Figuring out how to lose weight with PCOS can be quite difficult. On the one hand, those with PCOS are more likely to struggle to lose weight. On the other hand, maintaining a healthy weight often also helps mitigate other PCOS symptoms. It can even prevent some of PCOS’ worst health outcomes, like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Weight loss with PCOS is an uphill battle, but it might be essential for your overall health. Just because something is difficult doesn’t mean it’s impossible or that it isn’t worth doing.
Over my years working as a naturopath, these are the basic principles I share with my patients. These tips will help you with your PCOS weight loss journey while helping your body achieve hormonal balance.
Fiber Is Essential
Again and again, studies show the importance of fiber for those with PCOS. When it comes to weight loss, the benefit of fiber is that it takes the body a while to digest it. It helps you feel full for longer and prevents overconsumption of calories. This slow digestion also has a positive effect on insulin resistance.
Eat Protein for Fullness
Protein is an essential macronutrient in every diet, but especially diets for women with PCOS. Like fiber, protein is another nutrient that can stave off hunger. Quite a few studies show that high-protein, low-carb diets lead to greater weight loss (and other positive outcomes) in women with PCOS.
Avoid Sugar and Simple Carbs
Sugars and simple carbohydrates are the main culprits that lead to weight gain and other negative health outcomes in women with PCOS. They cause your insulin levels to spike, throwing your hormones into tail-spin and leading to increased testosterone production.
Sadly, there’s a feedback loop, since PCOS can lead to sugar and carb cravings. Many women find that the only way to feel better (and jumpstart their weight loss) is to cut out sugars and carbs altogether.
Eat Good Fats (and Skip the Bad Ones)
Fats and oils can be calorific, yes, but that doesn’t mean that they’re bad for you. Healthy fats from olive oil, avocado, fish, nuts, and seeds are loaded with beneficial fatty acids that support the health of your heart.
Research shows that for women with PCOS, a diet higher in fats and lower in carbs is actually effective for fat loss!
You should still make an effort to avoid trans and saturated fats, as those do increase your risk of high cholesterol.
Consistency Counts
The biggest issue with more extreme diets is that they’re very hard to stick to. With PCOS, especially, yo-yo dieting can worsen your hormonal imbalance. When I talk about diet, I’m referring to what you eat day-in and day-out.
Healthy weight loss depends on consistency – it’s imperative that you make healthy eating part of your routine, and find ways to stay consistent.
You Have a Few Diet Options
There are quite a few diets that research suggests can help with PCOS. They include a low-glycemic index diet, a ketogenic diet, and the Mediterranean diet. What these diets have in common is that they’re high in protein, fiber, and healthy fats, and low in sugars and simple carbs.
I find that depending on the patient, one diet can be better than another, based on what I find out through their bloodwork. However, what’s most important is that you find a diet that you enjoy, because that’s the only way to ensure you stick to it!
Data-Informed Supplementation
There are a few categories of supplements that can help women with PCOS lose weight. They include probiotics that improve gut health, inositol to improve insulin function, and certain amino acids.
However, taking supplements blindly can also lead to imbalances that hurt your progress. As a naturopath, I take a data-informed approach. I look at my patient’s unique circumstances before recommending the right supplements for their weight loss journey.
PCOS Weight Loss Support
If you’d like closer support and guidance, I can work with you to come up with an evidence-based nutritional plan. I’ll help you learn how to lose weight with PCOS in a way that is sustainable and that benefits your overall health.
That’s because I believe in redefining PCOS.
Positive
Change
Over
Suffering
PCOS does not have to define you, but rather YOU define PCOS!