Weight loss: How to lose weight when you have PCOS
Expert-approved tips to lose weight and manage PCOS
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is becoming an extremely common lifestyle disorder, and it is said to affect 1 in 5 women in India alone. While the condition imposes trouble to one's fertility the most, without a present cure, the only provable and expert-recommended suggestions to control and manage the condition are lifestyle changes, and weight loss.
Managing weight gain and sugar levels with PCOS is essential
However, as easy as the solution seems, losing weight when you have PCOS isn't the easiest, and takes longer to show results. Disrupted hormonal functioning, strained metabolism, insulin resistance and adrenal dysfunction can raise BMI levels. In fact, struggling to lose weight and weight gain are often side-effects of battling PCOS.
Having said that, while the counter factors can seem a little disheartening, it's not absolutely impossible to lose weight. Weight loss with PCOS can take longer than usual time, but there are foolproof ways to make sure you get to the goal. If you have PCOS and are aiming to reduce the kilos, here are some tips you must follow.
Start having more fiber
One often ignored diet tip for women with PCOS is to include more fibre. While fiber-rich foods are quite helpful in aiding digestion, it has also been shown to improve hormonal functioning in women. From fruits, veggies to fiber-rich grains, make sure you meet your everyday requirements.
Have protein with every meal
Of all nutrients, protein is the one which we all tend to have fewer quantities of. Not only is protein essential for vital functioning, it's also a crucial ingredient to a good weight-loss strategy. It promotes satiety, builds muscle mass and most importantly, stabilizes blood sugar levels, essential to cut down cravings.
Fats and good quality carbs are also something you should focus on including in your diet.
Small, frequent meals work the best
Another dietary tip that works best to tackle weight gain and PCOS is to have quality, small-sized meals in your diet, instead of bigger ones. This would also do away with the problem of missing meals or overdoing them in the first place. Portion control is a great way to actually promote weight loss, and have more quality ingredients in your plate.
Minimize refined, added sugar from your diet
Sugar can be your worst enemy when you are trying to fight off weight gain. With PCOS, it can further aggravate symptoms of insulin resistance and make one prone to developing Type-2 diabetes. It may not be easy to cut ALL forms of sugar from your diet, but try and do away with refined and added sugar from your plate. White sugar can be replaced with healthier sources like honey, jaggery, stevia. Include more fruits in your diet, which have natural sugars in them.
Workout more, focus on strength training workouts
As important as it is to remain physically active and exercise every single day, some forms of workout work better in alleviating PCOS triggers and promoting weight loss. Particularly, if you are troubled trying to lose weight, start focusing on engaging in more strength and weight training exercises. Workouts like HIIT and muscle training have been shown to be more effective for women trying to lose weight and fight insulin resistance.
Try minimizing dairy and gluten from your diet
Cutting out dairy and gluten from one's diet is an often-recommended approach for women going through PCOS and hormonal trouble. Having a dairy-rich diet may increase estrogen production and disturb insulin resistance levels, which can be bad for BMI level management, and make PCOS worse. Reducing gluten, on the other hand, may reduce inflammation for some with PCOS. While this may not benefit everyone, try minimizing dairy and gluten from your diet and see if it makes any difference. With easy available options, going off dairy or gluten may not seem as bad too.