Struggling with PCOS and feeling self-conscious about your belly?
Learn what a PCOS belly looks like and discover the best ways to manage it with our expert advice.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a medical condition of hormonal imbalance that affects women at reproductive age. [1]
This hormonal disturbance leads to several signs and symptoms that your clinician uses to complete the full picture and make a diagnosis. [1],[2]
Signs and Symptoms of PCOS
Irregular periods
Research shows that disturbed and irregular menstruation might be your first sign of PCOS-related hormonal disorder.
The changes in your periods may vary, from amenorrhea (complete absence of periods), oligomenorrhea (delayed periods) to menorrhagia (periods with heavy bleeding) and pelvic pain. [3]
According to researches, females with irregular periods have a 91% chance of also having PCOS. [4]
Hair and Skin symptoms
The disruption in androgen levels associated with PCOS can appear on your:
- Skin: in form of acne more commonly distributed around the chin.
- Hair: in form of hirsutism; which means you may notice dark, coarse hair on your face, belly, chest and back. In addition to alopecia (male-pattern hair loss) [5], [6]
Big Belly
Although obesity is as common as PCOS, a big belly can be one of the important signs that you have PCOS.
- In fact, did you know that among females diagnosed with PCOS, 50–80% had insulin resistance and 61% were overweight or obese? [2],[7]
Due to these hormonal imbalances associated with PCOS and more things I will detail in my article, increased levels of insulin stimulate your body to store fats around the belly.
Mood Swings and Sleep Disturbance
It is common to have mood swings and poor sleep quality both due to the hormonal imbalance associated with PCOS, and also because of the anxiety, stress, depression, physical symptoms and fear of the unknown associated with the condition.
What Does a PCOS Belly Look Like?
Although a big belly is among the most important signs of PCOS, not every big belly is a PCOS belly.
Just like the lingering “chicken or the egg” question, it is hard to tell whether obesity leads to PCOS or the other way round.
However, what we are sure about is that research shows that PCOS and a large belly commonly occur together because they harness several metabolic changes including insulin resistance and a high rate of visceral fat storage. [8]
But… How would you know whether this is a PCOS belly or you just feel bloated?
And what does a PCOS Belly look like?
PCOS and its associated hormonal imbalance tend to store fats around the viscera (internal body organs).
Which gives you an apple body shape and in research this is also known as truncal obesity. [8]
In addition, PCOS belly looks big and rigid rather than saggy and jiggly.
This is because research shows that the visceral fats are accumulated around the organs and not under the skin. [8]
If you cannot tell based on your PCOS symptoms and whether your belly is a PCOS belly, time to consult a long-term expert nutritionist lecturing at London School of Economics and an elite personal trainer.
Talk to Jazz Alessi in a free consultation NOW!
Factors Responsible for PCOS Belly
Because PCOS is a multifactorial condition, several reasons are held responsible for a big PCOS belly.
These include:
Hormonal Disturbance
Androgens are predominant male hormones that play an important role in determining how your body would look like.
Because men have more androgens, they tend to have less body fat compared to women with the greatest amount of fat distributed in their upper bodies, mainly in the belly (android or apple shape). [9]
Women, on the other hand, who tend to have more fat accumulated in their lower bodies (gynoid or pear shape).
PCOS is known to be associated with hyperandrogenaemia (increased androgen in the blood) which makes women tend to store fat around their bellies and gives you an apple body appearance.[9]
Too Much Insulin
Insulin resistance is one important factor leading to PCOS belly.
As you may know, insulin is a hormone that is normally produced in the pancreas in order to reduce blood sugar and take the glucose from food we eat into the cells so that it can be metabolised and turned into energy. [10]
In case of PCOS, the hormonal imbalance results in your cells being insulin resistance; that means your cells tend to resist insulin action and barely allows insulin to bring glucose in.
As a result, your body secretes more insulin in an attempt to solve the problem. [10]
When insulin in your blood is excess, it tends to store fat into your fat cells (mainly in the abdomen) resulting in a big PCOS belly.[10]
Stress
Obesity can also be due to other factors such as stress; if you are stressing out and keeping thinking of your symptoms, pregnancy test, body weight and shape, lack of energy, less face to face social life, the increased level of your stress hormones (e.g., cortisol) will keep storing fat in your body. [11]
Lifestyle
On top of hormonal imbalances, one other reason behind a PCOS belly can be leading an unhealthy lifestyle in which you make bad food choices, consume more calories than your body needs and remain physically inactive. [12]
It is time to change your risk factors and change your lifestyle – and life – forever.
Join Jazz Alessi’s PCOS Health Transformation Programme under supervision of medical doctor, long term nutritionist and an elite personal trainer; request a free consultation NOW!
How Does PCOS Affect Your Appearance?
As you may have noticed, the worst thing about PCOS is that it affects your appearance and makes you stress more about the symptoms.
For instance:
- Skin changes: When it comes to skin, PCOS leads to appearance of acne in different areas of the body including the face, the chin, the neck, the back and shoulders.
It also leads to appearance of abnormal and embarrassing male-like hair distribution in the same areas. [13]
- Hair changes: Hair thinning and balding are among the most common symptoms reported with PCOS.
Because of high androgen in the blood, male-pattern hair loss affects how your hair looks like
- Big belly and being overweight: The big PCOS belly and the heavy weight are also considered two of the troublesome symptoms that affect your appearance. [2], [13]
- Lack of Sleep: Stressing out about your PCOS and treatment may be sleep-depriving; be careful, research shows that lack of sleep associated with PCOS can be one of the reasons why you do not look at your best. [13]
Risks of PCOS Belly and Related Weight Gain
The changes associated with PCOS – especially if untreated – can put you more at risk for developing other severe metabolic conditions.
These conditions can be life-threatening; this is why it is important to address the risks and treat these conditions early in the PCOS treatment plan.
The risks include:
Hypertension
Because men have a higher risk for blood pressure than women, it is hypothesised that PCOS can play a role in increasing women’s risk for developing hypertension.
However, the exact mechanism behind this increased risk is not yet fully understood. [14]
Type 2 diabetes
Did you know that…
According to statistics, over 50% of women with PCOS develop type 2 diabetes by age 40? [15]
The insulin resistance associated with PCOS in addition to being overweight, lack of customised nutrition plan and correct exercise programme specifically created for your PCOS challenge are dramatically increasing the chance of developing type 2 Diabetes.
Heart Disease
Did you know that…
Having high levels of blood cholesterol and LDLs in addition to low levels of HDLs along with being physically inactive can increase your risk of developing heart disease? [13]
Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is a syndrome that includes hypertension, diabetes and obesity.
Since the four conditions are associated with PCOS, you are considered more at risk for developing metabolic X syndrome. [13]
Infertility
According to statistics, PCOS is held responsible for 80% of the infertile cases.
Because it results in irregular periods and hormonal disturbance, it might be difficult to get pregnant without considering to treat PCOS and reduce PCOS belly. [16]
Prevention is always better than cure!
Enrol in a Laser-sharp Customised PCOS Health Transformation Programme specifically tailored to your needs and goals with a medical doctor and Jazz Alessi, a long-term expert nutritionist, elite personal trainer in London and injury rehab specialist.
Request a free consultation NOW!
Effective Tips to Reduce PCOS Belly
It is not only about the belly!
Believe it or not, if you reduce PCOS belly, you increase your chances of treating the condition.
Because PCOS and truncal obesity are closely related, reducing belly circumference is an important part of the treatment as it helps:
- Improving insulin resistance
- Reducing risk for heart disease
- Protecting you from high blood lipids
- Reducing your risk of hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Increase your chance of pregnancy [17]
In order to manage your weight and reduce PCOS belly, here are the most effective tips you can follow:
Limit Both Your Carbs and Calories Intakes
Limiting your simple carb based calories throughout the day will help you create a negative balance in your diet.
Which means your body will get less calories than it spends, and in turn, will start burning fat for energy, which will help you lose weight in general and reduce PCOS belly in particular. [18]
Go Green
If you think you are not making the best food choices, contemplate having a customised to your specific PCOS needs, a Protein-Rich Diet, namely, a plant-based, low-sugar diet that is rich in amino acids and proteins, fibres, antioxidants, enzymes and vitamins.
This laser sharp customised to your requirements diet can help you lose weight whilst avoiding the toxins and the free radicals from your body and encouraging your body to burn visceral fat and build more lean muscles.
Eat Plenty of Healthy Fats
Fats are not always the bad guys!
In fact, some fats like Mono and polyunsaturated fats can promote the health of your arteries, allow better vitamin absorption and help you lose weight.
Make sure you include healthy fats from nuts, avocado, seeds and unprocessed extra-virgin olive oil in your PCOS diet to improve your PCOS symptoms and reduce PCOS belly size. [18]
Yes to Fermented Foods
Fermented foods are foods that have undergone the process of fermentation, which stands for the chemical breakdown of sugar by yeast and bacteria.
Examples of fermented foods include homemade pickles, kombucha, tempeh, natto, Miso and Kimchi; all of which can provide you with unbelievable benefits during your weight loss journey; they can improve your digestion, boost your immunity and help you lose weight faster.
Fermented foods will also improve your gut – brain cross talk connection and it could potentially making you less angry, feeling a lot more balanced and even happier.
Mindful When You Eat
It is time to understand what you are consuming.
If you keep in mind that you are what your body consumes, you will have seconds thoughts before consuming foods that trigger body inflammation, increase your blood sugar, creating an imbalanced mood and affect your journey to reduce PCOS belly.
Make sure you check the labels – the nutrition values of foods before you buy or consume them in order to improve you overall body health and reverse PCOS symptoms. [18]
Avoid and Eliminate Saturated Fats
Studies revealed that replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats not only can help you lose weight and reduce PCOS belly faster and healthier, but also can help lower “bad” LDL cholesterol in your blood which decreases your risk of developing heart disease. [18]
However, your body needs fats.
This is where your comprehensive medically supervised nutrition plan created as a team with the best long term London nutritionist Jazz Alessi will put you straight for the win against any PCOS challenge you have.
Get Enough Sleep
Sleeping time is when your body recharges its cells with energy for a whole new day of cellular functioning.
It is also the time when your body heals from all the stress and strain you place on it during the day.
Thus, if you want to lose weight and achieve your health goals, make sure you get at least 6-8 sleep hours every night.
Workout Regularly
Working out regularly in addition to a proper diet can help you lose fats faster than the diet alone.
In addition, exercise helps you not only lose weight, but also make sure you are losing fats, not muscles.
In fact, with the right type of exercises, you can also build muscles while losing fats.
This helps you reshape your body, change your body composition and feel stronger and less drained during physical activities. [20]
If you are planning on starting your exercise plan; here are the top types of exercises you should focus on doing:
Aerobic training
Aerobic exercises (also known as Cardio) help you utilise oxygen from your lungs to burn fats and reshape your body.
In addition, it increases your sensitivity to insulin, which reduces cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes risk.
It also improves the frequency of menstrual cycles and ovulation.
If you are a beginner, this is the best type of exercise to start with because it has a low to moderate intensity and it does not leave you sore the day after.
Examples of aerobic training includes walking, brisk walking, jogging and swimming. [20],[21]
Just make sure you are not doing to much, to long or too intensive since, it can hinder your PCOS recovery.
Strength training
Building muscles is going to be your friend through your PCOS transformation journey.
Training against resistance strengthens your muscles, help you build more muscle mass and boosts your metabolism.
Examples of these exercises include any exercise performed against resistance (e.g., external weight, elastic bands or even your body weight.) [21]
How to Exercise Safely with Back pain
If you have back pain and you are worried that exercise might make it worse, but you still don’t want to miss out on all the benefits…
You have got yourself a deal!
With the help of a professional back pain rehabilitation personal trainer, you will simply adjust your exercise to avoid – and even improve – your pain and also get the same weight-loss exercise benefits.
Usually, once your elite personal trainer London based understands the problem, he will make special adjustments in the exercise plan so that it would be safe for your cause and type of pain.
For instance, if you have back pain from a spondylolisthesis, your London personal trainer will make exercise adjustments to avoid excessive extension of your back and will add customised core, flexibility, strengthening, stability exercises to help you relieve your pain.
How To Exercise Safely With Knee Pain
Similar to the personalized adjustments in back pain, your London personal trainer may recommend less weight-bearing or less knee-bending if you have knee pain.
For instance, instead of squatting with knee pain, your elite personal trainer may recommend open kinetic chain exercises or mini-wall squats to avoid placing excessive pressure on your knee.
Are you ready to get your exercises customised to your need?
No more worsening back and knee pains.
You can safely and effectively exercise your PCOS away with Jazz Alessi; London’s number one elite personal trainer and long-term nutrition expert.
Request a free consultation NOW!
Why Different Exercises Create Different Metabolic and Physique Related Results
Exercises are not the same, this is why it is important to learn what different exercises do your body so that you can pick the exercise that is best suitable for you.
As we mentioned earlier, cardio and strength trainings provide different benefits and are used to achieve different health goals. [21]
In other words, cardio challenges the cardiorespiratory system and can improve the quality of your heart and lungs, boost your fitness and facilitate weight loss.
Strength training will also facilitate weight loss but with a different mechanism; it builds more muscles and helps your muscles burn more fat as you go.
Other types of exercises like core exercises are also considered beneficial when you need to prepare for pregnancy, improve your balance and stability, control bladder incontinence and improve your posture. [21]
Why PCOS Exercises Customisation is Crucial
Because PCOS is a multifactorial condition and everyone is different, there is no one-plan-fits-all for PCOS health rehabilitation.
It is crucial for every PCOS transformation programme to be uniquely tailored for the individual’s:
- Signs and symptoms
- Health and fitness goals
- Old or existing injuries
- Age, stress and activity levels
- Body weight and Body mass index (BMI)
- Previous fitness level and exercise tolerance
Get your own programme laser-sharp personalised for your very own goals now with Jazz Alessi.
Request a free consultation NOW!
FAQs
Can you have a flat stomach with PCOS?
With no doubts! PCOS belly is another PCOS symptom that you can reverse by customised nutrition and exercising not only to lose visceral fat, but also to improve your body’s sensitivity to insulin and reverse insulin resistance which is one of the main reason why you are storing fats around your belly.
What happens if PCOS goes untreated?
In addition to all the troublesome symptoms that can put you under mental stress and affect your quality of life, PCOS can lead to serious complications if left untreated. For instance, it can lead to metabolic conditions such as high blood pressure, Type 2 Diabetes and high lipid profile. It can also increase your risk of heart and joint diseases and shorter lifespan.
How does PCOS affect fertility?
The hormonal disturbances associated with PCOS affects the quality and regularity of ovulation, leads to irregular periods and interferes with the possibilities of getting pregnant.
How do I know if I have PCOS?
PCOS have physical symptoms that you can notice; for example: acne, abnormal hair on the face, hair loss, big belly and irregular periods. However, because all these symptoms are also common in different other condition, it is always recommended to see a trustable clinician if you suspect that you have PCOS. Your medical doctor will run specific tests in order to diagnose your case.
Can PCOS be cured?
PCOS is not about the cysts on your ovaries. It is all about the symptoms that accompany the condition and make your everyday life even harder. Although there is no cure for the PCOS, the symptoms are 100% manageable and reversible using a customised PCOS health transformation programme so that you can lead a normal life.
Does PCOS run in families?
There are no specific PCOS genes identified to predict whether or not a specific person is having PCOS, there is a high risk of developing PCOS if one in the family member (e.g., mother, grandmother or sister) had been diagnosed with PCOS.
Get rid of PCOS Belly through Customised Diet, Exercise and Expert Medical Treatment
There is nothing better than one plan that harnesses all you need in one place –and one time.
Imagine having so many customised nutritional choices created by your medical doctor alongside your personal nutritionist (they work as a very close team) so you will eat super tasty foods and never feel like dieting or getting bored by eating again the same foods.
A comprehensive PCOS plan will help you complement your effort by eating healthy food that you like and find tasty.
This is in addition to performing the right exercises to improve your body shape and symptoms, all while being medically supervised by the best MDs who work closely with your long-term London nutritionist and elite personal trainer.
They make the required PCOS customisations to your specific medical treatment plan according to your health condition targeting specifically the goals they help you develop with your PCOS health transformation plan.
Who is Jazz Alessi?
Jazz is a professional elite personal trainer and an expert nutrition specialist lecturing at London School of Economics (LSE), Cameron McKenna and other top organisations who works closely with MD physicians and deliver the best evidence based medically supervised PCOS programmes in UK.
Jazz and his PCOS medical team will create an all-in-one evidence based PCOS conservative rehab programme to not only to help you reverse your symptoms, but also to help you lead a healthy lifestyle and achieve your fitness and body transformation goals.
With this medically supervised programme, Jazz and his medical team will design you an exercise plan customised to your own needs, along with multiple food recipes that are super tasty and healthy, and up to your liking.
Moreover, you will not have to go to your doctor back and forth for reassessment during the PCOS health transformation programme.
During your health transformation programme, you will be provided with all PCOS customised doctors support you require and Jazz Alessi will be in direct contact with you at all times.
Learn more about Jazz’s nutrition plan right HERE!
I start my PCOS health transformation now.
References
1.Azziz R, Woods KS, Reyna R, Key TJ, Knochenhauer ES, Yildiz BO. The prevalence and features of the polycystic ovary syndrome in an unselected population. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2004 Jun;89(6):2745-9. doi: 10.1210/jc.2003-032046. PMID: 15181052.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15181052/
2- Trikudanathan S. Polycystic ovarian syndrome. Med Clin North Am. 2015 Jan;99(1):221-35. doi: 10.1016/j.mcna.2014.09.003. Epub 2014 Nov 22. PMID: 25456652.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25456652/
3- Kumarapeli V, Seneviratne Rde A, Wijeyaratne CN, Yapa RM, Dodampahala SH. A simple screening approach for assessing community prevalence and phenotype of polycystic ovary syndrome in a semi-urban population in Sri Lanka. Am J Epidemiol. 2008 Aug 1;168(3):321-8. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwn137. Epub 2008 Jun 10. PMID: 18550559.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18550559/
4- Joham AE, Teede HJ, Ranasinha S, Zoungas S, Boyle J. Prevalence of infertility and use of fertility treatment in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: data from a large community-based cohort study. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2015 Apr;24(4):299-307. doi: 10.1089/jwh.2014.5000. Epub 2015 Feb 5. PMID: 25654626.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25654626/
5- Zhao X, Ni R, Li L, Mo Y, Huang J, Huang M, Azziz R, Yang D. Defining hirsutism in Chinese women: a cross-sectional study. Fertil Steril. 2011 Sep;96(3):792-6. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2011.06.040. Epub 2011 Jul 18. PMID: 21762890.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21762890/
6- Keen MA, Shah IH, Sheikh G. Cutaneous Manifestations of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Clinical Study. Indian Dermatol Online J. 2017 Mar-Apr;8(2):104-110. doi: 10.4103/2229-5178.202275. PMID: 28405549; PMCID: PMC5372429.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28405549/
7- Orio F, Muscogiuri G, Nese C, Palomba S, Savastano S, Tafuri D, Colarieti G, La Sala G, Colao A, Yildiz BO. Obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease risk: an uptodate in the management of polycystic ovary syndrome. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2016 Dec;207:214-219. doi: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2016.08.026. Epub 2016 Aug 12. PMID: 27575870.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27575870/
8- Barber TM, Hanson P, Weickert MO, Franks S. Obesity and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Implications for Pathogenesis and Novel Management Strategies. Clin Med Insights Reprod Health. 2019 Sep 9;13:1179558119874042. doi: 10.1177/1179558119874042. PMID: 31523137; PMCID: PMC6734597.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6734597/
9- Sam S. Obesity and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Obes Manag. 2007 Apr;3(2):69-73. doi: 10.1089/obe.2007.0019. PMID: 20436797; PMCID: PMC2861983.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2861983/
10- Rosenberg, S. L. (2019). The Relationship Between PCOS and Obesity: Which Comes First?. The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences, 13(1). Retrieved from https://touroscholar.touro.edu/sjlcas/vol13/iss1/5
https://touroscholar.touro.edu/sjlcas/vol13/iss1/5/
11- Foss, Brynjar & Dyrstad, Sindre. (2011). Stress in obesity: Cause or consequence?. Medical hypotheses. 77. 7-10. 10.1016/j.mehy.2011.03.011.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/50891246_Stress_in_obesity_Cause_or_consequence
12- NHS –– Obesity Causes
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/obesity/causes/#:~:text=Obesity%20is%20generally%20caused%20by,by%20the%20body%20as%20fat.
13- NHS –– Polycystic Ovary/Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) Underrecognized, Underdiagnosed, and Understudied (2019)
https://orwh.od.nih.gov/sites/orwh/files/docs/PCOS_Booklet_508.pdf
14- Jane F. Reckelhoff (2007): Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Androgens and Hypertension; 6 Mar 2007 ….. https://doi.org/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.107.088138Hypertension. 2007;49:1220–1221
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/hypertensionaha.107.088138
15- CDC –– PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) and Diabetes
https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/pcos.html
16- Melo AS, Ferriani RA, Navarro PA. Treatment of infertility in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: approach to clinical practice. Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2015 Nov;70(11):765-9. doi: 10.6061/clinics/2015(11)09. PMID: 26602525; PMCID: PMC4642490.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4642490/
17- Lisa J Moran†, Catherine B Lombard, Siew Lim, Manny Noakes & Helena J Teede (2010): Polycystic ovary syndrome and weight management; Women’s Health (2010) 6(2), 271–283
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.2217/WHE.09.89
18- Szczuko M, Kikut J, Szczuko U, Szydłowska I, Nawrocka-Rutkowska J, Ziętek M, Verbanac D, Saso L. Nutrition Strategy and Life Style in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome-Narrative Review. Nutrients. 2021 Jul 18;13(7):2452. doi: 10.3390/nu13072452. PMID: 34371961; PMCID: PMC8308732.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8308732/
19- Chand, Khan & Kumar, Sachin & Saxena, Divya & Siddiqui, Asfaq. (2016). Fermented foods and their health benefits.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/343322623_Fermented_foods_and_their_health_benefits
20- Mehrukh Zehravi, Mudasir Maqbool*, Irfat Ara (2022): Healthy Lifestyle and Dietary Approaches to Treating Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Review
https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/openhe-2022-0008/html
21- Exercise Is Medicine Australia – POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME (PCOS) AND EXERCISE
http://exerciseismedicine.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/EIM-fact-sheet_PCOS_Professional.pdf
