Polycystic ovary syndrome or short PCOS is a hormonal disorder where cysts grow on the ovaries and influence the production of higher testosterone levels in the body. It affects both the ovulation process and the reproductive hormones. Women who suffer from PCOS usually have issues with irregular periods, acne, facial hair, and being overweight with great difficulty when it comes to losing that weight.
PCOS, as well as many other conditions concerning our reproductive health, is a matter which needs to be regulated and monitored by a medical professional. Try to be as informed as possible when it comes to choosing gynecologists in Doral, FL, because there are many options, but the quality of services may vary.
Losing Weight With PCOS
Many studies have shown that it is much harder to lose weight with PCOS than when that is not the case because the hormonal imbalance actually leads to weight gain. Insulin resistance and inflammation are the main causes of this, and if you are wondering how to lose weight with PCOS, we are bringing you some helpful tips.
As it happens, a person suffering from PCOS has a higher level of androgens in the body, making the weight gain mainly concentrated around the waist. This is also connected to the surplus of insulin, leading the body to store fat. The fat in the abdominal area lowers the body’s receptivity when it comes to insulin, whose role is to help the body process sugar, making people gain weight.
Weight gain is not the only danger that people with PCOS face. Due to issues with insulin regulation and production, there is a great possibility for people to get diabetes, endometrial cancer, sleep apnea, or to suffer from infertility.
Being overweight is not a symptom that every person struggling with PCOS faces, but it is very common. Doctors state that shedding weight is helpful for your overall health and dealing with PCOS and its symptoms, balancing your hormones, and improving ovulation.
Additionally, studies show that PCOS as a condition is more frequent in women who are already overweight or who had PCOS in their family history. Over 20% of women in the United States suffer from this condition, and most struggle to mitigate the symptoms.
What usually works for people when they want to lose weight is a simple formula: eat less and move more. For people with PCOS, that does not help because restrictions in eating and too much exercise affect the blood sugar, so it is not productive to manage your insulin resistance in that way.
How to Lose Weight With PCOS
In today’s world, there are many different pieces of advice when it comes to weight loss and the best diets for PCOS. Losing weight with PCOS is trending in the world of fitness, but not all advice is adequate or helpful when it comes to this topic.
Below we are bringing you some common tips that have been proven to help you lose weight when you are suffering from PCOS.
- Whatever diet you consider the best for PCOS, the most important thing is to stick with it long-term. No meal plan, cutting, restrictions, counting calories, etc., will help with weight loss if you are not consistent for a longer period of time.
- Try introducing more complex carbohydrates into your diet because this type of food is rich in fiber and releases energy more slowly. Peas, beans, whole grains, vegetables, and alike would be a good place to start. All these help in balancing blood sugar and insulin levels in the body.
- Add more fiber to your diet by eating grains, leafy vegetables, squash, sweet potatoes, etc. It is recommended to have up to 25 grams of fiber every day.
- Avoid simple or “quick” carbohydrates such as white bread, pasta, refined sugar, and alike because they increase insulin production.
- Make sure you take enough protein and healthy fats daily. Some experts say that for every kilogram of weight, a person needs to take 1.5 grams of protein. Protein intake helps with keeping the insulin down. The most common protein sources are meat, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, beans, and soy.
- Healthy fats are essential in reducing inflammation, so make sure you use oily fish, nuts, avocado, and similar foods in your weekly meal planning.
- Because it is proven that muscles use blood glucose for energy, the body does not have to produce as much insulin, it is advised to do more resistance training to build muscles rather than only cardio workouts.
- Healthy gut bacteria are of the utmost importance for our overall health, and women with PCOS sometimes struggle with this aspect. To improve the gut bacteria levels, eating fermented foods is key, and some of the options are kefir, yogurt, apple side vinegar, miso, pickles, sauerkraut, etc. Adding probiotics into your diet is also very helpful and highly recommended.
- Do not drink too much coffee because coffee as an ingredient has a big influence on hormone levels and can interfere with ovulation and increase stress hormones. If it is hard for you to quick this delicious habit, then experts advise you first to have breakfast and then coffee to reduce caffeine’s impact on your blood sugar.
- Change your eating habits in the context of how you feed yourself. Mindful eating is something that is not talked about enough but is highly beneficial for you. This includes tracking your meals and calorie intake, changing your patterns, tuning into your sense of hunger and fullness, portion control, and learning how to enjoy your food guilt-free.
- Work on your sleeping schedule and stress levels as much as possible. When the hormone cortisol is up for a longer period, it influences insulin increase. There are many different techniques when it comes to stress reduction, such as meditation, yoga, exercise, sleep, reading, walks, etc.
- Increased insulin levels are also conditioned by the amount of sleep you get per night, so try and make it no less than 8 hours every night. Sleep apnea is another PCOS symptom, so try to pay close attention to your sleep patterns.
- Supplementation has also been known to help with PCOS and weight loss, so some of the recommended supplements are vitamin C, selenium, alpha-lipoic acid, and alike. All of these help the body in their own way so it is able to reduce the issues PCOS brings.
If none of the tips given here help, contact your chosen general practitioner to get additional advice and guidance. Sometimes, a medication called metformin is prescribed to help with weight loss in women with PCOS or prediabetes. Metformin for PCOS regulates glucose levels and insulin sensitivity, which can affect your appetite and help with weight loss.
Try to make medication your last option because treatments like metformin for PCOS issues are usually powerful and can cause long-term side effects. Treat your body as a temple and invest in it. It will surely give back to you in the same way.
We Are Here!
Struggles with weight loss are very common in today’s day and age. Having to struggle with it while having PCOS is especially difficult. If you are still wondering how to lose weight with PCOS, please contact us, and we will give you all the possible options and paths to reach your goals and make them sustainable.