PCOS Awareness Month: Why Intermittent Fasting May Not Help You Lose Weight If You Have PCOS

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common problem faced by people who menstruate. In this hormonal disorder, small cysts form on the outer edges of the ovaries, causing them to enlarge. One of the most common and feared results of this is weight gain, which seems impossible to get rid of. To tackle it, we try all kinds of methods and diet patterns, with intermittent fasting being a popular choice. During intermittent fasting, we fast for at least 12 to 16 hours before eating again. But is it really a helpful option for weight management during PCOS? If you have the same question in mind, then you have come to the right place. Let’s see how intermittent fasting affects your body and whether or not it is a healthy option to tackle.

Read also: 5 Ways Spearmint Tea Can Help Manage PCOS

How is weight gain related to PCOS?

In PCOS, our body responds less to insulin, which leads to the risk of developing insulin resistance. This causes the pancreas, the organ responsible for producing this hormone, to release extra insulin to compensate. When the body produces extra insulin, insulinmay contribute to weight gain by increasing appetite, fat storage, and reducing the breakdown of stored fat.

What is intermittent fasting and can it help you lose weight if you have PCOS?

For those who don’t know, intermittent fasting is a type of fasting that focuses more on when you eat rather than what you eat. According to the official website of Johns Hopkins MedicineYou just do it intermittently for a specific amount of time. As mentioned above, gaining weight with PCOS is quite common. However, clinical nutritionist and dietitian Anusha Rodrigues (@nextdoornutritionist) shared a video on Instagram explaining why intermittent fasting may not help you lose weight.

1. Skipping breakfast

When we do intermittent fasting, we usually skip breakfast as it falls within the 16-hour fasting window. However, it is a bad practice, according to the expert. Skipping breakfast and going straight to lunch can only harm your body. The expert says that breakfast is the most important meal when it comes to recovering from PCOS as it helps you control your blood sugar level throughout the day, fight insulin resistance, and even curb sugar cravings. Therefore, skipping breakfast is a no-no when it comes to weight management with PCOS.

Eating nutritious foods can help you manage your weight if you have PCOS.
Photo credit: iStock

2. No attention is paid to the quality of meals

The basic rule of PCOS is focusing on timing and fasting rather than the quality of meals. This causes you to eat all kinds of food without really focusing on eating nutritious food. The expert says this is a kind of red flag as mindless eating just to break the fast could cause you to lose weight. gain weightIf you want to control your weight if you suffer from PCOS, eat quality, nutritious foods to nourish your body.

3. Sudden insulin load

Intermittent fasting forces you to fast for a wide time window. This means that you will eat at least after 14 or 15 hours, depending on your schedule. This large window can lead to insulin overload, i.e. a sudden spike of insulin in your body. This could trigger your androgens and even worsen PCOS, according to the expert.

Can fasting once a week help with weight control if you have PCOS?

According to the expert, it can be possible. While it depends on each body, nutritionist Anusha suggests focusing more on the foods you eat during the eating window than maintaining the fasting time. The foods you consume should meet your nutritional needs. Fasting should not be considered as a free pass to eat whatever you want during the eating window.

Watch the full video:

Read also: Nutritionist explains how fiber, protein and a pre-diabetic diet can help control PCOS

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