I recently asked the woman on my Facebook Page what questions they had about PCOS and something that came up on a number of occasions is the issue of fatigue. So many of us struggle with fatigue and really low energy levels.
Just this week I was feeling peckish during the late afternoon and I had a gluten free hot cross bun (not my best decision and I knew it at the time too). Half an hour later I could not keep my eyes open whilst reading to my daughter. This makes me cross for a couple of reasons:
- I should have known better than to eat such a high carb snack.
- I am so mad that I allowed PCOS to rob me of that precious time with my daughter. It makes me even more determined to make wise choices every time I put something in my mouth!
But I digress. Let’s look at what is going on with PCOS and low energy levels and what can we do to make it better.
The Link Between Blood Sugars and Energy Levels
The body’s primary source of fuel is glucose (it can also get fuel from fats if you are following a ketogenic diet but we’re not going to look at that in this particular article). So, in order to maintain our energy, we have to maintain our blood sugar levels and prevent extreme highs and lows in our blood sugars. Eating refined, processed foods cause our blood sugars to rise quickly, giving us a quick burst of energy. this causes a big insulin response and our sugars then quickly fall, leaving us feeling tired and hungry, with difficulty concentrating (1).
Insulin, PCOS and the Afternoon Slump
Many women with PCOS have difficulties processing carbohydrates and irregularities with their insulin (this is true whether or not you have insulin resistance). So, our bodies tend to produce too much insulin and they can also be insensitive to the insulin we do produce. This tends to make our insulin levels quite high which can result in quick changes in your blood sugars. It’s this quick rise and crashing of our sugars that makes us desperately tired, with little energy to do the things we need to do during the day.
One of the best ways to prevent this pendulum-ing of your insulin and your blood sugars is to make sure that you are following a PCOS friendly diet, with good whole foods, some protein at every meal and low GI carbohydrates. Also, try and avoid dairy as this has been shown to cause a big glycemic response (a lot of insulin is released) even though it is relatively low GI.
Sleep
Did you know that sleep is associated with sleep apnea (2) ? In fact, one study found that women with PCOS were 30% more likely to suffer from sleep disordered breathing and excessive daytime sleepiness. This fatigue does have a close link with Insulin resistance, as I already mentioned. It is also important to realise that this excessive daytime sleepiness is independent of insulin resistance.
Brain Fog and PCOS
Dr Datis Kharrazian (3) suggests that brain fog can be a symptom of inflammation. Now this is interesting because we know that women with PCOS also have chronic low grade inflammation (4). So, we need to make sure that we are doing all that we can to combat inflammation within our bodies.
So basically, we’ve said that we struggle with fatigue, brain fog, lack of energy for a number of reasons.
- Unstable blood sugars
- Sleep disorders or not enough sleep
- Low grade inflammations
What can we do?
So, in order to combat fatigue, here are my suggestions:
- Make sure that you are following a low GI, gluten and dairy free whole food diet to prevent your blood sugars from swinging wildly out of control.
- Make sure that you are getting enough sleep and doing what you can to manage your insulin levels. One of the primary ways that you can manage your insulin (without taking metformin and assuming you are already following a PCOS friendly diet), is by making sure that you are taking Myo Inositol (Inositol) regularly. Check out this article for more information on this wonderful supplement.
- Do your best to address your low grade chronic inflammation. You can do this by eliminating gluten (many women with PCOS are sensitive to gluten. You can read more about this here). Foods that are anti-inflammatory in nature include:Wild salmon (not farmed salmon) as it is high in Omega 3; cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, brussel sprouts, kale, etc; kelp; blueberries; extra virgin olive oil; turmeric; ginger; garlic; green tea, sweet potatoes
I’ve had feedback from so many women saying that their energy improved and their brain fog cleared within a couple of days of following these recommendations. So, why not try it for a week or two and see if it helps. What have you got to lose?
Have you struggled with energy levels and brain fog? I’d love to hear your story and I know that there are so many in the PCOS Diet Support community who would love to hear from any of you who have improved energy levels and what you found really made a difference for you! Please leave me a comment in the box below and hit that ‘post comment’ button!
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40 Responses
Hi! I’ve been doing lots of research about PCOS lately. I’ve been dealing with chronic fatigue and brain fog for about 5 years now with little to no help from doctors. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s and PCOS a couple of years ago, with the only treatment being birth control. My endo said that my symptoms were coming from my PCOS and not my Hashimoto’s because my thyroid levels are normal (though with my research too, it says women still experience symptoms like fatigue even though they have normal levels). Every time I mention my fatigue my endo almost avoids the conversation about it. It’s debilitating and truly has impacted my life negatively because I’m in a constant fog or dream-like state and I’m only 22. Being so young and craving to just feel normal again is a vicious cycle. I’m currently trying the gluten-free and dairy-free diet so fingers crossed! I tried to put it off for so long because I thought it would be hard and inconvenient especially since I’m a pescatarian. It’s only day 1 so I’m hopeful. 🙂
I’m 22 now and have struggled with irregular periods since I was 12. I have had periods for 3 weeks of the month, gone 6 months without my period, and one year had 3 periods that lasted 6 to 10 days among other irregularities. I have gone to my GP numerous times requesting testing and referrals but he won’t give me any, even for a gynecologist. He insists that my irregular periods and pain are entirely normal even though I can barely stand sometimes because of the pain. I have intense and powerful moodswings, intense food cravings, and I struggle to maintain my energy levels. He will not discuss PCOS with me and has told me unless I’m trying to conceive then my hormone imbalance isn’t really a problem. He has tried multiple times to prescribe birth control which I have taken consistently at 3 different points in my life to find it hasn’t worked and has made me miserable. I remain undiagnosed at the moment but am getting a new doctor soon hopefully who will help me figure out my imbalance. In the meantime finding articles like yours is really helpful and makes me feel supported, especially after a 7 year disagreement with my doctor. Thank you so much 💓
There are no time stamps here so I could be replying to a post that’s several years old but I wouldn’t mind some advice. I had to have an upper GI scope done because I’ve been throwing up after meals with bread in them. My GI doctor thought maybe I had celiac, but the sample they took of my intestine didn’t react with gluten and they found a stomach infection that could explain the vomiting. I’ve been confirmed negative for that bacteria since then, but I still can’t eat bread, pizza, or even pasta without feeling sick like I want to throw up. Usually it hits 5-10 minutes after a meal. Could this be gluten sensitivity? I don’t think my aversion is threatening my health, but I also haven’t seen any reputable scientific sources discussing gluten insensitivity, as opposed to gluten allergies. Also celiac and the like tend to have patients who are too thin rather than overweight, so I wouldn’t dare bring up the possibility of my not tolerating gluten in a social or restaurant setting.
I could try buying and eating gluten free versions of those foods, but it doesn’t seem very different from a dietary perspective. Not really sure what else to do.
oh I forgot to mention that I have probably had PCOS since I was a teenager (Dx at 21) and now I’m 30. The gluten thing is about a year old now.
My OBGYN told me at 21 that I had PCOS and told me to look it up. That was back in 2006, during that time I really noticed a lot of articles stating the ‘excessive facial hair’ or more of the testosterone increase in women and since I didn’t have those symptoms, I ignored his diagnosis. However, I had only been having a period about once a year since I was 13 and always frustrated with my weight. At the age of 24 I lost 80 lbs (low carb & no gluten diet) and was in my normal BMI. My periods started to come every 5 to 3 months which shocked me. I’ve been with my husband since I was 20 and by the time I was 25 we gave up on getting pregnant… long benoist I found out we were finally pregnant, later that year! After having my son, I easily gained the 80 lbs back. By the age of 31 and my new OBGYN diagnosing me with PCOS (elevated DHEAS & lack of menstruation), I was tired of the weight again and went back to a low carb (only eating carbs from veggies) and no gluten. I lost about 55 lbs and felt good… unfortunately I fell off track and again my weight flooded back. My brain fog (I mean bad brain fog where I have to search for words while talking) was worse than ever, my energy was beyond control (I’d nod out after sitting on the couch in a matter of minutes), and sure enough I only had 1 period in the last 7 years. Here I am at almost 34 years old, back to my heaviest weight which I watched myself gain 18 lbs in 6 months and I’ve really had enough. For the past 3 weeks I have come back to the low carb (20-30g per day/ from veggies), no gluten and no dairy diet. I’ve lost 20 lbs in 3 weeks, my energy is unbelievable. I’m currently remodeling my entire kitchen (all by DIY). I have even kicked habits that were causing more of my laziness, like coming home and turning on the TV and eating a snack. Now I get home from work, pull out food for dinner, start back on house chores, remodeling my kitchen or simply waiting for my almost 8 year old to get home so we can go play some baseball, basketball, take the dogs out for a walk, etc… I feel like I’m getting my life back, I’m getting the ‘ME’ that I’ve always knew was inside of me. To those with PCOS, the bad brain fog and simply no energy, I urge you to cut out the gluten, the processed foods, cured meats with nitrates/ nitrites and start eating clean, you’ll be amazed! I truly know this time around I’ve found my will power to make my good food choices a ‘LIFE STYLE CHANGE’.
Your post gives me hope! I’m 22 and have PCOS and have been dealing with the fatigue and brain fog you talk about. It’s DEBILITATING. The best way I can describe it to people is that I constantly feel high 24/7. Really hope I get the same results as you with this diet 🙂
I was recently diagnosed with pcos after two years of experiencing the plethora of symptoms that come with it (as a teenager, people would say that it was normal, but the pain, other extremely annoying side effects, fatigue, and the fact I had periods that were 3-5 months late, as well as extremely embarrassing crying spells for seemingly no reason at all) I wasn’t surprised to have been diagnosed with pcos.
It’s been really hard though, especially as a teen who already has a lot of confusion and self-consciousness, as well as stress and sleep problems whilst doing the HSC (like the Aus version of the SAT or IB) and having constant brain fog and pain which all contributes to falling grades (I was a straight A without trying student, and now sometimes I struggle finishing my sentences or finding the words I know I have in my vernacular).
Moving schools and being told by my gyno that I had to lose five kilos and am basically overweight (I’m 51kg – having gained about four in the past 1.5 years, which doesn’t make sense considering I love exercise, go to the gym three times a week, do cheerleading, started surfing, as well as always doing things like working volunteering school friends family playing with my dog, etc; but I didn’t think of myself as overweight and now I feel self conscious at the beach sometimes)
It’s also been a struggle changing my diet that dramatically, oftentimes going out with friebds means not being able to eat the desserts and eat out and movie binges and pizza, (although they’ve been quite supportive, recently bought a kilo of $1.90 carrots and hummus to snack on when I went out with a friend) but also all of the other things and the fact that I had never swallowed tablets before and kept gagging them back up, but now have to take five daily, plus supplements, and just lacking time and the inconvenience of seeing doctors (got a few other things I’ve been needing to check out) when I’ve got tests and assignments to do and study for.
This has become a bit of a rant but essentially it’s great how supportive the pcos community is, and the awareness being raised. Just wish there was a definite cure/reason hmfor having it beyond ‘not really sure but maybe this or that but maybe that’. I know some people have been brushed off by their doctors who call the pain imaginary, but as someone who almost passed out lying on the floor of a shopping centre bathroom crying for my dad to pick me up, it’s really not.
I struggle with low energy and brain fog constantly even though I follow all the steps you have suggested. It irritates my partner that as he says ‘my brain can’t keep up and I’ve gotten dumb’. Now we run a business so I can’t afford not to have my brain working but I just can’t seem to improve it even with eating so healthy.
Penny, you should see a doctor and have them order a full blood panel. If healthy eating alone isn’t helping, it could be something much more nefarious — but still solvable — like B12 deficiency or anemia. It’s good that you tried the holistic dietary approach first, but since it didn’t work for you, you should move onto identifying more specific causes. This article is on point in that nutrition is KEY when it comes to mental clarity, but it is also a generalized approach intended to introduce people to the principles of eating for PCOS-related brain fog. It looks like your symptoms might stem from other (or more) causes.
Please do see a doctor; if you are in the US and cost is prohibitive, do a Google search for a place like Walk-In Lab that lets you submit your own order. Your comment breaks my heart; brain fog robs you of quality of life in a uniquely horrible way, and it’s just no way to live.
Hi guys !! First of all dont give up, you can get better !! I have pcos too and while it was in grade 10, I didnt th d have to do much about it, until now 8yrs later(25yrs old now). For last 5weeks I tried out HIIT and small amounts of weight lifting every alternate day , 6 days a week, (sunday was off) and that combined with calorie restriction of 1200 calories in 5 divided small meals, along with God ‘s beautiful help and mercy, helped me to loose 3lbs and 3inches and get periods back, although it isnt a great amount of weight loss but its the only time that the scale has gone backwards. And nigricans disappearaed from 80% to 20% and all thanks and praise to God, that feeels beautiful !!So I would advise everyone to make sure ure doing intense excercise and eating minimal amounts of food. Look at it this way, ure body was built to be an athlete and achieve greatness !! Just keep at the lifestyle modification for a minimum if 3 months and hopefully u ll see results.
Hi first time on here.
I was recently diagnosed with pcos. I gave all of the lack of energy symptoms and changing my diet has definatly helped. I’m wondering if anyone in here us suffering from weight loss and excessive periods. I did have a cyst that burst 4 days before surgery as I was in constant pain and had a continuous period for about five months(well not 100% continuous but 3/4 of the five months was spent bleeding.) My cyst burst i went back to semi regular period (I have never had regular periods trialed the pill many times with no success, one time a pill made me anemic from excessive bleeding.) Anyway things synced back i saw my specialist all was ok then 10 days after my last cycle it has started again, but so much heavier. I am getting bigger clotts then before (the size of 50 cent pieces) o have had this checked out and apparently all is normal but i have lost 3kgs in 3 days and just struggling. Any advice for excessive bleeding ? And ensuring i eat what I need?
That sounds just like me. Except I only gained weight. The pill would not work for me, because you have to take it the same time every day and it seemed to not be strong enough. I then tried the Nuva ring. That worked amazing and I took an iron suppliment, all the blood loss had made me severely anemic. Next metforman is really important. It does make me feel a little yucky every day but it’s what my insurance will cover. Taking Metforman now will increase your chances of fertility later. I also took Fortmet instead of metforman and loved it and felt great but insurance only covers the met. They say it’s the same but my body says it’s not. Exercise and eating are key too for long term help. Good Luck,L
I was bleeding for 10 months. some days id walk across the house from the bathroom to my bedroom and go through a tampon and pad in about a minute. I fainted at work from anemia. I went to several docs. over several years. All put me on a birth control.it never helped. I finely at 28 went to a good ob that suggested PCOS and went to and endocrinologist(above an ob. they are a uterine specialist.) who was also a fertility doc that diagnosed me. stay away from ibuprofen( ADVIL) sticking to the diet helps and exercise. rapid weight loss can be a symptom of cancer.not to scare you but that is something that is not typical of pcos. you should go be seen by a doctor and find out whats up.write down your daily symptoms in a daily diary for a few days then pass that info to the doc.
Hi everyone I am in desperate need for some help/advice.
I’m about to turn 21 and was dignosed with PCOS a month ago. I was devastated instantly! I have always wanted children and so has my partner! We have been together 5 years and have been working hard to set up our future for our lives and for the children we dreamed of having….now I fear the worst. I always wanted children to give my parents the gift of becoming grandparents. I feel like I’m drowning in my emotions….I’m having mood swings and can feel the frustration in my partner of not being able to help. I have pso and period problems but no facial hair or acne but extreme pain constantly. I need to lose weight but I’m struggling.
Does anyone have advice? I’m scared and wish this could magically disappear.
Thank you.
Arieal I am in the same boat as you and my drs dont know much about PCOS. where do we start? who can we see? weight is just stacking with no hope in site! surely there is some help out there!?!?
Hi Ariel,
I am not going to give you some magical cure as I was diagnosed at 19, im now 36 & no better with my PCOS or weight.
Like you I always dreamed of my own family and even following IVF that never happened – UNTIL my husband & I adopted our wee princess 2 years ago.
I guess what I am trying to say is that you don’t always need to have a pregnancy to have a family, just keep your mind & heart open & one day everything will fall into place – one way or another xxx
Hi Arieal,
I’m not sure if this will help, but I had trouble losing weight because of my pcos until I started keeping track of what I was eating and, especially, how much. I use an app. called “lose it.” It allowed me to set goals, track my food intake, exercise and weight. I’ve been on it for a few months now and have lost almost 10 lbs. It may not be much, but it made me feel better and helped my cycles to begin to regulate. It also showed me how empty calories and refined sugars were limiting my calorie budget. I can eat so much more and feel full and happy by cutting out the carbolicious snacks and instead eating fruits, veggies and lean protein. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE sugary snacks, but I HATE not being able to eat as much because I ruined my budget for the day. And my hate (usually) beats the love of sugar. I still eat rice Krispy treats sometimes and popsicles, but they just aren’t as satisfying. Good luck with everything and I sincerely hope you are able to conceive.
see an endocrinologist. they specialize in hormones and glands and fertility. I went to a fertility clinic and a lot of it was covered under my insurance due to the diagnosis of pcos. ivf would have been out of pocket.i was told at 18 I wouldn’t get or have a hard time getting prgers. at 28 I magically got prgo out of no where after 10 years with my hubby. at 28 I did the fertility doctors orders on diet/ exercise and metformin and after about a year of trying and provera(med forces a period as I had none)and a dose of clomid(med makes you ovulate) I got prego and had my second. we had one miscarry that we knew of. often with pcos you can have chemical pregnancy where you loose it right away.if you have a few miscarriages have them check you progesterone hormone.
Metformin is used along with fertility drugs to help. Lady at work was pregnant within 3 months. May not be the most natural, but it worked. Wish I had known years ago. I am 45 and childless and just too tired to try now.
I have PCOS–when I was 25 and after a few months of acupuncture from a very skilled doctor, I got pregnant within a month. Don’t give up ladies, take care of yourself and love yourself before anything else, get the stress out of your life as much as you can, don’t wear high heels all the time, drink good water, eat organic~ stay positive. <3
Wow. I have suffered from (what I thought was only) sleep deprivation almost all my life and I never knew that tiredness and lack of energy was a symptom of PCOS. I was diagnosed when I was in my mid teens and here I am, 10 years later at age 25, looking up PCOS for the very first time. I never knew that PCOS was a big thing. My doctors never made a big deal about it so I didn’t really think it was anything to worry about. My gynecologist put me on birth control back when I was diagnosed (to regulate my non existent periods) and I’ve been on it ever since. Nothing else was said in the way of treating my PCOS. In the little research that I’ve done so far I’ve discovered that a whole lot of my problems are symptoms of my PCOS, the biggest ones being tired all the time, having rage issues, and being very overweight. My sugar also drops quite frequently. I have problems with getting super shaky, feeling sick, and getting lightheaded. I just started the free starter kit and I learned more in the 13 minute first session video and in reading these blogs/comments about PCOS than I have from my doctors in the last 10 years of my life. I finally have the kick in the butt that I need to make a change and I can’t wait to start reaping the benefits. I’m very excited to watch the final 3 starter kit videos and to start learning how to eat healthier and manage the symptoms of my PCOS.
I can relate Rebekah- the info I’ve learned here has far surpassed the knowledge most Dr’s have on the condition. Finding a specialist is nearly impossible (and if you find one insurance may not cover them). Even reproductive endocrinologist’s are not focused on fixing the root problem (usually diet) and instead prescribe Rx’s. I had a lot of success once I focused on figuring out how to get OFF medications (or working in that direction at least).
Heidi
As I said, I’ve been on birth control for nearly 10 years to regulate my period. It would be so nice if the changes I make in my diet, and eventual weight I’ll lose, will help me to have regular periods on my own. I did just recently tell my doctor that I would like to see and endocrinologist so we’ll see how it goes with that. Since I’m just now trying to take steps to help with my PCOS I think I might want to take some medication in the beginning just to get me started. Once I get the hang of the new diet and start exercising (which is hard for me to do since I have a bad back) then I’ll see about doing everything the natural way. Anyway, thanks for the response.
I was diagnosed with PCOS about 10 years ago, i’m only 27. Since i had no other symptoms other than the irregular periods and very light hirsutism (very manageable, and since i had it so long thought it was normal)i did nothing about it. No birth control (noticed after a couple of years of marriage that i wasn’t getting pregnant – didn’t bother me as i didn’t want kids at the time and always thought i could combat this with fertility treament when i was ready), no proper diet, no proper exercise, i did absolutely nothing to help my PCOS. Now 27 years old, i’ve been noticing a lot more hirsutism, fat around my waist, i’ve been losing my hair (handfuls daily), went years without my period unless it’s induced. I’ve learned the hard way about my PCOS – I had so much time to keep it under control and now i feel as if i have a long road ahead of me. i see now that if i had just kept it under control it would have been a lot easier, now i have to get it in control before maintaining. I’m only 2 months in – was put on birth control, i started exercising, and next is the eating right. I wanted to thank you for all the great information on your website, it’s calming to know that this is manageable at any stage 🙂
It can be turned around! I waited almost 20years before I made changes. Its work but once I had a better understanding of my PCOS it was much easier to make the changes.
Heidi
I agree that learning about and understanding PCOS has made it easier to make the necessary changes. My sister has been wanting to start eating according to the Paleo diet for a while now but I’ve never really been on board. After one night of reading on this site and with an understanding about how my PCOS is affecting me, I was ready to start making the changes in my diet. My brother is getting married this weekend so we plan on implementing the changes, or at least starting small, next week. I know it will be very hard for me at first, but I’m looking forward to feeling and looking better in the long run.
Tashia Brown
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My OBGYN told me at 21 that I had PCOS and told me to look it up. That was back in 2006, during that time I really noticed a lot of articles stating the ‘excessive facial hair’ or more of the testosterone increase in women and since I didn’t have those symptoms, I ignored his diagnosis. However, I had only been having a period about once a year since I was 13 and always frustrated with my weight. At the age of 24 I lost 80 lbs (low carb & no gluten diet) and was in my normal BMI. My periods started to come every 5 to 3 months which shocked me. I’ve been with my husband since I was 20 and by the time I was 25 we gave up on getting pregnant… long benoist I found out we were finally pregnant, later that year! After having my son, I easily gained the 80 lbs back. By the age of 31 and my new OBGYN diagnosing me with PCOS (elevated DHEAS & lack of menstruation), I was tired of the weight again and went back to a low carb (only eating carbs from veggies) and no gluten. I lost about 55 lbs and felt good… unfortunately I fell off track and again my weight flooded back. My brain fog (I mean bad brain fog where I have to search for words while talking) was worse than ever, my energy was beyond control (I’d nod out after sitting on the couch in a matter of minutes), and sure enough I only had 1 period in the last 7 years. Here I am at almost 34 years old, back to my heaviest weight which I watched myself gain 18 lbs in 6 months and I’ve really had enough. For the past 3 weeks I have come back to the low carb (20-30g per day/ from veggies), no gluten and no dairy diet. I’ve lost 20 lbs in 3 weeks, my energy is unbelievable. I’m currently remodeling my entire kitchen (all by DIY). I have even kicked habits that were causing more of my laziness, like coming home and turning on the TV and eating a snack. Now I get home from work, pull out food for dinner, start back on house chores, remodeling my kitchen or simply waiting for my almost 8 year old to get home so we can go play some baseball, basketball, take the dogs out for a walk, etc… I feel like I’m getting my life back, I’m getting the ‘ME’ that I’ve always knew was inside of me. To those with PCOS, the bad brain fog and simply no energy, I urge you to cut out the gluten, the processed foods, cured meats with nitrates/ nitrites and start eating clean, you’ll be amazed! I truly know this time around I’ve found my will power to make my good food choices a ‘LIFE STYLE CHANGE’.
I was just diagnosed. I am lucky to have an amazing doctor. It was quite an emotional process getting diagnosed. Progesterone makes me angry and moody and it was used to induce periods for all the tests and procedures I have had to do. And this is just the diagnosis part! But now it’s official. PCOS. I am taking pregnitude which is the myo-inositol and folic acid. I was on it at the start of my testing process. I got off it and am now on it. If your wife is moody just understand it’s not something she can control. The more support and Grace you can show the better. And talk with her. She will sort it out. It’s a long process for us all! But just find a really good doctor too. My fertility doctor is great. His staff is great. They will get some of that under control. But I know I feel crappy a lot and get moody. I think a proper diet will help!
I was actually diagnosed of pcos 5yrs ago and I really use to have low energy but with change of diet that has really improved but I just kip researching on d net all d tym to get informations that will be if help to me. Good luck to you all.
I’ve been following all of the recommendations for one month now & have only lost only 2 pounds. Have not noticed a reduction in excessive hair growth yet & not much improvement on the energy side… Feeling somewhat discouraged… 🙁
You didn’t mention your starting weight range but losing anything the first month of a diet is a good sign. It can take 3 weeks for a healthy individual to begin experiencing true fat loss. 1-2lbs a week is normal for those needing to lose 50lbs or more. Otherwise 1/2-1lb is more reasonable guidelines you would get from a registered dietician. I know we get bombarded with ads that claim massive losses. First those people likely are not dealing with a metabolic disorder on this level, second those that claim “5lbs in 1week” are mostly water weight and clearing out a backed up digestive system with healthier foods choices. I hope you stuck with it and are seeing losses. Next time you are at the grocery store, go pick up two pounds of ground beef. Remind yourself you are no longer carrying that around. 25lbs in a year would be life changing for most. Also the PCOS diet is designed to manage symptoms so that weight loss becomes more viable for us. Exercise and portion control along with sometimes counting calories can be of help in achieving the weight loss side of your goal. I was able to lose 170lbs following a diet very similar to Tarryn’s, as well as swimming and counting calories.
Hey,
Great website
Gluten free diet and thyroid hormone did the job:)
Oh, one thing about the green tea suggestion, though–I’ve read in a number of places that green tea can reduce estrogen? If so, that would be bad for PCOS “cysters” to ingest, yes?
Not trying to correct you, but I’m just very curious about your opinion on this!
Perfectly timed article, thank you! I’m almost a week in with this new diet of no processed sugars, no dairy, and virtually no grains (I had steel cut oats yesterday, just to test), and yesterday I was in bed by 9 p.m., because I practically couldn’t keep my eyes open! I slept until 7 a.m., yet still felt tired even after waking up.
Now it’s 5 p.m., and I feel like I could crawl into bed here pretty soon, so I’m definitely worried about what’s going on with my energy levels. I’ll have to check into maybe adding some salmon and sweet potatoes, because many of the other things you suggested are already part of my diet (including the myo-insitol!).
Again, thanks!
Lindsey,
I was having the same issues last week. I finally decided, that while I was eating the correct foods, as Tarryn suggested, but that I wasn’t eating enough to maintain my energy levels. Increasing the amount of protein I consume (via veggies, almond milk, nuts, and lean meats) has proved beneficial to me personally this week. I am also concerned about vitamin deficiencies, and intend to see my family physician for some testing.
I’m also going to discuss with her Tarryn’s supplement suggestions. I’m on an anti-depressant, and sometimes things react funny with it.
I hope you get to feeling better!
Jeremy,
How wonderful and sweet of you to show such concern for your wife. Since starting Tarryn’s diet, my husband has shown great interest in what is happening to me inside my body to make me feel so crappy. He is also incredibly supportive of all my diet changes and is even following along with me to a degree. If I’m feeling run down and tired and don’t know why, he helps with the chores. He is also more tolerant and understanding of my anger/depressive swings because he knows there is a valid reason for them. In my opinion, working on this together has brought us closer together, as I feel his support and love.
The one thing I wish he would help more with is food prep. Following this diet, I’ve found, can be pretty labor intensive, as now I’m cooking not one, but two or three meals a day, plus prepping healthy snacks. Having him offer to make, or even help make, dinner would be a huge help. So maybe offer to help your wife prep some healthy food for herself.
Remember, she’s just as frustrated with her body and mood swings as you are–probably more so. Gently encourage her to try leaving out dairy and processed foods or foods high in starch (bread, white rice, pasta). I went a week without them, and then had a cheat meal that contained french fries, cheese, and a white hamburger bun. I regretted it within an hour becuase my emotions went wacko. After a week of having stability in my moods, I knew it was from the junk food.
I wish you and your wife the best. You can get through this, but it’s so much easier if you work together.
The anger and mood swings will be greatly reduced if your wife follows a low carb, grain/gluten free diet. Getting rid of sugar and caffeine will help eliminate it too. Usually the moodiness is caused by the swings in blood glucose. Of course our hormones are already going crazy as well, but cutting out all of the above will do wonders.
Great Post T!
This is one aspect of PCOS I really have a hard time with, however ditching dairy has helped me with my energy levels and gut health. Plus I think coconut milk tastes awesome in coffee win-win!
i am a husband of a woman with PCOS. Can you please help me understand the correlation between PCOS and anger or mood swings. Honestly, i need this info. it could same my marriage. Any advice on dealing with this for me and for what my wife can do to manage it would be helpful but i really do want to understand why it happens. Thank you
Dear Jeremy, I want to start by saying thank you for asking in order to understand your wife. Many guys do not take the time to ask questions and it can really hurt a relationship. There are several reasons your wife could be facing these. One could be her blood sugar. When our blood sugar is stable we are in good moods and can be the best we can be. But then their comes a crash either because we havent eaten at the right time or we have eaten to many carbohydrate. At this point our blood sugar becomes unstable and most likely crashes causing bad moods or anger in some cases. Another reason can be hormonal imbalances. Many women with PCOS can be testosterone dominant causing something along the lines of roid rage. Your wifes best bet is to see and endocrinologist to see where her levels are for insulin,fasting blood sugar, and hormones. If she cant see a doctor the best changes can be diet and exercise. As mentioned in the article she needs to stabalize her sugar levels (look into paleo, ketogenic, or low glycemic index diets). As for exercising if she is overweight fat holds testosterone so the more she can loose then lower her levels can become. The best exercises for us are heavy weight lifting or HIIT. If you are on facebook there is a group called misters of cysters which is a support groups for men who have women in their life suffering from PCOS. I wish you the best and please keep in mind that she needs your support the most.
Oh Jeremy, I’m so sorry that you and your wife are having such a hard time. Jenn and Jena have both given you some great advice. I think the thing is that there are things your Wife can do to get her PCOS under control – things like exercise, taking PCOS supplements and eating to manage her PCOS. It doesn’t have to stay the way it is now. Please feel free to email me on the site https://www.pcosdietsupport.com/contact-me/ and we’ll see how we can help.