What's the Point? (kinda long)

anneruppert

Hi, I looked up PCOS and this is what it told me:

How is it treated?

Regular exercise, healthy foods, and weight control are key treatments for PCOS. Medicines to balance hormones may also be used. Getting treatment can reduce unpleasant symptoms and help prevent long-term health problems.

The first step in managing PCOS is to get regular exercise and eat heart-healthy foods. This can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol and reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease. It can also help you lose weight if you need to.

Try to fit in moderate activity and/or vigorous activity on a regular basis. Walking is a great exercise that most people can do.
Eat a heart-healthy diet. In general, this diet has lots of vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, and whole grains. It also limits foods that are high in saturated fat, such as meats, cheeses, and fried foods. If you have blood sugar problems, try to eat about the same amount of carbohydrate at each meal. A registered dietitian can help you make a meal plan.
Most women who have PCOS can benefit from losing weight. Even losing 10 lb (4.5 kg) may help get your hormones in balance and regulate your menstrual cycle. PCOS can make it hard to lose weight, so work with your doctor to make a plan that can help you succeed.
If you smoke, consider quitting. Women who smoke have higher androgen levels that may contribute to PCOS symptoms.1Smoking also increases the risk for heart disease.



It seems to me that it is the vigorous exercise and eat heart-healthy foods that you need to concentrate on.

anneruppert

Hi again. No more snacks! Please. This is what you need to cut out of your diet. At least 1 hour of vigorous exercise every day. Include weight lifting to help keep the weight off. Please do this for two months and see if that helps. If are still hungry then eat celery plain. Nothing on it, no dips or anything.

bdahlia13

DONT GIVE UP!! From what I have read so far, and I do agree with others- trade out your junk food and fried foods for lean, grilled, foods and get full fat dairy products. Eat HEALTHY snacks. I had the problem of being under calories as well and thanks to the MFP community filling me in on how to do things right, I was finally able to meet my calories goal! It DOES feel like a lot of food...I almost feel guilty eating so much. But after looking through other peoples' diaries and their success, I trust in it.

One of my favorite snacks is greek yogurt with fresh berries and whipped cream, sweetened with a few drops of stevia, some vanilla and cinnamon. This is a way to curb that sweet tooth while still eating healthy and getting a good amount of calories in! I have mild PCOS/hormonal issues and I noticed a HUGE difference when I limited my sugar intake. I replace most sugar with stevia/truvia and at first it wasn't my cup of tea but you get used to it and you enjoy it... Sara Lee makes an AMAZING bread that is VERY low in carbs called 45 and Delightful. I also used to drink "Bulletproof coffee" which is a concoction of coffee, butter, and coconut oil (sounds strange, but it's really good and easily gets you a good amount of calories!).

Honestly, when I first started "dieting" I completely gave up sugar, breads, grains, and other high carby things that I loved. I am now able to add it into my diet in moderation as I discovered I was not eating nearly enough and it wasn't very necessary to completely cut these out, but I do not regret trying it since now I know how to be conscious of what I put in my body... When you work out, do what you possibly can! Jilian Michael's 30 day shred and blogilates.com have been very motivating for me! We all start somewhere and I would never have known what I do now if it wasn't for my friends and this amazing community...please don't give up! You can do this!

CysterWigs

I really dislike commenting on threads like these... but I will this time because there IS a point...and that point is why you are here asking. Because you WANT to change your life. Right? :flowerforyou:

I took a look at your food journal and well... the one thing that is consistent is SUGAR. You are over in sugar every day. You are over in Sodium often also. Candy bars, cookies, chips.... Well... I don't see nothing wrong with having those things in MODERATION, but you are having some of those things daily. Hamburger helper is a KILLER sodium wise.

It really IS a lifestyle change...it isn't a diet. So I can understand you not wanting to give up those chips, hamburger helper, cookies, candy... but you NEED to replace those with VEGGIES and some fruits. You really do need to give those sweets up and eat those maybe once a week or twice a week. Sugar isn't good for you, and btw you REALLY need to watch your starchy carbs. Insulin spike for sure and the sweets btw aren't helping either.

The reason why I dislike these threads is because it seems like some are tearing you apart... but really I don't want to come across like that, I don't want you to read this and get upset.... because it is honestly something you asked, and you are getting feedback to help you. I've been in the medical field for 24 years, and where as I'm not a doctor, I can tell you one thing for sure... you can not keep eating all the sugar you are eating and not expect your condition to worsen. You really do have to cut back on the sweets.

I do wish you the very best. And remember... MIND OVER MATTER!!!! Your MIND MATTERS! :flowerforyou:

^ This. All day.

Their are two things that have helped me to lose weight while weaning myself off of Metformin:
- Lots of cardio (the kind that makes you sweat) 5x/week, 45 - 60 minutes a pop. HIIT is awesome for PCOS. You'll hate it at first, but after a while you might actually begin to look forward to it!
- I make about 75% of my food from scratch. Nothing fancy, usually meat, good fats (like coconut oil), and LOTS of herbs and veg (but not starchy veg).

You seem like you do a fair amount of cardio. Do you wear a HRM? I would definitely suggest getting one and using it to measure the calories burned instead of MFP estimates.

Your diet is FULL of processed convenience foods. This is hell on sugar cravings, as other posters have mentioned. Start making your own food. Get a crock pot - it makes life SOOO much easier. Eat more good fats and you'll get your calories up and feel better. I enjoy avocado, coconut oil, eggs, and Justin's maple almond butter. My skin and hair have never looked better.

CysterWigs

For some reason my comment posted twice. :laugh: