Eating more (and trying to avoid disordered eating)

Weight gain is an extremely common side effect of PCOS (it tends to be linked to insulin resistance), and it’s hard to deal with – especially when GPs home in on weight loss as a management tool.

Registered dietitian and PCOS specialist Jodie Relf tells Strong Women that the medical focus on weight loss is problematic for a few reasons: “Weight loss does not necessarily improve PCOS symptoms, and weight is not an issue for everyone with PCOS. For those who do struggle with their weight, losing weight can be incredibly challenging, which is why this advice is not helpful.”

I struggled to come to terms with my weight gain and found myself mentally applying labels to everything that went in my mouth, categorising foods as ‘good’ or ‘bad’, cutting most carbs and leaving big gaps between meals, which sent my blood-sugar levels plummeting. Before long, I was trapped in a binge-restrict cycle and the more I tried to pivot away from carbs, the worse my gut health became. Something had to change.

Fast forward four years and I’ve managed to undo a lot of the negativity I had around food by focusing on what I can add rather than take away. As I’ve been doing more strength training, I’ve had to prioritise protein to help my muscles recover after sessions. I’ve retrained myself to see carbs as fuel rather than something to avoid. But it’s a fact that women with PCOS are more likely to suffer from eating disorders, and I’m aware that it’s all too easy to slip into that damaging mindset.

“I was diagnosed with PCOS 4 years ago – these are 4 changes that have made the biggest difference to my hormonal health”