PCOS Diet Plan to Lose Weight

Did you know that 1 in 5 women of reproductive age suffer from PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome)? Many of these women with PCOS also experience weight gain. This blog explores the benefits of an Ayurvedic PCOS diet plan to lose weight.

PCOS is a hormonal disorder that causes infrequent or prolonged periods and an imbalance in androgen (male hormone) levels.

Can Ayurved help manage weight gain in PCOS?

As PCOS is caused by hormonal imbalance, Ayurved can help by restoring your hormonal balance to manage PCOS symptoms. 

The trinity of Ayurved that can help with PCOS and weight gain:

• Aahar (diet): Certain foods can help pacify the right dosha to manage PCOS weight gain.
• Vihaar (lifestyle): Performing yoga exercises for weight loss caused by PCOS support the nutrition gains from Aahar.
• Chikitsha (medication): Taking the best ayurvedic medicines for PCOS can help naturally stabilize your hormone imbalance.

Before discussing the diet plan to lose weight, let’s list down the most common symptoms of PCOS.

Common PCOS Symptoms:

• Irregular (infrequent or prolonged) periods
• Elevated androgen levels, which result in excess facial or body hair and severe acne
• Polycystic ovaries
• Excessive weight gain

Additionally, studies have found that being overweight or obese can result in more severe PCOS symptoms.

PCOS and Weight Gain

Western science hasn’t found the concrete cause of PCOS. But there are a few factors associated with PCOS. Those with PCOS often have excess insulin levels and low-grade inflammation, both of which elevate androgen production.

According to Ayurved, PCOS is classified as a Kapha disorder. PCOS caused by excess Kapha leads to the blockage of the flow of fluids in Arthava dhatu, the female reproductive system. Taking the right Ayurvedic medicine for PCOS, along with the right PCOS weight loss diet and exercise routine, can help restore Kapha dosha.

Why Plan a PCOS Diet Plan to Lose Weight?

Research shows that, following a healthy diet and exercise routine to lose 5% body weight can improve the quality of life for women with PCOS.

And since 75% of weight loss comes from diet control, following the best diet to lose weight with PCOS is very important.

In addition, the right Vihaar (lifestyle) and Chikitsha (medication) can enhance weight loss for women with PCOS.

How to pick the right PCOS Diet Plan to Lose Weight?

Your body and constitution are unique and the diet plan that may work for someone else may not be as effective for you. This is also the reason we haven’t recommended a specific 10-day PCOS diet plan.

Instead, we have provided many recommendations that can help you lose weight while getting your PCOS symptoms under control.  

These recommendations are as per the trinity of Ayurved, Aahar, Vihaar, and Chikitsha (diet, lifestyle, and medication), respectively.

Aahar to support your PCOS diet plan to lose weight

 

Aahar is the foundation of the body and eating the right food is an essential step to improving your health and wellbeing.

In the case of any diet for women with PCOS, restoring hormone balance and regulating insulin levels is the most important goal. This can be achieved with a balanced diet that focuses on simple foods instead of highly processed foods.

Find out what to eat and what not to eat as part of your PCOS diet plan to lose weight:

• Sattvic food is light, simple, and easy to digest and it balances your doshas. healthy and it balances your Doshas. Sattvic diet includes non-processed foods that are rich in life force (prana) and help energize your body and mind.
• Rajasic food is known to aggravate your Vita and Pitta doshas. A rajasic diet can cause restlessness, hyperactivity, irritability, anger, and insomnia. Rajasic diet consists of overstimulating foods and should be avoided by those with PCOS looking to lose weight.
• Tamasic food can dull the mind and make you lethargic. Eating Tamasic food can cause feelings of laziness and fatigue. They are highly processed and contain a lot of oil.

List of Sattvic foods to include as a part of your PCOS diet plan to lose weight:

• Leafy greens, carrots, and beans
• Fresh fruits like apples, bananas, papaya, and citrus fruits.
• Grains like wheat, rice, oats, and moong dal
• Seeds and nuts
• Dahi (yoghurt)
• Fresh milk
• Honey and jaggery
• Coconut, olive, and sesame oils
• Spices like dalchini, ginger, haldi, and dhaniya

List of Rajasic foods to avoid as a part of your PCOS diet plan to lose weight:

• Non-vegetarian foods like chicken and fish
• Highly preserved foods
• Onions, garlic, and chillies
• Fried and fast food
• Roasted and salted foods (including nuts)
• Sour milk/cream
• Chocolate
• Alcoholic drinks
• Caffeinated and carbonated beverages like soda, tea, and coffee

List of Tamasic foods to avoid as a part of your PCOS diet plan to lose weight:

• Foods with a high starch content
• Processed foods in cans or tins
• Hard liquor like rum and whisky
• Foods preserved with salt, like chips and French fries
• White sugar and flour
• Foods with a high concentration of fats, sugars, and oils

Now that you have a better understanding of the food you should be eating and the ones you should be avoiding, let’s move on to exercises for PCOS.

Vihaar to support your PCOS diet plan to lose weight

Vihaar means lifestyle and activity. And if you want to lose weight, you are going to have to put in the effort to exercise the fat away.

There is no way around this, no matter which supplement or ayurvedic medicine for weight loss you try.

We know that the simple math behind losing weight is to burn more calories than you take in by eating. So, here is a list of exercises that are effective at promoting weight loss:

• Cardio exercises like cycling, jogging, running, and swimming
• Resistance training with weights like deadlifts, weighted squats, and bicep curls
• Yoga exercises like Chaturanga Dandasana (Plank Pose), Trikonasana (Triangle Pose), and Virabhadrasana (Warrior Pose)

Do read our blog on yoga exercises for weight loss that will tell you how yoga can help you with your weight loss.

Chikitsha to support your PCOS diet plan to lose weight

The right aahar and vihaar can be a great foundation to help women with PCOS lose weight. But if you want to enhance the results, the right Chikitsha is also important.

Chikitsha means medication that includes using ayurvedic herbs and medicines to help treat the root cause of the illness. Dr. Vaidya’s PCOS Care is specially formulated by doctors to help regulate hormone levels and relieve PCOS symptoms.

You can also consult our in-house ayurvedic doctors for a treatment plan based on your body’s unique needs and the severity of PCOS.

Key Takeaway on your PCOS Diet Plan to Lose Weight

Losing weight can be a challenge for women who have PCOS. However, thousands of women have successfully managed to lose weight with Ayurved.

According to Ayurved, the best way to deal with any health problem is to bring the body’s doshas into balance. This balance is achieved with Aahar (diet), Vihaar (lifestyle), and Chikitsha (medication).

This blog gives you all the information you need to build your own PCOS diet plan to lose weight. We have also recommended the right exercises that you need in this journey of weight loss with PCOS.

For Chikitsha, you can consult our Ayurvedic doctors and get a tailor-made treatment plan for PCOS. Alternatively, you can also take PCOS Care, an ayurvedic medicine that’s specially formulated with herbs that are proven to relieve PCOS symptoms.

In conclusion, practising the right PCOS diet plan to lose weight, along with the right exercises and treatment, can help you naturally manage your PCOS and weight loss.