Snacking to control blood-sugar (PCOS/insulin resistance)

sarah_a_t
sarah_a_t Posts: 10 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have PCOS and am on my 7th time of losing weight (just 10kg ~ 1.5 stone to go this time). I find that eating 1,500 calories and keeping up my normal exercise routine (cycling to work, gymnastics, a bit of yoga but rarely anything that would qualify as rigorous exercise) lets me lose pretty easily.

I am trying to undertake more of a permanent lifestyle change than a diet this time. In general it is going really well, I am eating plenty of real/whole foods, with some occasional treats, am really enjoying my food and don't feel deprived.

I am pretty much never hungry, but I do find that my mental and physical energy crashes between meals. I often find myself crabby, unable to think productively at work, and really struggling with exercise, to the point of feeling faint.

It seems crazy to me to eat more calories when I am not hungry, but all these problems get better after a snack. When should I snack and what sort of things would be best to eat? PCOS is associated with insulin resistance, so I am wondering if I need to be thinking more about keeping my blood sugar levels in balance.

Replies

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    I've had a peek at your food diary. I think you may be a bit malnourished, and that you'll feel a lot better if you move some of your snack calories to meals (not the other way around), and then tweak your meals to be more balanced, varied and nutritious.

    You can build your meals up from templates, to make composition easier. It's important that you can and will stick to your diet, and be able to make your own adjustments as needed, so take everything I say as suggestions, not instructions. I'm using my own meal plan as an example on how it can be done, not something you must do:

    Breakfast: Porridge made with water and whole milk, pat of butter. A fruit, a vegetable.
    Lunch: Sandwich filled with cheese, fish or meat spread. A glass of milk, a fruit, a vegetable.
    Dinner: Meat/fish+starch+vegetable.
    Snack: Fruit, nuts/cheese, veg.

    Once per week, a 150-250 calorie treat of your choice.
  • ronjsteele1
    ronjsteele1 Posts: 1,064 Member
    I also have PCOS and insulin resistance and I have to agree with kommodevaran. I would look at increasing your fats and proteins for satiety with mid-range carbs for blood sugar balance with your meals. If you absolutely need a snack between meals then I think you need to just work that into your calories for the day, not increase your calories. Crashing between meals can also be from needing salt (believe it or not!). So if you are really feeling like you're crashing, try a very small, salty snack. Nuts (watch the calories!), pretzels, etc. If it's my salt that's actually low, I find it does not affect my water weight so much (it seems like only large quantities do that to me) and I'm a major water retainer in general.
  • sarah_a_t
    sarah_a_t Posts: 10 Member
    Interesting. I guess my issue is that I have been feeling really full after meals (greek yoghurt for breakfast and a veg-heavy pasta salad for lunch are very filling), so I have been reluctant to eat bigger meals. Is the consensus that not snacking is better for controlling blood-sugar then?
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    edited March 2017
    Split your daily allowance into meals that make you pleasantly full. If three meals means too full, eat four or five. If you struggle to get in enough calories, reduce the amount of vegetables and eat more of something else. Do what you have to do to 1) hit your calories and 2) feel fine.
  • ronjsteele1
    ronjsteele1 Posts: 1,064 Member
    THIS. ^^^^^^^^^^
  • sarah_a_t
    sarah_a_t Posts: 10 Member
    OK, have added my afternoon snack into my lunch today. Will see if I feel any better.
  • amyinthetardis1231
    amyinthetardis1231 Posts: 571 Member
    edited March 2017
    I have PCOS with IR (and hypothyroid) and I get the blood sugar shakes and crash when I eat a carb heavy meal. The little meals and snacks thing didn't work for me, but a few bigger low carb meals does. I only get blood sugar crashes now when I eat a starchy meal. If you do eat more starches, try upping your fat and protein to balance them out.

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