Most women with PCOS would want to change the way they eat by going on a PCOS diet but cannot do so because of intolerable cravings.
So why do PCOS women get so many hunger cravings?
There 2 main reasons
1- Diet mentality
2- Processed foods addiction
Diet mentality is when someone goes on a specific diet for, say, 3-6 months. Here they will use willpower to eat in a new way to achieve a goal in PCOS of weight loss or pregnancy.
Nothing wrong with it. It works for many cysters.
But PCOS women need to be on that diet for life as PCOS is a lifestyle disease.
Many of them are aware of it, and they have a constant story where they no longer wish to let go of their favorite foods. Making it harder for them to stop eating them.
Next is an addiction to processed food, like anything refined or packaged. For example, anything flour based- bread, pasta, noodles, baked goods, dosa/ idli, or nachos/tortillas. Also, anything that is sugar based – like juices, alcohol, sugar, syrup, sodas, etc. Or anything packaged like -chips or cookies.
These foods dissolve the moment they enter the stomach. They release a sugar quickly in the bloodstream producing a huge dopamine response. That creates an addiction.
Also, as the food leaves the stomach in a matter of minutes, the stomach is empty again, awaiting proper food. Thereby producing hunger or cravings.
This would not be a problem if someone didn’t have insulin resistance, prediabetes, or obesity. But it is a problem for those who have it as it makes their condition worse.
The solution is to go off these foods cold turkey.
There will be withdrawal symptoms of low sugar when hunger strikes. But most of us go through it well unless we are on diabetes medications.
It is easier to stop the physical act of eating, but the hardest part is the emotional management.
Getting the right emotional support is the key. While you allow the cravings without eating these food items.
For most of us, getting started would be the hardest part. Hear me talk about the hacks that you can use so that you can begin this life-changing journey.