PCOD Diet Chart and Exercise for Weight Loss

PCOD Diet – Introduction

PCOS or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is a very common condition that women today are facing. It victimizes women of childbearing age. Even though the condition is quite common but the detection of the same is often overlooked. Most women don’t even know that they are suffering from PCOS until quite late. Late, in this case, doesn’t refer to anything fatal, but PCOD tends to affect the reproductive system as well as the body’s metabolic health drastically. Now, why does this happen? Our reproductive system and many more of our body functions can be highly altered by some minor changes in the levels of the hormones. Surprising, right? But it is true.

One of the first problems that PCOD brings with it is the side effects of excess male hormones and high production of insulin in a woman’s body. And this very change will enable your body to signal you the symptoms like menstrual irregularities, fast weight gain, acne, and excess hair growth in unwanted areas, and some more. The first step to this is to know that you are suffering from PCOS and the next is to understand what the chances are that your body is undergoing because of the hormonal imbalance. And then you can finally take a step towards the small changes that will help you combat this condition. As you know any curable disease can be taken care of once the diagnosis is over and the treatment is given at the right moment.

How can you deal with PCOD in a natural way?

Well, even though you have many artificial options, you can actually opt for more natural and healthier options like basic exercises and a good diet in PCOD. Top these two up with a healthy lifestyle and say goodbye to PCOD forever. It is not going to be as easy as popping in pills, but it is going to be healthy, effective and a long-term solution.

As you have already seen that weight gain PCOD diet is an issue with such women so let’s talk about what to eat and what not.

PCOS Diet Chart

PCOS Diet Chart is very important in the game of controlling the PCOS. But how do you know that you are overweight and have to shed some kilos? It is quite simple. If your BMI is above 25 then you need to lose weight and join the hard journey of doing that (PCOS diet chart). Once you know this, it is easier to know how much you will have to shed. Remember that even a little change in your weight will help you deal with the disorder. Next, you need to know that you cannot skip meals. Skipping meals increases the blood sugar level which will affect your insulin levels, so have regular meals. Combine that with 30 minutes of daily work out and say ‘no’ to smoking. That’s all. Simple and easy, not really but one can always try.

Leafy Greens

It’s a must to include green, leafy vegetables in your diet. They are nutrient-rich and low in calories, making them ideal for weight loss as well as nutrition. For those with PCOS, green leafy veg such as kale or spinach, contains high levels of Vitamin B. Incredibly, more than 80% of women who suffer from PCOS have been shown to be deficient in vitamin B! This particular vitamin is linked to many PCOS symptoms, including:
Insulin Resistance
Irregular Periods
Hirsutism (excess hair growth)
Obesity
Difficulty Conceiving

Whole foods or wholegrains

Whole foods are foods that are as natural and unprocessed as possible. They are rich in fibre and take longer for the body to metabolize and break them down. High-fiber foods, such as oats, beans, nuts, dried fruit, or wholegrain rice, are slow-release carbohydrates. This means that they release sugar into the blood at a slower, more regular pace, and are therefore less likely to cause the spikes in blood sugar levels associated with type 2 diabetes.

Foods with a low Glycemic Load

Foods with a low glycemic load are those foods that do not cause a big spike in insulin. They tend to be unprocessed, unrefined, and rich in fiber and vitamins and minerals. Also, be careful of foods that have added sugars. This can unnecessarily increase the glycemic load of those foods.

Anti-inflammatory foods

Women with PCOS tend to have low levels of chronic inflammation. This makes us more resistant to insulin, chronically fatigued and prone to gaining weight.
While managing those insulin levels will help with inflammation, making sure that your PCOS diet is rich in anti-inflammatory foods will help too.
Some anti-inflammatory foods good for the PCOS diet are – green, leafy veggies, berries, cherries, cauliflower, broccoli, beans, lentils, green tea, red wine, avocado, coconut, olives, nuts, cold-water fish, turmeric, cinnamon, dark chocolate, spices, and herbs.

Foods with Healthy Fats

We have been conditioned to think that fats are bad and that they make you fat. In fact, they are an important part of your diet. They include Omega 3 fatty acids and helps to

• Regulate hormones
• Reduce your body’s sensitivity to prolactin, a hormone which can suppress ovulation
• Increase blood flow to the uterus
• Help regulate your menstrual cycle

>When you chart out your diet plan, here are a few foods that you must avoid:

Processed Foods

Processed and packaged foods have a higher glycemic index which aids insulin production and diabetes. Women with PCOS must avoid high GI foods which can give you a spike in your blood sugars. So, avoid biscuits, cakes, ready to eat meals, white potatoes, white bread, white rice.

Dairy

Avoiding dairy may be the toughest but it’s great for the PCOS diet. Dairy contains insulin growth factor 1 which is responsible to promote growth in newborns. They also mimic insulin in the body and this leads to more production of testosterone, only worsening the PCOS symptoms.

Gluten

Gluten can lead to inflammation which can lead to insulin resistance and increased risk of developing diabetes. Those with higher levels of inflammation have also been shown to have excess androgen production, which can contribute to weight gain and irregular menstruation, both of which are common symptoms of PCOS.
But remember that most gluten-free products have a high glycemic load that will cause an insulin spike.

Soy

Soy products increase estrogen levels which is detrimental for those with PCOS.

Lifestyle changes

Small and regular meals

This will help you to control the blood sugar levels. Opt for a smoothie for your breakfast, have a sandwich by noon, for lunch you can have something low carb. The goal is to balance it out. Seek help from YouTube to make that boring salad bowls yummy.

PCOD Exercise

At least 30 minutes a day you must exercise.

No smoking

Tobacco must be avoided if you want to combat PCOS. You must refrain from alcohol as well but once in a while, you can have red wine.

Have a cheat day

The diet that PCOD requires is not easy, especially if you are a foodie, it will be your worst nightmare. So have a cheat day, don’t go overboard but have some fries or whatever you want in small portions. This is because we don’t want you to be sad and stressed about diet, the last thing we want. Because the PCOD diet and lifestyle go hand in hand.

How To Exercise With PCOD

Let’s admit we all need to exercise for a better life, fat or not we need to be fit and healthy. But why is exercising so important for a woman with PCOD? Not just losing the fat, it is important to improve insulin sensitivity, cholesterol, and visceral fat. 30 minutes of daily workout for 2 months may not show any remarkable change in your physical appearance, but your body will start showing internal changes. So don’t look back, keep working those muscles out.

A combined workout of sets of cardio and strength training would be best for you. Cardio will help you to lose weight and also reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. On the other hand, strength training will help you to work on your muscles and that will improve your basal metabolic rate, and help you burn more calories.

If those gym sessions bore you then sign up for something that interests you like Zumba, Pilates, yoga, aerobics and so on. If you are an adventurer, this hiking and cycling would be great substitutes. You have plenty of options; you just need the ill to work out.
A woman dealing with PCOS has to face not just physical problems but also mental and emotional ones. Understand something, what your body is undergoing is not your fault, it’s your hormones. Next, it is indeed hard to see and overcome the changes your body is undergoing but the goal is to bring things back to normal. And for that, you need to have your lifestyle under control A healthy lifestyle for PCOD is your priority and nothing else. Be emotionally strong, even though it seems hard to maintain that kind of a disciplined lifestyle, but once you see the small changes your will be motivated. Health comes before temptations, always.

1. Mix it up
2. Try something different