Good morning, I’m Doctor Rebecca from Conquer Your PCOS Naturally. Today, I want to discuss our weight set point. Some people seem to be able to eat whatever they like and stay thin, while others, often including those with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, find it really hard to shed weight.
(UPDATE: I’ve now lost this weight) So, as you probably know, I’ve been on the weight loss journey since I put on 12 kilos with two medications, Lyrica and an antidepressant. Initially, I lost 4.6 kilos quite quickly, and then in the last 10 days or so, I’ve lost 100 grams, which is equivalent to about a glass of water. I always weigh myself at the same time, morning, no clothes on, after I’ve been to the toilet, but still, we as women fluctuate throughout the month anyway if you have a cycle.
One of the things that can happen is that our body wants us to remain relatively stable in terms of our weight. When we severely cut calories or we undergo extreme exercise, you know that whole eat less exercise more business that we’re told to do, it actually creates a change in our body where it goes, “Oh my God, I’m under stress, I must be about to face a fight or a famine.” So if there’s no food around, your body wants to create those energy pockets, that spare tyre, because it may need it. You may need it to survive in future.
The trouble is that in modern society, the stresses we face are very seldom life-threatening. Nevertheless, our body undergoes the same changes. So it really, really wants to hold on to the fat that you have, and it’s doing that not to annoy you, not to make you feel horrible about yourself, but because it’s worried about your survival.
Then, when we examine a study titled Metabolic and Behavioural Consequences in Response to Calorie Restriction, we see its implications for maintenance and weight loss. This shows us why this is. So they say, “For the first time, we show that in free living conditions, calorie restriction results in metabolic adaptation and behavioural adaptation with decreased physical activity levels.” When we severely reduce our calorie intake, our body reduces the amount of exercise we do, allowing us to maintain our current size.
And also, our metabolism drops. Another study shows that when we don’t eat enough, our metabolism slows, which helps us hold onto fat. One of the things that you can do when this happens, which often happens for women with PCOS, is to realise that it’s part of the process. Not to get stressed out about it; not to jump off the bandwagon; not to gorge and think, “Oh, just this one day, I’ll just eat everything in sight.” If you need a cheap meal, consider making it in the morning, and do it once a week. And don’t feel guilty about it. However, we often lose track of the plot for several days because we’re worried that this thing isn’t working anyway. Why am I depriving myself? It’s not worth it. Don’t do that.
The next thing is that we need to ensure we get enough sleep. If you’re not sleeping, your cravings increase because you need the energy to fuel both your body and mind. We also know that insulin resistance increases as well. If you don’t sleep, chances are you’ll crave more food, and you’ll store it as fat. And again, that comes back to the stress response. Our body puts us into a state of insulin resistance so that it can maintain energy in our system, circulating through our bloodstream, allowing us to have the energy we need to survive.
The next step is to stop severely limiting your calorie intake. When I see some women, they’ve cut their calories by 500 calories a day, and their bodies freak out, essentially. When you’ve lost some weight, sometimes it’s a good idea to say, “Okay, this is a long-term game. I’m not trying to lose 20 kilos in 10 weeks.” Just sit where you are and try to maintain that weight for about a month so your body realises, “Okay, it’s safe, I’m okay.” And then restart your diet plan. I don’t really like the word “diet”, but restart a healthier food plan with the aim of shedding some excess weight.
Also, focus on real foods. So instead of worrying about, oh goodness, this diet food or that diet food, focus on real foods that your grandparents would actually have recognised as food. Ensure you have a sufficient supply of fresh vegetables, leafy greens, and healthy protein. Whether you’re a vegetarian and that source is tofu, tempeh, or if you’re a lacto-ovo vegetarian, or not a vegetarian. Foods like eggs, free-range eggs, are wonderful. And then you’ve got your lean meats.
Fortunately, one of the things I have discussed for years is the importance of learning to love yourself, as we often self-sabotage. I’ve seen this so commonly. When we self-sabotage, we often feel guilty, which leads us to eat more. Then, we think we’re not worth anything, which in turn makes us feel guilty, and we eat more. You might know what that cycle’s like. So, what I wanted to talk about today is appreciating that your body does have a set point, it can be re-adjusted and changed; it’s not your fault, as such, that your body’s trying to do that – it thinks it’s protecting you. And with a few tweaks and a few changes, you can actually succeed.
Hit subscribe, share this video, and I will catch you next time.
From PCOS to perfect health, with love,
Dr. Rebecca Harwin
The PCOS Expert
Chiropractor & Bestselling Author of
Conquer Your PCOS Naturally
www.ConquerYourPCOSNaturally.com
P.S. This transcription was gently edited for easier flow and readability.
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