8 Steps to Balancing Your Hormones Naturally with PCOS
If you’ve been diagnosed with PCOS, or suspect you might have it, chances are you’ve been told a lot of conflicting information. Cut carbs. Do more cardio. Lose weight. Just take the pill. Count calories.
All of this information tends to be overwhelming, discouraging, and more often than not, INCORRECT.
Here’s the truth that doesn’t get said enough: PCOS symptoms are highly responsive to lifestyle choices, including, nutrition, the type of exercise we’re doing, daily routines and nervous system support. While PCOS is a chronic condition, many women can significantly improve or even “reverse” their symptoms when they address the root causes driving hormone imbalance.
This post breaks down exactly what PCOS is, how to recognize hormonal imbalances, and the most effective, sustainable steps you can take to balance your hormones naturally with PCOS without extreme restriction or burnout.
What actually is PCOS?
PCOS, or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, is a hormonal and metabolic condition that affects how the ovaries function, how the body processes blood sugar, and how stress hormones are regulated.
Despite the name, PCOS is not just an ovarian issue and it’s not defined solely by ovarian cysts. In fact, many women with PCOS never have visible cysts on ultrasound.
At its core, PCOS involves:
irregular or absent ovulation
elevated androgens (like testosterone)
disrupted communication between the brain, ovaries, and metabolic system
Because hormones don’t operate in isolation, PCOS impacts far more than your cycle. It can affect energy levels, appetite, weight regulation, skin, mood, sleep, and fertility.
Understanding PCOS as a whole-body condition is the first step toward improving symptoms.
Signs of Hormonal Imbalances & PCOS
PCOS can look very different from person to person, which is why it’s often missed or misdiagnosed. Some women experience classic symptoms, while others have subtler signs that build over time.
Common signs of hormonal imbalance with PCOS include:
difficulty ovulating
weight gain or difficulty losing weight
acne beyond the teenage years
unwanted facial or body hair
hair thinning on the scalp
intense cravings
energy crashes
anxiety or mood swings that feel uncontrollable
Many women also notice stubborn belly weight, disrupted sleep, or feeling “wired but tired.” These symptoms aren’t random, they’re signals that hormones like insulin, cortisol, estrogen, and progesterone are out of balance.
Is it possible to get rid of PCOS symptoms?
This is one of the most common questions I hear, and the answer is YES, but it will take time, consistency and effort on your end. There’s unfortunately no magic pill to get rid of PCOS.
PCOS itself doesn’t simply disappear, but PCOS symptoms can absolutely improve and, for many women, including myself, become minimal or unnoticeable. Cycles can regulate, ovulation can return, acne can clear, energy can improve, and weight can become easier to manage.
The key is understanding that PCOS symptoms are driven by things like insulin resistance, chronic stress, inflammation, and nervous system dysregulation. When you address those drivers, symptoms often follow.
This is why “quick fixes” don’t work, and why sustainable, hormone-supportive habits do.
8 Steps to Balancing Your Hormones with PCOS
Balancing hormones with PCOS is not about doing everything perfectly. It’s about creating an internal environment where your body feels supported, nourished, and safe enough to regulate.
Let’s walk through the most important steps.
1. Best Nutrition & Diet for PCOS
Nutrition is foundational for PCOS because insulin resistance is one of the most common underlying drivers of symptoms.
Rather than following a restrictive or trendy diet, the goal is to stabilize blood sugar and lower inflammation.
This means building blood sugar balancing meals that include:
a solid source of protein (at least 25-30g per meal)
natural carbohydrates for energy
fiber from fruits & veggies
healthy fats
When blood sugar is stable, insulin levels come down. When insulin levels improve, androgen production (testosterone & DHEA) often decreases, ovulation becomes more regular, and cravings ease.
Eating enough is just as important as eating well. Under-eating or skipping meals raises cortisol, worsens insulin resistance, and can further disrupt hormones.
PCOS nutrition should feel grounding and sustainable, not stressful or rigid! If you feel lost with where to start, my Cycle Syncing Meal Plan has over 100 high protein, high fiber recipes that are easy and delicious!
Meal Plan Example for PCOS
Here’s what a hormone-supportive day of eating might look like:
Breakfast might include eggs with sautéed vegetables and avocado, or Greek yogurt with berries, nuts, and seeds.
Lunch could be a grain bowl with quinoa, roasted vegetables, greens, and chicken or tofu.
Dinner might be sheet pan salmon with sweet potatoes and broccoli, finished with olive oil or a yummy tahini sauce.
Snacks, if needed, should include protein or fat, like cottage cheese, nuts, hummus with veggies, or a protein smoothie.
This kind of structure supports blood sugar, energy, and hormone balance without restriction.
2. Limit Processed Foods
Highly processed foods tend to be low in fiber and nutrients while being high in refined sugars, oils, and additives that increase inflammation.
You don’t need to eliminate processed foods entirely, but reducing reliance on ultra-processed snacks, sugary drinks, and refined carbohydrates can significantly improve insulin sensitivity and digestion. I always recommend aiming for an 85/15 balance where 85% of the time you’re having balanced, healthy meals and the other 15% you can indulge a bit more.
Think progress, not perfection. The goal is to build most meals around whole foods while still allowing flexibility because we still need to enjoy life!
3. Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is one of the most underrated hormone regulators, especially with PCOS.
Poor sleep disrupts insulin sensitivity, raises cortisol, increases cravings, and interferes with hunger hormones like leptin and ghrelin. Even one night of inadequate sleep can impact blood sugar regulation the next day.
Aim for consistent sleep and wake times, limit screens before bed, and create a wind-down routine that signals safety to your nervous system.
Better sleep often leads to noticeable improvements in energy, cravings, and mood.
4. Daily Movement
Movement supports PCOS best when it’s consistent and supportive for the body, not punishing.
Daily walking, light cardio, yoga, or mobility work improves insulin sensitivity, circulation, and stress resilience. Even short walks after meals can help stabilize blood sugar.
Movement should leave you feeling more energized, not depleted. If exercise feels like another stressor, it may be time to reassess intensity and volume. I always recommend getting at least 7,000 steps per day to make sure you’re moving enough throughout the day!
5. Strength Training for PCOS
Strength training deserves its own call-out because it’s one of the most powerful tools for hormone balance.
Building muscle improves insulin sensitivity, supports metabolic health, and helps regulate appetite hormones. It also protects against the gradual muscle loss that happens as we age and can make weight management harder over time.
Two to four strength sessions per week is plenty. The goal is consistency, not exhaustion.
6. Nervous System Regulation Practices
This is often the missing piece in PCOS healing.
Your nervous system directly influences cortisol, insulin sensitivity, ovulation, and progesterone production. When your body is stuck in fight-or-flight, it prioritizes survival over reproduction and repair.
Daily nervous system regulation can include deep breathing, meditation, journaling, gentle yoga, time in nature, or simply slowing down your pace.
These practices aren’t optional extras, they’re foundational for hormone balance.
7. Slow Your Mornings Down
How you start your day matters more than most people realize.
Rushing, skipping breakfast, relying solely on caffeine, and immediately checking your phone all spike cortisol first thing in the morning. Over time, this can worsen blood sugar control and hormone imbalances.
Slowing your mornings might look like eating a balanced breakfast, getting sunlight, taking a short walk, or spending a few minutes breathing or journaling before looking at your phone.
This sets a calmer hormonal tone for the rest of the day.
8. Find the Right Supplements
Supplements can be helpful when used strategically and alongside foundational habits.
Common supplements that may support PCOS include inositol for insulin sensitivity and ovulation, magnesium glycinate for stress and sleep, omega-3s for inflammation, berberine for blood sugar support, and vitamin D if deficient.
More is not better. Supplements should be personalized, time-limited when appropriate, and used as support not as the main solution.
You should always get tested to see which supplements would work specifically for your body and what you need. Just because a supplement worked for someone on social media, does not meant it’s going to work for you. Your supplement regimen should be personalized and looked at with a holistic practitioner (like me and my team for example :))
Find out which supplements you need with proper hormone testing here!
Where to Start With Reversing Your PCOS Symptoms
If this feels like a lot, take a breath. You don’t need to do everything at once.
Start with the basics:
eat balanced meals with protein, fiber & healthy fat
prioritize sleep
add gentle daily movement
add in a daily nervous system process to help get your body out of fight or flight
From there, you can layer in strength training, more nervous system work, and targeted supplements.
If you want guidance and structure, my online membership, Becoming Balanced Together (BBT) offers weekly meal plans, workouts, mindfulness practices, and education designed specifically for hormone balance and PCOS support.
For deeper personalization, my signature 1:1 hormone health coaching program allows us to tailor nutrition, movement, supplements, and lifestyle strategies to your unique symptoms and goals.
PCOS does not mean your body is broken. It means your body needs a different kind of support, and when it gets that support, real change is possible!