PCOD symptoms include excess facial hair, acne, irregular or lack of menstrual cycle, pain during menstruation, skin darkening, etc. The most recommended way to reduce the severity of these symptoms and treat PCOD is to follow a PCOD diet and exercise regularly.
In this article, we will see the diet plan and the exercise regimen for PCOD patients.
PCOD Diet Plan
Your PCOD diet plan must include the following:
What to Eat?
If you have PCOD, you should consider the below food items:
- Unrefined and natural food
- Fish rich in Omega fatty acids (tuna, salmon, sardines, and mackerel)
- Green and leafy vegetables
- Dark red fruits, including grapes, cherries, etc.
- Healthy fats (coconuts, olive oil, avocados and nuts)
- Spices (turmeric and cinnamon)
- A moderate amount of dark chocolate
Foods to Avoid:
If you have PCOD, you should avoid the below food items:
- Cakes, pastries, white bread and other refined carbohydrates (maida) products
- Fast food and fried items such as fries, pizza, burgers etc
- Processed meat
- High-sugar fruits such as bananas, Jack fruit, Mango, etc
- Red meat, pork and ham
PCOD Diet Chart for Weight Loss
If you have PCOD, follow the PCOD diet chart below for weight loss for the week. It’ll help reduce symptoms and treat your condition faster.
| Breakfast | Mid-meal | Lunch | Evening | Dinner | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday | 2 Idlis + ½ cup Sambar + Green/ Tomato Chutney | 1 cup green gram sprouts | 2 Rotis + Fish curry (100 gm fish) + ½ cup cabbage sabzi + ½ cup salad | 1 portion of fruit | 2 chapatis + ½ cup Tomato sabzi |
| Monday | 2 brown bread slices + 1 low-fat cheese slice + 2 boiled egg (white) | 1 portion of fruit | 1 cup veg pulao rice + ½ cup soya chunk curry + ½ glass buttermilk | 1 cup light tea + 2 wheat rusks | 2 chapatis+ ½ cup ladies finger (bhendi) sabzi |
| Tuesday | 2 Chapatis + ½ cup green peas curry | ½ cup boiled black chana | 1 cup rice + ½ cup dal + ½ cup palak sabzi + ½ cup low-fat curd | 1 portion of fruit | 1 cup broken wheat upma 1 cup + ½ cup green beans sabzi |
| Wednesday | 2 Methi Parata + 1 tbsp green chutney | 1 portion of fruit | 1 cup rice + chicken curry (150 gm chicken) + 1 cup cucumber salad | 1 cup light tea + ½ cup brown rice poha | 2 wheat Dosas + ½ cup bitter guard (karela) sabzi. |
| Thursday | 1 cup Vegetable Upma (oats) + ½ glass low-fat milk | 1 cup Raw/grilled vegetables and plain yoghurt | ½ cup rice + 2 chapatis + ½ cup Rajma or Kidney bean curry + ½ cup Snake gourd (chichinda) sabzi | 1 cup light tea + 1 cup boiled chana | 2 chapatis + ½ cup mixed veg sabzi |
| Friday | 1 cup mixed veg Poha + ½ glass low-fat milk | 1 portion of the fruit | ½ cup rice + 2 chapatis + ½ cup Rajma or Kidney bean curry + ½ cup Snake gourd (chichinda) sabzi | 1 cup tea+ + 2 Digestive or Oatmeal biscuits | 2 chapatis + ½ cup Ridge gourd (toree) sabzi |
| Saturday | 2 uthappam + green chutney | 1 cup boiled chana | 1 cup rice + ½ cup soya chunk curry + ½ cup ladies finger (bhindi) sabzi + 1 small cup low-fat curd | 1 portion of fruit | 1 cup broken wheat upma + ½ cup green beans sabzi |
We strongly recommend you to consult a dietician and discuss your health concerns and goals to frame a personalised diet chart. They’ll understand your needs better and formulate a precise diet chat for you like the one shown above.
Exercise for PCOD
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is crucial if you have PCOD. You should consider exercises for PCOD in addition to controlling stress, getting enough sleep, and relaxing. You have to work out every day for 30 minutes.
You can combine cardio and weight training in your exercise regimen. Cardio will help you lose unwanted fat and weight. It will also prevent cardiovascular disease. If you are not interested in going to the gym, consider Zumba, Yoga, Pilates etc. If you like cycling, you can make it a routine practice. If you are an adventurer, you can go trekking or hiking.
Conclusion
PCOD is a condition associated with a hormonal imbalance. It can have a significant physical and emotional impact on a person. PCOD patients may experience symptoms such as acne, facial hair development, and other issues that may affect their appearance. It may also affect the chances of pregnancy. Adopting a balanced diet and lifestyle is the most efficient strategy to treat this condition and lessen the intensity of its symptoms.
