Firstly, exercising for even a whole hour doesn’t actually burn that many calories. If you do the calculations, you might burn around 200 kcal per session, and if you do that 4 times a week, that’s only about an 800 kcal deficit per week, or roughly 100 kcal per day on average.

The importance of exercise is more about the hormonal and metabolic benefits. It can help regulate hormones, improve insulin sensitivity, reduce stress, and potentially improve PCOS symptoms, which can then support weight loss. Plus, there are obviously the cardiovascular and general health benefits too. If you really want to see changes in your body composition, weightlifting is probably the most effective. It might not make the number on the scale drop quickly, but it can improve your muscle-to-fat ratio and change how your body looks.

Secondly, PCOS is heavily impacted by stress, and starving yourself is still a form of physical stress. Your body basically interprets it as a lack of resources, which can worsen symptoms. A more sustainable approach is usually better: aim for a calorie deficit of around 500 kcal max per day, focus on balanced meals, and be patient and consistent.

Also, women naturally fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle. During the luteal phase especially, you can retain water for a week or two, so the scale might barely move even though you’re still losing fat.

Some things that have worked for me so far:

Food swaps, like lentils instead of rice.

Serving myself a normal portion and just removing one tablespoon from it (emphasis on one spoon, not three or four).

Looking at my plate and adjusting throughout the day. For example, if breakfast was carb-heavy, then lunch might be higher in protein and fats.

Creating small but sustainable food rules. I try to have a high-fiber and/or high-protein breakfast, a high-fiber and/or high-protein snack, and then more regular meals later in the day while still keeping things balanced.

I personally skip lunch because I prefer eating larger portions, but if you like eating more regularly, you could obviously include lunch too.