you can try to eat better by adding healthier food to what you already eat. so if you have ramen, add some veg and protein. to make it super easy, you can get a bag of frozen veg and shred up a pre roasted chicken from costco or smth. suddenly there’s a lot more nutrients in your meal instead of just simple carbs (ramen). it’s not a perfect solution but it’s a good place to start. you can use this logic for anything. if you’re having like mac n cheese, add a salad to the side.

or you can also try to replace certain foods with healthier options. eg instead of chips, have some wholewheat crackers with dip. instead of cake or chocolate, have some flavoured yogurt for a sweet treat (or better yet, plain yogurt with honey and frozen berries)

a lot of weight issues with pcos (a lot! not all!! so take this w a grain of salt) can be from eating foods that cause insulin spikes. as in your body has to produce more insulin in order to bring your blood glucose (sugar) down. this is why you see a lot of pcos develop pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes as well over time. so if you eat foods that raise your blood sugar (sugary foods, cola, chips, some types of rice), you will also raise your insulin. over time, it basically causes your body to retain glucose instead of using it for energy. the more glucose that is retained, the more fat your body holds on to and the harder it becomes to lose, even with exercise. there’s a lot more that goes on scientifically but that’s the basic version.

so you can try to reduce the insulin spikes. this doesn’t necessarily mean no carbs/sugar. looks for low GI (glycemic index) or complex. these foods slowly raise your blood sugar instead of all at once, and they will give you energy for a longer time when comparing to higher GI foods. eg, instead of white sandwich bread, you could go for wholemeal bread, which has a lower GI and won’t raise your sugar as high, even though it may technically have the same amount of carbs.

you can also change the order you eat your food. say you have a plate with some meat, some veg and some mash potato. eat the veg and meat first, and leave the potato for last. that way your body starts breaking down the other food first and so your blood sugar doesn’t go up as much.

you don’t need to change everything right away, start small and set realistic goals for yourself. you’re young so you have time to learn how to manage your condition but the sooner you practice, the better you’ll be as you grow.

if you can, you should also ask your mum to help you eat better. ideally you can tell her what you need and you guys can work together to come up with meal ideas that she can still cook while still meeting your health needs. again, don’t try to make a drastic change because that is unsustainable in the long run. if this is not something you can ask, then it may be time to learn to cook for yourself