This article is for general education and is not a substitute for personalized medical advice.
Picture this – two roommates eat the exact same meals for six months. One loses twelve pounds; the other gains four.
If this example was somewhat accurate of your situation, you will want to take note of the following: this is not an issue of willpower or control. This does correlate to your body’s hormonal issues. PCOS alters your body’s metabolism and makes the typical advice of “eat less and exercise more” completely ineffective.
PCOS makes losing weight a metabolic game. PCOS and weight loss are not about a calorie count.
Why PCOS Makes Weight Gain So Easy (And Weight Loss So Hard)
Women ask all the time: Does PCOS cause weight gain?
The short answer is yes; however, the explanation is more complex.
PCOS alters how your body signals Insulin. Insulin would typically allow your body to absorb and use glucose as energy. If you have insulin resistance, your body cannot absorb glucose.
The glucose accumulates in your blood, and your body produces even more insulin to compensate. This excess insulin will cause your body to store fat, specifically in your abdomen.
PCOS and weight gain go together for a reason. Weight gain being distributed to the midsection is also a frustrating symptom. When your cells aren’t getting glucose for energy, your brain thinks you’re starving, and it sends out hunger signals.
Diets aren’t the problem; your biology is.
The Real Connection Between Food and PCOS
You must consider the effect of foods on insulin if you want to build the best PCOS weight loss diet, rather than counting calories.
There are foods that make your blood sugar spike, and your body responds to this by producing a ton of insulin. If you have insulin resistance, that insulin is stuck in your system along with a blood sugar crash that makes you crash and crave carbs.
A low glycemic diet for PCOS focuses on blood sugar control instead of making you starve. Insulin can access and burn body fat if blood sugar is controlled.
In real life, a low GI diet for polycystic ovarian syndrome looks like this:
- A base of non-starchy veggies fills the majority of your plate
- Brown, whole-grain foods (quinoa, oats, barley, brown rice) are your go-to carbs, as opposed to white, refined carbs
- Every meal and snack includes protein (slows the absorption of carbs)
- Aguacates, nuts, and olive oil are all great options to help blunt the spikes in blood sugar
- Insulin spikes are decreased by a significant reduction in white flour and added sugars
Building PCOS Meals That Work
You don’t have to eat a complicated and gourmet meal to meet the PCOS dietary restriction.
Combine protein, fat, and fiber at every meal. These three elements of a meal also help satisfy the pancreas.
To illustrate the point, incorporating chicken, olive oil, and broccoli into a meal of plain pasta completely changes the way the body processes the meal.
Some Quick Ideas for Your PCOS Meal Plans
Breakfast
- Option 1 – Scrambled eggs with avocado, spinach and tomatoes
- Option 2 – Full-fat Greek yogurt with berries and almond butter
Lunch
- A green salad with grilled salmon, chickpeas and olive oil (no croutons)
Dinner
- Roasted Brussels sprouts with lentils or brown rice and a baked chicken thigh
Snacks
- Hard-boiled eggs, cottage cheese, almond, or peanut butter, celery sticks
Quick tip – Intermittent fasting can work for some women because of limited insulin spikes; however, the human body is incredibly complex, and the body can be very responsive. A consultation with a physician is always suggested for this diet as well.
Supplements Worth Discussing With Your Doctor
When sorting through PCOS supplements for weight loss, a lot of products on the market are pure hype. However, two specific supplements have solid science backing them up:
- Myo-Inositol: It is a form of Inositol that is a myo/D-chiro blend. It lowers the androgen levels and helps with insulin sensitivity.
- Berberine: This is a substance derived from a plant. It effectively lowers and controls blood sugar. There are some studies that show its effects are comparable to Metformin, a blood sugar controlling drug.
Magnesium, vitamin D, and Omega-3 blood tests are also good to discuss with your doctor.
PCOS women have a deficient supply of them, and can improve weight loss. However, they will not promote weight loss on their own, so a treatment plan is definitely recommended.
How to Manage PCOS and Finally Budge the Scale
If you want to know how to manage polycystic ovaries and actually see progress on the scale, you have to look at the whole picture. It’s rarely just one thing that does the trick:
- Lift weights: Cardio is great, but when it comes to PCOS, resistance training is important. Lifting weights builds muscle, and muscle is important because it helps draw glucose out of the bloodstream –even if you are at rest. Because of this, muscles will help improve insulin sensitivity. Aim for 3 to 4 weight training sessions a week.
- Fix your sleep: Lack of sleep directly correlates with increased levels of cortisol. Cortisol is the “stress hormone,” and has a direct correlation to worsened insulin resistance. If you have an unidentified sleeping issue, it could improve your metabolism without any dietary changes.
- Stop ignoring stress: Stress causes the body to stay in a fight-or-flight state, which increases cortisol levels and also ‘locks in’ body fat. Stress management is vital for metabolism.
When Lifestyle Changes Just Aren’t Enough
If you say, “I eat perfectly and exercise, how can anything else work?” the truth is the most stubborn hormonal imbalances will win.
That’s totally understandable.
Metformin is an example of a common prescription to make insulin receptors more sensitive. Most recently, GLP-1 medication, semaglutide, has been another popular prescription to manage insulin resistance and weight for those with PCOS.
When it comes to losing weight with PCOS, what is important is to get the appropriate treatment. This is especially important to find a doctor who is not going to just say “eat less.” PCOS comes with special challenges to weight loss, and those challenges require special treatment.
PCOS weight is a medical issue so it deserves a medical approach.
This article was medically reviewed by Charles Wade, FNP-BC, board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and founder of Wade’s Care First. Charles has spent years helping patients navigate complex metabolic and hormonal weight struggles. He believes in looking at your complete clinical picture to build a realistic, individualized treatment plan.
Wade’s Care First offers telehealth medical weight loss consultations across nine states, with same-day appointments available. Most major insurance plans are accepted, including Medicare, Medicaid, United Healthcare, Aetna, Humana, and Cigna.
Book a consultation at wadescarefirst.com or call us today to schedule your appointment.
