Workouts to Deal with PCOS

Some women experience high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and gestational diabetes often, at their reproductive age. These symptoms are characterized as a medical condition, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), and caused due to lifestyle changes, diet, or some other factors related to pregnancy or reproductive duration. Sleep apnea increases the risk of pregnancy complications and organ damage. There are some Workouts to Deal with PCOS. But the good news is these symptoms do not affect every woman and these can be controlled by making some positive changes to your lifestyle, eating a balanced diet, and incorporating exercise into your routine.

PCOS management plans include exercises; it not only improves your physical health but also enhances your ability to control stress. Finding a personal trainer for the best exercise for PCOS may assist you in putting yourself on a secure way for a healthier start.

In this blog article, we will focus on some measures that you must implement to get rid of PCOS. But in case of some comprehensive questions, you may talk to your doctor who will help you to manage your PCOS.

Workouts to deal with PCOS
Workouts to deal with PCOS

Symptoms of PCOS

Periods may disturb and not come on very frequently if someone is facing PCOS. Sometimes during PCOS, patients get long-lasting periods. This happens when someone has an excess amount of androgen hormone in their blood. Several tiny fluid sacs with PCOS form along the outside edge of the ovary. These are called cysts. It has been observed that immature eggs are present in tiny cysts filled with fluid. In such situations, the follicles don’t release eggs consistently. The precise cause of PCOS is still unknown. However, The risk of long-term consequences such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease may be reduced with early diagnosis and through proper treatment. It is also advisable to practice polycystic ovary syndrome physical exercise by consulting your physician. For appropriate diagnosis, we compared two women with and without PCOS. Results showed that women with PCOS had greater rates of insulin resistance than others. It has been observed that your body’s capacity to utilize blood sugar for energy is greatly affected by insulin resistance. Doctors believe that the sedentary lifestyles of people and being overweight are potential causes of insulin resistance. It is also clear that all PCOS sufferers are not overweight. Regardless of weight, PCOS exercise can be performed for your health. So don’t forget to take help from workouts to deal with PCOS.

Workouts to deal with PCOS
Workouts to deal with PCOS

Exercises for PCOS Symptoms

No doubt everyone needs regular physical exercise daily because there are countless benefits and advantages of daily routine, but as far as people with PCOS are concerned they need even more physical activities than others. These are some reasons why we advise people with PCOS to exercise regularly at home or in a gym to lose weight. 

Why is a PCOS Workout Important?

Improving Your Mood: Hormone imbalances result in PCOS symptoms and many other diseases such as depression. Regular Exercise releases beta-endorphin hormones in the blood and creates happy mood swings.

Aiding Weight Loss: Reducing weight is not an easy job. It requires much effort.  You can lose your body weight by and by eating prescribed food.

Helping to Manage Cholesterol: Women suffering from PCOS are more likely to have an elevated cholesterol level in their blood that is quite life-threatening. Regular exercise lowers cholesterol and reduces health issues. 

Cardiovascular Steady-State Exercises: Exercising moderately causes your heart to beat rapidly which is typically from 50 to 70 percent of its maximum. By performing these exercises you can achieve maximum heart rate.

Mind-Body Exercises: Women with PCOS suffer from stress and anxiety. To avoid such a situation Yoga, Pilates, and tai chi are mind-body workouts that not only burn your calories but also lower stress levels. 

Strength Training: To increase the size of your muscles use resistance bands and weights. This kind of exercise helps in the development of strong bones and muscles. 

BMI Reduction: Recent studies relevant to PCOS and exercise revealed that intensive and strenuous exercises are crucial tools to reduce body mass index i.e. BMI. It also functions as a prevention measure to lessen insulin resistance in women with PCOS. Thus vigorous exercise is more beneficial to treat PCOS than moderate exercise. Along with exercise, healthy diet interventions also result in a great reduction in BMI.

Weight Management: A research review published in a journal related to Research clinical practices for Gynecology, showed that workouts help to fast insulin levels and reduce abdominal fats. This may explain why workouts help women of all ages and weight levels to manage the symptoms of PCOS. This will also support them to lose weight and look fresh and healthier.

After knowing about these facts and figures, every woman with a PCOS problem must develop the habit of exercising in a variety of ways. If you are one of them, involve yourself in workouts for one or two minutes at different stations. So make up your exercise routine with different stations. 

Workouts to deal with PCOS
Workouts to deal with PCOS

The Most Effective Exercises to Deal with PCOS

Medicine Journal related to sports medicine has published a review regarding the best types of workouts to deal with PCOS. but the literature review concluded that there is no specific workout type that may be considered the most effective one. So different workouts are recommended for women with PCOS including strength training and aerobic activity. According to another study, presented by the Institute of PCOS Management in the USA, riding a stationary bicycle, a treadmill, walking, or jogging with vigorous intensity are found to be more beneficial than others.

The clear message you can get from this discussion is that working out usually helps to deal with PCOS and the best one is what you will perform regularly. Try to adopt a workout plan that can be something you enjoy.

Now, further discussion will remove your confusion about the best workout to deal with PCOS. All these exercises prevent you from PCOS.

Walking:

Walking is a wonder of this world. Most people do not know how efficient walking is. Walking is the simplest and healthiest method to move your body. It improves general well-being and has almost no side effects. Walking has many other advantages as well. It can reduce stress by lowering stress hormones, reducing inflammation, increasing endorphins, and boosting endorphin levels. Walking can also suppress testosterone production in the blood and support adrenal glands.

Cardiovascular Workouts: 

Workouts involving your heart pumping, usually at 60 to 75 % of your maximum heart rate, are more beneficial while you are engaging in moderate exercises. Some aerobic exercises like dancing, riding a bicycle outside, and walking are also best for dealing with PCOS. 

HIIT Exercises:

Workouts to deal with PCOS
Workouts to deal with PCOS

These workouts involve high-intensity interval training that balances intense exercise bursts with rest intervals. This type of workout can be performed by doing some typical exercises such as mountain climbing, tuck jumps, and burpees. According to a research study, women with heavy body weight enjoy HIIT workouts more as compared to those who remain engaged in continuous moderate exercises. Enjoyment during a workout is the surety to get the best results because fun with any task makes you stick to that routine long-term. 

Interval Training: 

Performing workouts at different intensity levels, referred to as interval training and not linked with maximum heart rate like HIIT. These types of exercises help maintain your heart rate in the same session. 

Body and Mind Involving Workouts:

PCOS can increase the bodily response in women to respond to stress and anxiety. Body and mind-involving exercises not only support you to burn calories but also help you to reduce stress levels that may worsen your PCOS problems. These workouts include tai chi, Pilates and yoga, and mindfulness meditation workouts.

Strength Training Workouts:

These workouts involve your muscle strength, your body weight, or resistance bands. This exercise strengthens your bones and muscles. As your muscle mass increases you burn more calories even at rest and thus you can maintain a healthy weight.

But one thing to remember is that all these are examples of workouts to deal with PCOS which can be done with minimal space and equipment.

PCOS and DietMuch research has been done to find out the best diet types for women with PCOS problems. The most effective recommendations made by the PCOS Society to follow, include:

  • Women with obesity must reduce their current calorie intake. Being a PCOS survivor you may burn 600 to 1200 calories per day.
  • Lessen the use of high-fat beef, butter, cheese, or dairy products with full fat. Fat should be less than 30 percent of your total calorie sources and heavy fat must be less than 10 percent of your total calorie intake. Avoid taking food having high-fat sources.
  • Add good sources of fats into your diet such as fruits, cereals, nuts, avocados, and whole grains as fiber-rich sources of food. 
  • Minimize the use of chocolate in your daily routine. It may be up to 150 milligrams per day.
  • Try your best to remove trans fat from your diet plan.
  • Incorporate more fiber-rich products into your daily diet.

To find accurate ways to incorporate these changes into your diet, talk to your doctor or see a dietitian who can create an effective eating plan for women dealing with PCOS.

How to Plan Exercise Routine for Managing PCOS?

Workouts to deal with PCOS
Workouts to deal with PCOS

You don’t need to perform workouts for hours and weeks to manage PCOS symptoms. This exercise session should be of 25 to  30 minutes only and three times a week is enough to improve your metabolic and reproductive symptoms related to PCOS. If you are not sure about how and where to start the workouts to deal with PCOS, here is a plan for you. Let’s have a look!

We discussed with a certified trainer and he recommended that getting at least 25 minutes of vigorous physical activity a day is the best initiative for incorporating exercise into your daily routine but you can increase the intensity and efforts when you can easily. Following the given methods can help you to stick to your workout to deal with PCOS.

  • Set a six-station setup to create your interval training session and exercise at each station for two to three minutes at a time. These stations may include:
  • Crunches, bicep curls, jumping jacks, and squats.
  • Walk for 30 to 35 minutes on a treadmill, daily. 
  • Attend an aerobic session at the gym or online that may include spinning, boxing, and dancing.
  • Join a HIIT workout class by using online sources.
  • Incorporate Pilates or mindful yoga into your plan but first seek guidance from a trainer to ensure your safety.

Does PCOS and Workout Affect Fertility?

According To a survey report, about 70 to 75 % of women with PCOS experience infertility due to a lack of ovulation process. Nearly 5 to 10 % of women can restore their ovulation cycle by losing weight and doing exercises regularly. A good and healthy diet with a combination of effective workouts can improve the regularity of the ovulation cycle. Thus exercise and diet directly affect PCOS management. PCOS management is necessary to avoid infertility.

When to Seek Help from A Doctor?

Before incorporating workouts to deal with PCOS into your routine, it is a good idea to see your doctor first. He must be well experienced to guide you about the lifestyle changes that will improve your health and manage the symptoms of PCOS. Because exercise for PCOS management may disturb your other organs or body functions. Your doctor will surely know about other medical conditions that could affect your ability to exercise. For example, women with health issues like heart congestion or arthritis are not recommended to perform vigorous workouts.

Seek Help from A Trainer

In case of living a sedentary lifestyle or don’t have time to engage yourself in vigorous exercises at the proper time or place, it is best to seek help from a personal trainer. Consult a trainer who has a fitness certification from an accredited institute such as;

  • The International Academy of PCOS Management.
  • The National Association for Strength Training.

Conclusion

You can incorporate workout plans to deal with PCOS. These exercises not only help you to maintain your physical health or manage your PCOS but they also can support you to manage your anxiety and depression. 

In case of any confusion about initiative steps for workouts to deal with PCOS, you may see your dietitian or physical trainer who can help you to set a safe plan. Make a habit of taking regular exercise because performing workouts at least three days a week and sticking with the schedule may help you to manage the PCOS symptoms.

Hira Shabbir

Hey, I'm Hira shabbir. An experienced content writer who is providing quality SEO content to clients, from the past 2 years. I have been a biology and English teacher from the past 20 years, which gives me an edge in providing quality content.

Hey, I'm Hira shabbir. An experienced content writer who is providing quality SEO content to clients, from the past 2 years. I have been a biology and English teacher from the past 20 years, which gives me an edge in providing quality content.