Why Strength Training Is One of the Most Powerful Tools for PCOS

PCOS is often talked about as a hormone issue.

Irregular periods. Acne. Fertility struggles.

But for many women, PCOS is just as much about how the body handles fuel and stress as it is about reproductive hormones. And that’s why strength training matters so much.

Why Strength Training Comes First

Strength training isn’t about chasing weight loss or aesthetics. It directly improves how your body manages blood sugar – which is central to PCOS.

When the body struggles to manage blood sugar efficiently, it needs more insulin to do the same job. Over time, higher insulin levels can drive many PCOS symptoms.

These are often called metabolic symptoms, but in real life they look like:

• Weight gain that feels resistant, especially around the middle

• Energy crashes or feeling wired but tired

• Strong cravings, particularly for carbs or sugar

• Brain fog or poor concentration

• Feeling inflamed, puffy, or sluggish

This can happen regardless of body size.

Strength training helps because muscle is the body’s main site for using glucose. When you build and use muscle, your body can clear sugar from the bloodstream with less insulin required.

Less insulin demand often means:

• Less hormonal disruption

• Reduced androgen stimulation

• More stable energy and mood

• Better appetite and craving control

This is why women often see improvements in PCOS symptoms even when the scale doesn’t change much.

We’re not trying to burn the body out. We’re trying to make it more efficient.

Why “More Cardio” Often Backfires

Many women with PCOS are told to do more cardio to “fix” their hormones.

But excessive high-intensity training can:

• Increase stress hormones

• Worsen blood sugar instability

• Leave the body more inflamed and depleted

Cardio isn’t the enemy – but it can’t be the foundation.

Strength training builds capacity. Cardio is a tool, not the solution.

The Role of an Anti-Inflammatory Way of Eating

PCOS is commonly linked with chronic low-grade inflammation.

That doesn’t mean something is acutely wrong – it means the body is under constant, low-level stress. And that stress makes it harder for hormones and insulin to work properly.

An anti-inflammatory way of eating isn’t about restriction or perfection.

It’s about helping the body feel less under threat.

In practical terms, this usually means:

• Eating enough protein to support muscle and blood sugar

• Choosing fibre-rich carbohydrates to slow glucose release

• Including healthy fats to support hormone signalling

• Reducing ultra-processed foods that spike insulin and inflammation

When inflammation settles, the body becomes more responsive. When the body becomes more responsive, symptoms often soften.

Not because you tried harder – but because your system is better supported.

Why This Matters Even More in Midlife

For women with PCOS entering perimenopause and menopause, this approach becomes even more important.

Midlife hormonal changes naturally:

• Reduce insulin sensitivity

• Increase central fat storage

• Accelerate muscle loss if strength training isn’t prioritised

Strength training and anti-inflammatory nutrition help protect metabolic health, energy, and long-term wellbeing.

This isn’t about fixing your body. It’s about working with it.

The Takeaway

PCOS doesn’t respond to extremes. It responds to consistency, strategy, and respect for physiology.

Strength training improves how your body uses fuel.Anti-inflammatory nutrition reduces internal stress.

That’s what training smart looks like.