PCOS friendly plate

One of the things many of my clients with PCOS suffer from is cravings and extreme hunger that can generally lead to binge and over eating. Many will come to me asking me to create a meal plan for them and this is something I always refuse to do.

Meal plans will be boring to follow and do not teach you anything. My work with my clients is all about empowering them to make the right choices and at the same time learn about how to control their own PCOS especially because not all PCOS is created equally.

 

So let’s talk about how you should plan your meals. In the coming weeks, I will share some examples on the blog and I am also working on an ebook for you all to be able to follow.

Step 1: Chose your protein

Protein is extremely important for women with PCOS for several reasons. First of all, protein helps us stay full for longer without increasing our blood sugar and therefore causing an insulin spike. Studies have shown that around 80% of women with PCOS suffer from insulin resistance. I generally like to vary my protein sources for the week and try to include fish, rabbit, chicken or turkey, eggs, and nuts and once a week red meat. I make sure that all my meals will contain around 25 – 30g of protein (this is true also for any snacks and desserts that I prepare).

 

Step 2: Include fibre

One of the things I always talk about is the importance of including as many plant-based variations into our meals per week. I try to calculate that I will be including 30 different sources of fibre (Fruit, veg, grains, beans, and seeds) into my weekly menus. Fibre is important for several reasons it helps feed the gut bacteria. Gut health is actually one of the root causes of PCOS and keeping the gut healthy is key to eventually managing all PCOS symptoms. Fibre also slows down the sugar spike in our bloodstream after eating so once again it helps with insulin resistance.

 

Step 3: Include Fat

Fat causes absolutely no spike in blood sugar and it helps keep you full for longer helping reduce cravings and binges and allows you to be full for 4 – 5 hours after a meal which is what we want to reduce insulin resistance. Chose healthy sources of fat like avocado, olive oil, nuts, and salmon.

Step 4: Include something that helps reduce inflammation

Spices and herbs like ginger, turmeric, and parsley will help with inflammation. Other options include things like Flaxseed which is very high in omega 3 which is anti-inflammatory or chia seeds which also help reduce inflammation and are a source of magnesium and calcium.

 

If you want to learn more about the PCOS Plate method and how to use this method to lose weight – register now for my PCOS Weightloss masterclass. 

 

If you head over to my Pinterest account you will also find many great recipes.