by admin-blog-kh | August 12, 2026 12:32 pm
Meera visits Dr. Vijay for weight loss after struggling for six months despite eating less and exercising. She skips meals, feels tired, and sees fluctuating weight, worsened by PCOS. Dr. Vijay explains that under-eating slows metabolism and PCOS causes insulin resistance, leading to fat storage. Her diet lacks balance, and cardio alone isn’t enough. He recommends regular meals, better nutrition, and adding strength training. He emphasizes consistency, realistic expectations, and sustainable habits for long-term results.
Meera walked into a quiet clinic. Dr. Vijay was seated at his desk, reading one of his patient files. As Meera entered the room, he gave her a warm smile and motioned for her to sit down. Meera walked in slightly hesitantly and sat down in the patient’s chair.
“Good morning. What brings you here today… Meera?” Dr. Vijay checked his file to make sure he got her name right.
“Yes, doctor, I’m Meera.”, she smiled and continued, “Well, I’m here for weight loss. I’ve been trying to lose weight for months now…almost 6 months. I was diagnosed with PCOD, and the doctor told me I really need to lose weight. I’m eating less and exercising 4 times a week, but I don’t think it’s working.”
“Has your weight remained steady for these 6 months?” Dr. Vijay asked, raising his eyebrows.
“No, I lost about 3 kgs in the first 2 months, but then I had to travel to Delhi for a wedding, and I gained it all back in 4 days. Since then, my weight has fluctuated by about 2 kgs, up and down, but it always settles at around 76 kg.” Meera sighed. She was clearly frustrated.
“Okay,” said Dr.Vijay, “Let’s unpack this. When you say you’re eating less, what do you mean? What does a typical day of eating look like for you?”
“Well, on most day I skip breakfast and just drink a cup of coffee with milk and sugar in the morning. I eat an early lunch at around 12. Usually, a small cup of rice with sambar or rasam. I also add 2 egg whites to this. I end up drinking 2 more cups of coffee through the afternoon and evening. I don’t eat any snacks though; I’ve cut that out completely. For dinner, I usually eat a small cup of rice or 2 chapatis, with 2 egg whites and some gravy.”
“Okay, and how are your energy levels?”
“Honestly, I feel a little tired all the time, even when I wake up in the morning.”
“Yes, eating too little may actually be one of the reasons you’re not losing weight.” said Dr.Vijay, “Eating too little can slow down your metabolism. You’re pushing your body into “starvation mode”. Your body thinks it may not get food in the future, so it stores any food it gets for later, even at the expense of your current needs. That’s why you’re gaining weight but you don’t feel energetic.”
Meera was shocked. “I thought eating less makes you lose weight faster,” she said.
“That’s a common myth. The weight you lose when your body goes into starvation mode comes back like THAT. ” Dr. Vijay snapped his finger for dramatic effect. “You need breakfast. Skipping the first meal of the day makes you tired and exhausted throughout. You’ll probably end up binge eating at dinner.
As Meera processed his proclamation, he continued, “What you are eating is also not great, nutritionally speaking. You’re eating carbs, and some protein in the form of egg whites. But what about fiber, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals? It’s fine that you’re reducing rice, but you need to add some vegetables to make up for it; At least one serving of steamed or lightly sauteed vegetables with each meal, including breakfast. We’ll create a balanced meal plan for you.”
Meera nodded. A fixed diet plan that she could follow without thinking would definitely help. She was overwhelmed trying to make responsible food choices at every meal.
“Your PCOS is making you resistant to insulin as well,” Dr. Vijay said, gesturing toward her patient file.
“What does that mean?” Meera knew insulin was something to do with diabetes but didn’t quite understand how it worked.
“Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells take in glucose, where it is burnt for energy. When your body develops insulin resistance, glucose can’t enter your cells. It builds up in the bloodstream, triggering the body to store the excess glucose as fat, especially in the belly area.”
“Oh, so my body’s storing fat because of both PCOS and starvation mode?”
“Yes, exactly,” Dr.Vijay gave her a kind smile.
“Ok, I think I understand.” Meera looked distraught.
The Right Workouts
“Tell me about the exercise you’ve been doing.”
Meera straightened up a little. “I’ve been jogging on the treadmill 4 times a week. I do about 30 minutes each time. Zone 2 cardio.”
“Okay, do you do any strength training?”
“No, I mean, I’m trying to lose weight so I focused on cardio mainly…” Meera trailed off. Was zone 2 cardio not good enough?
“For you, I think moderate strength training would be good to include. You need to reduce fat, sure, but you also need to build muscle. This is important for PCOD patients, especially. Having more muscle help reduce insulin resistance. Moreover, muscle mass will increase the amount of energy you burn even at rest. Are you familiar with the concept of calorie deficit?”
“I think so?”
“Okay, I’ll explain anyway. Your body takes in a certain number of calories in the food you eat. It also burns a certain number of calories. If your intake is greater than your energy expenditure, you gain weight. If you eat less calories than you expend, you lose weight. Now if you want to lose weight, there are 2 ways you can do it. You can increase the amount of energy you spend or you can reduce the amount of food you eat. Usually, we do both.”
“Okay?” Meera did not understand what muscle mass had to do with it.
“So when you have more muscle,” Dr.Vijay continued, “you’re increasing the amount of energy you spend, even when you’re doing nothing.”
“Oh, okay. Yeah, I get it.” Meera did get it. There are layers to this, but she had been using a very simplistic strategy and expecting it to work. “So, what’s the best approach for me?”
“We focus on balance,” said Dr.Vijay. “First of all, I need you to eat a healthy breakfast every day. We’ll keep it low carb, but make sure you get enough protein and fiber. Controlled portions are good, but you need to eat a few healthy snacks through the day for sustained energy. We’ll create a diet plan for you and review how it goes after 2 weeks. Let’s focus on building eating habits that you can actually stick to.”
Meera smiled. “Thank you, doctor. I’ll do my best to stick to the diet.”
“Good. We also need to focus on building muscle, so we’ll increase your protein intake slowly, maybe after the first 2 weeks.”
“Okay. And strength training?”
“Yeah, you need to add some weight training to your cardio routine. Even 30 minutes of focused strength training thrice a week can make a difference. It will be good to have a personal trainer for the first 2 months at least.”
“Okay,” Meera said. She was about to pop the question she’d been dying to ask since she entered the clinic. “How long will this take?”
“That’s a good question, Meera. It will not be an instant change. It can take a few months for small changes to show up. With PCOD, weight loss is often slow, but that doesn’t mean it’s not working. We just have to stay consistent, and the small changes will add up. For now, I cannot guarantee a timeline. Let’s start off on your new diet, and you can ask me this question a few months down the line.”
Meera laughed. She hadn’t expected a straight answer anyway. “That’s fair, doctor. I’ll do my best to follow to your instructions. I’d like to lose this weight as soon as possible.” Dr. Vijay had given her confidence that she was one step closer to a healthy life, and she could only get closer by following what she had learnt here today.
The experienced dietitians at Kauvery Hospital provide personalised nutrition counselling and evidence-based weight management plans tailored to your health needs, including conditions such as PCOS, diabetes, and metabolic disorders[2]. With branches in Chennai, Hosur, Salem, Tirunelveli, and Trichy, expert dietary care is always within reach.
Eating too little can make it difficult to maintain a balanced diet and may leave you feeling tired and low on energy. Sustainable weight loss requires adequate nutrition along with appropriate portion control and physical activity.
Yes. PCOS can be associated with insulin resistance, which can affect how the body uses glucose and may contribute to fat storage. This can make weight management more challenging for some women.
Skipping breakfast is not necessarily an effective weight-loss strategy. Starting the day with a balanced meal containing protein and fibre can support energy levels and help maintain a consistent eating routine.
Cardio can help increase energy expenditure but combining it with strength training can provide additional benefits. Building muscle can increase energy use even at rest and may support better metabolic health.
A practical starting point can be around 30 minutes of focused strength training three times a week, alongside cardio. The intensity and exercises should be adjusted according to your fitness level and individual needs.
Short-term changes on the weighing scale can occur even when you are making healthy changes. Instead of focusing on daily fluctuations, consistent eating habits, regular exercise and gradual progress are more useful for long-term weight management.
Aim for balanced meals that include protein, fibre, vegetables, healthy fats and controlled portions of carbohydrates. Regular meals and nutritious snacks can also help maintain energy throughout the day.
Weight loss can take several months, particularly when PCOS is involved. There is no single timeline that applies to everyone, so the focus should be on consistent, sustainable changes rather than rapid weight loss.
Kauvery Hospital is globally known for its multidisciplinary services at all its Centers of Excellence, and for its comprehensive, Avant-Grade technology, especially in diagnostics and remedial care in heart diseases, transplantation, vascular and neurosciences medicine. Located in the heart of Trichy (Tennur, Royal Road and Alexandria Road (Cantonment), Chennai (Alwarpet, Radial Road & Vadapalani), Hosur, Salem, Tirunelveli and Bengaluru, the hospital also renders adult and paediatric trauma care.
Chennai Alwarpet – 044 4000 6000 • Chennai Radial Road – 044 6111 6111 • Chennai Vadapalani – 044 4000 6000 • Trichy – Cantonment – 0431 4077777 • Trichy – Heartcity – 0431 4077777 • Trichy – Tennur – 0431 4022555 • Maa Kauvery Trichy – 0431 4077777 • Kauvery Cancer Institute, Trichy – 0431 4077777 • Hosur – 04344 272727 • Salem – 0427 2677777 • Tirunelveli – 0462 4006000 • Bengaluru – 080 6801 68011
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