PCOS and NOT eating low carb

la_vie_est_belle_

Hey everyone,

Am I the only PCOS-er who DOESN"T buy into the whole low carb thing? I don't eat white flour or sugar, but I definitely eat CARBS because they fuel my body. Fruit, sweet potatoes, veggies, legumes, whole wheat breads, and grains. I don't count carbs, and just stay under my calories on MFP and so far have been having pretty good success.

I'm mostly vegan so my protein is moderate (I eat moderate fats and carbs as well)

jmzz1

So are you losing weight .? Are you on any sort of medication?

I follow similar diet plan of urs ( not low carb but low gi food) . But alas no weight loss

Irma77torne

Me too, I'm not doing low carb, I'm eating low GI, plenty of veg, and moderate fruit, wholegrains and pulses. My cycles haven't got any shorter, and I'm losing some weight REALLY slowly, but I'm hanging in there. I've been doing this for four months now, will see.

I'm not taking any medication.

la_vie_est_belle_

I've honestly stopped weighing myself because I lift a lot of weights and the scale is not a useful tool when you are building muscle.

I am really liking the way that my body is shaping itself though. My clothes fit differently and i'm just feeling/looking smaller and tighter. Look at my pics if you'd like.

jstout365

It isn't that I don't buy into the idea that low-carb can be helpful for PCOS, it is just that I find that I don't need to be super low carb to see success. I eat mostly whole foods and aim for the 80/20 rule. I have a higher protein level with a good amount of fat so having those macros keep my carbs in check, but if I'm eating closer to TDEE it isn't uncommon that I can hit close to 200 g carbs. Most of the time I'm between 150 and 180.

I have been doing strength training (Stronglifts) and boxing recently. I also will do shorter runs (nothing much over 2 miles). I'm not at a bad weight, I'd just like to lean out by about 3% BF at this point. It will be a slow road for me (which is fine) since I'm eating to fuel my workouts instead of really focusing on the fat loss. So I'm not too far off of TDEE when it comes to my calories.

Last year I was able to drop down to about 20% BF without ever going low carb. Then life took over and I put weight back on. So I know it is possible to do it this way. May not be the most effective for others with PCOS, but I do okay with it.

Alliwan

May not be the most effective for others with PCOS, but I do okay with it.

I think this is a big point here. We all are different, 'special snowflakes' in our own right. If it works for you, by all means do it! I advocate eating as many carbs as you can and still meet your weight/health/energy/macro goals. I cant do as many as you, I start gaining or stalling in my weight loss as I approach 100g a day, but I totally applaud those that can do it differently. Good carbs are good for you, but low GI doesn't work for some of us and it does work for others.

I have to say I'm a little jealous of your ability to eat so many carbs :laugh:

Irma77torne

Good carbs are good for you, but low GI doesn't work for some of us and it does work for others.

Totally agree, I still trying to figure out what works for me!

miranda_mom

I am conscious of my carbs but I don't restrict them. I found that when I did, I was too exhausted to lift weights and do cardio.

lmhbuss

I don't do low carb, but I can see how it works for a lot of women with PCOS. That having been said, I've lost a little over 80lbs just maintaining a calorie deficit.

livcurious

I focus more on staying under my calorie goal than what I'm eating. I really have to focus to make sure I get enough protein but I let the other macros fall as they may. A few months ago I tried to focus on low carb and it just led to binging on carbs or not eating because I couldn't figure out what to eat. Once I stopped that I started losing again, so I don't worry about hitting specific macros now. I do see more success losing when I eat less processed foods - I used to eat a lot, so "less" is a relative term.

Lizabelle1212

Low-carb isn't really a "thing to buy into" - it's a recommended method that does work well for a lot of women with PCOS - but PCOS manifests itself differently in every woman that has it. We don't all have the exact same symptoms, hormone disruptions, etc. Like others have said, that is great if you don't have to do low carb and are still able to lose weight. I'm jealous. I've found that if I continually let myself go too far over my goal of 100g of carbs/day then my weight loss slows. So for me, I guess I do "buy into the low carb thing" to a certain extent. I'm not extreme with it, but 100g/day seems to be the threshold. I have trouble staying under that goal sometimes. But when I do, it works.

dragonfly123321

I can see that working I just think the crappier carbs have a worser effect like white bread potatoes junk food ( pretzels, cookies..)

tgmichelleee

+1.

I know some polysisters swear by low carb and it constantly comes up when discussing diets for those with PCOS, but it's not for me personally. I feel so... Deprived. I love my carbs
That being said though I do include carbs in my diet, I have noticed that I do better staying away from certain carbs like processed carbs (ie cereals, white bread, etc) and even some healthy ones like oatmeal. I also do better without dairy. I still have those foods, but I try to stay away from it when I can.

But everyone is different and it's all about finding what works for you, low carb may work for some people -- just not for me.
Personally what's worked for me is doing Intermittent Fasting and having 2,500mg of Maca daily and I couldn't be happier

macchiatto

Low-carb isn't really a "thing to buy into" - it's a recommended method that does work well for a lot of women with PCOS - but PCOS manifests itself differently in every woman that has it. We don't all have the exact same symptoms, hormone disruptions, etc. Like others have said, that is great if you don't have to do low carb and are still able to lose weight. I'm jealous. I've found that if I continually let myself go too far over my goal of 100g of carbs/day then my weight loss slows. So for me, I guess I do "buy into the low carb thing" to a certain extent. I'm not extreme with it, but 100g/day seems to be the threshold. I have trouble staying under that goal sometimes. But when I do, it works.

Good explanation.
I've been experimenting. I did have a time about 2 years ago when I found out I had prediabetes and was having a VERY hard time losing weight (4 months of WW then 4 months of MFP and kept losing and gaining the same 2 lbs). I finally tried the Dukan diet (pretty low-carb, but also low-fat which I now know is not the best idea for PCOS). It worked for me in that I finally lost the rest of my pregnancy weight (lost 11 lbs in 5 weeks, which was amazing after 8 months of dieting with no results), reversed my prediabetes and dramatically lowered my triglycerides. My PCOS symptoms were a little bit better too.

Currently I'm seeking to lose more weight (aiming to get about 12 lbs under pre-pg weight) and following IIFYM. I was thinking I probably needed to stay under 80-100gm carbs to lose weight, but currently seem to be doing OK going up to 120 or sometimes higher. We'll see how long this lasts. I'm honestly not sure if I'm currently insulin resistant or not. I kind of assumed so because of the previous prediabetes thing (both my parents have Type II diabetes) but maybe not? I've had symptoms of hypoglycemia but it hasn't seemed to be as much of an issue the past year or two.

jen_zz

Low-carb isn't really a "thing to buy into" - it's a recommended method that does work well for a lot of women with PCOS - but PCOS manifests itself differently in every woman that has it. We don't all have the exact same symptoms, hormone disruptions, etc. Like others have said, that is great if you don't have to do low carb and are still able to lose weight. I'm jealous. I've found that if I continually let myself go too far over my goal of 100g of carbs/day then my weight loss slows. So for me, I guess I do "buy into the low carb thing" to a certain extent. I'm not extreme with it, but 100g/day seems to be the threshold. I have trouble staying under that goal sometimes. But when I do, it works.

Totally this!

mjrose514

For those not doing low carb and it's working, are you insulin resistant?

teddiebare

I lift heavy weights 3x a week on low carb with no problems. In addition, I also did couch to 5k 2x a week for the last year. The whole point of low carb is that the fat IS the fuel source, instead of carbs. The good thing about Science is that it's true whether or not you buy it

But seriously, I tried EVERYTHING else first. EVERY. THING. I gained weight last year despite reasonable calorie restriction and exercise.This was before I was diagnosed with PCOS. I reduced carbs, kept my protein and calories exactly the same, and I've lost 31 more pounds since Jan. A lot of people with healthy metabolisms and endocrine systems can lose weight on calorie reduction alone. People who are not so fortunate, especially with insulin resistance, cannot.

I lost 42 lbs on my own with a 'normal' lower calorie diet. Then I hit a wall. I fought that wall for almost 2 years before I got treatment for my hormonal issues and changed my diet. For me, the old saying is true: "lifting weights doesn't make me bulky, eating cupcakes does." I agree that you should eat as many carbs as you can and still lose weight. I have to keep my net around 50. 150g/day I gain. I eat one big high carb meal a week for my glycogen, but my lifts and workouts have not suffered after the first month of carb flu.

leahraskie

<.< I'm not cool with restricting myself certain food groups, at least not anymore, I used to refuse to eat high fat foods and dropped a bunch of weight. My replacement was eating cheerios and Trolli candy though, so idk if low carb works or not. I just stay under my calorie goal.

jonesygetshealthy

I know I certainly felt better doing both low carb and low gi, but regardless of how I ate the only noticeable difference came through a lot of cardio. If I wasn't jogging or running for an hour+, at least 3x per week, the weight would just stick.

atrjohnson

I only eat low carb when my body forces me. In other words, when my glucose level is off balance and I am faced with eating low carb or starting medication. I definitely eat more carbs than others. My mother was a vegetarian for years so I love vegetables but unlike her I seem to need a bit of protein. As other posters have states, "Every body is different". People have to find what works for them. It sounds like you have found a great balance for you.

la_vie_est_belle_

I lift heavy weights 3x a week on low carb with no problems. In addition, I also did couch to 5k 2x a week for the last year. The whole point of low carb is that the fat IS the fuel source, instead of carbs. The good thing about Science is that it's true whether or not you buy it

But seriously, I tried EVERYTHING else first. EVERY. THING. I gained weight last year despite reasonable calorie restriction and exercise.This was before I was diagnosed with PCOS. I reduced carbs, kept my protein and calories exactly the same, and I've lost 31 more pounds since Jan. A lot of people with healthy metabolisms and endocrine systems can lose weight on calorie reduction alone. People who are not so fortunate, especially with insulin resistance, cannot.

I lost 42 lbs on my own with a 'normal' lower calorie diet. Then I hit a wall. I fought that wall for almost 2 years before I got treatment for my hormonal issues and changed my diet. For me, the old saying is true: "lifting weights doesn't make me bulky, eating cupcakes does." I agree that you should eat as many carbs as you can and still lose weight. I have to keep my net around 50. 150g/day I gain. I eat one big high carb meal a week for my glycogen, but my lifts and workouts have not suffered after the first month of carb flu.

If this science is "true" (which i don't buy because I believe that there is no one diet out there for everyone. There is also scientific "evidence" promoting just about any diet out there. It's all marketing) why was I my lowest weight when my staple was whole grains, veggies, and fruits? I beat insulin resistance with this diet. I don't really buy into the idea about one specific macro being bad. I think it's all about quantity and the quality of food (eat nutritious food) This philosophy, along with regular exercise, has kept me at a healthy bmi for 10 years. Again, this is what has worked for ME