help, insulin resistance and PCOS

zitaboglin

Hi there, hope everyone is ok, thanks for looking,
I suffer with the above and chronic pain from back and pelvis, so not able to be very active, I'm trying to tackle my PCOS and I R with diet and restricted carbs ( from much research I see this is best approach, as meds don't work well anymore ), i am vegetarian, and struggling to make satisfying meals to meet this low carb, low fat, high protein, salads, fruit is only carbs I allow myself, I'm trying to eat as wholesome as pissible. I wondered if any sorts of protein supplements/shake s etc that might assist me in acheiving high protein to get things kick started. Any replies most welcome.thank you all for looking

alliums

Hello, I'm new to this so I'm not an expert. Have you looked into "low glycemic index" foods, not necessarily low carbs? I'm also PCOS, and was advised not to eat refined carbs, such as sugar and white bread. However carbs are not all metabolised the same. As a vegetarian you'll get lots of protein and minerals you need from your veg and fruit. I hope that helps.

nomoredoughnuts

I have PCOS too, last year it drove me crazy in more than one ways :P
I put on weight cause I was at the point I was hungry every single minute of the day as my hormones were literally all over the place. I would shout at my boyfriend one minute, then be happy then cry... it was insane.

I was really worried I would get insulin resistance from it so the minute I started my treatment I switched into eating clean. I ditched all white carbs, wholemeal is the only way now. I am able to have 3 meals a day and 2 snacks.

I am in no way a doctor but I think the solution to your problem could be higher fat. There are a lot of misconceptions about fats. Anything low fat is packed with sugars, sodium and additives which all have an impact on your health. The only thing you would possibly half benefit from are the lower calories. I know it's harder for people with IR to lose weight, but I truly believe that introducing more healthy fats in controlled portions to your diet could really help you not starve all day.

The 'extreme' version of this is called Keto (Ketogenic) diet. I would certainly recommend reading all about it on the internet and consulting your doctors before making any decisions.

You can eat more nut butters (with no added sugar, Meridian is a good brand), unsalted nuts, full fat greek yogurt and other dairy all in small portions. Just make sure you weigh everything so you are in control of the calories.

If you feel like you need more protein, eat more eggs. Whites and yolks! Cottage cheese would also be ideal with your fruit. People often think that protein shakes are essential when trying to be healthy, but there is really no need to have them unless you are trying to be a body builder. They are not wholesome most of the time (they can even have sugars and stuff you don't want in your diet) and you can definitely get your protein from natural sources.

I am not saying protein supplements are the devil, I just don't think they are as essential as everyone is making them seem.

This article can give you a few ideas
(not all of them may be suitable for your diet but have a look)
http://greatist.com/health/complete-vegetarian-proteins