What to eat in PCOS? And I would say the better question is HOW to eat in PCOS.
Over the last few decades, we have started consuming a lot of processed and refined foods. These foods have the 2 most important effects on our body.
1- It results in a very high insulin response, unlike natural whole foods. These processed foods lack the protective effect of fiber which normally works as an antidote to the toxic effect of sugars. Overtime constant snacking on these foods leads to cells not responding to whatever baseline insulin we have and our body will start craving for more foods which will produce even higher insulin. That is why we are never satisfied and go for seconds or want to eat more even after a huge meal.
2- Processed foods produce a very high dopamine response, which is the feel-good hormone. Eating these foods makes us feel soo so good that we started to crave it. What we land up doing is, start associating these foods with our daily negative emotions.
Anyone with insulin resistance, so those with PCOS, prediabetes, diabetes, hypertension, obese must avoid added sugars, processed foods, refined grains, moderate your protein intake increase natural fats and increase consumption of fiber.
We can do this by following intermittent fasting or by following our body’s signal of hunger[ not thirst]
Now let us talk about How would you like to eat?
a staple diet of processed foods in the action line of the model, which leads our result - weight gain, being overweight, having irregular periods, or infertility.
Now, how do we feel when we eat these foods.
Most of the time we feel very urgent, compelled, out of control, and the thoughts producing these feelings are - I want this now, I must have it, I just want it.
So if we change our attitude towards the weight loss journey, how would we like to think about the way we eat.
I want to do this, This is how I take care of me, I have insulin resisitance and that is ok, I dont want to harm myself anymore, eating on a plan is me taking care of me, gets me closer to having a baby, fitting into clothes, having regular periods.
So these thoughts would produce feeling like- determined, caring, compassion, committed.
And when we are in that mindset or in that belief- [ repeat the above]
We can follow start doing and not doing
Write down what we eat
Plan a healthy meal
Follow the meal
Somedays not follow it and wonder why we didnt
Make a note of it in the assessment at the end of the day
Plan again the next day
Do this over and over until it is automatic
Keep tweaking our plan every 2 weeks until we get our results
And one day lose the desire to eat those foods which dont serve you
And become someone who has PCOS and has it all.
