I've decided to compile a list of everything I do that has been working for me. I don't particularly follow any kind of diet, but I do watch my carbs (75g< per day) and try to eat less than 2000 calories a day. Although I don't really pay attention to the calories, to be honest, every time I eat low-carb they always end up being under 2500 calories a day. I eat gluten-free and sugar-free. I only eat organic food. I also made exercise part of my daily lifestyle.
Food
I have so many PCOS recipes on this site. In fact, I believe I have over 300 recipes now and they're all easy to prepare. Here is a list of things not to eat and also what you should eat.
I do not eat:
- Refined sugars
- Gluten (bread, pasta, breadcrumbs, cake made with gluten, etc)
- Starches
- Rice (any kind)
- Any soda or juice as they contain sugar
- Any processed food
- Any packaged food unless certified organic. Packaged food tend to have lots of random unhealthy ingredients and additives
I eat
- Meat like chicken, beef, pork, duck, turkey, lamb, rabbit, deer and moose (maybe once a year or once every 2 years)
- Fish and seafood (Japan is a fish paradise)
- Jersey cow/goat/sheep yogurt, cream, cheese, and milk
- Nuts and seeds (almonds, cashew, pecan, macadamia, hazelnut, pine nuts, pistachios, chestnut, chia seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds)
- Legumes (peas, lupin)
- Erythritol, stevia, monk fruit, allulose, and xylitol.
- Coconut oil, coconut butter, ghee, olive oil, flaxseed oil, avocado oil
- Nut butters, cacao butter, cacao powder, coconut butter
- Almond milk, coconut milk, cashew milk, coconut water
- Almond meal, almond flour, hazelnut flour, cashew flour, lupin flour, coconut flour, coconut flakes, whey protein, egg white protein, psyllium, oat fiber
- Eggs (from any bird)
- Any type of fruits (in moderation)
- Juices (in moderation)
- Any type of vegetables (as long as they're not high-carb)
- Peas, kabocha.
- Root vegetables
- I do eat soy...it's kind of hard not to since I live in Japan. I eat organic soy sauce, tofu, edamame and miso. But, the soy here is not like in N. America. It is not a GMO crop and they don't put soybean oil/products in random food like we do in the West. The soybeans here are purely used for edamame, tofu, miso, soy milk, and soy sauce. Much more healthier than back home.
- GF soy sauce and coconut aminos
- Tea (spearmint, green tea, matcha, jasmine) + LOTS of water
- Alcohol (in moderation. Like twice a month, I'll drink something with my boyfriend)
- Cooking alcohol
- Any spices for cooking.
Making a list of what I eat is actually harder than I thought. I've been trying to remember what is in my pantry and fridge. I'll be updating this list every so often. You can check out this keto diet foods list to see what ingredients you can eat on keto or a low carb diet.
If you need a list to use when going shopping, you should definitely check out this keto Costco shopping list. It has images of the products available at Costco and keto recipes you can make with them.
Exercise
- I bike everywhere under 15km (to work, to the grocery, to my friends house, to go shopping, to the train station, etc)
- I swim in the summer season because it's too hot (45C+humidity....aaaargh Japan)
- I jog from time to time
- I go to trampoline centres (you can burn 1000 calories/hour jumping) 2-3 times a month
- I lose around 5-10kg of pure sweat in summer...I'm not joking. It is that humid and hot in Japan during summer. My workplace do not use the AC and my apartment only has an AC in the kitchen.
One sad ladyyyyyy
So, I'm really overwhelmed. I've been doing A LOT of reading online, and all of the evidence I've read has said that dairy is really bad for PCOS. I've also seen bacon being listed as bad to eat. I'm insulin resistant now, and even though I've been doing keto and low carb for the last 5 months, I still felt tired and groggy, which is generally my PCOS/insulin problem/adrenal fatigue. The doctor told me to basically stop with the dairy because of that but then a nutritionist friend of mine told me to to the DASH diet, which includes "low fat dairy" in small amounts. Have you heard of that? So I got online to the Mayo clinic website and it has ingredients that really shock me, like SUGAR being one for example. However, they avoid salt.... It's just SOOOO confusing. I used to love to be in the kitchen and now I have major, major anxiety dealing and coping with this. Just thinking about what meals I'm going to eat for the day, let alone trying to prepare for a weeks worth, is almost traumatic. What to do??? :*(
Lil gal
I know it's overwhelming. This is a routine I've been following for a few weeks now and it's really working for me : (I'm vegetarian so you can replace some options)
First of all, do not skip exercise. It is the second most important thing (after your diet) to control pcos symptoms.
Before breakfast, try stretching a little or just walking around the house, or yoga.
Breakfast : (early morning)
Begin the day with a glass of warm-hot water and lemon.
1. Kellog's All Bran wheat flakes with regular cow's milk (or you can try almond/coconut, but a small quantity won't hurt you (unless you're lactose intolerant)
2. One teaspoon peanut butter (try it with a single banana if you feel lethargic or drained.
After a few hours, have a fruit (apple, orange, blueberries, strawberries, avocados..) as your morning snack.
Lunch :
1. This is my main carb-loading time. Since rice and wheat are a part of my staple diet, I'll have ANY ONE of those, along with a vegetable curry (capsicum, tomato, potato, beans, etc.)
2. Here you may include chicken breast or salmon (or any healthy protein rich meat)
For an evening snack, I like boiled or scrambled eggs with salt and paper. You can interchange the morning and evening snacks.
You MUST exercise. Go to the gym, the park, or even just on the street and WORK IT.
Dinner :
This is a little to no carb zone. Load up on the nutrients you may have missed in the day, like proteins, vitamins and essential fatty acids.
Living with PCOS is no joke. It's a constant worry, and the hair, the acne, the apparent inability to lose weight doesn't help. Most of us have to live with the reality that we'll never have flat bellies or model-like looks. But we can definitely do whatever we can to eat and live healthy right?
Erin
Hi Mira! I am SO thrilled to have stumbled on your blog- I was looking for some PCOS friendly recipes, and actually am living in Japan now as an ALT. It has been a big struggle for me to adjust to my kitchen, the grocery stores etc., especially needing a specific diet to best handle my PCOS and stage 4 endometriosis.
Thank you for all of these great recipes and tips!! If by any chance you have any extra ideas for someone in JP, I would be really grateful. Thanks again!
Sara
Hi! My boyfriend, Andreas (your former classmate back in Highschool), recommended your website. I am also into low-carb, no sugar lifestyle, and your recipe are all helpful for my lifestyle as I sometimes ran out of recipe ideas! Your story is inspiring and it’s nice of you to share your recipe to us, readers. So thank you! <3 Enjoy Japan! That’s my fav country!
Ronald Kong
Thank you for putting your story on here and thank you for trying to help people out. My girlfriend has been struggling for a long time and we appreciate your honestly and willingness to share. Thank you a hundred times.
Grazie
Hi Mira,
This is awesome! Super keen in trying all these recipes.
I was diagnosed with PCOS last Jan2018. I kinda self diagnosed actually because all the visible symptoms - weight gain, irregular period, acne, facial hair and so on... manifested ages ago. So when I went to Women's centre, I was not suprised to know. What shocked me was from pre-diabetic stage last Oct2017 - it was elevated to Type 2 diabetes in a short period time. Thanks but no thanks to insulin resistance and hormonal balance, I am diabetic and cyster at the age of 37 . It's been a couple of months since I began researching on the best diet that will suit me - and finally today I came across your blog/ website and super excited to try this. I have read your story and got inspired on your dedication and hard work. Keep it up and goodluck on PCOS journey. xx
Polly
Hi Mira! I have a question that you might be able to answer. I’m Brazilian, but I live in China. I’ve been diagnosed with PCOS when I was 17, and was treating it with Diane since then. I’m 33 now, stopped taking the pill in 2014, because me and my husband started trying to have a baby. I’ve been managing Insulin Resistance with Keto diet, doing my tests regularly for over a year now and I’m clinically ok. But, I’ve been getting all this body changes that I’m not very comfortable with and I don’t know if those are PCOS normal or side effects of aging, Keto or being active for the first time in my life (doing Jiujitsu 4 times a week for over a year now). Body and face hair growth (never had them, use to grab about it), weight loss plateau (I’m not over weight, but I actually put on some weight this past couple of months and can’t loose them!). Anyhow, most people don’t understand how different Asia is, how is not easy to find good products, good meat, and how hard it is to follow a organic diet here. But, you seem to be managing it pretty amazingly, so, here I am asking haha. Tx for reading!
Samantha
Hi I have PCOS and yes those issues you are having are all from that. For the hair growth, my endocrinologist gave me a testosterone blocker and it has seriously helped with the hair growth on my body but a minimal difference on my face.
Lil gal
Has anyone tried electrolysis for hair removal? How/does it work?
Mira
You'll want to check out my electrolysis facial hair guide here: https://www.mypcoskitchen.com/pcos-facial-hair-electrolysis/
Bes
Are these recipes for PCOS combined with insulinresitence?
Mira
The recipes I make on this blog are all made to control insulin resistance. That is the PCOS type that I have.