Sorry lads, this one is for the girls. Ladies, if you’re someone who has been diagnosed with PCOS then this may be a helpful read. Now, I do not claim to be a physician, doctor or expert in this field whatsoever. Everything here has been knowledge based on all my research, reading and listening to podcast episodes by professionals on this subject. Today’s blog post is purely for awareness. Furthermore, having female clients that have this condition has been particularly interesting, especially when it comes to fat loss. Firstly, let’s move away from the myth that anyone with PCOS can’t lose weight and can’t get pregnant, they can. Admittedly, it is harder, but it’s certainly not impossible.
WHAT IS PCOS?
It is a condition that about 1 in 10 women have. When a woman’s hormones are out of balance and their periods are irregular, women cannot release an egg during their cycle. PCOS women have higher levels of testosterone than the average woman so it can also affect their appearance such as bodyweight and even hair growth.
THE SYMPTOMS
These are some common signs and symptoms of PCOS:
· Irregular periods or no period at all
· Difficulty getting pregnant as a result of irregular ovulation or ovulation failure
· Excessive hair growth, usually on the face, chest, back
· Weight gain
· Thinning hair and head hair loss
· Oily skin or acne
The 3 main features of PCOS:
· Irregular period— your ovaries don’t regularly ovulate
· Excess androgen— high levels of “male hormones”, which may cause physical signs such as excess facial and body hair, or alopecia
· Enlarged ovaries, containing many follicles
A formal diagnosis of PCOS is usually made when you have at least two of the three listed above.
Although there is no research out there to suggest that it is always hereditary, there is some suggestion that if a mother or aunty has it, then there is a higher chance of being diagnosed with it. Although there is no cure for it, losing weight, training and eating well can improve the symptoms. For example, one of my clients who was diagnosed from a teenager for many years got excessive cramps when she did have a period (which was rare and was the reason she went to see a doctor in the first place). Her symptoms were so bad that when she did have her cycle, she would get to the point of nearly fainting! Now, having lost a lot of weight (over 13kg!), consistent training and following a healthy diet, her symptoms have improved massively and she now has regular periods. Losing this much weight also proves that having PCOS shouldn’t be an excuse for someone not to attempt a fat loss phase, especially if they are not in a healthy weight range.
WHAT ABOUT WEIGHT LOSS AND PCOS?
Although I do not have PCOS, I have and still have PCOS clients who are undergoing a fat loss phase. It does not make it impossible to lose weight like I’ve already said, but the fact that it is a hormonal condition it slows down the metabolic rate, meaning fat loss rate may be slightly slower than the average woman. BUT, fat loss has still proven to be successful. If you are a lady that has PCOS, please don’t be disheartened if you struggle with dropping the weight, find a good Coach who can help get you there! (Me, of course!)
This in mind, the usual equation of CALORIE DEFICIT is not always the case. Sometimes, your hormones overrule so it is much harder-remember, hormones govern your rate of weight loss. You could be in a calorie deficit but if you have an underactive thyroid, your metabolic rate is much slower, making it even harder to drop weight. The more insulin you produce the more weight gain is possible. A study was done whereby a group of overweight people were given insulin to see how much it really affected their fat loss. By the end of the study their calories were dropped down to 1700. So, despite being in a deficit, the insulin given to them was actually controlling their weight and their weight ended up increasing.
Vitamins and minerals improve insulin levels, so if you have PCOS, you really should be taking a long hard look at your current diet and thinking about how much is lacking. Sleep is also vital, so ensure you’re getting enough of it-you are more susceptible to bad sleep if you have this condition and lack of sleep can reduce insulin sensitivity by 30%.
IF YOU SUSPECT YOU HAVE IT
Like I said earlier, I don’t claim to be a GP or expert in the field, so it is best you seek medical advice from your doctor. If you are concerned about your symptoms, then a doctor will be able to take blood tests, check your blood pressure and even undergo an ultrasound to see if there are follicles on the ovaries. If you have irregular periods, it is certainly a good idea to see a doctor. It may also be interesting to ask said doctor where your PCOS stems from-thyroid or insulin levels. It seems that this is only really further investigated if a woman with PCOS is trying to get pregnant and I think it’s important to understand your body regardless of your age. Ladies with PCOS: don’t ignore the symptoms, help the symptoms: clean up your diet and start training. It won’t stop you from getting the body you desire.
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