Ever feel like you’re doing everything they “tell you,” yet you’re not seeing results?
I’ve been there!
I used to think, “I’m like the healthiest person I know, yet I can’t stop gaining weight!”
So FRUSTRATING!
Here’s what I learned!
Sometimes it’s just a few small tweaks that need to be made in order to get your body going in the direction you want.
And frustration doesn’t help. We have to calm ourselves down and accept where we’re at so that we can find a solution.
So if you’ve been frustrated, I get it, I used to be too. But I’ll tell ya from experience, it does nothing for us! So the first step is finding a way to look at the situation differently.
One way we can do that is by looking at it from our future, as opposed to where we’re currently at. What if you knew that one year from now, you’d be in a COMPLETELY different place. How would you view where you’re at now from that place? What would you tell yourself?
Once you get to the place where you feel more centered, you can look at what might be causing the weight gain or inability to lose.
It’s usually one of three things that needs to be tweaked to create change.
These include:
1. Our diet.
What’s healthy for some, may not be healthy for you with PCOS. So even though you’re counting calories or following a plan that works for others, doesn’t mean it’s right for you. With PCOS and insulin resistance, our bodies are very sensitive to foods that raise insulin. Most women with PCOS also aren’t able to lose weight when they eat often, so timing matters! We need to give our bodies a break from insulin, and that’s where intermittent fasting comes in or just no snacking between meals. It can make a massive difference!
Here are 2 simple tweaks that you can try to get the scale moving again:
- Lower your carb intake. So if you’re eating fruit, grains, or starchy veggies like potatoes, you may want to trade them for something with fewer carbs- like healthy fats, nuts, protein, or non-starchy veggies.
- Shorten your eating window. This can make a huge difference for women with PCOS. You can do this by eating your first meal later, or your last meal earlier. Another option is to stop snacking between meals. Giving your body a break from food gives it a break from insulin, which allows it to tap into body fat for fuel. You still want to eat sufficient meals that fill ya up. You just want to stop the grazing.
2. Stress Levels
Stress for sure takes a toll on our hormones. When we are stressed, oftentimes, we feel hungry more often than our body needs for fuel, and many of us overeat when we’re stressed. So learning how to manage stress, by managing your mind makes all the difference! That’s where coaching comes in. We have to get to the root of what’s causing the stress in order to find a new way! Finding a way to lessen the stress is key. Other ways include: being in nature, writing, journaling, taking time off, getting adequate sleep, therapy, etc.
3. Sleep!
Sleep affects our hormones as well. In order to lose weight, our hormones must be balanced. Sleep affects our insulin the same way eating the wrong types of foods do. So if you’re not sleeping enough, that’s the place to start!
One tweak: Set a bedtime alarm! Start by laying in bed a half-hour earlier than usual. It will go a long way!
So if you’ve been struggling to lose weight, I would ask yourself which area could be improved!
If you’ve been struggling for a while, don’t be afraid to reach out for support! Sometimes getting a little help from an expert is exactly what we need to make changes!
In health & happiness,
Jamie
