Wanna know how to lose weight if you have PCOS?
Become fat-adapted!
What does becoming fat-adapted mean exactly?
Fat adaption is your body’s normal preferred metabolic state. What it means essentially is that your body is able to access and burn fat (yes the fat on your body) for energy. This is how you lose weight!
Let me explain further…
There are two sources of fuel for the body—fat & glucose.
The people who are utilizing fat for energy are fat-adapted, and those using glucose are considered sugar-burners.
I think it would be safe to say that most people in modern society at this time are sugar-burners.
Here are some signs that you may be a sugar-burner…
- You get hangry (hungry + angry) if you miss a meal.
- You feel irritable when you haven’t eaten in a while.
- You struggle with belly fat
- You feel lightheaded when you don’t eat on time.
- You crave sweets and carbohydrates.
- You feel awful when you go off of sugar or carbohydrates.
- You have a strong desire for certain foods.
- You don’t feel full unless you have a carbohydrate as part of your meal.
- You get headaches when you don’t eat enough.
- You feel like you need to eat first thing in the morning.
- You feel best when you graze on food throughout the day.
What’s wrong with being a sugar-burner?
The problem with being a sugar-burner it is that our bodies were not meant to thrive on sugar/glucose as our primary source of fuel. Processed foods, high in carbohydrates and sugars have only become highly accessible in the last century, so our bodies are not developed to consume large amounts of them. The abundance of these foods is also the reason we have an obesity epidemic.
For most of human existence, until recently, we’ve been fat-adapted.
When we are sugar dependant or sugar-burners, our insulin levels are elevated. It’s is very common for women with PCOS who are insulin resistant. High insulin levels in the blood throw off our other hormones, like ghrelin and leptin which are both associated with hunger and satiety.
So being a sugar-burner can make you feel hungry more often, and will make it much easier to gain and harder to lose.
If you want to lose weight with PCOS, the key is to transition from being a sugar-burner to becoming fat-adapted. Many health and weight loss experts in the world also teach that becoming fat-adapted is an optimal way to prevent illnesses such as insulin resistance, PCOS, and diabetes.
So how do you transition from being a sugar burner to becoming fat adapted?
- Get off of insulin spiking foods like flour and sugar. These are the foods that prevent your body from burning fat. They’re a much quicker energy source, so the body will always burn off sugar, flour, and processed carbohydrates before burning fat. The only way to get your body fat-adapted is to get off of these foods. Once you get off of these foods and become fat-adapted, you’ll find that you no longer crave them like you did when being a sugar-burner.
- Increase your intake of healthy fats. I know this is different than what you may have learned if you grew up in the 80’s and 90’s like me with the “low-fat craze,” but more recent studies explain why healthy fats are essential for optimal health. Fats do not spike insulin like sugar and flours, so they’re a great source of fuel to get your body fat-adapted. Fats also keep you feeling full longer!
- Eat less often. Not necessarily less food, just less often. Longer periods of time between meals allows your insulin levels to lower and helps your body tap into your body fat for energy (we call this dining in) so that you can lose weight and feel better overall!
Here’s how you’ll know if your body is fat adapted:
- You can skip a meal without feeling awful. Hunger is not an emergency.
- You don’t have a problem with your weight.
- OR you are losing weight.
- You can go longer periods of time without eating or thinking of food.
- You don’t get strong urges or cravings.
- Your desire for things like sweets, bread, and pasta is low.
- You enjoy eating foods like vegetables, healthy fats, and protein.
- You don’t think about food very much.
- You feel energized throughout the day.
- You can tell the difference between physical hunger and emotional hunger.
Becoming fat adapted will also help to reverse insulin resistance and support you in losing weight, which can improve your PCOS symptoms immensely!
If this is something you’re interested in doing, join my 1-on-1 coaching program Losing Weight with PCOS, where I can support you in going from being a sugar-burner to fat-adapted. But first, sign up for a free strategy session with me here to make sure it’s the right program for you!
In health & happiness,
Jamie
