How to Lose Weight with PCOS?

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal imbalance condition affecting the female reproductive system. It occurs when there are high levels of androgens (male hormones) along with other hormonal imbalances in the female body. 

Due to PCOS, women commonly experience irregular ovulation, which can result in irregular menstrual cycles or missed periods. This is often accompanied by severe menstrual pain and heavy bleeding when periods do occur. PCOS is also a common cause of female infertility. 

In addition to affecting the reproductive system, PCOS significantly impacts a woman’s overall health. A woman may experience weight gain, excess facial or body hair growth, scalp thinning, and acne or oily skin.

In this blog, you can get information on how PCOS and weight gain are related, why losing weight with PCOS can be challenging and practical tips to support weight loss in PCOS. 

How are PCOS and Weight Gain Related? 

Observations that explain the correlation between PCOS and weight gain:  

• Role of Insulin

In a typical human body, insulin converts sugar and starch from food into energy. This helps maintain an active metabolism and prevents excess fat accumulation. However, due to PCOS, a female’s body becomes insulin-resistant. This prevents the conversion of sugar and glucose into energy, leading to their accumulation in the bloodstream.  As a result, the body stores more fat, leading to weight gain. 

Along with becoming insulin-resistant, a woman’s body tends to have elevated insulin levels. This increases hunger and sugar cravings. Hence, women tend to consume more food, typically high in sugar, causing weight gain. 

Higher insulin levels also trigger increased androgen (male hormone) production. This contributes to further weight gain. Since this weight gain is associated with male hormones, it often results in fat accumulation around the abdomen, a common feature in men. 

It also leads to concerns like excessive facial and body hair. This can make a woman self-conscious about her appearance, eroding her confidence and increasing feelings of anxiety. This may also impact her personal relations and social reputation. 

• Slow Metabolism 

During PCOS, some women may experience a slower metabolism. If a woman is already genetically predisposed to a slow metabolism, it may decrease further. Due to slow metabolism, the food is processed more slowly than it should, leading to low energy levels and weight gain. 

• Sleep Disturbance

Due to the challenges of PCOS, women may feel fatigued throughout the day but still struggle to fall asleep or experience disrupted sleep at night. This could be due to several reasons, such as sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome. Lack of quality sleep affects the human body and overall health. Hence, it can contribute to weight gain and lead to other health concerns, such as frequent headaches, low energy and dark circles.

Why is it Difficult to Lose Weight With PCOS? 

Losing weight can help mitigate the PCOS symptoms and improve overall health; however, doing so is challenging for the following reasons: 

• Insulin resistance makes fat loss slower. Hence, even gradual weight loss can feel discouraging, adding to the frustration of women who are already making the effort.
• Elevated androgen levels affect a woman’s metabolism, slowing down weight loss. This compounds the challenges faced due to PCOS and weight gain. 
• Women with PCOS often have high insulin levels in their blood. This typically leads to increased cravings for sugary and high-carb food, which makes weight loss difficult. Due to hormonal imbalances, the body may burn fewer calories, making weight loss more difficult.

Besides difficulty in losing weight, PCOS can also lead to several related health issues like Type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and endometrial cancer.  All of these factors can take a toll on a woman’s physical and mental health, leading to frequent mood changes and decreased motivation. 

PCOS can also lead to increased production of cortisol which is the body’s stress hormone. Its impact can be seen on the body and face of women with PCOS.

How to Lose Weight With PCOS? 

Certainly, losing weight with PCOS is difficult, but not impossible. We provide some practical tips for how to lose weight in PCOS: 

Doctor consultation

• PCOS is a medical condition, so it is important to consult a specialist for treatment. 
• Motherhood Fertility & IVF has qualified and experienced IVF specialists you can consult. They carefully study each case, provide personalised treatment plans, monitor progress throughout, and offer support whenever needed.
• Based on the medical history, present medical conditions, and other parameters, the doctor may prescribe some medications for PCOS and weight loss. 
• Ideally, women with PCOS are prescribed birth control pills, which help regulate irregular menstrual cycles. The doctor may also prescribe anti-androgen and metformin (Glucophage) medication. 
• Anti-androgen medication helps block the effect of androgen (male hormone) on the female body. 
• The metformin medication is a diabetes drug that will help the female body to use insulin more effectively. 
• If a woman is undergoing fertility treatment, appropriate medications will be prescribed to support conception.

Nutrition consultation

• After consulting a PCOS specialist, the doctor may recommend meeting with a nutritionist to create a personalised PCOS diet plan to lose weight. 
• During the first consultation, the nutritionist will typically check your weight, waist circumference, and Body Mass Index (BMI). 
• The nutritionist will curate a diet plan for you, based on the mentioned parameters and your current medical condition. 
• Typically, the diet will focus on the following aspects: 

1. Adequate protein intake: Support and strengthens muscles to maintain energy and resilience throughout the day, despite the challenges the body is facing. 
2. Lower carbohydrates: To keep insulin levels in check, improving PCOS symptoms and support weight loss. 
3. Plenty of fibre: It helps the body digest food more efficiently, converting it into energy, boosting metabolism, and preventing fat accumulation. 
4. Sugar cut down: It helps prevent blood sugar spikes and keeps insulin levels in control, which is essential for weight loss and overall well-being. 
5. Maintain water intake: Water is essential for weight management and overall physical health. 

Exercise and lifestyle changes

The key to weight loss and management, whether for PCOS or other reasons, lies in regular exercise. The best exercise for PCOS weight loss can be provided only by a health and fitness professional. However, we recommend starting with basic, time-tested exercises. 

You can add the following activities to your PCOS exercise plan:

• Walking: Walking for 30 minutes each day may help you systematically lose weight. It also serves as an excellent mood booster, which is especially helpful when dealing with exhausting PCOS symptoms and everyday challenges.
• Yoga: Several yoga asanas specifically target the reproductive system and help improve metabolism. 
• Strength training: Having more body weight does not necessarily mean greater strength. Hence, you must work towards building your strength. Various individual exercises and comprehensive workout plans are available; consult your trainer to determine what’s best for you.

PCOS affects many aspects of your life, including menstrual regularity, weight, appearance, fertility, and overall well-being. To manage these challenges, making certain lifestyle changes can be helpful. Key recommendations are listed below: 

• Avoid excessive alcohol intake 
• Quick smoking 
• Sleep well 
• Get better with stress management 

Conclusion 

PCOS can lead to weight gain as the body develops insulin resistance, elevated insulin levels and a slower metabolism. Losing weight can help mitigate PCOS symptoms and improve overall well-being. A conscious and consistent effort towards weight loss, while challenging, is achievable and may significantly improve your quality of life.