The best way to lose weight when you have PCOS
The best way to lose weight when you have PCOS
A disorder known as a polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is characterized by hormonal imbalances, irregular menstrual cycles, and/or the growth of tiny cysts on one or both ovaries. Up to 7% of adult women may be affected by this illness. For women with PCOS, losing weight can be challenging due to the hormonal abnormalities, insulin resistance, and inflammation associated with this disorder. But in women with PCOS, even a modest weight loss of about 5% can enhance insulin resistance, hormone levels, menstrual cycles, fertility, and general quality of life.
Reduce your carbohydrate intake.
Due to the effect that carbohydrates have on insulin levels, reducing your carb intake may help you control PCOS. While blood sugar levels were comparable during the two periods of the diet, the lower-carb, higher-fat phase saw a 30% decrease in insulin levels. Additionally, women with PCOS may benefit from a low-glycemic diet. The glycemic index (GI) gauges how rapidly a specific item increases blood sugar levels. Women in one trial consumed their regular diet for 12 weeks before switching to a low-GI diet for another 12 weeks. During the low-GI phase, their measurements of insulin sensitivity (how effectively the body uses insulin) significantly improved.
Consume a lot of fibre
In women with PCOS, weight loss may be enhanced by a high-fibre diet since fibre keeps you feeling full after meals. The Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for fibre in the United States is 14 grams per 1,000 calories or around 25 grams per day for women. However, American women only consume 15–16 grams of fibre on a daily average.
In one study, women with PCOS who consumed more fibre had lower levels of insulin resistance, total body fat, and belly fat, but not PCOS-free women. Higher fibre intake was linked to lower body weight in a different study of 57 women with this condition. Insulin resistance, which occurs when your cells fail to recognize the effects of the hormone insulin, affects about 70% of women with PCOS.
Your body needs insulin to regulate blood sugar levels and store energy. According to research, both in the general population and in PCOS women, high levels of insulin are linked to an increase in body fat and weight gain.
A 3-week diet of 40% carbs and 45% fat was followed by obese women with PCOS and insulin resistance in one study, followed by a 3-week diet of 60% carbs and 25% fat. Each phase included a 15% protein intake.
Eat sufficient protein
Following a meal, protein promotes feelings of fullness and helps to balance blood sugar. It might also promote weight loss by lowering cravings, increasing calorie expenditure, and controlling hunger hormones.
In one study, 57 PCOS-afflicted women were randomly assigned to receive either a conventional diet with less than 15% protein and 30% fat or a high-protein diet with more than 40% of calories coming from protein and 30% coming from fat.
In comparison to the control group, the high-protein group’s female participants shed an average of 9.7 pounds (4.4 kg) after six months.
You can choose high-protein snacks or add more protein to your meals if you’re worried you’re not getting enough. Foods high in protein and healthy include dairy, meat, eggs, nuts, and seafood.
Take in Good Fats
Including a lot of healthy fats in your diet may help you combat weight loss and other PCOS symptoms while also making you feel more content after meals. A low-fat diet (55% carbs, 18% protein, 27% fat) was compared to a higher-fat diet (41% carbs, 19% protein, 40% fat) in a trial including 30 women with PCOS.
After eight weeks, the higher-fat diet shed more fat than the lower-fat diet, which also decreased lean body mass, including belly fat. Adding healthy fats to meals can actually increase stomach volume and curb hunger, despite the fact that they are high in calories. This can encourage you, Sour, to consume fewer calories during the day. Avocado, olive oil, and coconut oil are a few examples of healthy fats.
Consume fermented food
The maintenance of weight and metabolism may be impacted by healthy gut bacteria. According to studies, PCOS patients may have less healthy gut flora than PCOS-free patients. Additionally, a recent study hints that some probiotic strains can help people lose weight. So, consuming probiotic-rich foods like yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and other fermented foods may aid in boosting the number of good bacteria in your gut. To achieve the same outcomes, you might also try taking a probiotic supplement.
Make Eating Mindfully a Habit
Women with PCOS are three times more likely to have eating disorders and frequently try numerous diets.
Limit added sugars and processed foods.
Reduce your intake of some harmful foods as another way to lose weight with PCOS. Processed meals and added sugars can cause insulin resistance, which is linked to obesity, and boost blood sugar levels. Sugar may be metabolized differently by women with PCOS than by those without it. According to research, women with PCOS who consume the same quantity of sugar as women without this illness report higher rises in blood sugar and insulin levels.
According to studies, genuine meals with little to no processing elevate blood sugar levels less than highly processed foods and are also more satiating. In order to manage PCOS, experts also advise women to consume fewer added sugars and refined carbohydrates. One potential remedy is mindful eating. It encourages a greater awareness of physiological cues like hunger and fullness. In particular, binge eating and emotional eating, which are problematic eating behaviours, may be addressed with the aid of mindfulness-based approaches to food. Additionally, research points to a potential link between mindful eating and weight loss.
Regular exercise
Exercise is a tried-and-true method to accelerate weight loss. In a 12-week trial, 16 women who participated in cardio exercises for 45 to 60 minutes three times per week lost 2.3% of their body fat, compared to 6.4% of the control group. Despite losing less fat than women without PCOS, the exercise program did help PCOS patients lose belly fat and improve their insulin sensitivity. Weightlifting has also been demonstrated to benefit PCOS-afflicted ladies.
In one study, 45 PCOS-afflicted women lifted weights three times per week. After 4 months, they reduced testosterone and blood sugar levels, gained lean body mass, and lost belly fat.
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