I know this is not right for everyone, but this worked for me.) I

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