Looking at weight when you have PCOS is one of the biggest challenges you need to face in your life. PCOS is not deadly, but it can impact several functions in your body. As a result, your life can greatly change once you develop PCOS.
You can control your PCOS system with little changes in your life and adopting healthy habits. You also need to avoid eating all the sugary and high-carb diets to control PCOS. Here in this article, we have discussed how to lose weight with PCOS and what steps you can take to live a healthy life. But before that, you will learn what PCOS and its symptoms are.
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What is polycystic ovary syndrome?
PCOS or Polycystic ovary syndrome is a problem that occurs due to the changes in hormone prodcution and develops during the reproductive years of females. People with PCOS usually don’t have periods very often, while some have to deal with long periods. PCOS patients also have a higher number of a hormone, known as androgen, in their body.
In the case of PCOS, several sacs of fluid develop on the outer part of the ovary, known as cysts. Moreover, the fluid-filled cysts carry immature eggs, which are called follicles. These follicles are unable to release eggs in a woman's body, causing troubles during periods. The primary reason for PCOS is not yet discovered. However, early diagnosis and simple treatment methods can help you manage PCOS symptoms. People who consult an expert at an early age can also prevent the risk of developing health issues like type 2 diabetes and heart conditions.
Common Symptoms
The most common symptoms of PCOS are irregular, missed, prolonged, or infrequent periods. These are the symptoms that usually encourage people to consult experts. Some other symptoms are:
• Mood changes
• Acne
• Hair in unusual parts of the body that women usually don’t have
• Pelvic pain
• Acne
• Sudden weight gain around the middle part of the body
Another thing that some people suffer from is not being able to lose weight even after trying weight loss diets and excessive workouts. If you are dealing with any of these symptoms, you need to consult an expert who can offer you a proper treatment method.
Understanding Insulin Resistance
Insulin resistance is one of the most common causes of physiological imbalances in people with PCOS. This problem develops when the pancreas needs to produce more insulin to regulate high blood sugar levels. Furthermore, insulin lowers your sugar levels and stores glucose in cells. This way, cells need more insulin to lower their sugar levels. After some time, you have high blood pressure and high insulin.
Note that insulin is a fat-storage hormone that stores fat in your abdominal region. Besides that, high insulin in your body forces ovaries to produce more testerons, leading to a high level of androgens. These hormones are also responsible for dark hairs on the belly and face. Since your body can’t use insulin effectively, there is a greater risk of developing PCOS as well as diabetes.
Does PCOS Cause Weight Gain?
This hormonal disorder is quite common and affects one woman out of 10 during their reproductive years. Also, people who struggle with PCOS often experience problems like low metabolism and hormonal imbalances. As a result, most women started to gain excessive weight. So, yes! PCOS can ultimately lead to obesity and overweight.
Here are a few frequently asked questions related to weight issues related to PCOS.
Can You Lose weight after Developing PCOS?
Most women with PCOS struggle to lose weight. This is because PCOS affects insulin function, which leads to higher weight gain. So, even when you opt for the best diet, make lifestyle changes, and perform daily physical activities, you struggle to get rid of the extra pounds in your body.
If you want to lose weight, you first need to work on insulin resistance. When your body function improves, your body will respond to every step you take to lose weight, helping you to see the difference in your weight.
How to get rid of Your PCOS Belly?
Besides consulting an expert to manage your insulin and glucose levels, you also need to practice a proper daily routine to improve your health. Here are a few things you need to do to encourage your body to lose weight.
• Manage you stress
• Follow sleep hygiene
• Exercise regularly
• Practice mindful eating
• Eat healthy food
Tips to Treat PCOS
Wondering how you can treat PCOS? When you consult a health expert, they will recommend you control symptoms and problems related to PCOS.
They will also suggest a few things to practice until your weight and insulin levels get in control. If you want to treat PCOS, here are a few things you need to do.
Balance Your Blood Sugar
As we have already discussed, blood sugar levels impact your ovaries' function. You need to work on your blood sugar levels. When you manage your sugar, you will greatly improve your PCOS.
Doctors may recommend medications or routine changes to balance your sugar levels. The treatment method will depend on the level of sugar.
Reduce Cortisol Levels
Cortisol is a stress hormone that releases when you feel stressed. This hormone is not good for your body. Prolonged production of cortisol levels can worsen insulin resistance, hinder the immune system, and boost the production of androgen hormones.
Besides that, hormones produced by your brand are also affected during stressful periods, such as FSH, LH, and prolactin. These hormones also impact the menstrual cycle in PCOS women. Women with PCOS need to learn stress management skills to avoid continuously impacting
their bodies.
Eat Fewer Carbs
Carbs lead to more weight gain, higher insulin levels, and insulin resistance in women with PCOS. This only worsens your hormonal system, leading to more problems.
The worst part is a great consumption of carbs for a long time can prevent ovulation and affect the menstrual cycle, leading to other symptoms. If you want to control your PCOS system and want to have a normal menstrual cycle, you need to eliminate carbs entirely from your diet.
Limit Processed Sugars
Similar to carbs, processed sugars can greatly impact your life. Therefore, you need to avoid foods with high amount of blood glucose levels to resolve this issue. Unfortunately, many women with PCOS crave sweets even if they feel full.
Eating less sugar will decrease insulin levels, which will greatly decrease male hormone levels. Even if you badly crave sugar, try to control your temptations.
Up Your Fiber Intake
Consuming a high amount of fiber can also save you from several issues. When you have PCOS and you suffer from insulin resistance, your digestion greatly impacts by insulin. This is because high insulin levels slow down digestion and increase the impact of sugar on the blood.
High fiber foods support healthy digestion and resolve other body issues. When your body properly digests food, the food will less likely increase your weight, which ultimately leads to issues.
Exercise Regularly
Physical activities can help you deal with different health problems. Most exercises help you burn stored fats, regulate digestion, reduce insulin production, and support other human functions.
When you start regular exercises, you can control blood sugar levels in your body that control the PCOS system. Besides that, you will also be able to lose weight, which is good for PCOS.
Eat Healthy Fats
Healthy food, especially healthy fats, can improve mood, helping you to reduce stress and PCOS symptoms. Eating healthy fats also reduces the risk of gaining weight.
So, try to eat food that offers you only healthy fats in a specific amount.
Skip the Caffeine
Women who drink a great amount of caffeine daily suffer from a high estrogen level. The estrogen production also increases during the follicular stage of the menstrual cycle.
This process impacts your body, leading to the worsening of your PCOS and its symptoms.
Reduce Inflammation
PCOS can lead to several complications like inflammation in your body. It’s important to prevent these problems by taking preventive measures.
You can perform an exercise to reduce inflammation levels. This not only reduces the risk of developing any severe problem but also controls your weight.
Find the Right Supplements
Supplements can help you manage, if not resolved, PCOS. With the right supplements, you can reduce weight, get energy, control appetite, manage hormone and insulin production, and reduce inflammation in your body.
Since not every woman responds to supplements in the same way, you need to consult an expert. They will recommend the right supplement that works best for your health.
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