PCOS Belly Fat Explained & How To Reduce It

Written by Martina S. in Beauty

One of the typical symptoms of  PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) is weight gain and increased body fat in the abdominal area (belly fat). Since PCOS is a complex endocrine disorder associated with a number of metabolic and hormonal dysfunctions, it can become very challenging to successfully lose weight and reduce belly fat for women with this condition.

But is it even possible to get rid of PCOS belly fat? And what is the best and fastest way to do that? That’s what I’ll discuss in this article supported by science, my experience and a lot of practical tips.

What is PCOS belly fat?

PCOS belly fat is a condition characterized by having excessive amounts of body fat stored in the abdominal area. It is a side effect of PCOS-related fluctuations in hormones, insulin resistance and inflammation in the body.

When it comes to having a big belly it is important to recognize that there are in fact two types of fats you can store in this area: subcutaneous fat and visceral fat.

Subcutaneous vs visceral fat

Subcutaneous fat is the type of fat that sits right under your skin a that makes your belly soft on touch (you can pinch it). This type of fat is considered less harmful but is typically more difficult to reduce.

Visceral fat, however, is the type of fat that sits around your organs and that can be seriously dangerous to your health. This type of fat is hidden inside and makes your belly hard on touch. Increased visceral fat is considered a risk factor for a variety of health conditions including metabolic syndrome, diabetes, heart diseases and PCOS.

It’s been shown to contribute to insulin resistance, inflammation and hormonal disruptions in the body which is why this type of fat is a big concern for women with PCOS. However, visceral fat is usually easier to lose for most individuals.

What does a PCOS belly look like?

PCOS belly can be described as an increased waist to hip ratio, sometimes referred to as apple body shape or skinny fat. The stomach is typically hard on touch due to the build-up of visceral fat surrounding the organs. However, the look may differ between individuals based on their unique genetics.

Regardless of your overall body weight and BMI measurement, you can still develop a PCOS belly even if you’re considered ‘normal weight’ or if you’re otherwise relatively skinny. This means that even lean women with PCOS may suffer from a high percentage of visceral body fat sitting around the organs (skinny fat).

How do I know if I have PCOS belly fat?

The best way to identify PCOS belly fat is to measure the fat distribution in the body by appropriate assessment methods. CT scans and MRI are considered the most accurate techniques, however, a simple waist to hip ratio (WTH) measurement is also a good indicator.

You can easily do this at home just with the help of a measuring tape and some calculations. 

How to measure waist-to-hip ratio for PCOS:

  1. Measure your waist  – wrap your tape around the smallest point of your waist (belly button)
  2. Measure your hips – wrap your tape around the widest part of your hips
  3. Calculate – divide your waist size by your hips size (W/H)
  4. Compare your result to the following metrics
< 0.80low risk
0.81 – 0.85moderate risk
> 0.85high risk

Can you have a flat stomach with PCOS?

Most women with PCOS can have a flat stomach and successfully reduce belly fat in response to dietary and lifestyle changes. However, this process may require extra effort and time due to the metabolic challenges associated with this condition. 

While PCOS can make weight loss and belly fat reduction slightly more challenging (in comparison to non-PCOS individuals), it is still completely achievable once you address the root cause of your condition and make relevant changes.

What is the fastest way to lose PCOS belly fat?

The fastest way to lose PCOS belly fat is through dietary changes and lifestyle modifications. In order to speed up the process, a personal approach and professional help may be needed due to the complexity of PCOS.

Don’t forget that PCOS is very complicated and we all experience this disorder and its symptoms differently. That’s why an individual approach in the treatment of this condition is extremely important and it can help you achieve your goals much faster.

I always recommend working with a professional (at least at the beginning) as they can more accurately assess your condition, provide you with the right information and most importantly support you throughout your journey.

However, if that’s not an option for you, you can still achieve your goals with the right information, consistency and commitment. First, make sure you understand and address the root cause of PCOS belly fat if you want to achieve some permanent results.

What causes PCOS belly fat?

While there is no single cause but rather a combination of several different factors (genes, lifestyle, environment) contributing to PCOS belly fat, insulin resistance appears to be the biggest driver in most women with this condition.

Chronic inflammation and hormone fluctuations are other main contributors to PCOS belly fat but they are also the outcomes of insulin resistance as their relationship is interconnected.

Excessive levels of insulin in the blood (due to insulin resistance) can trigger your body to store extra fat, especially around the abdomen (increasing inflammation). But high blood insulin is also responsible for the overproduction of androgens in your ovaries, leading to disruptions in your hormones.

You can find more information about insulin resistance and its relationship to PCOS in my previous article ‘PCOS Insulin Resistance Explained & How To Reverse It’. 

There are three main drivers causing belly fat in most women with PCOS: 

  • insulin resistance 
  • inflammation 
  • hormone fluctuations

The best way to lose PCOS belly fat will therefore focus on improving those three aspects and here’s everything you need to know about how to do it.

How to lose PCOS belly fat:

  • Make dietary changes
  • Exercise regularly
  • Improve sleep
  • Manage stress
  • Stop smoking
  • Limit alcohol consumption
  • Include supplements

1. Diet

Changing your diet is one of the most important steps you can do to successfully reduce belly fat since it directly impacts all of the three main drivers (insulin resistance, inflammation, hormone fluctuation).

Proper nutrition choices can not only help you lose weight (if you focus on your energy balance) but more importantly they can affect your bodily functions, gene expression and overall health (if you focus on nutrients). After all, food is information for your body. 

Since different foods are characterized by different chemical structures and functions, it is no surprise that they will act differently once they enter your body. Your dietary choices can therefore either improve your health or make it worse.

Insulin resistance

Insulin resistance is particularly affected by our food choices since insulin (the blood sugar-regulating hormone) is released in response to what we eat. Dietary approaches focused on blood sugar and insulin management (such as low GI, low carb, keto, intermitted fasting) can therefore be extremely effective.

Inflammation

Inflammation can also be drastically reduced by our diet, especially by eating more foods with anti-inflammatory properties (whole foods, herbs, spices) and limiting the consumption of inflammatory foods (processed food, dairy, sugar, alcohol). 

Hormone regulation

Other types of foods may also help reduce oxidative stress (antioxidant-rich foods), regulate hormones (healthy fats) and improve your microbiome (probiotics and prebiotics). As a result, all of those effects can help you reduce visceral fat and get rid of your PCOS belly for good.

Best diet for PCOS belly fat:

  • Eat whole foods (vegetable, fruit, nuts, seeds, legumes, eggs, meat, fish)
  • Eliminate processed foods (packaged food, added sugars, trans fats, additives)
  • Eat enough protein (fish, meat, eggs, soy, beans)
  • Eat enough healthy fats (olives, avocado, oily fish, nuts, seeds)
  • Watch your carbohydrate intake (more complex carbs, less simple sugars)
  • Eliminate dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt, cream, ice cream)
  • Drink a lot of fluids (plain water, herbal teas, hot beverages)
  • Eliminate alcohol consumption
  • Include anti-inflammatory foods (turmeric, omega-3, ginger, leafy greens)
  • Include probiotic (fermented) and prebiotic (fiber) foods
  • Consider intermittent fasting
  • Practice mindful eating 

2. Exercise

Exercise is certainly another key component that can help you lose belly fat and develop a flat stomach. However, it is much more complicated than just focusing on ‘training abs’. First of all, we can’t choose (unfortunately) isolated body parts in which we lose fat.

This means that doing only ab-focused and core exercises won’t necessarily make your stomach smaller. It sure will make your abdominal muscles stronger and perhaps even bigger but the real key to losing belly fat is to reduce your overall body fat percentage.

Energy balance

The best way to do that is to focus on your energy balance (calories in vs. calories out) and aim to be in a slight caloric deficit (greater calorie output than calorie intake). To do so, you can either modify your diet or your activity levels or (ideally) both.

But remember that it’s not just about the number of calories you eat and the number of calories you burn (the quality matters, too!) While there are many different factors that can also affect your overall fat loss (including your age, gender, body composition, metabolic rate etc..) exercise can have some serious effects on this process for a number of reasons. 

Weight loss

Firstly, all types of exercise (especially high-intensity and cardio-based) can help you increase your overall calorie output (burn more calories) and therefore lose weight. Even though it’s good to get your heart rate up and sweat a little, you can still achieve those goals by simply walking.

Some types of exercise (especially strength-based) can help you change your body composition and build more muscle mass. Since muscle tissue is metabolically more demanding than fat tissue (it requires more energy to maintain), increasing your muscle mass will help you increase your metabolic rate (burn more calories on a daily basis) and lose more fat.

Insulin resistance

However, one of the most important benefits of exercise for women with PCOS is its ability to improve insulin resistance. It can not only immediately lower your insulin levels in the blood (by uptaking glucose into working muscles) but regular exercise can also significantly improve your body’s overall sensitivity to insulin.

Hormone regulation

Exercise also helps regulate other hormones involved in important metabolic functions (including stress hormones) which are also closely linked to PCOS-induced belly fat. Additionally, studies have shown that even moderate exercise can activate strong anti-inflammatory effects which helps reduce inflammation in the body.

If you’re not sure what type of exercise to choose to achieve the most benefits, you can check out my previous article ‘What Is The Best Exercise For PCOS & Why?’ to get some ideas.

Best exercise for PCOS belly fat:

  • Cardio (running, cycling, swimming, boxing, skipping)
  • HIIT (high-intensity interval training)
  • Strength-training (weightlifting, pilates, kettlebells, resistance training)
  • Sports (tennis, soccer, hockey, volleyball)
  • Walking
  • Yoga

3. Sleep

If you’re trying to lose weight, balance hormones and reduce belly fat for good I always suggest approaching this process in a holistic way (everything is connected). Even though sleep may not be the most obvious factor that can help you do that, it actually plays a much bigger role than you may think.

Sleep is absolutely vital for your optimal health and fitness as some of the most important processes in your body happen during sleep. These include tissue repairment, detoxication, regeneration but also hormone regulation and other metabolic processes.

Hormone regulation

Allowing enough good-quality time for your body to fully restore and recharge during sleep should therefore be your daily priority. Insufficient sleep can particularly affect your hormones (including insulin and cortisol) and cause hormonal disruptions (including insulin resistance and chronic stress) as well as inflammation.

Studies have shown that even relatively small sleep disturbances can significantly worsen insulin resistance and contribute to increased levels of inflammation in the body. Both of those outcomes can then make it more difficult to lose PCOS belly fat and achieve your goals.

Weight loss

Additionally, if you start exercising for the benefits of fat loss and muscle gain, the role of sleep becomes even more important. Keep in mind that without sufficient sleep and rest periods, all of your hard work may not translate into the results you originally planned. 

This also includes your diet as sleep also affects hormones responsible for hunger and appetite (such as ghrelin and cortisol) which can make it harder to achieve your nutritional goals.

If you already suffer from constant hunger and sugar cravings, make sure to check my previous article ‘PCOS Cravings: How To Reduce Appetite & Excessive Hunger‘ to get some useful tips on how to manage it.

4. Stress

Chronic stress is now considered a risk factor for a number of serious diseases and metabolic disorders, including PCOS. Unfortunately, excessive stress is not only one of the causes of PCOS but also one of the symptoms of this condition, creating a vicious cycle.

If, however, your goal is to break this vicious cycle and successfully lose PCOS belly fat, managing your stress will play a big role in this process for a number of reasons. 

Cortisol regulation

Elevated cortisol levels (the ‘stress’ hormone) have been shown to contribute to insulin resistance, weight gain and accumulation of fat in the abdominal area. It is therefore considered a major risk factor for belly fat.

In addition, high cortisol levels also affect your appetite (it makes you hungry) which may contribute to overeating and difficulty losing weight.

Since cortisol levels are directly impacted by the levels of stress we experience (as well as sleep, exercise and other lifestyle factors) the best way to regulate this hormone is to develop effective stress management strategies. 

Stress management

Unfortunately, there is no single recipe that will work for everyone since we are all different and our stress comes from different sources. However, research suggests that some of the most effective cortisol-lowering techniques include meditation, yoga, breathing exercises and spending time in nature.

It’s definitely worth trying lots of different things (such as journaling, reading, walking, dancing, having a hot bath, watching a favorite movie) before your find the one that works for you.

5. Smoking

Smoking is another huge risk factor for a number of serious diseases (including cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes) but it also appears to play a big role in PCOS and the accumulation of body fat.

Cigarette smoking has been shown to increase inflammation and insulin levels in the body, both contributing to insulin resistance and belly fat. Nicotine has been also linked to increased androgens (such as free testosterone) in the blood which is the main driver of most PCOS symptoms.

Read more: ‘Does Smoking Affect PCOS & How? All You Need To Know‘

Abdominal fat

Interestingly, studies have also shown that there might be differences between smokers and non-smokers (both considered obese) regarding their distribution of fat in the body. According to the results, smokers are more likely to store more fat in the abdominal area (visceral fat) in comparison to non-smokers.

For this reason, quitting smoking is another key step that can drastically help you improve health and successfully reduce PCOS belly fat.

6. Alcohol 

Excessive alcohol consumption is another reason you may experience increased belly fat and difficulty losing weight if you suffer from PCOS. Besides the fact that alcohol itself is relatively high in calories (7kcal/g), it is also commonly mixed with other high-sugar drinks (soda, juice, coke).

Despite the high-caloric density of these drinks they usually have poor nutritional value (providing no nutrients) and very low satiating effects (increasing hunger). All of those factors can therefore easily result in weight gain and other health complications.

Fatty liver

Alcohol consumption is also a major risk for developing liver disease as it can induce a build-up of fats in the liver (fatty liver disease). Since women with PCOS are already at increased risk of developing NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) due to their metabolic dysfunctions, they may need to be even more conscious of their alcohol intake.

This is especially true if you want to reduce the amounts of visceral fat in your body responsible for your PCOS belly fat. By limiting your alcohol consumption, you’re also more likely to reduce inflammation and insulin resistance in your body, two other main drivers of belly fat.

Recommendations

However, I still believe that alcohol (in moderation) can be a part of your healthy lifestyle and you don’t need to cut out it completely out of your life in order to achieve your goals. For this reason, I’ve created a little guide on how to best choose your alcoholic beverage (with minimal negative effects) if you suffer from PCOS.

You can find all the information here: ‘The Best & Works Alcoholic Drinks For PCOS (Complete List)’.

7. Supplements

Dietary supplements can be a powerful tool in helping you balance hormones, lose weight and get rid of PCOS belly fat. However, I also want to point out that using supplements alone (without changing your lifestyle) won’t guarantee any large improvements.

Lifestyle changes should therefore always be your primary focus and the use of supplements should remain as additional support to your balanced diet. That being said I still see a huge value in nutritional supplements and herbal remedies after my own successful experience with many of them.

PCOS management

There is also an increasing amount of evidence supporting the use of dietary and herbal supplements in the management of PCOS. Many of those supplements are able to effectively improve insulin resistance, lower androgens, decrease inflammation, promote weight loss and regulate hormones. 

For this reason, they can also help you achieve your goals and reduce PCOS belly fat. But keep in mind that different supplements may work for different people due to the variabilities in PCOS (and its causes) between individuals.

Regulations

You should also note that dietary supplements are very poorly regulated and their quality and content may not always match the description on the label. To achieve the most benefits from nutritional supplements, I highly suggest choosing high-quality products (preferably third-party tested) from trusted brands.

Some of my go-to products are listed later in this post.

Best supplements for PCOS belly fat:

  • Inositol
  • Cinnamon
  • Chromium
  • Turmeric
  • Ginger
  • Omega-3
  • Spearmint
  • Licorice root
  • Maca root
  • Green tea
  • Caffeine
  • Berberine
  • Protein powder

Blood sugar regulators

Several supplements have been shown to significantly improve insulin resistance and blood sugar regulation in women with PCOS leading to major improvements in their condition (including body composition).

While there are many nutrients and herbal supplements that may affect your blood sugar management, the current evidence suggests that inositol, cinnamon and chromium are some of the most powerful supplements regarding their effects on insulin resistance. 

Their effects are even comparable to Metformin which is the primary medication for treating diabetes, insulin resistance and PCOS. The good news is that those supplements are associated with minimal side effects (in contrast to Metformin) and they can be added to your diet in many different forms (powder, tea, tablets, extract).

Cinnamon is my personal favorite since it’s such a delicious spice that can be added to almost any meal. You can find out more about this powerful spice in my article ‘Cinnamon For PCOS: Benefits, Risks & Practical Tips‘ if you’d like more information on how to best use it.

Here are some of my favorite products:

Anti-inflammatory supplements

Another group of supplements worth considering for belly fat loss are those with strong anti-inflammatory effects. As I’ve already discussed, chronic inflammation plays a key role in PCOS and it’s been repeatedly linked to obesity and increased belly fat.

A diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods and low in inflammation drivers is, therefore, one of the most effective methods to combat this problem. Once you apply this approach to your overall diet you can also consider adding some supplements to enhance the anti-inflammatory effects.

Turmeric, ginger and omega-3 appear to be particularly effective in fighting inflammation and they also provide many other important health benefits for women with PCOS.

If you’d like to learn more about their effects on PCOS and get some tips on how to use them, you can find all the details here: ‘Turmeric For PCOS: Benefits, Risks & Practical Tips’ and ‘Ginger For PCOS: Benefits, Risks & Practical Tips’.

Here are some of my favorite products:

Hormone regulators

When it comes to losing PCOS-induced belly fat you may also benefit from several supplements and herbal remedies targeting hormone fluctuations and restoring hormonal balance. 

Adaptogenic herbs appear to be particularly effective in regulating stress hormones (including cortisol) and other natural remedies may also help regulate sex hormones (including androgens).

Some of the most studied hormone-balancing herbs with positive effects on PCOS include spearmint leaf, maca root and licorice root. You can easily incorporate those herbs into your diet in many different ways (tea, powder, tincture) which is especially great if you want to minimize the number of tablets you take every day.

You can find more information about those herbs as well as some useful tips in my detailed articles here: ‘Spearmint Tea For PCOS: Benefits, Risks & Practical Tips’ and ‘Licorice Root For PCOS: Benefits, Risks & Practical Tips’.

Here are some of my favorite products:

Weight loss supplements

A holistic approach to weight loss is extremely important if you want to achieve some permanent results but according to research, there might be some specific supplements that can help you support this process.

Supplements such as green tea, caffeine, berberine and protein powder have been shown to promote weight loss by boosting metabolism, reducing body fat and decreasing appetite in a number of studies. By adding them into your diet, you may be able to enhance the effects of weight loss and successfully achieve your goals.

Green tea seems to be especially effective in reducing fat in the abdominal area and you can find more details about it in this article ‘Green Tea For PCOS: Benefits, Risks & Practical Tips’.

If however, you’re not sure about the consumption of caffeine and how it may affect your PCOS, I highly suggest reading the article ‘Is Coffee Good Or Bad For PCOS? All You Need To Know’ to get some answers.

I’ve also created the ultimate guide to choosing the best protein powder for PCOS which is accessible here: ‘What Protein Powder Is Best For PCOS? (The Ultimate Guide)’.

Here are some of my favorite products:

Pro tips:

  • Track your progress – get tested, make measurements and keep a track of your progress, with enough data you’re more likely to see what strategies work for you best and it also helps you stay motivated, you can find some useful tools here ‘TOP 5 Smart Devices To Monitor & Manage PCOS‘
  • Plan ahead – being prepared makes it easier to stick to new habits – schedule your workouts, make to-do lists, meal-prep for the week and plan your days in advance
  • Identify your triggers – knowing your triggers is key if you want to create permament changes in your behavior, it makes it much easier to implement relevant strategies and you become more likely to succeed
  • Make solid routines – creating routines makes it easier for your brain to ‘just do it’ without too much thinking about it, you can make a routine for almost anything (morning, bedtime, exercise) and after enough repetition, you find yourself operating on an autopilot
  • Find alternatives – replacing your dietary and lifestyle habits with healthier alternatives is one of the most effective methods you can use, it doesn’t make you give up any of your enjoyments completely and it makes the process of habit change much easier
  • Start small – you don’t have to go all in and completely change everything in your life over night, take baby steps and create sustainable habits that you can stick to if you want to make some long-lasting changes (it only gets easier once you start seeing results)
  • Be patient – don’t expect any overnight results, keep in mind that your body is a complex system that doesn’t like rapid changes – it usually takes several weeks before you start seeing results and it can take up to months or years to fully achieve your goals

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