Achieving Healthy Weight Loss With PCOS
- Liz Riesen, RD
- Oct 9
- 4 min read
Most of the women who come to me have been diagnosed already with PCOS, but given almost no information on what to do aside from the option to start birth control and possibly other medication for managing hormonal symptoms. As a hormone health dietitian I help women successfully manage PCOS naturally with diet, lifestyle and tailored supplementation. But I also teach my clients about their hormones and why symptoms develop. This is particularly important when we are talking about weight loss.
If you've been through the cycle of countless “appointments” with providers, only to leave with a band-aid solution or guidance such as:
“Just lose weight and stress less”
Prescribed anti-anxiety or depression medication
Told you need to start birth control
This article is for you! Let's dive deeper into what's going on and what has been standing in the way of your body responding to changes in diet or exercise. These quick fixes don’t address the root cause of hormone imbalances, weight loss resistance, or PCOS symptoms—and they definitely aren’t support.
Why Did PCOS Develop In The First Place?
Too often when I ask new patients this question, they are surprised. No one has thought to start at the beginning as to when and why did these symptoms first appear. While PCOS is a specific diagnosis, it is not specific in its symptoms and how it affects each individual woman.
PCOS stands for polycystic ovarian syndrome - but many women with PCOS don't even have cysts on their ovaries. In my opinion, the diagnosis of PCOS is broad and we need to personalize treatment for each individual woman.
Starting with how and why hormonal imbalance began within the body. A few reasons for this include:
High period of stress - emotional or physical
Elevated insulin and insulin resistance
Birth control, particularly long-term use
Chronic inflammation in the body
Why there can be more specific triggers, starting here with this question helps me to identify what type of PCOS a client has. From there we can start to address the root cause and support hormone balance in the body.
Personalized PCOS Treatment and Guidance
The most common symptom I hear from my clients with PCOS is frustrating weight gain, or weight that they can't get to budge no matter what diet or exercise they try. Why is this?
This is because hormones are our body's communication system. When hormone imbalance is present, it will keep the body in an inflammatory "fat storage" state. Restricting food or overexercising can exacerbate this problem. Leaving you frustrated and depleted of energy.
This is why in my practice, I run a comprehensive hormone panel on new clients, so that we get deeper insight into hormone production, metabolism, inflammation, vitamin status, and more. With this information we can truly tailor and personalize your diet, lifestyle, and supplement regimen.
Once hormones are happy and harmonizing - weight loss can finally be achieved with a healthy diet and activity.
If you are interested in hormone testing to get a full comprehensive look at your hormones, I recommend and use the DUTCH Complete Panel in my practice.
The DUTCH Complete measures over 35 hormones and metabolites, along with inflammatory markers, neurotransmitters and organic acids. This provides me with a highly detailed plan on how you can adjust your diet, lifestyle and supplement regimen to achieve hormone balance.
You can learn more and order here: DUTCH Complete Hormone Panel with easy at-home collection. Please reach out to me first, if you are on birth control pills or have irregular menstrual cycles - info@lizriesen.com
What Actually Works for Lasting Hormone Balance, Weight Loss & PCOS Management
✔️ A clear, adaptable plan tailored to your hormone health needs
✔️ Regular accountability so you keep moving forward
✔️ Guidance from a hormone health expert who understands women’s bodies and challenges
Get the Support You’ve Been Missing
If you're not ready for hormone testing or 1:1 coaching, I invite you to still join me in my Private Hormone Health Community—a space designed for women who want to support their health and hormones naturally.
Inside, you’ll get:
💬 Weekly live Q&A calls with me, a hormone health dietitian — Send questions in advance or join live. Replays available each week.
📚 Practical tools and education to help with hormone balance, PCOS nutrition, and sustainable weight loss
💛 A supportive community of women who understand your journey
📆 Consistency and structure so you never feel lost, alone, or stuck
You can join for as low as $39/month — and start feeling more like yourself faster than you think.
👉 Join Now
You don’t have to figure out hormone health, weight loss, or PCOS management on your own. The right guidance and support can make all the difference.
Ready to Go Deeper?
If you suspect your hormones are out of sync, personalized nutrition and functional hormone testing can provide detailed insights into your hormonal health. Explore options for hormone testing, education, and 1:1 support below.
Liz Riesen, Registered Dietitian
Liz works specifically with women's hormones, gut health, and metabolism. These areas are intertwined, meaning when symptoms exist in one system it will affect another.
You don't have to live with symptoms like bloating, weight gain, anxiety, mood swings, and irregular cycles. Get the support and guidance necessary to feel confident and comfortable in your body.
Follow me @lizriesen
Navigating hormone health can be challenging, but you don’t have to do it alone. Take the first step today by exploring the options available to you.
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