PCOS

Glenora91

I was wondering if there was anyone out there who has tips for weight loss for women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)?

yarwell

there are groups on here for PCOS use the search feature and try cyst as well as PCOS in your search.

Many with PCOS have insulin resistance too and benefit from restricting carbohydrate intake.

BigAnnieG

Hi Glenora! There are quite a few posts here for women with PCOS, you'll find a lot of active 'cysters' (ha!) on MFP here to help support you.

For me, I found a lower carb diet works well, by which I mean only 'natural' carbs like veggies with a tiny weekly allowance for starchy carbs like one pasta dish a week and a rye bread breakfast a couple of times a week. What works for one might not work for another, but generally speaking low GI foods are known to help with insulin resistance, which is what we have with our out-of-whack hormones.

I've found the best thing is exercise, though. I'm not a cardio-only fan, and prefer to do cardio-strength workouts such as resistance swimming (using floats, web gloves etc) or kettlebell workouts which include the good ol' swing for a large part of it. Strength training feels good, and helps build muscle in a way cardio doesn't. You might find as well that with PCOS we're a bit more testosterone-y so it's easier to see results faster than maybe some other women - but that again all depends on the individual. I've been lifting for a month (3-4x a week, 40 mins average each time, resistance swimming 2-3x a week at 40 mins) and have gone from no-visible-biceps to bingo-wings-begone-and-holy-moly-check-out-that-actual-muscle. Looking at other people's progress stories, this seems pretty fast - however, my midsection is still jiggly as jelly because that's where our shoddy hormones want to store the fat! (On a side note, kettlebell workouts with lots of squats have reduced my saddlebags significantly, and perked up the backside - not an overall size difference, but far less cellulite and it feels so good to have a strong *kitten*/thighs/legs, when even walking used to be an issue!).

Essentially what I'm trying to say in a very long-winded way is that it is TOTALLY possible to lose weight with PCOS, that exercise will make a massive difference to diet alone, and you might even find as you lose weight and exercise more that many of the PCOS symptoms are hugely alleviated (for example, I don't seem to get awful cramps anymore thanks to endorphins - haven't taken painkillers in a month! This is a record for me).

Good luck, and there's lots of ladies here to help support you, I'm sure!

Yi5hedr3

You HAVE to do low carb. Period.