Pcos and carbs question

Welcome2theHellmouth

I have not lost weight in a year. In fact I'm up 18 lbs. I was just diagnosed with PCOS. i have been following LCHF a few months and feels loads better. But not much loss (7lbs) Just wondering if I need to be in keto to lose? I feel better on 30-50 carbs a day. I can probably cycle 20 one day 40 the next. Does this diagnosis mean having to stay in keto all the time? Also if I have a cheat meal that has a lot of carbs once a week will that throw me off too long? I have no issues after a cheat day getting back on track so that's not a worry.

KnitOrMiss

You will get into Keto the slow way on 30 - 50 grams a day. I started there, lowered to 20 for a while, then went back up to incorporate naturally fermented foods (really good for PCOS AND women in general, etc.). I'm Insulin Resistant in conjunction with my PCOS, so that drives a lot of the foods I have to avoid. Are you insulin resistant also? That complicates things...

I try not to eat off plan (I personally hate the "cheating" concept, because you're only cheating you, etc., but I do eat off plan sometimes, without guilt, and get right back at it), but if so, you just jump right back in. How flexible your body is depends on huge number of factors...

I hope you get some more responses too.

Welcome2theHellmouth

Thanks for the reply. I have not been tested for IR. Although from what I've heard if you are 20 lbs overweight with pcos you probably are IR. it's just weird that I lost 100 lbs just counting calories over a 4 yr period. I wonder why one becomes so resistant to carbs out of no where. I have eliminated all aspartame, Sucralose, most fruit, gluten and most dairy ( still use some organic half and Half as well as sour cream) My big treat every day is a lara bar. Only ingredients is peanuts, dates and salt. I hope I don't have to give that up too.

deksgrl

Welcome2theHellmouth wrote: »

I wonder why one becomes so resistant to carbs out of no where.

It has to do with hormonal imbalances. When your hormones are out of whack, it is common to become IR.

Welcome2theHellmouth

Makes total sense to me. I did just turn 39 after all. Ugh.

KnitOrMiss

Welcome2theHellmouth wrote: »

Thanks for the reply. I have not been tested for IR. Although from what I've heard if you are 20 lbs overweight with pcos you probably are IR. it's just weird that I lost 100 lbs just counting calories over a 4 yr period. I wonder why one becomes so resistant to carbs out of no where. I have eliminated all aspartame, Sucralose, most fruit, gluten and most dairy ( still use some organic half and Half as well as sour cream) My big treat every day is a lara bar. Only ingredients is peanuts, dates and salt. I hope I don't have to give that up too.

Honestly, to me it seems that the less carbs I eat, the more "sensitive" I feel to them. Kind of backwards to my taste, but my insulin levels are down, so I don't think it's that we become more sensitive or reactive we are, I think we're just more aware of it.

The more weight you've lost, the more you have to work at it. I lost the initial 50-60 pounds with just counting calories and getting active gain, but I look different a year apart without much actual weight lost. Body composition is crazy on this WOE. So, when we're morbidly obese or worse, frankly, it's easier to lose weight - we don't have to work as hard at the details. However, once you're down a good chunk, you have to focus on the mechanics rather than the "almost any healthy approach will help you lose" stuff we benefit from in the beginning.

So you're just having to focus on the details more now. As long as the lara bar/dates fit into your macros and you don't have any kind of reactions after eating it, and it doesn't stall out your weight losses, you should be fine to keep it in your dietary plan.

deksgrl wrote: »

Welcome2theHellmouth wrote: »

I wonder why one becomes so resistant to carbs out of no where.

It has to do with hormonal imbalances. When your hormones are out of whack, it is common to become IR.

In my more recent research, I've found that low level Insulin Resistance happens far more often, and IR is actually the trigger or causation of PCOS in 85% or more of the cases, as well as it throws the hormones out of whack. However, so many of the symptoms of IR can be mistaken for other conditions, so it's often not found and identified until AFTER the other conditions are identified, so it's often viewed as the result, when many times, it's actually the cause or trigger.


@Welcome2theHellmouth It's also common for anyone with a decent amount to lose or who has ever struggled to have Metabolic Syndrome in some form or fashion. This isn't always IR, but IR is more prevalent with PCOS patients, too.

ceciliaslater

I, too, have PCOS. Are you on any medications for it? Those can affect weight gain/loss. I know Aldactone was a major problem for me...

My peak weight was 183 lbs (I'm 5'4). Over the last couple of years I whittled my way down to about 160 lbs through CICO plus tons of exercise. I started LCHF back in July and am now bouncing around the 152-154 lb mark. Slowly, slowly losing. Still working out like a crazy person -- around 7 hours per week of moderate to high intensity exercise.

I have read in a lot of places that people with PCOS tend to do best on 25g carbs per day or less. I'm not that strict and usually end up in the 30-50g range. I have tested for ketosis using ketostix and have always had a positive result at this carb level. Maybe progress would be faster if I dropped lower, who knows.

I also don't restrict calories (only carbs). I'm sure I could lose faster if I did the calorie restriction, too. I tried it for a couple weeks earlier this month, but fell off of it. I just really hate the weighing and measuring of every single thing (especially since my husband does most of the cooking and I don't want to burden him with it).

GaleHawkins

If you feel better eating low carb then that is what I would do. There are a ton of weight loss/gain factors beyond Carb, Protein and Fat intake.

Welcome2theHellmouth

The only meds I am on is Spironolactone for water weight and hair loss and it's a low dose. I have always struggled with my weight but never had a problem losing when I got serious about it. I have been eating LC for about 4 months. I'm not trying to lose fast so I have set my calories to 1600-1700 as well as counting carbs. I have had a few days over the last few months where I ate really bad. But over all I'm eating great the rest of the time. I started lifting weights almost a month ago. I have not lost anything though in 2 months. My clothes feel the same too. Looks like I'm going to have cut back on the things like lara bars. I'm so discouraged but I'm not giving up. I have felt loads better. Sleeping great with lots of energy so there is that.