I loved reading this because so much of it resonates with my own experience. 🤍
The biggest shift for me was also stopping the constant pursuit of fat loss. Once I started working *with* my body instead of against it, everything became so much more sustainable.
Switching to a savoury, protein-rich breakfast has probably been one of the most impactful changes for my energy and sugar cravings. I also try to build my meals around protein, healthy fats and fibre rather than focusing on calories x
I didn't necessarily swap HIIT for strength training, but I did move away from high-intensity workouts towards lower-impact movement like Power Yoga and Ashtanga, and my body seems to respond so much better to it!
One question I had: what made you start taking chromium? It's one supplement I don't hear about very often for PCOS, so I'd love to know what benefits you've noticed from it!
Hi Clem, I love to hear these also worked for you. I honestly think they are the foundation of managing this condition. What is Ashtanga? I have never heard of it
The shift from weight loss to health mindset really resonates, but I'm curious about the timeline - how long did it actually take for your body to "settle" at its comfortable weight once you made these changes? Sometimes it feels like the hardest part is trusting the process when you can't see immediate results.
Vitamin D has been shown to affect multiple aspects of women’s reproductive health, including regulating the menstrual cycle, improving gynecological health, prenatal outcomes, fertility and the success of IVF treatments.
Vitamin D receptors (VDRs) are found throughout the reproductive system, including the ovaries, uterus, placenta, hypothalamus, and pituitary gland, allowing vitamin D to influence hormone production, ovulation, implantation, immune regulation, and fertility. The influence of vitamin D on prenatal and infant health has been covered extensively in previous posts by GrassrootsHealth. A newly published review by Alsuwaidi et al. highlights several additional areas of impact for vitamin D and female reproductive health. Researchers reviewed studies published between 2013 and 2025 examining the role of vitamin D in reproductive hormones, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), uterine disorders, pregnancy, and assisted reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Hey Destiny, once I understood that these things are good for my body, I could see a real change in 6 months. However, it is important not to fixate on the timelines as all of these things are actively contributing towards your overall health anyway, and they will need to be maintained for the rest of our lives. I know it’s hard, as we live in a world where image is so important, but finding what your body responds to is a long-term journey full of experimentation. I would say if something actively makes you feel good in your own body, not constantly hungry and irritated, full of energy, and you see a change in your mindset, and how you feel, it’s the right process, which, if carried out for long enough time, will show up on your body and PCOS. With what we know from research about working out and eating enough and nutrient-dense foods, it’s impossible that it will not eventually show up. You don’t need more answers, but a belief in your own body that it will do the right thing. If you want to chat more about it, don’t hesitate to DM me. Sending you a hug.
I loved reading this because so much of it resonates with my own experience. 🤍
The biggest shift for me was also stopping the constant pursuit of fat loss. Once I started working *with* my body instead of against it, everything became so much more sustainable.
Switching to a savoury, protein-rich breakfast has probably been one of the most impactful changes for my energy and sugar cravings. I also try to build my meals around protein, healthy fats and fibre rather than focusing on calories x
I didn't necessarily swap HIIT for strength training, but I did move away from high-intensity workouts towards lower-impact movement like Power Yoga and Ashtanga, and my body seems to respond so much better to it!
One question I had: what made you start taking chromium? It's one supplement I don't hear about very often for PCOS, so I'd love to know what benefits you've noticed from it!
Hi Clem, I love to hear these also worked for you. I honestly think they are the foundation of managing this condition. What is Ashtanga? I have never heard of it
Regarding Chromium, it has quite a bit of evidence to lower glucose levels. I have an article on it: https://www.thepcosnewsletter.com/p/chromium-in-pcos-who-it-helps-and?r=5fgju
I actually took it as part of a combo Inositol rather than on its own. I don't think I would take it as a standalone supplement
Love all these shifts! Also, love seeing little Francesca :)
The shift from weight loss to health mindset really resonates, but I'm curious about the timeline - how long did it actually take for your body to "settle" at its comfortable weight once you made these changes? Sometimes it feels like the hardest part is trusting the process when you can't see immediate results.
Vitamin D has been shown to affect multiple aspects of women’s reproductive health, including regulating the menstrual cycle, improving gynecological health, prenatal outcomes, fertility and the success of IVF treatments.
Vitamin D receptors (VDRs) are found throughout the reproductive system, including the ovaries, uterus, placenta, hypothalamus, and pituitary gland, allowing vitamin D to influence hormone production, ovulation, implantation, immune regulation, and fertility. The influence of vitamin D on prenatal and infant health has been covered extensively in previous posts by GrassrootsHealth. A newly published review by Alsuwaidi et al. highlights several additional areas of impact for vitamin D and female reproductive health. Researchers reviewed studies published between 2013 and 2025 examining the role of vitamin D in reproductive hormones, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), uterine disorders, pregnancy, and assisted reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization (IVF).
https://www.grassrootshealth.net/blog/vitamin-d-womens-hormones-reproductive-health/?utm_content=buffer5bbd0&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
Hey Destiny, once I understood that these things are good for my body, I could see a real change in 6 months. However, it is important not to fixate on the timelines as all of these things are actively contributing towards your overall health anyway, and they will need to be maintained for the rest of our lives. I know it’s hard, as we live in a world where image is so important, but finding what your body responds to is a long-term journey full of experimentation. I would say if something actively makes you feel good in your own body, not constantly hungry and irritated, full of energy, and you see a change in your mindset, and how you feel, it’s the right process, which, if carried out for long enough time, will show up on your body and PCOS. With what we know from research about working out and eating enough and nutrient-dense foods, it’s impossible that it will not eventually show up. You don’t need more answers, but a belief in your own body that it will do the right thing. If you want to chat more about it, don’t hesitate to DM me. Sending you a hug.
I love this! I wrote something similar (https://open.substack.com/pub/30girly/p/these-3-habits-changed-my-life?r=6ncba2&utm_medium=ios)