My name is Katie, and I have PCOS

katmac95

Hi everybody! My name is Katie, and I am 18 years old. I have PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome), so quite literally, I gained nearly 50 pounds in a matter of two months (I stopped taking birth control and... POOF!).

I have been trying pretty desperately for the past two years to lose this weight, but with no success. Things I have tried:

*Weight Watchers
*Atkins
*Hydroxicut
*Green Coffee
*Workout videos
*Food logging
*Low Carb diet
*Sugar blocker pills (I forget the name, some long thing)

And I'm not even 19!

I'm back on birth control, which has cut down all my other symptoms, but I can't seem to shake the weight!

I just want to know how other women with PCOS have lost weight, because literally nothing has worked. I have lost HALF A POUND in two years and it is driving me crazy!

Thanks for any advice, tips, and tricks you may have to offer!

SharmaineP

Hi Katie!! Welcome to MyFitnessPal I was just like you..when I was 15 I was diagnosed with pre-diabeties and PCOS. My pill intake range from 1 to 4. Taking 4 was a lot to me and frankly my doctor said if I don't improve I will eventually have to take birth control pills. In 2012 I went cold turkey and I've been doing fine since then. PCOS-Free I was so desperate that I wanted to try Nutrisystem but i was underage (15).

Here's what I did:
-Lots and lots of research on nutrition. Learn how to read nutrition labels. By utilizing the calorie counter of MFP, you can see your fat intake, sodium, sugar, cholesterol, etc.
- Eat more veggies and fruits. I shop at Fresh & Easy a lot. I go to Subway here and there when I'm away from home.
- Most importantly, EXERCISE. It's like the cherry on top of the sundae. Have fun with it too! Play your favorite sport, learn a new sport, go on a hike, walk with friends or family after a heavy meal or just to have a chat. BE ACTIVE. Being active burns extra calories: for example, I don't sit when I use the computer..I stand and depending on the music, maybe dance ahaha

But in all seriousness, I was in your shoes and it all takes time. It took me approximately 3 or 4 years to lose 70 pounds. Healthy eating, exercising, and MFP helped me a lot

I wish you nothing but the best in your weight loss journey. If you need anything or anyone remember that you have me and MFP community

Sincerely,
Sharmaine

barbarapoppa54

Baby steps. Start with learning to eat healthy and what exercises you would like to do, even if in the beginning it is not long periods of time but set a goal of how many times a week and stick to it. The longer you keep at it, it will become your lifestyle and in the end the weight will come off. I have a friend that it took her 18 months to lose 30lbs but she did it. Feeling better, getting healthy is the most important thing. Don't let the pounds coming off be your only goal. Each week make a small goal for your eating and exercise and MFP will help to keep you on track. Good luck, you CAN do this.

KerryITD

It's harder to lose weight with PCOS, but it CAN be done! For me, cutting down/out white carbs (flour, sugar, potatoes) and balancing carbs with protein, fat, and/or fiber at every meal was key. Also, cardio will help with blood pressure, but strength training helps your muscles become more insulin sensitive, which will help burn more calories.

Four things have to be in place for me to lose:
1. log my food consistently and keep to a lower calorie range (1200-1500)
2. balance carbs with protein
3. exercise
4. be patient

katmac95

Thank you all for being so helpful and supportive!

TinaBaily

bumping because I have PCOS, have lost almost all the excess weight, had babies, and want to offer you some support and share my story

mersh24

There is a "Group" on MFP "P.C.O.Sis" that has been helpful to me. There are a lot of us PCOSers out there. You CAN lose the weight and be healthy. Don't let PCOS become an excuse to not lose the weight. It may take some time, but you can do it!

HerbertNenenger

Hi Katie ! I've lost 75 pounds with PCOS, so don't lose hope ! My diary is open, so feel free to take a peek. I agree with another poster about exercise - it's very helpful. But I think because of hormone imbalance and insulin resistance, you need to look into naturally balancing out your hormones through diet and exercise. I started out low carb (not Atkins or keto, just lowER carb), and kept my carbs complex - like oatmeal, flourless bread, sweet potatoes. I cut out entirely white rice, bread, pasta and drastically reduced my sugar intake. All these things helped cut my symptoms immensely. I have since upped my carbs back up to 40% of my daily calories, but that is only because now I am doing weight training.
Have you spoken with your doctor about some medication you can take for PCOS that would regulate your hormones? If you've honestly tried that ard to lose weight and in two years you've only taken off a measly pound or two then you might have a very severe case and medication might help.

techgal128

I've lost 44 pounds with PCOS so it can happen. A lot of women have success with low carb but if you are a vegetarian like me, that's not going to happen. I just watch calories and EXERCISE. I'd recommend joining a gym and taking the classes. They are fun and very easy to stay motivated with.

Here's the deal. You will lose weight SLOWLY. You will hit plateaus and want to stomp your scale to death. It's taken me a year to lose this weight so as you can see, it's not a fast process. Keep in mind, all of this is normal. Your goal is a lifestyle change, not a "diet". Remember to treat yourself now and then. You won't get fat from one meal and it's important for keeping your sanity in check.

Lastly, mix up cardio and strength training. Don't do one and not the other. Big mistake right there.

TinaBaily

Hi Katie,
I have PCOS too. I've had it all my life since becoming a teen, but wasn't diagnosed until just after giving birth to my 5th (and last) child. I always thought something wasn't right with me, and it was a mixed bunch of feelings to find out that I was right. I also suffer from emotional eating, and am a classic worrier, so life was throwing me a 1-2 punch right in the weight department. It went up and up and up, with me trying to drop it, but never doing all that well. My heaviest was 16+ years ago, weighing in at a whopping (for my 5' 3.25" frame) 235lbs.

Once I was diagnosed, I was put on Metformin. That helped me drop down to the 200lbs/210lbs range and stay there, depending on how stressful my life was, for several years. In the last 3 years I have slowly changed how I eat, switching from processed foods to fresh, healthier foods. That helped me feel better, but the weight wasn't moving.

What really has worked for me is to be bluntly honest with myself. This happened when I signed up with MFP. Welcome to the site, by the way! Here, I can log my food and my calories burned. What an eye-opener logging the food can be!! I strongly suggest that you weigh your food before recording it here as much as you can. Weight is more accurate than using measuring cups. It is what made a huge difference for me. That, combined with kicking my own butt in the exercise department. I have a heart rate monitor that I wear while exercising that is fairly accurate. When I really set out to make a difference in my weight and body, I wasn't too hopeful at first. Having tried and failed so many times over the years had me set to expect failure yet again.

That didn't happen this time! Following MFP's calorie suggestion, and eating back most of my exercise calories has allowed me to go from being morbidly obese to a healthy, "normal" weight. It was not easy. For my body, I find that weight loss happens when I push myself hard for at least an hour, 6 days a week. I had to work up to that, but it is what works for me.

My diary is open if you would like to get an idea of how I eat. I have no food allergies, but to avoid experiencing diverticulitis again, I must aim for approximately 50 grams of fiber a day. That has a nice side effect of helping me to not feel as if I'm starving all the time, as well.

I wish you all the best of luck.