Can you lose weight with PCOS?
Yes, by eating fewer calories than you use. No PCOS diet beats any other. It can be harder with PCOS, so keep an eye on a second number as well as your weight.
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Can you lose weight with PCOS?
Yes. The way is the same as for anyone: eat and drink fewer calories than your body uses, and move more. On average, women use around 2,000 calories a day.
The 2023 international PCOS guideline says weight loss appears to work as well in PCOS as in anyone else. That’s with structured, intensive and ongoing support from health professionals.
It can still feel harder. The NHS lists difficulty losing weight as a PCOS symptom. The NHS now calls PCOS PMOS.
The guideline says many women with PCOS gain more weight over time, which may make it a bigger challenge.
| You may have heard | What the guideline says |
|---|---|
| There’s a special PCOS diet. | No one diet works better than another. |
| Cardio beats weights. | No evidence that one type of exercise works better than another. |
| It’s only worth it if the scale drops. | A healthy lifestyle has benefits even without weight loss. |
| Inositol will shift the weight. | Limited benefit for weight. |
So pick a way of eating you can keep up, and start there.
What is the best diet for PCOS weight loss?
The one you can stick to. The guideline found no evidence that any one type of diet beats another in PCOS. Any healthy diet has benefits.
Think of calories like money in a weekly budget. Low-carb, Mediterranean or plain portion control are just different ways to spend less. Whichever way you pick, what counts is how much less you eat over the week.
A PCOS diet plan to lose weight
- Eat fewer calories than your body uses.
- Cut down on high fat or sugary foods.
- Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables.
- Cut down on alcohol, which is high in calories.
- Get active for 45 to 60 minutes a day, in shorter sessions if you like.
- Set small goals you can measure, and track how you do.
Not sure how many calories to aim for? See how many calories to lose weight and these healthy meals for weight loss.
How much weight can you lose in 1 month?
Aim for about 2 to 4kg. The NHS says to lose weight steadily, at 0.5 to 1kg a week. Four weeks at that pace gives 2 to 4kg.
| Time | At 0.5kg a week | At 1kg a week |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week | 0.5kg | 1kg |
| 4 weeks | 2kg | 4kg |
| 8 weeks | 4kg | 8kg |
| 12 weeks | 6kg | 12kg |
Source: NHS: obesity
You don’t need to lose a lot. The NHS says losing 5 to 10% of your body weight can improve your health. If you weigh 80kg, that’s 4 to 8kg, or 1 to 4 months at this pace.
Weigh yourself once a week, at the same time of day. See how much weight you can lose in a month for more.
How do you lose PCOS belly fat?
That second number is your waist. The guideline says healthy eating and exercise can improve fat around the middle in PCOS. Your waist may shrink even when the scale is slow.
The NHS says to keep your waist to less than half your height. If you’re 165cm tall, that’s a waist under 82.5cm. Divide your waist by your height, both in cm, to get your ratio.
- Below 0.5 ratioNICE: healthy.
- 0.5 to just under 0.6 ratioNICE: increased health risks.
- 0.6 ratio or aboveNICE: further increased health risks.
Sources: NICE NG246; NHS
These bands are for adults with a BMI (body mass index, your weight compared with your height) under 35. Don’t use them if you’re pregnant, or have or think you have an eating disorder.
Then move more. The guideline gives these weekly amounts for adults aged 18 to 64:
| Your goal | Each week |
|---|---|
| Stop gaining weight | 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous. |
| Lose some weight and keep it off | At least 250 minutes of moderate activity, or 150 minutes of vigorous. |
| Either goal | Muscle strengthening on 2 days that aren’t back to back. Sit less. |
Moderate means you can still talk, but not sing, like a brisk walk. Vigorous means you can only say a few words without stopping for breath, like running. Start with walking to lose weight and add strength training twice a week.
Do medicines or supplements help?
Medicines can help some people, alongside food and exercise. The NHS lists weight loss medicines if you’re overweight, and metformin, a diabetes medicine, for tiredness and weight problems.
In adults, the guideline says metformin should be considered if your BMI is 25 or more. For adults with higher weight, weight loss jabs such as semaglutide could be considered too, as for anyone else.
With those jabs, use contraception if you could get pregnant, as safety in pregnancy isn’t known. There’s a high risk the weight comes back after stopping. See Mounjaro weight loss by week.
Inositol, a supplement, has limited benefit for weight, says the guideline. More in inositol for PCOS and PCOS treatment.
Never stop or change a prescribed medicine without your prescriber.
When to speak to a GP
Book an appointment if:
- You think you might have PCOS. The NHS says see a GP.
- Your symptoms are affecting your everyday life, work or relationships.
- Your BMI is overweight or obese and you want help to lose weight. The NHS says see a GP.
- Your BMI is overweight or obese and your waist is more than half your height, or you have pre-diabetes, diabetes, high blood pressure, joint pain, high cholesterol, sleep apnoea (breathing that stops and starts in your sleep) or heart disease.
- You have, or think you may have, an eating disorder, such as binge eating.
The guideline says doctors should think about eating disorders in PCOS at any weight, especially when you’re trying to lose weight. Ask about a blood sugar check too, and see our PCOS blood test guide.