PCOS ladies please help

sweetsorrow18

Calling all PCOS ladies, or those who have had success with cycle regulation after weightloss....so I've dropped about 15 pounds over the past few months, I follow IIFYMM and do weight training etc...the whole shebang...my biggest motivator for all this is obviously weight loss but also getting my cycles back. I've been told time and again that weight loss can bring back some normalcy to menstration but I haven't had any success...do I need to drop more weight? I've fallen off the wagon on keeping up with my hormone panels so I can't tell you that (I'm scheduled for one in a couple weeks) ...any insight would be greatly appreciated!

runningjen74

I met a trainer about a year ago, so I started a few things around the same time - not fully sure which helped my PCOS or all of the above. I've gone from having at best a cycle every 3 months, often a lot longer, for the last 10+ years to every 4-5 weeks. From when I met him and first made changes my next cycle was 8 weeks later, following one 6 weeks and then 4 weeks. It's been consistent except for a period where I had to travel and was under a lot of pressure, but that would be normal for anyone's cycle to be disrupted.

- Started weight training
- Kept carbs to ~100gm (+/1 30)
- Gave up wheat, actually I haven't really, but I do minimise it. Essentially I aim to eat mainly whole foods. My diary is open, feel free to look at it.
- Eat protein for breakfast
- Eat fat, lots of healthy fats.

Prior to this ate low fat, low protein + high carb + did some cardio. I didn't track, just basing this on knowing what I ate at the time.

He suggested macros of protein 30%, fat 50%, carbs 20%. But he's softened on these. I aim to eat min 100gm protein, about 100Gm carbs, and the fat falls out in the wash. I'm far from successful all the time and it depends on the total calories I eat as to exactly how it will fall out.

I essentially eat primal for 80% of my calories, or at least that's the objective. I still eat chocolate, but 70%. If I'm offered a piece of home made cake at a friends house, I'll eat it, but I don't make it a regular think.

I've frequently heard that keeping the carbs to 100gm, or use that as a starting point, helps. Going low carb can cause hormonal problems.

I also have thyroid issues and when it's acting up, my hormones go out of wack. When I'm under stress, they go a bit off kilter. but honestly, for over 10 years I've had a terrible cycle. Since meeting my trainer and exercising / eating consistently, my cycle has completely normalised and I don't get headaches - at least far fewer.

I view none of the changes I've made as limitations on my life, the headaches I had before were far more limiting.

SpecialSundae

I've got hormonal interventions stopping my periods, but I still have a cycle that I can track through weight and moods and that has been a lot more regular as my body fat percentage has dropped.

I don't eat a very low carb diet. I used to find that I had bad reactions to too much carbohydrate before I started lifting, but it has really evened out as the intensity went up.

omma_to_3

Weight loss doesn't always restore your cycle. It never did for me. Left to my own devices, I typically would only have a cycle once a year (from the time I was 14 yrs old and not very heavy - I'd never had normal cycles)

The only thing that restored my cycle? Getting old lol. When I hit 35, I suddenly had a 30 day cycle for the first time in my life, despite still being obese. It happens. It was my body's last ditch effort to get pregnant lol. Now that I've lost weight, I've got a 28 to 30 day cycle. And can I just say...they're highly overrated lol.

AnIrishLibra

In to see others feedback.

SharonNehring

Weight loss and eating reduced carbs can often help in regulation of cycles, but it differs from person to person and there's no promise of success. I eat reduced, but not low, carb and take Metformin. if you have insulin resistance, taking metformin can help a lot with your cycle.

FatFreeFrolicking

Metformin
****Gluten free diet****
No simple carbs
Complex carbs only (brown rice, quinoa, steel cut oats, sweet potato or white potato, fruits.. especially berries, and veggies)
At least 25 g protein with every meal
Healthy fats (avocado, olive oil, coconut oil, nuts, seeds, nut butter)
Weight training & resistance training

*Gluten does not mix well for women with PCOS/insulin resistance.

kateangel2312

I dropped 45lbs taking me to 137lbs and I conceived my third child naturally. I had fertility treatment for previous two

Dragonwolf

I met a trainer about a year ago, so I started a few things around the same time - not fully sure which helped my PCOS or all of the above. I've gone from having at best a cycle every 3 months, often a lot longer, for the last 10+ years to every 4-5 weeks. From when I met him and first made changes my next cycle was 8 weeks later, following one 6 weeks and then 4 weeks. It's been consistent except for a period where I had to travel and was under a lot of pressure, but that would be normal for anyone's cycle to be disrupted.

- Started weight training
- Kept carbs to ~100gm (+/1 30)
- Gave up wheat, actually I haven't really, but I do minimise it. Essentially I aim to eat mainly whole foods. My diary is open, feel free to look at it.
- Eat protein for breakfast
- Eat fat, lots of healthy fats.

Prior to this ate low fat, low protein + high carb + did some cardio. I didn't track, just basing this on knowing what I ate at the time.

He suggested macros of protein 30%, fat 50%, carbs 20%. But he's softened on these. I aim to eat min 100gm protein, about 100Gm carbs, and the fat falls out in the wash. I'm far from successful all the time and it depends on the total calories I eat as to exactly how it will fall out.

I essentially eat primal for 80% of my calories, or at least that's the objective. I still eat chocolate, but 70%. If I'm offered a piece of home made cake at a friends house, I'll eat it, but I don't make it a regular think.

I've frequently heard that keeping the carbs to 100gm, or use that as a starting point, helps. Going low carb can cause hormonal problems.

I also have thyroid issues and when it's acting up, my hormones go out of wack. When I'm under stress, they go a bit off kilter. but honestly, for over 10 years I've had a terrible cycle. Since meeting my trainer and exercising / eating consistently, my cycle has completely normalised and I don't get headaches - at least far fewer.

I view none of the changes I've made as limitations on my life, the headaches I had before were far more limiting.

+1 for all this. Two of the most influential things I've done for my cycles is greatly reducing my wheat/grain intake and weight lifting. If there's one change alone that you can do, though, I highly recommend weight lifting. I don't know how it does it, but in my experience, it's had the largest impact on my cycles.

On a different note, anyone who'd interested and isn't a member already, I highly recommend joining http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/3087-p-c-o-sis . It's a great group of ladies who know what it's like dealing with PCOS.