How to go low carb ? (Pcos)

Untilproud11

Hello !
Just a few questions if anyone could help ...
I have pcos and currently on metformin, my doctor has been telling me for a while that lowering carbs will help my pcos and weight loss, Im considering but find so hard to stay away from carbs , how low is considered low ?
And what can I eat ?
I do have another appointment but thats next month and I would like to educate myself about this asap,I have read about keto but felt it was so hard for me to be so low to almost no carbs , I have kids and my daily lifestyle is hectic:) lots going on so i have zero time to bake my own healthy goodies and all that , I really need to find something that suits my crazy life and I can make it part of my life from now on
Any comments on this are appreciated 😉
Feel free to add me

TeaBea

Almost no carbs.....is not the same thing as lowering carbs. Elimination is harder for me than moderation is.

Look for meals (and snacks) that contain more protein and fat and your carbs will gradually become lower. Choose green veggies over starchy ones. Have one slice of bread not two. Have Greek yogurt or eggs for breakfast instead of cereal. Keep tweaking choices and you will lower your carbs over time. Your Dr can't tell you exactly what your ideal carb # is (initially).....this article points out how individualized it really is: https://www.livestrong.com/article/347395-a-low-carb-diet-for-pcos-symptoms/

kshama2001

Yes, keto is pretty extreme, and certainly not for everyone.

Any amounts of carbs under 45% is technically low carb:
https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/150-carbs-per-day-still-considered-low-carb-7754.html

If you change your Diary Sharing settings to Public: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings we can give you suggestions specific to what you are eating now.

I reduced carbs because I find protein more filling, which makes it easier for me to stay in a calorie deficit. I also find foods with fiber or bulk filling.

So I made simple changes like having more meat and broccoli, and less pasta. I no longer have bread with pasta meals. I have smaller servings of rice. I eat less baked goods and more fruit. Instead of splitting a pizza with my OH, I have three pieces, he has 5, and I have a big salad with non-starchy veggies.

nvmomketo

Low carb is generally considered to be under 100-150 g of carbs, and Keto is usually under 20-50 g of carbs. Both have moderate protein (20-35%) and higher fat.

Low carbers first tend to limit or eliminate refined and highly processed carbs like foods made from flour (cereal, noodles, baking like bread, muffins, pizza crust, wraps) and sugars (table sugar, candy, syrup, honey, agave, molasses). We often skip the baking entirely, or make coconut flour or almond flour options - you can skip it though. No one needs baked goods.

Then low carbers tend to limit dried fruits like raisins, and tropical sugary fruits like mango, bananas and grapes. They also limit root vegetables like potatoes, yams, turnips and carrots.

Low carbers eat meat, seafood, leafy greens, eggs, vegetables, berries, limited temperate fruit (apples, pears, nectarines, plums, oranges) and full fat dairy (plain full fat yogurt, cheeses cream, etc).

If I make tacos for my family, I skip the shell, the side of rice and limit the retried beans. If I make meatloaf I eat the meat and side veggies but skip the mashed potatoes. For breakfast I might eat bacon and eggs or make my kids low carb pancakes with coconut flour, eggs, protein powder, flax meal and stevia. Lunch might be a salad with full fat dressing, chicken and no side bun. Snacks are nuts, hard boiled eggs, pepperoni and cheese....It isn't any harder than higher carb eating. If anything, I do less baking now. And I have three teen and tween boys.

spiriteagle99

Meat, vegetables dairy, and limited fruit is the basis of low carb eating. No sugar, flour, grains, potatoes, pasta, or sweet drinks. I found that after a week or so, my cravings for sugar were reduced, though the first few days were hard.

nvmomketo

spiriteagle99 wrote: »

Meat, vegetables dairy, and limited fruit is the basis of low carb eating. No sugar, flour, grains, potatoes, pasta, or sweet drinks. I found that after a week or so, my cravings for sugar were reduced, though the first few days were hard.

The reduced cravings and appetite are a common side effect once you get your carbs low enough (varies between people).

Whether you can include some pasta, potatoes and grains in your diet will be determined by how low carb you go. Someone eating 150g may include some of those foods whereas someone with a 40g limit might not have any. Some people do find that they need to skip those foods in order to experience the reduced appetite and cravings - I am one of those people.

Sabine_Stroehm

If it were me asking this question: I'd do research. Spend some time on something like the Atkins site (The whole website is free and open to the public). Read up on how to build a nutrient dense lower carb diet. Read up on low carb specifically for PCOS. Then figure out (trial and error) how many carbs YOU as someone with PCOS can eat.

MoveitlikeManda

best thing I did to lower carbs (its the thing I over eat most, rice, pasta, bread etc) was to swap things like instead of toast for breakfast (could have been with bananas and honey, or egg or peanut butter etc) or cereal to baccon madellions and eggs.
this was my best swap tbh, it lowered my carbs alot and raised my protein heaps

I would have bread with every meal if I could, Iv been known to have a rice sandwhich before too pmsl.
there is no way keto would ever last past one meal here lol but reducing is easier.

its down to you to know/work out how low is ok for you to stick with and where the swaps/changes need to be made.
research low carb foods and you will find loads of lower carbs options that you can choose over your normal choices and only you know how well you can fit changes in to your life.
I have 5 kids so know its difficult

xxzenabxx

I have PCOS and I’m eating low carb, not keto to lose weight (tracking calories too of course). I tend to cycle my carbs and calories (I eat 1650 calories on average) so on my low carb days I’m eating 50-60g of carbs a day and on higher carb days I eat 100-120g of carbs. On moderate carb days I eat 75 grams. This has helped me to lose weight. Granted I don’t have much weight to lose (20 lbs) I’m almost in the healthy bmi range but I still feel abit ‘Fat’ I guess. PCOS women have high androgens and insulin in their bodies so that’s why low carb helps them to lose weight.

What can you eat?
Well you can still eat oats, fruit and starchy vegetables but in smaller amounts. Personally my family eats a lot of rice but I avoid since I’m the kinda person who will only eat a huge plate of rice or no rice at all! I can’t portion control with rice! Definitely eat more protein such as eggs, Greek yoghurt, cheese, nuts, seeds, meat, fish etc and more healthy fats such as olive oil, ghee, butter, coconut oil, fatty fish, higher fat nuts, avocados etc because they help with hormone production and we PCOS women need that. More fibre too from chia seeds, veggies, flaxseeds, oats you get the idea. Try a smoothie for breakfast with Greek yoghurt, frozen strawberries, dash of honey, ground flaxseed and almond butter. Yum.

brenn24179

I have lost 25 lbs since July, I eat under 100g of carbs a day, this is what the lady at the gym did that lost 160 lbs so I just did what she did. I did get constipated after a few weeks and found fiber 1 cereal worked or a magnesium tablet.

Untilproud11

Thank u all:)
I like to try to lower carbs but I already feel that it will be unsustainable im surrounded by carbs and its just so difficult, but i will research some more and try anyways
Fingers crossed 🤞

TavistockToad

mita271 wrote: »

Thank u all:)
I like to try to lower carbs but I already feel that it will be unsustainable im surrounded by carbs and its just so difficult, but i will research some more and try anyways
Fingers crossed 🤞

Surrounded how?

jessicaalfaro2427

I am also switching to low carb. If you have 20$ to spare go on amazon and get the book Simply keto by suzanne ryan. This book has so many simple easy meals and advice. As like you i have 3 kids under 5 and i hate trying to figure out the perfect macros SO instead i just eat recipes from the book and basically i dont worry if im in ketosis, for now just hit cal goals with these recipes. So far- lowered appetite since day 1. I dont get hungry after 300 keto cals like i do off a meal including starch.

kabrina30

I have PCOS and have lost almost 90 pounds on low calorie NOT low carb. I tried and failed many times at low carb because that's what everyone kept telling me was best for PCOS. And they may be right, it may be BEST, but for me doing what was sustainable was what finally got the weight off.

LiLee2018

First... get the idea that it's unsustainable out of your head b/c it is VERY sustainable if you are willing to put in the effort.
If you're not a jump right in type of person, just take it in baby steps.
Download an app that you can track food and just track how much you normally eat. Then start reducing. If you eat.. a plate of pasta, eat a little less pasta. If you love baked potatoes... only have half of it. 2 sandwiches? Just have one. Love burritos? There are low carb tortilla shells you could use instead.
Replace carby side dishes with more veggies, even starchy ones at first that slowly get replaced with lower carb leafy green ones.
It is a VERY sustainable way of eating, but ONLY if you are willing to put in the effort to eat that way. We are all surrounded by carbs and sugar b/c it's in all of our processed foods. You just have to learn what you can and can't have.