Managing PCOS Step 2: Exercise

Now that you know how you should be eating, let's talk about how you should be exercising. If you're not currently exercising, start thinking about how you can start and what program might work best for you. Changing your eating habits will have a significant effect on your way towards a healthier weight but it's only part of the solution and maintaining those losses.

If you've been tracking your diet and eating habits but haven't been able to incorporate exercise yet, don't beat yourself up. Stress will only worsen the situation. PCOS didn't just happen overnight, so you can't expect to make these changes overnight either. One of the most common mistakes individuals make when they're trying to lose weight is thinking "I need to lose weight and get fit, so I'll join a gym". They set goals like spending two hours a day, four times a week doing things like weight lifting, treadmill, classes, and swimming. Yes it sounds great, but it's not realistic. That would last about 2 weeks before the person becomes discouraged and/or exhausted and gives up. Don't set yourself up to fail.

Think about your schedule. When do you have the most time available to you? Yes I'm sure you're busy, but let's be honest, we all have time we spend doing non-productive things. I never recommend morning workouts because of their effect on Cortisol levels, especially in women. Your body produces Cortisol to wake you up in the mornings. Exercise increases Cortisol production. High levels of Cortisol are linked to obesity. For more information on how Cortisol works feel free to go HERE (it's lenghty and sciency, but it's scientific research).

If you work full time consider the times you think you'd be able to stick to your workouts. Does your building have a gym/workout area? Can you fit in a 30 minute workout during your lunch break? If not, you will need to evaluate where you can add time for your workouts after work. Think about recording your favorite TV show and watching it on the weekend instead. Yes it can seem like somewhat of a hassle, but exercise is an important part of dealing with your weight issues.

If you're not a social person and don't need others for motivation, consider using an in-home workout program which will allow for more flexibility. Just make sure the exercising included in the program will suit your needs. If you do need motivation from others or prefer a social environment to workout, you can try joining a gym or you could even try to get a few of your friends to join you using your in-home workout program. This will give help with motivation but also accountability.

When I decided to start working on my fitness more seriously I chose to do an in-home program. I chose P90X. My results with the program were great, but in hindsight I would've done even better with a program with routines that were shorter and more geared towards women. I ordered the 21 Day Fix Program (it tackles both diet & exercise) and started those on yesterday. The workouts are only 30 minutes long, making them really easy for my to fit in after work. As well, the great things about programs like these is that you don't have to figure out what to do next. It's already laid out for you. Since I do meal prep, I have enough time to get dinner going right after my workout is complete. I will post updates on how it's going for me frequently.

Some in-home fitness programs come with the added benefit of having support groups. Even if you're not keen on the idea of exercising with others or at a gym, you can stay motivated and share your progress with other people on the same journey. This was one of the benefits I was not aware of when I chose to do P90X but now know when doing the 21 Day Fix.

If you decide to join a gym then you should try to do High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). HIIT incorporates cardio and weight training. Your goal shouldn't be to just go into the gym and stay on the treadmill for an hour. HIIT will help you burn fat and build/tone muscle which will aid in the fat loss. If you choose to do some light workouts at home without a specific training program then go out and purchase from free weights. They won't do a lot for the weight loss but they will help tone and shape, which will motivate you to try different methods as you see some progress. You'd be surprised what a pair of 5 lb dumbells can do for toning of your arms. You can find workout tips and advice HERE.

Whichever path to fitness you decide to take, there's one thing to remember: take it one step at a time. Don't beat yourself up and remember that PCOS will make things a bit harder. Just because your results are slower doesn't mean your body isn't benefiting from the changes you make. Stay focused and stay motivated.

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