Women Health: Relation between PCOS and Weight Management; 5 tips to manage it

Weight management with PCOS involves a holistic approach to diet, exercise, stress, and lifestyle changes that are long-term. Healthy lifestyles help women with PCOS to decrease their symptoms and improve their quality of life.

Understanding the Relationship

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome or PCOS is a hormonal disorder that affects millions of women all over the world. One of the biggest problems with PCOS is that we are more likely to gain weight, and that is further complicated with insulin resistance, hormonal challenges, and inflammation.

Women with PCOS will easily gain weight because they have higher levels of insulin in the body promoting more fat storage, especially around the midsection. But controlling weight can help with symptoms, regulate hormones, and improve health overall.

5 Ways to Manage PCOS and Your Weight

1. Prioritize a Balanced, Anti-Inflammatory diet

Diet is the most important way to manage PCOS symptoms as well as a healthy weight. Focus on including:

Whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, oats)

Lean proteins (chicken, fish, tofu, legumes)

Healthy fats (avocado, nuts, seeds, olive oil)

Fiber-rich foods (leafy greens, berries, broccoli)

It is also important to avoid refined carbohydrates, processed foods, and sugary snacks. This will make insulin resistance worse.

2. Get Daily Exercise

Exercise helps control hormones, increase insulin sensitivity, and burn calories. The best type of exercise for PCOS is:

Strength training (builds muscles, increases metabolism)

HIIT (High-intensity interval training) (burns the most fat)

Even low-impact options are good (swimming, yoga, walking)

Aim for at least 30 minutes of movement for most of the days of the week.

3. Manage stress in a mindful way

Chronic stress can increase cortisol, which heightens cravings, creates insulin resistance, and adds to abdominal fat- all pertinent concerns for women with PCOS. Some options to improve your stress levels are:

- Yoga or meditation

- Journaling or deep-breathing exercises

- Getting enough sleep (7-8 hours each night)

4. Focus on sustainable changes not quick fixes

Crash dieting and over-exercising may be an appealing way to lose weight quickly, but they can cause hormonal disruptions and fatigue. Instead, you should focus on creating sustainable, long-term, lifestyle changes to improve general health and well-being.

5. Use supplement support

Some supplements may help with PCOS symptom management and weight loss. Examples include:

- Inositol (improves insulin sensitivity)

- Omega-3 fatty acids (helps reduce inflammation)

- Vitamin D (helps keep hormones in check)

Please make sure to seek advice from your health care practitioner first, before starting any supplements.