For most women, weight gain may be unavoidable, especially after giving birth. However, they can quickly lose excess weight without much struggle. For women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), the ability to manage weight with PCOS is a complicated process. This is a common hormonal disorder that affects the ovaries. The condition is recognizable by irregular periods, enlarged (polycystic) ovaries, and excess production of androgen.
The condition affects about 5 to 10 % of women. These women struggle with many challenges, including thinning hair or excessive hair growth (hirsutism) and weight gain. Doctors still are not sure of the exact cause of PCOS, yet genetics is a critical factor in disease etiology. Many people with PCOS produce high levels of insulin since their body doesn’t process insulin adequately. Insulin resistance is what leads to weight gain. As one gains weight, the body produces even more insulin, leading to a vicious cycle.
Researchers have made advancements in the treatment of PCOS. The symptoms can now be manageable by using supplements. If a doctor suggests ibutamoren Canada, it’s now easy to access. You can easily make an order online. The interrelation of events caused by PCOS makes it difficult for the individual to know what actions to take. Will losing weight help? What recommendations do experts offer? Experts agree that even small reductions in weight can significantly reduce the symptoms. But does this mean you should cut food intake? After discovering you have PCOS, what next? Many people are frightened and confused about what to do. But with the tips below, you can easily manage the condition and control weight gain.
1. Reduce Your Carb Intake
Your body requires carbohydrates as they provide the fuel for metabolism. However, you need to cut down on excess carbs because if you have PCOS, the body does not metabolize sugars adequately. The body must break down carbohydrates into glucose, a simple sugar that the body can metabolize. But glucose is a critical player in the escalation of PCOS. Furthermore, glucose increases the production of insulin. Anyone with PCOS needs to have a diet that is low on carbs. However, some people can take this a bit too far and reduce carb intake more than required.
Experts recommend eating low and slow carbs from whole foods. Slow carbohydrates do not affect glucose levels significantly. Low carbs, conversely, will contribute to about 30 percent of the body’s energy requirements. An example of a proper carb diet should contain starchy foods such as parsnip, yams, taro, sweet potato squash, and corn. Gluten-free foods such as black rice and buckwheat are also ideal.
2. Eat Enough of Fiber
Nutritional experts recommend a high-fiber diet for people with PCOS. Dietary fiber is suitable for your gut health, managing sugar levels, and weight. Besides, a fiber-rich diet keeps you full longer, which plays a role in enhancing weight loss in PCOS patients. That’s because foods that contain a lot of fiber take much longer to digest. The lengthy digestion is also the reason why high-fiber foods help to combat insulin resistance. Slowing down digestion reduces the rush in blood sugar, and instead, it rises slowly to decrease the impact.
Food rich in fiber like beans, brown rice, barley, and whole-grain cereals is ideal. Fruits are also a good source of fiber, but be careful with those with high fructose content. Instead of taking processed fruit drinks, simply swap them with whole fruits. Berries are some of the low fructose fruits you can include in your diet. These include strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and grapefruits. Lime, lemon, and clementines are also good for the PCOS diet.
3. Eat Enough Protein
Any woman with PCOS should eat plenty of eggs, meat, fish, and other healthy proteins. The body’s natural biochemical action switches to store fats when it detects inadequate nutrition. Just because you look fat doesn’t mean you have enough nutrients as it builds up fats due to high-calorie intake.
For the body to burn excess fat, the cells require adequate nutrition. That means adding whole foods and animal proteins. These foods contain all the right combinations of amino acids that your body needs. Apart from proteins, these foods also contain other essential micronutrients. When you consume adequate nutrients, the body’s biochemistry detects this and relaxes reflexes that process and store fats. One aspect to know is that if you are consuming meat, consider grass-fed products. Managing your protein intake helps to manage weight with PCOS.
4. Eat Healthy Fats
Most nutrition experts will advise on avoiding fats, but some experts disagree. Coconut, oily fish, butter, and even meat can be eaten in moderation without any adverse effects. Coconut has beneficial oils made of medium-chain triglycerides that help burn the stomach and thigh fats. Contrary to what many believe, beef and butter are suitable for the arteries. Apart from reducing fats in these vessels, they also upsurge glucose tolerance and modulate insulin action. These properties are useful for people with PCOS. Another advantage of taking healthy fats is that they prevent the rise of blood glucose after meals. Why is this beneficial? Low glucose levels mean reduced production of insulin. Your body, therefore, will not process and store excess fats.
5. Eat Fermented Foods
The gut has several healthy and harmful bacteria. Eating fermented food is a natural way to preserve a healthy gut environment. Studies also show that fermented food plays a role in weight loss. Many people with PCOS have gut problems such as bloating and constipation. Fermented foods can help alleviate these symptoms by aiding digestion and absorption of nutrients. Health experts often recommend probiotics to PCOS patients. These supplements help boost digestion and immunity by protecting the gut from harmful bacteria. Fermented foods offer the same benefits as probiotics. If you have PCOS, add fermented foods into your diet. Some foods you can try to include yogurt and pickles.
6. Avoid Processed Foods and Added Sugars
Manage weight with PCOS you need to limit processed food, as it is not healthy for anyone unless you want to gain weight rapidly. If you’re going to lose those pounds, as is the case with PCOS carriers, avoid sugar and processed foods. Just keeping off these foods can help lose an average of 15 pounds a month. When people hear about quitting sugar, what comes to mind is sweet processed sugar. In biology, the term ‘sugar’ applies to a range of foods. That’s where the challenge of quitting sugars comes in.
Any food that contains glucose or fructose is considered a sugar. Taking these foods will be counterproductive to your efforts to manage PCOS and reduce weight. Why is this so? The more glucose you consume, the more insulin your body must produce, and you want to reduce insulin levels in your system if you have PCOS. Glucose also contributes to the accumulation of visceral fat, which will be counterproductive to your exercise efforts.
Fructose, contrarily, is directly harmful to the body. The liver processes this simple sugar. When the liver’s metabolic process is overwhelmed, the surrounding cells store the processed sugar as liver fat. Excess accumulation of fats in the liver leads to insulin resistance. This will worsen PCOS symptoms as well as the risk of other diseases.
7. Exercise Regularly
Routine exercise is good for weight loss and increasing muscle mass. Why is muscle mass necessary? High muscle mass simply translates to high metabolism, which means your body will be better able to process carbohydrates and metabolize glucose.
While exercise is beneficial, too much of it is harmful to hormonal balance. The goal is to do the right training in modulation. Experts recommend combining weight training with low-intensity, steady-state cardio exercises such as walking and high-intensity interval training. Ideally, about three weight training sessions every week for about an hour is ideal.
People respond differently to exercise, so adjust the training to suit your body. If more training works for you, you can add a few more sessions, but don’t strain yourself. You may not lose much weight by resistance training. Nonetheless, this shouldn’t cause concern. However, you will become fitter, and your metabolism will increase significantly, resulting in improved health.
8. Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is a natural therapy. This is the body’s way of recovering and rebuilding. Sleep also helps the body regulate weight and is an excellent addition to someone struggling with weight loss. Inadequate sleep makes you vulnerable to gaining weight. Studies show that poor sleep quality increases hunger, and you will tend to crave sugar. This is not as good as you want to lose weight.
Lack of sleep also contributes to insulin resistance, even in healthy individuals. In women with PCOS, lack of sleep can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes due to heightened insulin resistance. Sleep also plays a role in inflammation. This could worsen PCOS symptoms and predispose the individual to the risk of developing related diseases like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
9. Manage Stress
Stress is not healthy, even for anyone. Its impact is worsened by diseases such as PCOS. But how does stress affect weight? Well, stress leads to increased production of cortisol, which affects metabolism. The more cortisol you generate, the more fat it is likely to store. The biochemical reactions in the body are complex and interconnected. Any psychological change, either directly or indirectly, affects a physiological process.
Stress also affects healthy gut bacteria, leading to poor digestion. Even if you’re on a healthy diet and exercise regularly, your efforts might not show results if you’re stressed. The effect of stress on the gut affects even healthy individuals, leading to the accumulation of abdominal fat. If you have PCOS, the consequences of stress are likely to be even more pronounced.
10. Take Supplements
Taking medications that lower insulin levels can help weight loss and reduce the risk of developing complications resulting from PCOS. Medical professionals often recommend metformin for insulin resistance. That means you should only take it under the guidance of a doctor. Omega 3 and conjugated linoleic acid supplements are also ideal for weight loss. These supplements contain antioxidant properties. You should also consider probiotic supplements. Research shows that probiotics can modulate insulin resistance. Probiotics are particularly suitable for women struggling with digestion resulting from PCOS.
Conclusion | Manage Weight with PCOS
PCOS is a condition that can affect any woman of productive age. While there is no treatment, the condition is manageable. Early diagnosis and proper management are crucial as they help reduce the chances of developing serious illnesses like stroke, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. PCOS can be managed at home using readily available techniques. By incorporating the tips provided above, you can live with PCOS without the symptoms being a hindrance to your daily activities.