Last updated on May 6th, 2022 at 11:13 pm
Written by female personal trainer, London based, Justina Triasovaite.
Check out my post on my experience as a PCOS personal trainer. I give you extra tips there. Also, if you're looking for a PCOS personal trainer London based get in touch with me here.
Many women suffer from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). It is important that women who have PCOS are also able to exercise and train to fulfil their fitness goals. I have been a personal trainer for many years and have developed a wide knowledge of the subject so that I can provide the best assistance possible.
You shouldn’t let PCOS limit your fitness journey or hinder your nutritional goals. Below I discuss a few of the key elements I take in to account when training women with PCOS.
PCOS is a set of symptoms that occur as a result of elevated androgens (male hormones) in females. The symptoms can include - irregular periods, heavy periods, excess body and facial hair, acne, pelvic pain, difficulty getting pregnant, patches of velvety darker skin.
PCOS is one of the most common endocrine disorders among women between 18-44 years old and it effects around 20% of these women. It's one of the leading causes of infertility. PCOS can be caused by genetic and lifestyle factors. PCOS has no cure, but it can be treated by changing lifestyle - losing weight in particularly is important for those who are planning to get pregnant.
Exercising and healthy eating is vital for all females who are suffering with PCOS. That is why it is I have made sure I know as much as possible about the syndrome so I can maximise the results for my clients.
I first became aware of the syndrome when one of my clients told me they had severe PCOS and I realised I didn’t know what it was. I asked her to tell me more. Unfortunately, she couldn't provide me with much information. She was only able to tell me about her symptoms and at the time she was not sure if she should exercise at all.
Being a passionate personal trainer, these words hurt me, and I decided to analyse existing data and medical research. I also asked other professionals for help.
Learning about this syndrome helped my client to improve her health and mental state. In my experience there are many ways to stay healthy and fit despite PCOS. Sometimes an infusion of expertise and confidence is all you need.
Even though there is no cure for PCOS, exercise and a healthy diet can help you restore normal function of the ovaries and result in normal hormone production. It's important to understand that changes are not going to happen overnight.
Exercising and changing your diet is going to improve every aspect of your life. Latest studies conducted in Brazil in 2017 have shown that any type of exercise is good for PCOS.
Earlier in the 21st Century, scientists were sure that the best type of exercise for PCOS was aerobics. However, recent studies have shown that not only do low and high intensity aerobics make a huge impact, but progressive resistance training combined with aerobics has also been effective.
These kind of exercise regimes have resulted in reduced body fat, more regular periods, improved insulin sensitivity and reduced serum testosterone concentration.
See study here.
It is important to understand that every person is different and that patience and encouraging motivation is really important.
A good personal trainer should:
The latest studies have shown that regular exercise improves cardiorespiratory fitness and HRQL in the following domains: physical-functioning, general health, and mental health. Exercise has decreased BMI, waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and total cholesterol level.
Unfortunately, when we are talking about fat loss the news is not great. A 12-week exercise intervention in overweight and obese women with and without polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) showed that women with PCOS had 3 times less body fat reduction than healthy women.
See studies here.
It is important to contend not only with diet and body but with mental wellbeing. If you suffer from PCOS getting back into a good fitness regime can be mentally challenging. It is common to feel demotivated sometimes, but patience is key.
Thankfully, from my personal experience as well as medical research I have seen PCOS clients show amazing personal growth through exercise.
I want this article to make a difference and ensure that women with PCOS around the world are able to feel comfortable and motivated. The process can sometimes feel like an uphill struggle, but I have helped many women achieve brilliant results.
Hopefully the above advice will help women with PCOS know that there are personal trainers out there who are cognisant of the difficulties of PCOS and have designed fitness plans in mind.
Please feel free to get in contact if you would like more information or if you are interested in booking a session.
You might be interested in reading the following:
Need more info?
Email: [email protected]
Mobile (text or call): 07944 916 9906
Say hello on Facebook!: facebook.com/justinatraining
Contact Justina: justinatraining.com/contact
