If you’ve been diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), you understand how frustrating and disheartening it can be to be treated by professionals and try all of their unfounded advice only to see zero results that last.
Usually, that advice consists of “losing weight” and “limiting carbs,” which eventually leads to unhealthy food relationships, yo-yo weight, and dieting, and feeling defeated – in addition to not even helping with PCOS. There’s so much more to how nutrition impacts PCOS and what you should do for your body to manage your symptoms in a way that feels good to you.
So what is PCOS and how does nutrition play a role in maintaining symptoms? Let’s take a look.
What is PCOS?
PCOS is a condition that can consist of many small cysts in the ovaries (although some women don’t develop cysts.) Cysts are formed when a woman doesn’t produce enough hormones to ovulate. When cysts form, they produce androgens (male sex hormone) that are typically found in smaller amounts in women.
Androgens can mess up a woman’s menstrual cycle, cause hormonal imbalances, insulin resistance, and inflammation, as well as digestive discomfort like bloating. Unfortunately, many of the effects of PCOS are also quick to trigger responses from diet culture. But those diet tips and tricks don’t really help at all.
What are the symptoms of PCOS?
PCOS is typically found in about 10% of all women, usually within the 20-30 age bracket. The symptoms of PCOS may include:
- Light, irregular, or missed periods
- Sudden weight gain around the abdomen
- Acne/oily skin
- Excessive body hair
- Infertility
It’s worth noting that while these are general symptoms, they may not show up in everyone. Some may be very noticeable while not as prominent in others. So because PCOS looks different for every person, knowing your body is vital so that you can tell when something feels off or wrong.
Additionally, women with PCOS are more likely to suffer from anxiety, stress, and depression due to the frustration caused by their symptoms.
What causes PCOS?
Right now, the cause of PCOS isn’t known for sure. However, science suggests that genetics is a factor, as it’s been shown that if a woman has PCOS, it’s possible that other women within her family likely do as well.
But one thing that those who have PCOS have in common is insulin resistance, so it’s known that this is a contributing factor. Insulin is vital to allowing glucose (sugar) into our cells because you need it for energy. But when insulin resistance occurs, it causes an imbalance in your blood sugar levels and energy.
Some research suggests that insulin resistance could increase the risks of PCOS— when your body overproduces insulin, hyperinsulinemia occurs, which causes your body to produce an excess amount of androgen hormones and causes inflammation.
Dieting and PCOS
Professional advice of “just lose weight” isn’t helpful because, as previously mentioned, symptoms of PCOS are not the same in every individual. That means that not everyone who has PCOS or insulin resistance will gain weight or needs to lose weight. This means weight loss suggestions are unhelpful and can trigger disordered eating or an unhealthy relationship with food.
Although some research shows weight loss can be beneficial in some cases, it is not always necessary and definitely not black and white. In fact, losing weight alone is not the end-all-be-all solution and should probably not be your priority.
This is because weight loss is not enough to improve PCOS symptoms, and because it will not fix the root cause that led to your weight fluctuation – if any. Instead, it increases your risks of yo-yo’ing and developing unhealthy eating patterns. Studies have shown that many people who lose weight to reduce their PCOS symptoms regain the weight they lost within five years because the diets that they rely on are not sustainable long-term.
This pattern can become extremely harmful for your metabolism and hormonal system as it causes constant shock and physiological stress. The key is to address the main factors and triggers that led to the change in weight if one occurred around the time of diagnosis.
Instead of dieting, determine your triggers and address them by learning how to nourish your body with a daily structure. By placing long-lasting, healthy strategies in place, you’ll feel balanced, improve your symptoms and prevent the yo-yo effect on your weight.
So what helps those with PCOS?
Infertility issues, hair and skin problems, sleep troubles, constant yo-yo dieting, and other effects of PCOS can cause endless frustration and impact your mental and physical health. And thanks to bad advice from professionals, it’s hard to find solutions that work. Hearing “just lose weight” or “stop eating sugar and carbs” isn’t just unhelpful advice; it’s harmful to our overall well-being.
This type of rhetoric can lead to unhealthy body images, and unsustainable or disordered eating, none of which is helpful for maintaining PCOS.
Let’s step away from diet culture and try those steps instead:
First, nourish your body:
- Have 3 meals + snacks daily
- Increase your intake of fiber and protein
- Hydrate yourself adequately
- Limit your alcohol content
Then, nourish your soul:
- Make note of the difference between physical and emotional hunger
- Develop strategies to feel in control of your emotional eating
- Honor your cravings
What not to do:
❌ Restrict yourself from your favorite foods
❌ Cut out carbs and sugar
❌ Have cheat days
❌ Skip meals
❌ Over-exercise
Health isn’t just about what you put in your body; it’s also how you nourish your mind, body, and soul. Although there are so many diets out there, gentle nutrition is the right path to take so that you shift the focus from goal weight to overall health. This means focusing on your relationship with food, sleep quality, gentle movement, and stress management.
Intuitive eating is the approach that helps you break away from diet culture and get off this rollercoaster without restrictions and food rules. Intuitive eating can improve your PCOS and help you learn about your personal relationship with food so that you see results physically and emotionally. While switching from a diet-culture-based view of food to an intuitive eating mindset can sound daunting, but with the proper support and the right tools, it’s incredibly sustainable and life-changing.
And you deserve more than just an endless cycle of yo-yo dieting and extreme frustration. In my program, we work together to create strategies and tools tailored to your specific needs, goals, medical history, and lifestyle. And these tools aren’t temporary; they are for life!
This, combined with my weight-neutral strategies, will help you find balance and health while improving your PCOS. If you’re ready to start that journey, reach out to me in whatever way feels best; you can DM me on Instagram, send me an email, or set up a free Discovery Call!