PCOS Diet
Before getting onto a specific PCOS diet ... first, what is PCOS:
PCOS - Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome - is an increasingly common condition in women that affects a number of health areas (for example, menstrual cycle, fertility, insulin production).
Insulin is a hormone that regulates how dietary carbohydrate and sugar is used for energy or stored as fat.
How PCOS affects weight control, is related to the fact that with PCOS, things get out of synch and you end up producing too much insulin.
Since insulin will promote fat storage, this can mean that losing weight becomes like pushing a heavy boulder up a very steep hill.
(The same can be said of other medical situations, such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, and people taking anti-epileptic medicines.)
A PCOS Diet is therefore one which keeps sugars and insulin levels as low and nonfluctuating as possible.
Four Essentials of a PCOS diet for weight loss
1. Eat foods that do not stimulate insulin - low GI
Try to keep your sugar levels at a low, stable level.
Avoid completely any foods that have a high glycemic index - that is when the 'sugar' or glucose is very quickly released when the food is metabolized by the body and so provoking a rush of insulin.
The glycemic index or GI describes a spectrum for ranking carbohydrates according to their effect on our blood glucose levels. You want to go for slow release or low GI foods.
As a general rule on a PCOS Diet, shop for ingredients and snacks made up of complex carbs (like grainy bread, wholemeal pasta & brown rice - or avoid the 'white' version altogether - and vegetable sources) and combine whenever possible with protein rich foods.
For example, have a tuna salad (no pasta) not a tuna sandwich!
For example, have a protein-rich shake (made with soya) not a Macdonalds milkshake!
2. Physical activity
There are several straightforward ways to increase metabolism, which will help burn off any sugar in the system and lower insulin, whether you are on a PCOS diet or just trying to lose weight generally.
The point is, that actually it doesn’t matter if you have PCOS or not because if these tips will work for you just imagine how well they will work for people without that added challenge!
The key to boosting your metabolism is to build muscle: for a great advice on that, read & follow the principles of Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle, a book by Tom Venuto.
3. Eat More Frequent Healthy Meals
Eating more often gives your body a metabolic kick and reduces the size of the insulin spike. Rather than 3 meals a day, go for 5-6 smaller mini-meals or balanced snacks.
As long as you stick to your daily calorie requirements - reduced by 20-30% for weight loss - you will probably feel more energetic AND drop lbs.
Avoid false stimulants! Caffeine and stress can interfere with your insulin and fat storage is promoted.
Drink plenty of water!!! Will help with every aspect of your well being.
4. Find Extra Ways to Reduce and Burn Calories
Make sure you have realistic goals and have an idea of how far off your body fat you are. If you don't have access to a body fat analyzer, start by looking at your body mass index as rough guide.
From there you can work out how many calories your body needs just to function - then multiple this by 1.3 if you are only moderation active through the day, 1.4 if you exercise 3 times a week, 1.5 if you are doing sports or heavy labor 4-5 times a week, and so forth.
In fact, my experience if you can follow the above four habits, you'll have benefits not only in weight control and weight loss but also in other problems associated with PCOS.
It's easier to conclude that you have a medical condition that is out of your control, than to admit that you are making the wrong choices in your PCOS diet and fitness plans.
So ...
TAKE ACTION!
This is really important ... are you prepared to take action to overcome this condition?
If yes, then you have to read Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle ...
Fat loss is first and foremost a matter of calories in vs calories out, so the calorie count is what you should be looking at.
But where you get those calories from is very important for a PCOS Diet. Keep your GI low - using the principles in the Low GI Diet Breakthrough Book.
PCOS - Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome - is an increasingly common condition in women that affects a number of health areas (for example, menstrual cycle, fertility, insulin production).
Insulin is a hormone that regulates how dietary carbohydrate and sugar is used for energy or stored as fat.
How PCOS affects weight control, is related to the fact that with PCOS, things get out of synch and you end up producing too much insulin.
Since insulin will promote fat storage, this can mean that losing weight becomes like pushing a heavy boulder up a very steep hill.
(The same can be said of other medical situations, such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, and people taking anti-epileptic medicines.)
A PCOS Diet is therefore one which keeps sugars and insulin levels as low and nonfluctuating as possible.
Four Essentials of a PCOS diet for weight loss
1. Eat foods that do not stimulate insulin - low GI
Try to keep your sugar levels at a low, stable level.
Avoid completely any foods that have a high glycemic index - that is when the 'sugar' or glucose is very quickly released when the food is metabolized by the body and so provoking a rush of insulin.
The glycemic index or GI describes a spectrum for ranking carbohydrates according to their effect on our blood glucose levels. You want to go for slow release or low GI foods.
As a general rule on a PCOS Diet, shop for ingredients and snacks made up of complex carbs (like grainy bread, wholemeal pasta & brown rice - or avoid the 'white' version altogether - and vegetable sources) and combine whenever possible with protein rich foods.
For example, have a tuna salad (no pasta) not a tuna sandwich!
For example, have a protein-rich shake (made with soya) not a Macdonalds milkshake!
2. Physical activity
There are several straightforward ways to increase metabolism, which will help burn off any sugar in the system and lower insulin, whether you are on a PCOS diet or just trying to lose weight generally.
The point is, that actually it doesn’t matter if you have PCOS or not because if these tips will work for you just imagine how well they will work for people without that added challenge!
The key to boosting your metabolism is to build muscle: for a great advice on that, read & follow the principles of Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle, a book by Tom Venuto.
3. Eat More Frequent Healthy Meals
Eating more often gives your body a metabolic kick and reduces the size of the insulin spike. Rather than 3 meals a day, go for 5-6 smaller mini-meals or balanced snacks.
As long as you stick to your daily calorie requirements - reduced by 20-30% for weight loss - you will probably feel more energetic AND drop lbs.
Avoid false stimulants! Caffeine and stress can interfere with your insulin and fat storage is promoted.
Drink plenty of water!!! Will help with every aspect of your well being.
4. Find Extra Ways to Reduce and Burn Calories
Make sure you have realistic goals and have an idea of how far off your body fat you are. If you don't have access to a body fat analyzer, start by looking at your body mass index as rough guide.
From there you can work out how many calories your body needs just to function - then multiple this by 1.3 if you are only moderation active through the day, 1.4 if you exercise 3 times a week, 1.5 if you are doing sports or heavy labor 4-5 times a week, and so forth.
In fact, my experience if you can follow the above four habits, you'll have benefits not only in weight control and weight loss but also in other problems associated with PCOS.
It's easier to conclude that you have a medical condition that is out of your control, than to admit that you are making the wrong choices in your PCOS diet and fitness plans.
So ...
TAKE ACTION!
This is really important ... are you prepared to take action to overcome this condition?
If yes, then you have to read Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle ...
Fat loss is first and foremost a matter of calories in vs calories out, so the calorie count is what you should be looking at.
But where you get those calories from is very important for a PCOS Diet. Keep your GI low - using the principles in the Low GI Diet Breakthrough Book.
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