Episode #147: Lifestyle by Design: Creating a PCOS-Friendly Life

Welcome back to the PCOS Repair Podcast, where today our topic is all about creating a PCOS-friendly lifestyle. What does that even mean? I talk about it a lot here on the podcast, so I wanted to dive in and give you a framework for what it actually looks like. Because we throw around these buzzwords, and sometimes I get asked, “Am I going to have to give up this?” or “What does that mean exactly?” Is there a set formula for a PCOS-healthy lifestyle?

Hopefully today’s episode will help clear that up.

What Is a PCOS-Friendly Lifestyle?

When I talk about a PCOS-friendly lifestyle, I’m referring to two key things:

1. It supports and nourishes your body. It helps you create an environment where your body can thrive because you’re giving it what it needs.
2. It works for you. Meaning, it’s tailored to your individual life circumstances. What works for one person might not work for someone else. Maybe you work nights, have food allergies, or are juggling three picky eaters at home—you need a lifestyle that fits your life.

Let’s look at the four areas you’ll need to consider when creating your unique healthy lifestyle:

1. Know Your Root Cause

If you don’t know your PCOS root cause yet, start with the PCOS Root Cause Quiz. It’s a quick quiz that gives you a solid starting point, and inside the PCOS Root Cause Bootcamp, I walk you through a more in-depth assessment. This helps you figure out what’s driving your symptoms—whether it’s insulin resistance, inflammation, hormone imbalance, or something else.

2. Know Your Health Goals

What do you want from your health? For some, it’s more energy and vitality. For others, it’s about fertility—maybe they didn’t even think about health until struggling to get pregnant. For some, it’s about weight. They feel stuck in a constant yo-yo of dieting, gaining weight back, and never feeling at peace in their body.

You might have multiple goals, but it’s helpful to identify your main focus. This will help you structure your lifestyle around the area that matters most to you right now.

3. Know Your Current Priorities

We all have limited bandwidth. You might want to lose 30 pounds, but maybe you’re also applying to grad school or working long hours. That doesn’t mean you can’t make health a priority—it just means you may need to adjust your timeline or expectations.

Being honest with yourself about your current priorities helps you avoid unnecessary frustration. If weight loss isn’t your main focus right now, don’t beat yourself up if it’s not progressing as quickly. Instead, acknowledge that you’re laying the groundwork and making small changes that will pay off later.

4. Start Taking Action

This is where you begin doing the actual work to nurture your body back to health—and eventually maintain that health. Yes, it takes effort at first, especially while you’re learning and adjusting habits, but once you get into a rhythm, it becomes more manageable.

The Four Pillars of a PCOS-Friendly Lifestyle

Here are the core components:

1. Nutrition
   If we’re not fueling our body with the right foods, it’s hard for it to thrive. Nutrition looks different for everyone depending on root causes, and we dive deep into this in the PCOS Root Cause Bootcamp.
2. Movement
   Movement is essential for everyone, but what it looks like will vary. It could be intense workouts, walking, or anything in between. Start where you are and build from there.
3. Stress Management
   We live in a fast-paced world with constant demands, and PCOS adds another layer of stress. Managing stress isn’t about eliminating it—it’s about building resilience so stress doesn’t control your day.
4. Emotional Well-being
   This goes beyond self-care. It’s about giving yourself space to feel, process, rest, and rekindle joy. It’s learning to be gentle with yourself while creating time to recharge.

Personalizing a Sustainable Routine

To create a routine that actually works:

• Start small. Don’t try to change everything at once.
• Focus on one area at a time—maybe it’s breakfast or 15 minutes of movement each day.
• Pay attention to what works. If a meal takes two hours to prep, it’s probably not realistic long-term. If your workout leaves you exhausted instead of energized, it might not be the best fit.
• Let it evolve. Life changes—so should your routine. Whether you’re transitioning from school to full-time work, entering a new season of life, or adjusting to new challenges, your lifestyle should grow with you.

Action Steps for Today

1. Take the PCOS Root Cause Quiz
   (Link is in the show notes)
2. Write down your root cause
3. Identify your #1 health goal
   Is it pregnancy? Weight loss? More energy? Write it down.
4. List your top life priorities
   Health, career, school, finances—whatever is currently taking your time and energy.
5. Pick 10 small habits
   Choose habits that support your goal—like a specific breakfast, 20 minutes of walking, or a short journaling session. Start with one. Add more over time.

This is the exact framework I use in my own life and when working with clients. I revisit it often—when my schedule shifts, when my needs change, or when I simply need to refresh my routine.

Your lifestyle has to work for you. You can get guidance and support, but you have to participate in designing it. Because if you don’t, it’ll be built around someone else’s life—not yours.

So while it takes some effort and ongoing tweaking, it’s not nearly as complicated as it may seem. You just need the right foundation—and this is it.

If you found this episode helpful, be sure to hit subscribe so you get notified each week when new episodes go live. And until next time, bye for now.