PCOS belly fat and obesity are two major impacts of this condition on the body. Nevertheless, it is easy to lose hormonal weight gain and fat with some dietary changes, exercise, and lifestyle. So, how to get rid of PCOS belly fat?
Some women may think it is hard to lose a stubborn belly pouch. However, limiting your food plate and eating only healthy meals along with regular exercise and yoga helps reduce belly fat. Fiber, protein, and anti-inflammatory foods may also help you lose weight faster with PCOS.
So, what are the best methods to lose PCOS belly fat? Here we have compiled 10 science-backed tips for healthy weight loss with this hormonal condition.
Table of Content
How to Lose PCOS Belly Fat?
PCOS is an imbalance of hormonal conditions in the body, which may lead to unusual ovarian function and irregular menstruation, mostly resulting in stubborn belly fat buildup. It can be removed efficiently with dietary and lifestyle changes. Below are 10 helpful tips on “how to lose PCOS belly fat.”
Drink Plenty of Water — Stay Hydrated
Hydration is one of the best methods to lose fat with PCOS. Since water is calorie-free and 100% pure, it burns more calories. Moreover, it is better to replace regular soda, cola, sparkling water, sugary drinks, or sugar-free energy drinks with simple water. Drinking plenty of natural water is the best source of hydration.
However, you can also drink tea, soup, and whole-fruit or veggie juices to stay hydrated.
Increase Your Fiber Intake
According to research, increasing your soluble fiber intake and reducing the trans fatty acid greatly improves the metabolic activity in women with PCOS. It helps with satiation, calorie burning, improving digestion, and fat burning from the PCOS stomach.
Below is the list of fiber-rich foods:
Yoga to Lose PCOS Belly Fat
Yoga or meditation is an indirect way of losing hormonal belly fat. Doing yoga may help you stay relaxed and improve your metabolism, which can help in restoring the imbalanced hormone that leads to the management of PCOS symptoms. Moreover, doing physical yoga may help to strengthen the muscles and tone them up.
The following are the few best yoga poses to reduce PCOS belly fat:
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- Mill Churning Pose
- Corpse Pose
- Garland Pose
- Head-to-Knee Pose
- Cat-Cow Pose
- Reclining Butterfly Pose
Take Protein Rich Food
A protein-rich diet is actually best for losing weight and burning belly fat. Protein is the building block of female hormones, which are actually disturbed in the PCOS condition, leading to a fast improvement in the ovaries’ health. Also, eating protein-rich food increases your metabolic rate, improves digestion, and increases muscle strength. All these factors contribute as a whole to losing PCOS fat.
The following is a list of protein-rich foods:
- Fish
- Beans
- Tofu
- Lean poultry
- Eggs
- Nuts
Increase Your Probiotics Intake
Probiotic-rich foods not only assist in healthy digestion and gut health but also improve the PCOS condition dramatically. They help in treating the symptoms of PCOS by regulating the female sex hormones. Also, it reduces inflammation in PCOS women. To lose PCOS belly and stomach weight gain, probiotic foods and supplements can help.
The following are the foods rich in probiotic strains:
Cut Down on Unhealthy Carbs
Eating high-carb foods may result in a spike in the blood sugar level and hormonal imbalance. Refined carbs are actually bad for your health; they lead to weight gain. Therefore, it is better to eat only unrefined and healthy sources of carbs. You can also follow a low-carb diet for PCOS weight loss.
The following are some carbohydrate-rich foods you should avoid with PCOS:
- Processed meat
- Carbonated drinks
- Pasta
- Fried food
- Sugary drinks
- White rice
- White bread
Reduce Your Stress Level
Stress is the most common symptom of PCOS. It leads to anxiety, depression, mood swings, and personality problems. The high-stress level is directly linked to PCOS belly fat. Therefore, it is best to manage your stress level, which helps in reducing the PCOS belly and its related symptoms.
Take a Quality Sleep
Sleeplessness and poor sleep are two of the worst symptoms of PCOS, which give rise to many other illnesses, including weight gain and fat buildup. To treat PCOS, you should maintain good sleep hygiene. For instance, get a peaceful 6 to 8 hours of sleep, try to sleep at night (not in the morning), and avoid using devices near bedtime (mobile, TV, laptop, etc.).
To improve your sleep quality, try to read a book before bedtime, take your last meal at least 4 hours before bed, remember good things, practice yoga, and avoid daytime naps.
Exercise
Do you want to know how to lose weight with PCOS fast? Indeed, exercise is one of the best methods to reduce belly fat. Taking a 30-minute walk or workout a day can increase the metabolic rate, which helps to reduce the PCOS symptoms and burn the PCOS fat.
So, what exercise is best for PCOS? Here is the best physical activity to burn PCOS belly fat:
- Cycling
- Jogging
- Squats
- Push-ups
- HIIT
- Core strength exercise
Avoid Highly Processed Food and Sugar
During this endocrine condition, your body may resist insulin, which can lead to an unhealthy spike in the blood sugar level, leading to weight gain and other disorders.
Avoiding sugary and processed foods help with PCOS symptoms. To burn the PCOS body fat, it is better to eat only hygienic, natural, minimally processed, and low-sugar foods.
PCOS Belly Fat Metformin
Metformin can help reduce belly adipose tissues by burning visceral fat (fat around the organs). It is usually recommended by a doctor to treat PCOS obesity and prevent insulin resistance. Metformin helps to decrease the serum insulin level and male hormone concentration.
Long-term treatment with metformin greatly reduces PCOS obesity and fat. Also, it helps to correct its other symptoms, such as hormonal imbalance, managing blood sugar levels, and reducing fat deposition.
Is Intermittent Fasting Good for PCOS?
Intermittent fasting is not suggested for preventing PCOS symptoms. During the PCOS condition, you need to stay hydrated and nourished. While during intermittent fasting you may get malnourished, which further leads to the worsening of the PCOS condition.
Conclusion
PCOS belly fat may look like the most annoying part of the body, and it may also seem stubborn to lose. Moreover, a small belly pouch greatly reduces your appearance, so it is better to use effective methodologies to cure this bulgy abdomen area. Since it is a hormonal disease, therefore, it is more effective to cure it with a healthy lifestyle and dietary changes.
FAQs
Below are some frequently asked questions by people:
What Does PCOS Belly Fat Look Like?
The PCOS belly looks like a bulgy area. You may have extra fat in the lower center of your stomach, which may feel like a cushion. This fat surrounds your organs as well. A view from the stomach shows an outrageous appearance.
How to Lose Weight Fast on Metformin PCOS?
When you change your dietary habits and lifestyle, along with metformin, it helps you lose weight faster.
Does PCOS Make You Hungry?
PCOS can increase your appetite and make you hungry. It also increases the unusual cravings for salty, savory, sweet, or junk food. Due to the imbalance of ghrelin and other hunger-related hormones, PCOS makes you eat more and results in fat buildup.
How Do You Get Rid of PCOS Belly Fat?
You can get rid of PCOS belly fat by making dietary and lifestyle changes; for instance, drinking plenty of water, eating anti-inflammatory and probiotic foods, increasing your fiber intake and doing regular exercise. Besides, you can consult your gynecologist for better PCOS weight loss plans.
Are There Weight Loss Pills for PCOS?
There are many prescription and over-the-counter medicines, supplements, and dietary pills available in the market that claim to be safe and efficient for weight loss for PCOS. Metformin and Orlistat are the most recommended medicines for managing PCOS weight gain symptoms. Nevertheless, you should never take any drug for PCOS without the recommendation of an expert doctor. Otherwise, you could face life-threatening effects.
Can I Do Liposuction if I Have PCOS?
For a localized area and a small section of fat, you can undergo liposuction with PCOS. Nonetheless, surgery should be your last option (when diet, lifestyle change, or medicine can’t help you) as it can profoundly affect your PCOS condition. Moreover, seek medical treatment from a doctor or surgeon with good medical experience and expertise.
