Finding it hard to lose weight?
Does it seem that you gain weight really easily?
These are two things that dietitians' hear very commonly from women with PCOS. Many have been trying for years to lose weight using common weight loss programs, often with little success. Often this had led to the development of unhealthy eating behaviours, poor body image, poor self esteem and symptoms of depression.
Why is it so hard for some women with PCOS to lose weight?
Often these women are the most ‘insulin resistant’ so they have higher levels of insulin in their blood. These high insulin levels encourage the body to store fat more easily, and also contribute to sugar cravings and overall feelings of hunger.
Some women with PCOS are depressed and have lower self esteem and body image. This is important because research has shown that women feel less motivated to follow a healthy lifestyle when they feel this way.
Women often report feeling ‘tired all the time’ when they have insulin resistance, and report feeling too exhausted to be physically active. This can be due to the insulin resistance, but it’s also important to discuss fatigue with your GP because there can be other causes for fatigue such as iron deficiency anemia, sleep apnoea, depression and some other medical conditions.
However….
It is possible to lose weight with PCOS.
Working with an Accredited Practising Dietitian with experience in PCOS is very important. They can work with you to design an individual eating plan, and support you along the way. PCOS ‘expresses’ itself differently in women. This means that not all women will have the same diet related concerns. Some women will be overweight, some will have high levels of blood lipids, some will have high blood pressure etc. An Accredited Practising Dietitian takes all these factors, along with your wants and needs, your current lifestyle and your foods likes and dislikes to come up with a flexible eating plan most suited to your particular needs.
We are learning more about PCOS all the time, and each week more research studies are published. An Accredited Practising Dietitian can translate that information into the most recent advice for weight loss, and provide lots of practical advice on meals and snacks to help put that into practice.
How much weight can I lose?
It’s important to set a weight loss goal that is achievable. Aiming to lose lots of weight in a short period of time through fad dieting might seem attractive, but is not likely to be sustainable. You are likely to regain the weight and feel even worse about yourself than when you started.
The best approach is a long term healthy eating plan which aims to gradually reduce body weight. A loss of 5-10% of your current weight has been shown to have many health benefits in women with PCOS, including improving insulin resistance, fertility and risk of diabetes and heart disease.
Insulin resistance often results in weight being carried around the abdominal area. Gradual reductions in your waist circumference measurement have been shown to closely relate to improved health, so noting this measurement and aiming for it to reduce each month is a great goal.
There are lots of other ways to monitor your progress such as asking yourself:
How do I feel? Do my clothes fit more comfortably? Is walking less of an effort? Am I less tired? Am I having less sugar cravings? These are all good signs you are on the right track
