In this fast-paced 21st century, when women are juggling between work, home, and social life, one of the most prominent challenges that hinder their quality of living is health issues. Women bear multiple health concerns due to various reasons, including lack of sleep, nutrition, physical exercise, and emotional turbulence. One of these concerns that is rising alarmingly fast is lifestyle disorders that are hampering the mental, emotional, and physical well-being of women. Amongst the lifestyle disorders, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most under-diagnosed disorder that causes infertility in women and other conditions, including high blood pressure, risk of pregnancy complications, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and anxiety disorders.
What is PCOS?
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder that affects women's ovaries and other reproductive organs, resulting in the imbalance in reproductive hormones and excessive production of male hormones (androgens) in the female body. It leads to the production of enlarged ovaries, cysts, excessive hair growth on the face and body (hirsutism), weight gain, infertility, irregular menstrual cycle, and other symptoms. Women with PCOS in their childbearing stage suffer from complications in conceiving a baby and giving birth.
While the cause of PCOS is not exactly known, some research studies infer that it is due to genetic conditions that run in the family. Some also indicate that PCOS occurs due to genetic mutations that occur while the female fetus is in the womb.
Common symptoms of PCOS
- Missed periods, irregular periods, or very light periods
- Male-pattern baldness or hair thinning
- Face Acne
- Excessive hair growth on the face and body
- Insulin resistance
- Excessive weight and difficulty reducing weight
- Infertility
- High testosterone levels
- Fatigue
- Intense mood fluctuations
How does PCOS affect Weight Loss?
Many women with PCOS experience extreme difficulty in losing excessive weight and maintaining a healthy body weight per their Body Mass Index (BMI) because of hormonal imbalances, insulin resistance, and associated inflammation. The hormone imbalances, for instance, affect metabolism and thus result in increased weight and obesity in people. However, insulin resistance increases blood sugar, resulting in weight gain, prediabetes, and type 2 diabetes.
Additionally, PCOS also impacts stress levels, production of cortisol, energy conversion, and other factors, which makes maintaining body weight a significant challenge.
How can Women with PCOS lose Weight?
As per various research studies conducted across the globe, PCOS affects a woman's ability to lose weight and enjoy healthy and quality living. Moreover, obesity is a major contributor to subfertility and type 2 diabetes. Therefore, women seek physical fitness training regimens, nutrition tips, and lifestyle changes that can help them lose weight and reduce the risk of health complications. Although fitness for PCOS knows no one-shoe-fits-all approach, some tips help maintain body weight and reduce the symptoms of PCOS.
1. Balanced Diet
While there is no standard guideline or set list for what to eat for PCOS, there are certain foods and dietary approaches that can help improve metabolic function and reduce blood sugar levels to facilitate weight loss.
Women can follow a stringent dietary pattern and include the following foods in their diet to keep their weight in check and alleviate the symptoms associated with PCOS.
a. The foods with low Glycemic Index (GI): Include foods, such as bananas, oranges, oats, nuts, kidney beans, chickpeas, and lentils in your diet to reduce inflammation, balance hormones, and reduce insulin resistance associated with PCOS.
b. High protein foods: Foods that are higher in proteins and lower in carbs, including eggs, almonds, greek yogurt, lentils, fish, quinoa, shellfish, salmon, and tuna to prevent obesity.
c. High Fibre Food: Consuming high-fiber food, including brown rice, barley, apple, broccoli, sweet potatoes, artichokes, spinach, kale, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, peas, and soybeans regulates insulin and improves weight management.
2. Regular Exercise
Exercising is a boon for women with PCOS, as consistent physical activity helps in managing weight, regulating menstrual cycles, and improving weight management. Since not every exercise works the same for every woman with PCOS, we advise you to consult with a female physical fitness workout expert and receive customized workout plans to witness beneficial results.
Following are some exercises that can be beneficial for individuals with PCOS.
a. Cardiovascular Exercise: Exercises, including brisk walking, jogging, cycling, elliptical training, and dancing, are aerobic and improve cardiovascular health by burning calories and reducing weight.
b. Strength Training: Include strength training exercises, including push-ups, squats, lunges, pilates, and yoga to boost metabolism and reduce insulin resistance.
c. Mind-Body Exercises: It is crucial to manage stress in PCOS as the production of cortisol leads to an increase in weight. By including mind-body exercises, including breathwork, meditation, tai chi, and yoga, women can manage stress and lead a healthy lifestyle.
3. Adequate Sleep
According to numerous research studies, poor sleep quality directly affects life quality by affecting hormone regulation, weight management and causing obesity. Therefore, women with PCOS must maintain a good sleep cycle for multiple reasons.
a. Hormonal Balance: Poor sleep quality causes an imbalance of crucial hormones, including cortisol, progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone. Therefore, having an adequate sleep cycle is important to balance hormones and prevent infertility, weight gain, and poor metabolism.
b. Weight Management: Obesity and weight gain, caused by sleep deprivation, are the leading causes of PCOS. Therefore, women should improve their sleep cycle to maintain energy levels and reduce their hormone-induced food cravings to regulate their weight and prevent obesity.
c. Stress Management: Poor sleep cycle results in mood fluctuations, stress, and tension, which lead to a poor lifestyle and may cause PCOS. Therefore, women should sleep for a required duration of 7-8 hours to reduce stress, maintain emotional health, and lead a healthy lifestyle.
Takeaway
PCOS is one of the most common lifestyle disorders that affect women's quality of life. In most cases, it is often underdiagnosed until women visit their gynecologist to consult about conceiving a baby. It is significant for women of reproductive age to keep a check on the changes their bodies are undergoing and consult with their doctors to mitigate the effects of such lifestyle disorders. It is curable if the right steps are taken to improve your lifestyle by keeping your diet in check, having adequate sleep, and indulging in physical fitness exercises.
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So, it is always better to be serious about our own health and start giving at least 1 hour’s time for ourselves to remain healthy, fit and fine throughout our life and never get any opportunity to visit a doctor.
For this one has to stay positive and consistent for our diet and morning workouts (fitness and Weight Loss Motivation Quotes).
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