Liveinspird

Your body is incredibly smart❤️

Fat is a safety mechanism and fuel is put into storage for later use.

You have a set amount of fat cells as an adult whether you lose or gain weight. Triglycerides are what are stored in your fat cells to be used as energy later.

Your body is incredibly sensitive to stress. When it senses acute stress (short term) it will often speed up the rate from which we pull from our fat stores.

But when your body continues to experience long-term stress (aka famine or starvation) our "caveman" brain takes over and things begin to slow down to conserve energy.

When we are constantly restricting energy and nutrients and maybe even over-exercising, this forces our body to compensate. It forces our body to SURVIVE.

Post-famine (aka restriction) your body is ready to put on fat until it feels safe enough to use energy well enough again.

This is where the safety or healing weight comes in. Sometimes women need to gain 10-30 lbs to support metabolic markers, improve hormonal symptoms, reduce stress hormones, and improve metabolism.

This can be incredibly frustrating when you might already have weight you would like to lose.

It can be easy to compare your body to other women who might have the physique or body you would like. Keep in mind that having too little body fat is just as stressful for the body.

The goal is to find the optimal body fat for YOUR body. That will look different for everyone. Keep in mind that less body fat does not always equal healthier.

So how long will the healing/safety weight last?

This will take time and it will be dependent on how long you were restricted before. It's hard to expect your body which has felt unsafe for years to feel safe enough in 3 months to lose body fat.

Be patient. Be kind. Focus on improving lifestyle habits. Show your body some love.

Future you will thank you💕

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder that affects approximately 10% of women between ages 15-44. It is characterized by infrequent/ irregular periods, increased hair growth, acne, oily skin, dandruff, weight gain, thinning hair, and pelvic pain. Additionally, it is associated with obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, depression, anxiety, and endometrial cancer.

Though the exact cause of PCOS is unknown, it can be managed with a healthy diet and regular physical activity. Since PCOS is associated with insulin resistance (affecting blood sugar control) it is important to especially focus on ways to control your blood sugar. This can be done by:

• Eating small, frequent meals- 3 meals and 1-2 snacks per day.
• Limiting sugar sweetened beverages such as soda, lemonade, sweetened coffee drinks, etc.
• Regular physical activity- at least 30 minutes per day

Furthermore, it is important for women with PCOS to emphasize:

• Lean proteins such as fish, chicken breast, beans, lean ground beef, low fat dairy products, nut butter, and lentils.
• Healthy fats such as canola oil, olive oil, walnuts, almonds, avocados, etc.
• Whole grains such as oats, whole wheat bread, pasta, and tortillas, brown rice, quinoa, etc.
• Fruits and vegetables

Doing so will potentially decrease the severity of the aforementioned symptoms and decrease risk of developing the aforementioned disease states associated with PCOS.

Fat is a MACROnutrient, and therefore is an essential part of every diet. Some of the important functions of fat are to:
1️⃣ Cushion and protect organs
2️⃣ Aid in nerve transmission
3️⃣ Increase vitamin absorption
4️⃣ Maintain body temperature
5️⃣ Provide long-term energy

What are the differences between saturated and unsaturated fats?

Saturated fats
⬜️Found in meat products such as chicken and ground beef, dairy products such as milk and cheese, and in deep fried foods and baked goods.
⬜️ May increase blood pressure and serum cholesterol.
⬜️ May increase risk of heart disease due to increased inflammation.

Unsaturated Fats
⬜️ Found in oils such as olive and avocado oil, in nuts and seeds, and fatty fish.
⬜️ Shown to reduce inflammation, support brain health, and increase mental cognition.
⬜️ Reduce cholesterol and decrease blood pressure.

Both of these types of fats are essential in the diet, but overall it is better to get more unsaturated fats and less saturated fats.