4 Reasons Why It’s So Hard To Lose Weight With PCOS!

Have you experienced unexpected weight gain? Are you struggling to lose weight after months of trying? On this episode, we discuss the 4 reasons why it’s so hard to lose weight with PCOS!

Are you holding onto the calorie equation? You’ll learn the impact cutting calories has on PCOS weight loss including how yoyo dieting can set you back in your journey!

We discuss the reasons behind weight plateau and what your expectation for PCOS weight loss should be for consistent results!

4 Reasons Why It’s So Hard To Lose Weight With PCOS 

Your body is in survival mode. 

Women with PCOS are often in survival mode. Our bodies are stressed to the max because of insulin resistance and hormonal imbalances (which often go hand-in-hand.) The two simple things can domino into a whole bunch of common PCOS symptoms including fatigue, excess hair growth, irregular periods, acne, and, of course, weight gain! If all that wasn’t enough, life itself can just be super stressful, further contributing to this internal fight-or-flight mode. 

Our bodies are biologically designed to survive when we encounter stress. Our bodies interpret the imbalances, inflammation, and anxiety as cause for alarm. To protect you, your body stores fat until the stress goes down . . . but, then the stress doesn’t go away! The weight stays, and you get even more stressed about not losing it, leading to a vicious cycle. 

Before you can focus on weight loss, you have to fix the circumstances that are making your body retain weight. That means finding ways to relieve stress, increase insulin sensitivity, and resolve your body’s nutrient deficiencies that may be preventing it from running at its peak. Once your cortisol levels (stress hormones) go down, your body will finally realize it’s not getting chased by a bear or lost in the wilderness, so it doesn’t need to be in fight-or-flight and hoard fat!

You’re yo-yo dieting. 

Yo-yo dieting is when you swing from one diet to another in short periods of time. I get it! You’re trying everything you can to make weight loss happen, and when something doesn’t work, you switch it up! However, this can actually make it more difficult to lose weight. 

What often happens is you pick a diet that’s pretty calorie restrictive. This seems like a good idea in theory, but when your body isn’t getting the nutrients it needs to run efficiently, it goes into survival mode again. It starts hoarding fat as it struggles to maintain normal functioning.

Then, because you feel crappy and your diet is too strict, you can’t sustain it. What happens then? You pick a new diet and increase your calorie intake again. However, your body is still aware of the past calorie deficit and will continue storing fat in case of another “emergency” like that. Meaning, this new diet doesn’t work either. 

What you really need is a sustainable and intentional diet. You can’t be too restrictive and yo-yo your body from deficit to excess over and over. I talk more in the podcast episode about what a PCOS diet should look like, but to make it really easy, just download The Cysterhood app and enroll in one of my PCOS meal plans! As a Registered Dietician, I can help you develop new eating habits and finally reach your weight loss goals. 

You’re fighting your natural weight. 

We all know body weight isn’t just about what we eat. There are tons of factors to consider like genetics, other health conditions, and your normal metabolic functioning. What does all this mean? To lose weight, you have to combat your natural body weight. 

Think of it like this: When you set a thermostat to 74 degrees, you get comfortable there. If you decide to drop it down even one or two degrees, you’ll be cold. If it goes a couple degrees warmer, you’ll get hot. Why? It’s not because those temperatures are actually too hot or too cold, it’s just what our body is used to! Our body tries to motivate us to get back to that 74 degrees where we’re comfortable, and it’s hard to fight that urge when you’re shivering or sweating. 

That’s what it’s like to lose weight. As you go down a few pounds, your body wants to put them back on naturally. You’ll have symptoms of feeling hungry or fatigued from not having enough food, when really you do! In both scenarios, your body needs time to adjust, and you need to make plans for responding to your body’s natural urges that don’t result in putting the weight back on. 

The point is, the change will not feel comfortable at the time. As you’re healing these things, your body will try to get back to baseline. Expect this and embrace it! Preparing for it and joining a community like The Cysterhood can help you get through this adjustment period. Just like your body eventually adapts to a cooler house, your body will eventually adapt to a better diet and lower weight. 

Your expectations are too high. 

Here’s a big one! You might not be losing weight (or feel like you are), because your expectations are too high. Comparing yourself to others can be so easy, especially on social media, but remember that with PCOS, losing weight is really really hard. Harder than it is for more people on Instagram. 

Don’t focus too much on the numbers and the way you look. Losing weight is about more than just getting in a swimsuit. When you lose weight with PCOS, you’ll likely get relief from your symptoms, reduce your risk of PCOS complications, boost your chances of conceiving, and overall just feel way better! Focus on the way YOU feel, not about the way you look. This is all about progress, not perfection. 

Fastest Way To Lose Weight With PCOS

Reduce stress and practice self-care. 

To start reducing insulin resistance and balancing hormones, you need to reduce your stress. You can do this by spending time in nature, making time for the things you love, cutting your schedule back, meditating regularly, and getting active! Here’s more on PCOS self-care. 

Reduce caffeine intake. 

Caffeine works by encouraging your body to produce cortisol. Yep, our stress hormone. Cortisol isn’t necessarily bad. You need a good balance of cortisol and melatonin to feel calm, but alert. However, when cortisol gets too high, we get anxious and stressed-out. That increases our insulin resistance and makes it harder to lose weight. Try cutting back! 

Get better sleep. 

Women with PCOS experience sleep disturbances more often than healthy women. Learn how to practice better sleep hygiene to get more rest, because improved sleep has a big impact on insulin resistance and hormone balance! 

Do low-impact exercises. 

Of course, exercise helps with weight loss! But, when you have PCOS, remember we want to reduce stress, so keep the exercises slow and low-impact. Here are the best exercises for PCOS. 

Focus on an intentional diet over a restrictive diet. 

We want a sustainable diet full of intentional foods. I recommend you consider an anti-inflammatory, gluten- and dairy-free diet for the best results! 

DON’T go fast. Focus on progress, not perfection. 

My biggest recommendation? Don’t try to go fast! This is about lifestyle change and feeling better, not about hitting a certain weight goal by a certain date. Focus on your health over appearance—the weight loss will come in time!

To lose weight with PCOS, you need to understand your body and give it the support it needs to get you to your goals. 

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects between 8%-12% of women of reproductive age. The symptoms can be hard, but there are ways to naturally heal your PCOS, reverse your symptoms, and feel like yourself again. Listen to more A Cyster and Her Mister episodes to learn how you can thrive with PCOS! 

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While Tallene is a Registered Dietitian and Sirak a Personal Trainer, this podcast provides general information about PCOS. It is not meant to serve as fitness, nutrition or medical advice related to your individual needs. If you have questions, please talk to a medical professional. For our full privacy policy, please click on the following link: (bit.ly/PCOSPrivacyPolicy)

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