Weight Loss and PCOS

Ask the PCOS Coach: Weight Loss and PCOS

Q: I have had trouble losing weight since I was 13. If I manage to lose weight I gain it right back. What diet do you recommend for women with PCOS and insulin resistance?

A: Losing weight with an insulin problem can be hard. The key to controlling insulin (and weight) is to avoid foods that cause an insulin spike. When you eat a starchy or sugary food (such as white rice or juice) it is absorbed very quickly. Your blood sugar (glucose) level goes very high very quickly. Your body compensates by producing too much insulin.

This high level of insulin causes the body to store the excess blood sugar as fat. Soon you are hungry again because your blood sugar levels are too low. You eat again, and your body starts the cycle over again. Over time, the cells in your body start to resist the high levels of insulin. It takes more and more insulin to get your cells to absorb the blood sugar. This is known as insulin resistance.

If you eat foods that are high in fiber, protein and healthy fats then they are absorbed slowly, giving your body a chance to use the blood sugar as it is absorbed. Your body will produce the amount of insulin you need and not too much. You don’t feel hungry as quickly and your body does not store as much fat.

A diet such as the Insulin Resistance Diet, The New Glucose Revolution Diet, or even the South Beach Diet will likely be helpful to you. However, you can design your own eating plan by eating higher protein foods and avoiding refined foods such as white bread, white rice, sugary foods, and other foods that are high on the glycemic index. You can learn more about the glycemic index of foods at www.glycemicindex.com.

In addition to weight loss, many women find that they have a reduction in PCOS symptoms when they stabilize their insulin levels with diet. Be sure to check with your doctor before changing your diet.

Another resource I have found helpful is The Truth About Abs. The author is right on target with his suggestions and the exercises he details are perfect for helping to lose abdominal fat - a huge problem for women with PCOS.

You are not in this alone. Offering help and support for women with PCOS.