Losing Weight When You Have Pcos

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 women 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 midsection.

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. 

F/32/5'7 [350 > 250 = 100] For Some Like Me With Pcos, If You're Not Losing Weight, You're Gaining Weight. Progress, Not Perfection. I'm Not Done Yet.

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 PCOS 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 struggling 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

I Ate A Pcos Diet To Manage Pcos, Hypothyroidism And Lost 110 Lbs'

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 been 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!

Women Share How Mounjaro And Ozempic Can Ease Pcos Symptoms

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 makes 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 Losing Weight With Pcos (that Won't Cost You A Cent)

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 with 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.

Tips For Losing Weight With Pcos

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.

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

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. However 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 physical activity 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. 

How To Lose Weight When You Have Pcos: 8 Science Backed Tips

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. 

How To Lose Weight With Pcos Naturally

Losing weight can be tough, and navigating the symptoms of PCOS can make it even tougher. That’s why it’s so important to surround yourself with a supportive community that understands what you’re going through. Consider joining a PCOS support group or finding a friend who is also looking to improve their health. Having someone to talk to and rely on can make all the difference.

PCOS is often accompanied by insulin resistance and weight gain, making it all the more challenging to shed the pounds. Speaking to a healthcare professional who specializes in PCOS can provide you with personalized advice on diet, exercise, and medication that could be beneficial for people with PCOS. They can also assess your cortisol levels to ensure that your weight loss plan takes your unique needs into account. Additionally, discussing sleep apnea and other health conditions can assist long term goals. Start your journey with guidance and support from healthcare professionals who know how to manage PCOS.

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.

How To Successfully Lose Weight With Pcos

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.PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) is a common endocrine disorder that affects how the ovaries work. Symptoms include hair loss, acne, inflammation, and weight gain. 

I got diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome pretty quickly, which is actually very uncommon among people with PCOS. It was right after I had a ruptured ovarian cyst, which was so painful that I ended up in the hospital! After my hospital visit, I went to the gynecologist who formally diagnosed me. Women with PCOS are often diagnosed based on whether they have ovarian cysts, however, this isn’t the only diagnostic criterion.

How To Lose Weight With Pcos?

I had all these symptoms, although I don’t remember being asked during my appointment. The next thing my doctor did was offer me birth control, and when I went home, I felt I had no choice but to take it. I didn’t know what it was, what was happening, or that there might be any other option. She never explained any details.

I went home, hopped on google, and found some pretty overwhelming information! So with that, I figured I should probably take that birth control she gave me. In hindsight, I feel that I should have been monitored more closely. I didn’t even know the side effects of birth control like the potential mood swings, weight gain, etc. Everyone else was on it, so I thought it would be fine. Luckily nothing serious happened, but I still had questions…what was actually going on?

By the time I went to college, I knew I wanted to study health…but how could I do that if I didn’t understand my own health?

Here's How To Lose Weight When You Have Pcos

That’s when I decided to get off of it and soon enough, all of my PCOS symptoms started to spiral out of control: mood swings, weight gain, cravings, an irregular menstrual cycle, cystic acne, excess hair growth…

I decided to visit some more ObGyns and to my disappointment, they still didn’t explain in detail what was going on hormonally.

Perhaps I wanted to know more about the “science, ” while it seemed we only had time

Macros + Pcos