To Low-Carb or NOT to Low-Carb?

One of the most frustrating aspects of PCOS is figuring out the perfect diet for your body.  Everyone's body is different, and some things will work better for some than others, but with PCOS you will hear people talking quite a bit about a low-carb lifestyle.  Some people with PCOS swear that living low-carb is the only way they can take off weight (or keep it off).  Others swear that carbs don't matter in the slightest, and it's a solution as easy as "eat less, move more."  But who is right?  Of course, it depends entirely on the individual, but the truth usually lies somewhere in between for most of us.

The biggest drawback of living low-carb is that when carbs are too restricted, generally others areas become unbalanced.  Carbohydrate restriction can increase fat, cholesterol, and sodium while it can decrease fiber, energy, and water.  Does this always happen?  Absolutely not!  Cutting down your carbs (especially the bad ones) has very healthy results in most cases - and this is true in people without PCOS as well!  The trick is to find your middle ground.  Never eliminate your carbs!  It is dangerous and will not give you the results you desire if your goal is to become healthier.  When you do eat carbs, try to make them the "good" kind and as with everything in life, don't overdo.  If you have trouble identifying which carbs are "good" and which are "bad," check the fiber content.  If a food has a high fiber content, it is usually the "good" kind of carbohydrate.  Whole grains, beans, veggies, fruits are all examples of "good" carbs.  Keep those carbs!  Get rid of the refined (white) foods like white breads, white pasta, white rice, white flour, etc. Another thing to cut down on is unnecessary added sugar.  Does this mean that you can't eat that decadent fudge at Christmas that you utterly adore and look forward to all year long?  No!  But you can make it a point to eat less of it - and if you really want to make it worth your while, you might even want to add a little extra activity to the days that you do indulge in such goodies.  These little pleasures should be considered "treats" and not "cheats." 

Make healthy choices and substitutions where and when you can.  There are things in life that I cannot, nay, will not, live without.  One of those things is chocolate.  Instead of giving up chocolate altogether, I have made some lifestyle changes so that I may still be able to enjoy it on a semi-regular basis.  First, I have switched to dark chocolate, which is much better for you than the milk chocolate variety.  Second, I watch my portion size.  Instead of eating a 1/2 bar (or a whole bar on especially "sinful" days), I stop after a couple of squares.  Third, I don't just mindlessly devour it.  I love chocolate.  I enjoy it.  I savor it.  I take smaller bites, eat it slowly, and actually taste it.  I think it's made me appreciate chocolate more, particularly if we're ever going to have a chocolate shortage.  *Gasp*  At the end of the day, I'm a firm believer that you can enjoy anything you want in moderation, but that you should still try to be wise in your day-to-day food choices.