The Ultimate PCOS Weight Loss Guide

- Find out the best ways on how to lose weight with PCOS. Get the knowledge on what to eat and exercise, lifestyle interventions and effective hacks to effectively control PCOS symptoms without relying on medications.
The weight loss guide to PCOS
Among girls that have attained the age of bearing children, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a disease related to metabolism, fertility, and overall health, is one of the most commonly spread hormonal pathologies. One of the biggest complications of PCOS affected women is their weight loss since the main cause of PCOS is insulin resistance, hormonal imbalance and inflammation.
Though losing weight may seem to be harder with PCOS, the silver lining is that weight is certainly achievable with the appropriate dietary and physical activity choices, as well as lifestyle. And today, in this article we are going to take a step-by-step approach in getting you to successfully lose weight with PCOS in a safe, natural and sustainable manner.
The concept behind this difficulty of weight loss in PCOS
- PCOS causes weight loss to be a hard task due to a number of internal factors:
Insulin Resistance
- The majority of PCOS women deal with a condition called insulin resistance, by which the body fails to utilize insulin effectively. The result is an elevated blood sugar level, fat deposition (particularly in the abdominal area), and appetite towards sweet/carbohydrate food.
Hormonal Imbalances
- High testosterone (male) hormones and hormonal imbalance between estrogen and progesterone may lead to erratic menstrual periods, pimples, and inability to lose fat.
Slower Metabolism
- PCOS is correlated with a decreased metabolic rate resulting in more calories burned when resting than you would with PCOS.
Inflammation
- Chronic inflammation makes it more difficult to lose weight when you have PCOS and also sets the stage to exhibit the symptoms of fatigue, bloating.
Understanding these obstacles is what is required to implement a strategy that will suit the body of a woman.
The Most Healthful Diet to Lose PCOS weight
- Diet is the most significant part when it comes to weight loss involving PCOS. The intended outcome is to lower spikes in insulin, stabilize hormones, and manage inflammation.
Diet Low GI Foods
Low GI foods break down sugar gradually into the blood stream, levels of energy remain stable and the fat storage is reduced.
Examples: ohio oats, quinoa, red lentils, red apples, leafy green leaf, sweet potatoes.
- During each meal focus on protein.
Protein ensures you remain satisfied and more so longer, stabilizes the blood sugar level and builds up the muscles.
Examples: eggs, lean chicken, fish, Greek yogurt and tofu and paneer.
- Add Healthy Fat to Keep Your Hormones in Check
- Good fats aid in reproduction hormones and are anti-inflammatory.
Eat More Fiber
Fiber reduces the absorption of sugar, betters the health of the gut and fills you.
Vegetables, flax seed, Chia seeds, beans.
- Rephrase those refined carbs & sugars
Processed carbs also lead to rapid insulin surge and PCOS symptoms get worse.
Steer clear of: white bread, junk sweet treats, baked goods, soda.
Eat Anti Inflammatory
Adding anti-inflammatory foods in the form of natural ones may prevent bloating and also triggers the metabolism.
Turmeric, ginger, green tea, berries, spinach – are all examples.
Worthwhile Weight loss Exercise in PCOS
- Exercises will make the insulin more sensitive, burn fat, and maintain the hormones. Moderate work out is more productive than just cardio or intense training.
Strength Training (3 4 times weekly)
Muscle building will boost metabolism and result in calories being burnt even during the rest period.
Examples: weight training, resistance training with bands, axio style training.
Low-Impact Cardio
- Low impact workouts are lower on the joints and burn fat more slowly.
- Ideally, the use of High-intensity Interval Training (HIIT) suggests that there is very little involvement required and that it is an activity that one can engage in completely on their own.
Short intense bursts of exercise and rest even improve insulin resistance and burn calories providing an improvement in insulin sensitivity.
This can be: 20 minutes of pump and rest repeated twice a week.
Yoga and Pilates
- Yoga is able to reduce stress, even it is capable of making hormones normal and making one flexible. Reduction of stress takes particular relevance to PCOS since excessive levels of cortisol may serve to exacerbate the condition.
Behavioral Modifications to aid in the weight loss in PCOS
- The role of diet and exercise cannot be overemphasized, but lifestyle is an enormous factor too in the process of PCOS management.
Emphasis on Good Sleep
- When people do not sleep, they become more craving, insulin resistance is aggravated, and weight gain occurs. Shoot to be 7-9 per day.
Keep Stress at Bay
- Increased stress levels will lead to the precursors of cortisol that will make your body convert fat. Find a pause to do meditations, journaling or breathing deeply in your schedule.
Give Intermittent Fasting a Shot
- A 14:10 intermittent fasting (14 hours of starvation, eating window: 10 hours) regime has positive results on many PCOS women. It also controls insulin and assists in weight loss.
Drink More water
- Drink water throughout the day that you are able. To rejuvenate the body, to stay active by staying metabolically alert and avoid those hungry pangs, it is advisable that you strive to take in 2 or 3 liters. That is as a one way street to eliminate toxins and maintain the forces on an even keel.
Take an Advantage of Helpful Supplements (discuss them with your doctor, first)
- Inositol: enhances the insulin sensitivity and balances ovulation.
- Vitamin D: it is crucial in the balance of hormones.
- Omega-3's fight off inflammation & keep the heart healthy.
- Magnesium: controls blood sugar and sleep.
Sample of PCOS Friendly MealPlan (1 Day)
- Here is a simple one-day meal plan simply to start with:
Breakfast
- A bowl of creamy, Greek yogurt with chia and flax seeds then sprinkled with fresh blueberries will be a good way to start your day. It is light, fills you up a bit and gets you those sugar highs without sky-rocketing your sugar content.
Mid-Morning Nosh
- Whenever you feel hungry in the first wave, munch on a handful of crunchy almonds and have a soothing cup of green tea. Its combination is the best on how to keep you on track and alert.
Lunch
- At lunch, things are a bit lighter obviously: fluffier quinoa with a little bit of lightly sauteed spinach and a couple of drizzles of olive oil. Fancy something on the side of some extra proteins? Then add juicy shrimps or a side of grilled salmon.
Afternoon Snack
- In the afternoon, cut up an apple into portions, take some natural peanut butter and eat it. But even a non-peanut butter lover can simply nibble the apple by itself as well because it is refreshing.
Dinner
- An evening meal is to be simple and snug. Eat some grilled chicken or baked salmon with a side dish of roasted vegetables like zucchini, cauliflower and multicolored pepper.Take a little bit of sweet potato with it, should you want some healthy, comfort food. It is substantial but not heavy and will give you the strength you need to have a good night sleep.
It may also require some time and in some instances more effort to lose weight with PCOS, as compared to those without it but this does not imply losing weight is impossible so long as one eats the right food, does exercise and has the right way of living. Low GI foods, strength training, stress management and consistency will enable you to reduce PCOS symptomology, increase fertility and feel healthier in general.
Those are the initial steps to a better lifestyle. You can get diet plans, a fitness guide, and instructions about how to lose weight with PCOS on going and downloading our Fitoja App!
Subscribe to my newsletter
Read articles from Wathii Shangne directly inside your inbox. Subscribe to the newsletter, and don't miss out.
Written by
