Losing Weight with PCOS.

sinkinginseas

I was wondering if there were any other people out there who are trying to lose weight while fighting the never ending battle that is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.

I was diagnosed my Sophomore year of High School, and I'm now a Junior in College who let the stress of life/full load semesters win over my body and am now trying to lose the weight I had lost in my senior year of HS again! Losing weight is never easy, but losing it with PCOS sometimes feels impossible. I'm just now starting out so I know it will just take time, but I was wondering how others also suffering from this are doing - and hoping we can maybe join together as a supportive group!

I have friends and family who are supportive, but they don't quite understand because they don't have the same disorder, so I was looking to find a community of people who do have it also and are successfully - or just starting out - losing weight.

mrsmitchell0510

Welcome!
I highly recommend joining a PCOS specific group on here! Much of the general MFP community is all about calories in vs. calories out and I wish it were so simple for my body (which is battling PCOS and subclinical hypothyroidism), but it is not. Those who do not have it don't always understand.
I recommend this group (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3070-p-c-o-sis). There you will find a wealth of information and sources!

sinkinginseas

Thanks for the welcome! I didn't realize there were groups! The link isn't quite working but I will go try and find it!

Yes I noticed a lot of the community focuses on calories, which is fine, most people don't have PCOS and don't know the differences it makes in weight loss plans

rebeccaplatt21

i also have PCOS! i'm about to leave work so i'm sorry i don't have more time to post something more meaningful. but please feel free to add me as a friend! (anyone can too!).

it IS hard losing weight with PCOS. i say it takes us twice as long and we have to work twice as hard as a 'normal' person does! but we'll get there!!

good luck!

babydaisy81

I have PCOS too, although haven't done much with it after diagnosis. I suggest going through the groups, there is alot of great information from alot of members that really know what they are talking about.

Good luck with your weight loss journey, it has been a battle for me but after joining MFP for some support, it really made a difference. But some days man, do I feel like I have to work extra hard for the results!

Archerychickge

I have PCOS also, and have always been overweight... and sometimes obese. I also have endometriosis at the same time

Teh key to weight loss for me has been to keep my PCOS symptoms regulated as much as possible. I had to have an ovary and the accompanying fallopian tube removed a few years ago but my PCOS still flared up and caused pretty serious symptoms. For me the solution came in the form of a Mirena IUD. Yeah, lots of people told me horror stories about babies being conceived then born with the IUD in their chubby little fists, and the like, but when you've lived with the symptoms of PCOS and endo for multiple decades you become less concerned about things like that.

Once my hormones and plumbing got regulated a little better and I felt more like myself my MFP weight loss journey was a bit easier. I'm not going to lie, it hasn't been a cake walk (Mmmmm cake.... ) but it's been easier.

Hope that helps. If you want to friend me, please do. I've been there.

micheledavison39

I too have PCOS, I was diagnosed about 20 years ago and the only solution I have ever been given (by multiple doctors) was to "diet and exercise and take the Pill". I finally said enough of that and starting seeing an acupuncturist who also does Chinese medicine. Since starting the formula she made up for me, I have lost 4 lbs in 4 weeks, had a period (hasn't happened without pills since I was 16!) am sleeping better and my mood has improved. I am still working out and eating better, this was just a bit more of a kick in the pants to help things along.

I am going to look into joining one of the PCOS groups too. I actually find that too much cutting back on food and too much exercise keeps me from losing weight so I have moderated the exercise a bit and upped the calories I was eating and am finally making some slow but steady progress.

Good Luck and Welcome!

Catter_05

This is such a great resource. I have felt so alone in this struggle for so long. I feel like no one around me really understands at all. The whole attitude of "eat less exercise more" is very dismissive of the struggle that we face. I come from a family where my father was constantly fat shaming. It drove my mother nuts and my sister and I were terrified of getting heavy. I have managed to stay in the healthy bmi range, but just barely. I could never lose weight but by exercising and eating carefully I maintained the weight. However as I'm getting older this is becoming more and more difficult.
Recently I saw an endocrinologist who recommended low carb low sugar and I am losing weight (finally). Controlling the carbs has removed those huge sugar crashes from my day. So I feel much better.
I had endometriosis too and dealt with horrible fertility issues, pain etc. Anyone can add me as a friend.

Miss_1999

Hey there beautiful cysters! :flowerforyou: Was diagnosed in 2003, although I've most likely lived with PCOS my entire life. I had posted a pretty lengthy post on another thread about PCOS and some tips. I've posted the link here:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1404691-pcos-journey

I love making new friends, and am quite knowledgeable about PCOS, so if you have any questions, please, feel free to ask and/or send a friend request! :happy:

baller777

PLEASE KNOW THIS IS JUST MY BODY. I KNOW OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HEALTHY NORMAL METABOLISMS (YAY FOR THEM!!! I'm JEALOUS) BUT FOR ANY WOMAN HAVING DIFFICULTY LOSING WEIGHT AND SUSPECT HORMONAL DISRUPTIONS AS WELL, THIS POST IS FOR YOU I HOPE IT HELPS THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE DOING EVERYTHING RIGHT, BUT DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO.

I have PCOS and signs of thyroid issues (my mom has it terribly so I'm just now exhibiting the signs) but I've been working out for awhile now only to lose 1-2 lbs. a month. And then gain it back with water weight bloat. Even though I'm working my butt off (literally). When I was really bad, I didn't get my period for a few months when I was super stressed and eating junk. Especially breads, cookies, cakes, muffins, processed foods, you name it. But once I cut out the bread and gluten my period came back. Also, this sounds crazy I know but I deeply believe that CUTTING OUT CAFFEINE, CUTTING OUT GLUTEN, EATING ORGANIC, and including WHOLE REAL FOODS LIKE SUNFLOWER SEEDS and wild fish is so important because it supplies certain minerals (like zinc and selenium) that our bodies need to regulate female hormones. RAW SUNFLOWER SEEDS ARE AMAZING FOR THIS. I take just a little pinch/handful a day almost like a supplement. And otherwise, eat pretty organic and paleo.

Also, Maca was wonderful for balancing my hormones. I took the maca brand Feminescence (not sure on the spelling) and it was incredible. My hair grew thick. My skin looked better. And I had more energy. I only took one pill in the mornings for a year but I unfortunately started to gain weight... in my legs and butt especially. But it did balance my hormones amazingly otherwise.

Moving on the weight loss.

After cutting out gluten/bread/tortillas... anything processed and junk... (if it wasn't made and grown from the earth, don't eat it!)... I was finally able to STOP the weight gain at least after cutting out the gluten, flour, breads, muffins, cakes, etc. I finally was able to lose 8 lbs over some time. But boy, it took work and patience! And I'm still not at my goal...

I remembered that years ago, I went dairy free and I never felt better in my life. But I LOVE ice cream and cheese! So although I've been 20 lbs heavier in the past 2 years, I rationalized that cheese and real ice cream (not chemicals or synthetic crap, I'm talking real cream, sugar and whole ingredients) would allow me to eat pretty healthy, organic, and mostly paleo and be fine...

Well guess what? I wish. No, I have to accept that eating like a normal person just doesn't cut the mustard. Other women and men can eat these healthy things and look great! And that's awesome! I blow up. It sucks. BUT over a week and a half ago, I gave up dairy along with gluten and WOW. I'm finally starting to see the results that I'm used to. It's kind of ridiculous actually. Granted, I'm still working out, restricting my intake to 1200 calories a day, and cutting out gluten, but I truly believe giving up dairy is finally getting my body to respond at a quicker, or at least a more normal, metabolic speed... The key is swaps. I'm eating So Delicious Coconut Milk Ice Cream Bars for dessert at night or Almond Milk pudding. Then I'm only very occasionally having gluten free breads and trader joe's brown rice pasta... but don't go crazy on the gluten free junk. They really are a "treat" that won't derail you, but won't necessarily foster weight loss either so use the "gluten free" processed breads and crap sparingly. But again, they're a great sub for when you really want it and don't want to cheat.

AGAIN, no need to get dogmatic. I know everyone's body is different. I just clearly have food sensitivities that I never realized. If you don't, you win the genetic lottery! Yay! Again, not me. So if you're a lady especially working your tail off, trying hard, but not seeing results, maybe this could work for you. Good luck!!!