You wouldn’t believe the amount of readers and clients I have who’ve said, “Well, I have this thing called PCOS, so I can’t actually let go and eat normally, because medically, I am supposed to keep my weight down.”

Guess what? I “have PCOS too”, so, here is what I have to say on the matter:

(Of course, remember I am NOT a doctor and I am not a scientist. And also my language below is extremely basic. I encourage you to read up on the further reading I list, and do your own research based on what I offer up as food for thought. And put this up to your own intuition. My intuition, after years of being obsessed with toxins, weight, sleep, food, was crying enough already, this insanity will never heal you.)

For those of you who don’t know, PCOS is a female hormonal imbalance, resulting in polycystic ovaries, but not always. There are a host of other symptoms that not everyone has. And it is supposedly caused by insulin resistance.

Basically, PCOS is an umbrella term for a common sort of hormonal imbalance, something like 1 in 10 women. But the actual symptoms and imbalances are not all the same from person to person.

It’s an umbrella term for whacky hormones and common symptoms.

And the doctors say: “don’t gain more weight”. Or “lose weight” or “You’re one of the thin ones” or “You don’t have PCOS, you just have low progesterone.”

Which goes to show what a “science” diagnosing PCOS is….

“Go on the pill. Go on this medicine for insulin resistance. Go on a low carb diet.”

But I need to remind you, that dieting exacerbates poor health, metabolism, and disordered eating.

Dieting is also highly stress-causing. It spikes your cortisol. It puts your whole body in a state of alarm.

It is also miserable.

It also almost always backfires with an equal binge rebellion.

Dieting makes you more fixated on food, and more likely to binge or just plain eat WEIRDLY and nuttily.

So as soon as you come at PCOS trying to lose weight, you’re fucked, in my opinion.

1. Dieting and/or low carb does not improve health or sugar metabolism

Read this book, In Defense of Sugar. It has become a must read for all Fuck It Diet followers.

2. I believe PCOS is Stress and Environmentally caused 

I strongly believe that insulin resistance and weight gain, are symptoms, not causes, of a bigger metabolic situation.

Caused and exacerbated by STRESS. (And environmental factors. Some we have control over, some not.)

Stress hormones really mess with the normal hormonal process. It can totally hijack your system.

You know what exacerbates stress hormones?… Yea. Dieting.

3. Losing weight isn’t the way to improve your health

Which brings me to my second huge recommended reading: Health at Every Size.

Habits and Self Love FIRST. Weight is secondary for health. Are there unhealthy fat people? Sure! But there are unhealthy thin people, too. It’s not about the weight, it’s about the habits.

Most often, weight isn’t the thing that causes the health problems in the first place. The weight is either the symptom, or completely neutral.

4. I believe PCOS is also highly energetic/emotional

Well, I believe all illnesses have an emotional/spiritual component. And no, I’m not saying you can magick✨ yourself better. But the emotional/spiritual and physical are highly connected. And dealing with your inner world is essential, which is a lot of the work that we do in my 6 Month Life Recovery Program.

There are things I DO recommend for PCOS.

Think about nourishing your body. Think about ADDING great practices, nutrients, and minerals, not taking things out.

1. Dark Leafy Greens

2. Sweet Potatoes

3. Magnesium

4. DIM

5. D-Chiro Inositol

6. B Complex

7. Rhodiola Rosea

8. Easy, joyful movement. Whatever that means to you.

9. Rest, self-love, journaling, stop dieting, stop weighing yourself.

Smile, you’re gorgeous.

These things support your natural ability to live, enjoy and support the way your body works.

Keep your brownies. They aren’t the problem.

Don’t have PCOS but have another health thing? Read this: But “What if I Have Health Problems?“