You can learn more about the 6-Week Hormone Bootcamp for Women with PCOS right over here. 
 

 Listen to what Raelene had to say and read below!

How did you discover the 6-Week Hormone Bootcamp for PCOS?

I thankfully stumbled across The Hormone Diva as a recommended facebook page and all the rest is history.

What issues were you facing at that time and how long had you been dealing with them?

My issues included significant weight gain, non existent menstrual cycles, facial hair growth and overall depression. I have been consistently been dealing with these issues for 10 years plus.

What were your menstrual cycles like before beginning PCOS Bootcamp?

They were not happening at all.

What was your ultimate goal with PCOS Bootcamp and PCOS in general?

My ultimate goal was to lose weight, get my period back and improve my overall health so if my husband and I chose to conceive it would be possible.

Did you struggle with implementing the “roots” of the program at first?

Of course! Everything new is a struggle to begin with in my opinion. The dietary portion of the program was the hardest part for me because my body was so addicted to sugar and carbs that I craved them so badly. When I first started the program, I thought there would be no way that my cravings would go away. I really didn’t want to give up the foods I loved, but as soon as I started eating the foods on the plan and nourishing my body and balancing my blood sugar, my period came back after YEARS!! Better yet, I did not get many cravings at all and when I did it was because I was getting my period, who knew?

Share with us 3 things you are still doing now to help with your cycles and PCOS symptoms?

I am using Ovasitol to help with my blood sugar, Magnesium Glycinate to help with stress, and CBD Oil to help with sleep. I also take a multi-vitamin every morning to make sure I am getting more of the nutrients that my body needs.  Introducing light exercise into my routine has still been fairly new as of late because I absolutely wanted to get the eating portion of the program down but I am just enjoying life and even if it is a small walk with my two dogs, interval training on my eliptical or a walk on my treadmill while I watch tv. (At least it is keeping me moving). Better yet, with eating properly to address the root causes of PCOS, the weight is still going down and I can even sneak a cheat meal in every so often even with only light exercise 🙂

How did your health improve and your lifestyle change as a result of PCOS Bootcamp? What changes did you see in your menstrual cycle specifically?

Losing weight seemed near impossible for me before I started bootcamp. My periods did not happen for years, and I was given the run around by multiple doctors that it was normal for me not to have a period. At this point, I was 23, depressed, fat, unhealthy and diagnosed with PCOS – something I knew nothing about and doctors didn’t seem to want to do much except prescribe every drug possible to me. I was lost and didn’t know where to go or what to do next. I admit, I tried the metformin. Worst experience of my life. I didn’t feel like myself and frankly I didn’t want to be on medication for the rest of my life so stumbling across Robyn and her Hormone Diva facebook page was my saving grace. As of now, I have been on the PCOS bootcamp program for 3 months and I have lost 10lbs (something I would have never thought was possible 3 months ago).

How has this been a life-changing experience?

This has been a life-changing experience for me because I CAN achieve my goals. I CAN lose that stubborn belly fat and I CAN have a normal period. I just wish that I would have stumbled across this sooner. It puts my mind at ease that I am losing weight, being healthy and increasing my chances to be around for my family in the future. The time for living is now!! I am on track to being happy, healthy and maybe even having a family of my own thanks to the Happy Hormones Sisterhood. Thank you Robyn!

What would you say to a friend who read about PCOS Bootcamp and felt it might be too much for them to handle, but could really benefit from the protocol?

Honestly, If I can do it anyone can do it!! I have been through multiple diets to try and lose some of my weight and I would lose some but then I would hit a lull and it would creep back. Of course then I would get depressed and it was just a vicious cycle over and over again. The thing I would say to a friend is that if you have been there and tried all the different fad diets to lose weight, get your period and body on track and nothing seems to be working, give the PCOS bootcamp a try, you will not be disappointed. Robyn will do her very best to help you through all your battles and will answer your questions as best as possible. The Happy Hormones Sisterhood is also a perk to the program. There are so many women out there that are having the same symptoms as you, you are not alone!!!!! If you join the program, you will be greeted by these women with such a warm welcome and absolutely no judgement because they know what you are going through. So if there is anyone out there who doesn’t know if this program will be good fit for them, I would recommend trying it out anyway. Trust me you can thank Robyn later 🙂

You can learn more about the 6-Week Hormone Bootcamp for Women with PCOS right over here. 

Some sources say that about 50% of women with PCOS are overweight or obese. Usually, the biggest frustration in this area is BELLY FAT. The are of the body that’s the hardest to slim down for someone without PCOS, let alone with a metabolic and hormonal condition like PCOS.

When I first came off birth control, I gained 15-20lbs and would’ve been considered overweight. While I’ve never been extremely overweight or obese, I do know what it’s like to feel uncomfortable in the shape of my body, and to loathe my stomach.

I used to wear loose tops all the time to try and hide my belly pooch, trying to fake a flat stomach.

Once I understood more about what PCOS actually is and how it contributes to weight gain, I was able to shed those extra pounds and have kept them off ever since.

My mission today is to help you understand the underlying root causes of PCOS weight gain, so you too can begin to lose fat in a sustainable way. You don’t have to suck it in your whole life! #truthbomb

3 Ways PCOS Causes Weight Gain

#1 Insulin Resistance

Before you scroll away because you’ve been told you don’t have blood sugar issues- read this. Even women with “normal” blood glucose and insulin levels can be insulin resistant. If you want to read more in depth about what insulin resistance is, go check this out.

Chronically high or imbalanced levels of blood sugar or “glucose” means your body needs more insulin to allow glucose to get into your cells. Tons of insulin and sugar floating around creates an environment where you body becomes desensitized to the signals of insulin, leaving you with high insulin and possible high blood glucose.

When insulin is high a lot, it turns into a storage hormone. You might be able to guess what it stores – FAT, on your body.

High Insulin  = High Fat Storage

In women with PCOS, insulin resistance creates issues in the ovaries, and excessive amounts of androgen “male” hormones like testosterone are produced.

With high androgen levels, we will deposit fat in the area that men usually do – the BELLY.

To add insult to injury, high belly fat creates more insulin and hormonal issues, which creates more belly fat, which creates more insulin/hormone issues. . .and you can see where I’m going with this. A vicious cycle of weight gain.

The vicious cycle continues with the next causative factor in PCOS weight gain. . .

Happy Hormones Tip: Eat a High-Fat, Low-Carb breakfast daily to help reset insulin sensitivity and fat-burning.

#2 Inflammation

Science has illuminated in the last several years that PCOS is not only a condition of weird hormones and insulin resistance, but also one of chronic, low-grade inflammation. Typically, this type of inflammation starts in the GUT, which is why we devote a whole week to learning about gut and inflammation in my PCOS Hormone Bootcamp program- it’s incredibly important!

Here’s the kicker: This inflammation creates more insulin resistance, and allows the ovaries to continue over-producing androgen hormones.

Specifically, the theca cells in the ovaries are the androgen-producers, and inflammation leads to the overproliferation of these theca cells, and therefore you get more androgens, more insulin resistance and more belly fat.

Happy Hormones Tip: Eat the rainbow daily. Each colour of fruits and vegetables contains different nutrients and anti-inflammatory phytochemicals to reduce inflammation and reset insulin sensitivity.

#3 Estrogen Dominance

Estrogen Dominance, or the excess of estrogen in relation to progesterone is a common part of PCOS as well. In fact- estrogen dominance (and the above factors) are what lead to ovarian cysts that are common in PCOS.

When in balance with progesterone, estrogen actually boosts metabolism. Things go awry when there’s too much estrogen in relation to progesterone. Then estrogen doesn’t have progesterone to keep her in check and make sure she doesn’t run wild.

Excess levels of estrogen can also be converted into more testosterone, not a great thing when it comes to PCOS, weight gain and belly fat.

Over time, this excess estrogen gets deposited in adipose (fat) tissue, specifically in the lower belly, hips and thighs. Eventually, fat tissue in these areas can begin to create its own estrogen, compounding the problem. More estrogen being stored, and more estrogen being produced.

This makes keeping weight stable difficult, especially with insulin resistance and inflammation also happening at the same time.

As you can see- all of these imbalances feed on each other. They make each other worse, and the vicious cycle continues. . .unless you break it. So go break the cycle!
 

Happy Hormones Tip: Eat 2-4 cups of cruciferous vegetables daily. These vegetables contain estrogen-detoxifying compounds. Examples include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, kale, collard greens, turnip + greens, etc. Check out a full list and examples of how to eat them over here.

Between 40%-80% of women with PCOS are overweight or obese. That is a HUGE number! And no surprise, because of this, weight loss with PCOS is a hot topic in my community. 

Many women with PCOS have a hard time losing weight. I remember when I was first diagnosed, I had put on about 15lbs and was considered overweight. The usual stuff I’d done years ago like spin classes and cutting calories didn’t do a fucking thing. And it pissed me off. 

Maybe you’re pissed off like me when your doctor says “PCOS causes weight gain” and then says “lose some weight” to get rid of your PCOS. Annoying. 

Doctors may even prescribe some scary drugs to help with weight reduction and maintenance. A lot of the time, these drugs come with some hefty side effects, and many women don’t even lose weight on these drugs. 

Today I want to answer the all important question: I have PCOS, How can I lose weight without drugs?

Before you can decide if taking a drug to lose weight is right for you, it’s important to understand what they do and why your doctor may recommend them. Then we can get into the juicy stuff- how to lose weight without drugs when you have PCOS. 

And FYI- I never took a single drug to manage my PCOS or to lose weight. I used only natural methods including tweaking my diet, getting active and using targeted supplements. Now, all of my symptoms are either reversed or highly minimized. 

It’s quite amazing what good old Mother Nature can do when you know exactly HOW to harness her power. 

Now without further adieu. . .

Drugs Your Doctor May Prescribe for PCOS Weight Loss

Metformin

This is probably the most popular drug for PCOS weight loss, at least in my clinical experience. It also has some incredibly nasty side effects. 

Metformin is actually an oral diabetes drug that helps control blood sugar. Because blood sugar issues such as insulin resistance (and many times full-blown Type II Diabetes) are a BIG underlying contributor to PCOS, doctors may prescribe this drug to get blood sugar under control so you can release some weight. 

Metformin works by lessening the release of glucose (sugar) from the liver, where some sugar is stored as glycogen. Additionally, Metformin increases the body’s sensitivity to insulin (our blood sugar regulating hormone) and decreasing the amount of glucose you absorb from the foods you eat. 

Only a few of the MANY nasty side effects of this drug include:

• The Runs
• The Pukes
• The Toots
• Abdominal or stomach discomfort, cramping and pain
• Painful or difficult urination
• Lower back or side pain
• Muscle pain or cramping
• Fevers and chills

In my clinical experience I’ve never heard one women who used this drug that didn’t get some type of side effect from it. 

Want something natural that research has shown works better than Metformin? Skip to the Inositol section below. 

Orlistat aka Xenical

Different than Metformin, Orlistat is a straight-up weight loss drug. No implications for balancing blood sugar here. Simply put, Orlistat stops fat-digesting enzymes located in the stomach and intestines from working properly. This means that about 30%-40% less dietary fats will be taken up by the body, the excess simply passes through and out through your bowels. 

In a study of 90 overweight and obese women with PCOS it was shown that Orlistat did improve weight loss efforts, and side effects were lower than with Metformin (although not totally absent).

My big concern with a drug like this is the long-term effects of blocking important digestive enzymes in the body. Most of us already don’t absorb and assimilate nutrients like we should. 

Additionally, it’s important to note that the women in the above-mentioned study were also put on a special diet and exercise plan- it was not the drug alone that contributed to any weight loss in those women with PCOS.

A few of the side effects of this drug include:

• Oily or fatty stools
• Toots 
• Loose poops
• Stomach pain
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Rectal pain
• Problems with teeth or gums
• Fever, chills, flu-like symptoms
• Skin rash
• Headache 
• Back pain 

Liraglutide aka Saxenda aka Victoza

Liraglutide is another drug often prescribed for people with diabetes, and research has begun to look at its effectiveness in women with PCOS.

In a study of 30 women with PCOS , liraglutide was administered for 12 weeks. What they found was weight did decrease and many women also endured some nasty side effects to get that weight loss. 

The most common side effects included:

• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Headache
• Bladder pain
• Bloody or cloudy urine
• Fever or chills
• Unusual tiredness or weakness

Raspberry Ketones + Other “Natural” Weight Loss Aids

Products for weight loss like raspberry ketones can seem really convincing- because who wouldn’t want to wake up pounds lighter?

The real truth is that although it sounds good because raspberries are healthy right… in the long-term, supplements like this can help you gain weight because (1) they aren’t actually made from raspberries, but rather in a lab; (2) they have never been tested on humans and side effects are largely unknown; and (3) many people gain weight when taking the supplement.

Other “natural” weight loss aids I would add to this list (to avoid) include:

• Green coffee bean extract
• African mango
• White kidney bean extract
• And any other carb- or fat-blocker promising weight loss results

How Women with PCOS Can Lose Weight Without Drugs

There are MANY different ways to release excess weight. There’s no one “perfect diet” and a nourishing diet and lifestyle look different for every woman. The strategies I’m outlining below have been researched to be helpful in women with PCOS, and many of my private clients and the women who use my PCOS Fat Loss Meal Plan see results using these methods. 

Inositol

An amazing nutrient for women with PCOS, inositol is a member of the B vitamin family. There are many different types of inositol, and it’s the myo- and d-chiro inositols that have shown promised for PCOS. The body has a natural ratio of these two inositols, which is 40:1, so it makes perfect sense to get both forms in this ratio for optimum results. 

Specific benefits of inositol for PCOS include reduced insulin resistance, improvement in hormonal levels and regulated menstrual cycles. Blood fat (lipid) levels are also improved with inositol, as is egg quality (for my TTC Divas!). 

Like many natural interventions, it’s important to remember that time is your friend. Typically it will take about 3 months to see much of the benefits described here. 

So why inositol for PCOS weight loss? Because inositol helps reduce insulin resistance, there will be less fat storage (insulin is a fat storage hormone) and improved blood lipids both equal a better chance at healthy and sustainable weight loss. 

Product Recommendation: Ovasitol by Theralogix, the only product on the market (at the time of writing) that combines BOTH forms of inositol in the 40:1 ratio our bodies need.

Dosage: 2 Ovasitol packets daily, or about 4000mg plain old myo-inositol. 

Theralogix has been kind enough to extend a discount on Ovasitol for my community (YAY), which shows up at checkout. You can take advantage of that and grab some Ovasitol here. 

If you’re still unsure, check out this chart comparing Ovasitol to other inositol supplements on the market.

Ovasitol Comparison Chart

High Fat, Moderate Carb

I see a lot of information out there about low-carb diets being beneficial for PCOS. The thought is by drastically reducing carbs, you can better balance blood sugar, reduce insulin resistance and then lose weight. 

As someone who has tried super low-carb diets (such as Keto) and have worked with many PCOS cysters who have tried this, I can say it’s not my favourite for PCOS weight loss.

Why?

Women with PCOS often also have issues with their adrenal (stress) glands and thyroid. Cutting carbs down to barely nothing often stresses their bodies more, and their metabolism becomes slower, making them gain more weight than ever.

My approach is a little different. Yes, reducing certain types of carbs (I’m looking at you, white bread!) is absolutely helpful and necessary in any PCOS weight loss regime, in my opinion. 

However, you can still enjoy blood-sugar balancing types of carbs (think high fibre), lose weight and not mess with your metabolism. 

It’s also important to replace the carbs that have been taken out with more fats and a bit more protein. 

You can find a One Day Meal Plan (with recipes!) of what this looks like in my free Ultimate PCOS Checklist, so don’t forget to grab that!  

High Intensity Interval Training

In addition to a yoga practice, or for those who like a challenge, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is for you. HIIT combines bodyweight resistance and cardio exercises in short bursts over a short period of time for maximum impact. No more hour-long treadmill walks. Usually between 10 to 35 minutes, these workouts pack a powerful punch.

HIIT is a FREE and fun activity that is especially good for us ladies with PCOS because it reduces insulin problems and helps to decrease excess body fat. You’ll also be building lean, strong muscle during HIIT, and we all know that muscle burns more calories even at rest than fat does.

I did mention that HIIT was FUN, right? Getting your heart pumping just enough to get some sweat-on but not enough to make you flat out exhausted is always a good choice. Plus there’s the added benefit of happy-enducing chemicals like endorphins that rise and make us feel dynamic when we exercise.

Here are some great beginner HIIT workouts:

• 3 Quick HIIT Workouts for Beginners from Daily Burn
• 18-Minute HIIT from Women’s Running
• 3 Beginner HIIT Workouts from Get Healthy U

Morning Weight Loss Tonic Recipe 

I’m no stranger to struggles with weight loss. I first started dieting and exercising to change my weight when I was 16 years old, although if I had my way I likely would’ve started earlier- even though I was a slim girl, I never saw myself that way. Just because I was one or two pant sizes bigger than the other girls in my class, I thought I was huge. 

I also didn’t have good role models growing up- the women in my family were constantly hating on their bodies and always dieting. I thought that if I didn’t have a flat tummy, toned arms and a “thigh gap”, I was unworthy of being called “beautiful”.

Throughout the next several years, I dieted on an off basically all the time, usually by restricting my fat intake, lowering my calories and doing loads of cardio and attending bootcamp exercises classes at the local rec centre. 

It always worked temporarily, until I was in my early 20s and was diagnosed with PCOS. Calorie counting didn’t work, and when I went back to the treadmill, I gained even MORE weight. I couldn’t understand what the fuck was going on, and I felt like a failure. 

Although doctors and various “experts” over the last several decades have heavily promoted long cardio sessions and hardcore bootcamp classes as being the best for weight loss, this is a total MYTH, and a myth I’m super excited to BUST for you today. 

The Bad Science

First of all, let’s talk science. 

The thought process behind using cardio for weight loss centres around calorie expenditure. For instance, 1 pound of fat equals 3,500 calories. So, if you want to lose 1 pound per week, you need to burn an extra 500 calories per day according to this theory. 

Doctors and others may suggest that doing an hour on the treadmill, elliptical or stationary bike daily with some calorie restriction on your food will get you there. But what happens at the end of the week when you’ve burned all these calories and the scale still doesn’t budge?

Part of this has to do with heart rate. When you do cardio, it’s at a steady pace for the entire time. Generally, this is inefficient at burning fat, as variations in heart rate (like in High-Intensity Interval Training) become more effective partly by “keeping your body guessing” and putting yourself into that fat burning zone. 

Also, doing long, drawn out cardio often leaves us tired and hungry. So we eat more. Or, if we have the willpower to stick with the 1,200 calories a day we’ve chosen for our weight loss diet, we aren’t giving our bodies the proper fuel to recover from this exercise, which creates a mess in your body. We’ll talk about this more in the next section. 

Your Body On Cardio and Bootcamps

To help you understand WHY these forms of exercise are inefficient for weight loss, you must understand HOW your body reacts when you participate in these activities. 

For the sake of simplicity, I’m going to use jogging as an example. 

You go out for a run, hoping to shed those pounds. You slowly work your way up to longer and longer distances. 

As you are running, a stress reaction starts in your body. Cortisol, your main stress hormone, is released. While this is a good thing if you’re literally running for your life, chronically high levels of cortisol (i.e.: from long distance running), tells your body to make and release more sugar into the blood so your body can make more energy. 

Higher levels of blood sugar is one of the simplest ways your body packs on the pounds. Plus, this leaves you feeling ravenous. The sugar and carb cravings will be yelling at you and guess what- you’ll likely eat and average of 100 more calories after you’re done than you burned off during the exercise!

Additionally, doing this type of exercise (or other cardio and bootcamps), causes your body to burn muscle instead of fat. Less lean muscle mass slows your metabolism, and it becomes even harder to burn those calories to get the weight off. Plus, you’ll become weaker, more tired and more irritable. And your hormones will start screaming at you. 

High levels of cortisol and imbalanced blood sugar mean hormonal hell. Your body steals building blocks (like pregnenolone and progesterone) to make more cortisol, leaving you deficient in progesterone. Low progesterone isn’t able to keep estrogen in check, so estrogen dominance can result. 

Estrogen dominance then starts a STORM in your body of weight gain- especially in the hips, thighs, belly and back- and moodiness, anxiety, depression and of course- bad periods. 

Many women with hormonal imbalances with estrogen dominance at the root (like PCOS, Endometriosis, PMS, and heavy, painful or irregular periods) feel the worst when they do cardio and bootcamps because it increases their symptoms- even if during the exercise they feel fabulous. 

You can read more about Estrogen Dominance to see if this hormonal imbalance is part of your inability to lose weight and improve your emotional state by clicking here. 

What Can Be Done Instead

So that’s all great- but what can you actually do to effectively burn fat without losing muscle and creating hormonal imbalances?

First, correct your hormonal imbalances with food. 

You cannot out-exercise a bad diet ladies.

It’s just not possible. No matter how long you stay on that treadmill or how many bootcamp classes you attend, if you’re scarfing down a bagel for breakfast and eating take out for dinner every night, the scale is going to climb. 

Second, switch your exercise to the fat-burning kind. The de-stressor kind. Think High-Intensity Interval Training for 20-30 minutes max, and some yoga to balance it out.