Getting my period back as a PCOS girlie: How I sustainably got my hormones back in check

Today is my second day of bleeding 📢

I am finally bleeding again after 10+ years of either nothing or spotting, or even bleeding 24/7. I do have cramps again so I cannot celebrate this fully LOL

The first “normal” period came end of January this year. I didn’t celebrate yet because I didn’t know if it will come back. But it did yesterday. It wasn’t a 28-day cycle but I am happy that my hormones are getting more stable.

I guess I have to tell you my story.

So I have PCOS. Polycystic ovary syndrome. Meaning my egg cells aren’t coming out of their cage every month. They stay immature. It has been years and yes, I’ve been to the doctors. However, what they suggested was either getting pregnant or taking pills. Another said “just lose weight”. Which didn’t feel like a proper option for me. Given that PCOS makes it hard for women to lose weight which makes the PCOS go harder. It’s a vicious cycle, I know. I didn’t want a baby and I think taking pills may be a Band-Aid solution.

And so, I consulted with a dietitian instead.

She recommended supplements along with lifestyle and diet changes. Of course, since I am doing intuitive eating (while being a picky eater 👉👈), I had to make sure my diet is ✨sustainable✨.

I became more open to “trying” veggies and fruits! I now eat them when I can. No forcing though as to not awaken the negative feelings that will make me want to reject the new textures and tastes.

I recently created my own strawberry jam! And I add “riced” frozen veggies on my scrambled eggs. I also recently started cooking again. And without getting overwhelmed!

I knew in my gut, that the solution is fixing my hormones.

And now, after 2 years!!! It’s back! I’m so happy! (I’m pretty sure it would’ve come back earlier if I was more consistent but nonetheless, I needed time to make everything sustainable for my lifestyle.

Here are the sustainable small changes that I implemented to achieve this tiny win.

1. I take sips of water multiple times.

Getting hydrated is one of the best ways to take care of ourselves.

For some reason, I cannot “drink” water by the glass. I immediately get full and I feel nauseated and I usually vomit the water.

So what I do is LITERALLY take a sip. I keep a tumbler near me at all times, so that the moment my mouth feels dry or I feel a little thirsty, I take a sip. Sometimes, I take a sip every 5 mins. This worked for me greatly!

Before this, it’s lucky if I get to drink 1 glass a day. But now, I am able to finish a 40oz tumbler twice a day (of course, it’s full of ice, so not really 40oz each time but still!)

2. When I have a craving, I give in immediately but I take my time eating it.

Apparently, if you give in to your craving as soon as you get it, you won’t want a lot. At least in my experience.

I usually have some Hershey’s Kisses on my desk but miraculously, I don’t snack on it. I know there are better chocolates out there but I find that consuming 1 kiss(?) each time I am craving chocolate is a good way to portion it. After eating one, I wait for like 5 minutes, to get a feel if I am still craving it.

A huge aspect of this is knowing that there is more if I want more. So basically letting go of the scarcity mindset.

3. I try to walk on the treadmill and disassociate for 10-15 minutes after a meal.

Some people watch movies or listen to podcasts whilst on the treadmill but for some reason, I really like to just stare at the wall.

I also read somewhere that looking at something green can reduce eye strain so I have since bought a fake plant and put it in front of my treadmill so I’m looking at something green during that 15 minutes.

Double win!

4. I cook a whole pot of rice and refrigerate the leftovers so I can reheat it for breakfast.

I usually wake up starving or having no energy to cook a full meal yet. So I like having rice ready to reheat and I only need to worry about frying an egg.

5. I make overnight oats so I have an instant breakfast.

I don’t always do this though because I get bored/umay when I repeat foods too much.

That’s everything I can think of for now. I’m still figuring out what works for me as I go, so I’ll be sure to update this list or post another part when I find more tiny wins. If you want to follow along with what I'm learning, please subscribe to my newsletter.

If you’re also trying to collect ‘tiny wins’ in your own life (whether it’s drinking more water or finally listening to your gut), I’d love to have you here.

P.S. I’m curious... what’s a “tiny win” you’ve had this week that felt bigger than it looked?