Balancing Blood Sugar with the PCOS+ Plate
The PCOS+ Plate emphasizes balanced meals to manage blood sugar, improve fullness, and reduce cravings. Build each meal with:
- Protein: ¼ of the plate.
- Colorful fruits and vegetables: For nutrients and variety.
- Healthy fats and oils: To enhance satiety.
- Carbohydrates: Used to complement the meal, not as the base.
This approach helps improve satiety, addressing common leptin resistance in PCOS. Feeling satisfied after meals reduces the need to snack frequently.
Protein & Carbohydrate Balance
- Eat more protein than net carbs (total carbs minus fiber) to manage insulin resistance and stay full longer.
- Aim for high-fiber carbs to further stabilize blood sugar.
Caloric Needs & Macros Calculation
- Determine caloric burn: Use a BMR calculator and multiply by your activity factor.
- Adjust for weight loss: Subtract 250 kcal per day (but no more than that).
- Calculate Macros:
- Protein goal: Multiply calorie goal by 0.3, then divide by 4 to get daily grams of protein.
- Carb goal: Add 40 grams of fiber to your carb intake for the day.
- Fats: Fill the remaining calories with healthy fats.
This plan, combined with gentle movement (to avoid stressing hormones), supports sustainable weight loss and better PCOS management.