#1 Key Mistake I Made Before I Lost 60 Pounds
Losing weight when you have PCOS is no joke—something TikTok influencer Kiki (@kikivirk) knows all too well. Kiki says she was motivated to lose weight and see results fast, but she went about the process before doing her research. So what exactly happened? The workout regimen she jumped into not only didn't lead to any fat loss but was causing her massive stress. Here's what happened, and what Kiki did to actually lose the weight in a PCOS-friendly way.
Too Intense, Too Much
@kikivirk The plan that helped me shed 60lbs 💪🏽 #weightloss #pcos #pcosweightloss #weightlossmotivation #weightlosstipsforwomen #pcosworkout ♬ original sound – Kiki
Kiki says she jumped into a 90-day HIIT workout regimen without doing any research, and found the entire process far too harsh for her body. "Those long painful HIIT workouts were actually doing my body no good," she says. "They were causing too much stress and loads of other problems."
Low Impact Workouts
Kiki switched to a lower-impact workout routine using weights, swimming, and more gentle cardio to get fit and lose 60 pounds. "I switched to this workout structure and built up lean muscle and burned fat," she says. "And it didn't feel like an uphill struggle."
Related: I'm a Health Coach and This is My Easy Meal Plan for the Whole Week
Dangers of Overtraining
Overtraining can completely undermine your fitness goals—so learn to listen to your body and get adequate rest. "Exercise is one of the best things you can do for your health but there are limits on how much exercise you should be doing," says LIFT Society Co-Founder David Schenk. "Too much exercise can actually kill your gains in the gym. Over exercising will leave you in a continued state of fatigue, soreness, inflammation, chronic injuries and sickness. In order to avoid this make sure to program rest days into your weekly routine and listen to your body."
PCOS and Exercise
Kiki has PCOS, which makes it even more important to do exercises that help combat weight gain associated with the condition. "When women with PCOS are on their menstrual cycle, the intensity and/or durations of the workouts may need to be adjusted as well as the types of clothes worn if you are experiencing intense cramping," says Brooklyn-based Tonal coach Tanysha Renee. "Some of the key ways to stay consistent when dealing with PCOS are to prioritize your sleep, your hydration, listen to your body, and modify the intensity of your workouts if you must."
Related: 5 Female Fitness Gurus Who Prove That Lifting Weights Doesn't Make You "Big"
Walking Workouts
It's no wonder Kiki's weight came off when she switched to lower-stress workouts: Exercises such as walking are some of the best for women with PCOS as they help keep cortisol levels down. "There are so many fancy exercise machines, fitness gadgets and complex ways to exercise that it can be all too easy to forget about the oldest and most simplistic way to exercise: walking," Schenk says. "The benefits of walking everyday go beyond just burning calories and fat and include boosting your mood, helping to digest your food better, connecting with nature, overcoming anxiety and depression and being social. The bottom line is that walking everyday is the simplest, cheapest and easiest way to start improving your health and wellness today."
💪🔥Body Booster: Ease into new workout routines slowly and listen to your body. Harder is not always better!
