Weight loss and PCOS?

MrsH80

Hey, I'm looking for some advice regarding weight loss with PCOS.

With so many articles advising different things I wondered if anyone here has had any success and could share their knowledge, I have tried to shift the weight previously however, as I encorporated strength training into my routine rather than lose weight, I gained it as my muscle mass increased even though I stuck to the rules of high reps low sets which really dented my motivation so my doctor advised to stick to CV only which makes no sense to me as I know I need the strength training to gain lean muscle which in turn will allow me to train harder - so am left feeling quite confused by it all, can anyone advise what has worked for them, and things to avoid?

Thanks for reading!

jmyers1230

My sister has PCOS and a thyroid condition. She's lost 40lbs, I think, in the past 6 months to a year. I know she cut out sugars, grains, pasta, starches, etc, but that might have been based more on the thyroid condition than PCOS. She eats a lot of cheese, veggies, and meats now. I think her weight loss has also improved her PCOS.

I would check to see if there are any cookbooks for people with PCOS (showing what foods are good to eat and what to avoid).

On the exercise side, I have no idea since I don't personally have PCOS and only know how my sister has changed her diet, not her exercise habits. Good luck finding something that works for you!

kld4239

Fellow PCOSer here:) Although our road to weight loss is MUCH more difficult than most IT IS achievable. The only thing that I found that works for me is a lot of exercise, limiting my calorie and sodium intake, and taking Metformin. All 3 work together and if you really want it and work hard you can lose weight. I started getting serious about this about 7-8 months ago and haven't looked back. I had all of the terrible symptoms that come w/ PCOS: extreme weight gain (100lbs+ in 10 years), irregular cycles, dark patches on my skin, skin tags, exhaustion, depression, excessive facial hair, thinning hair, not to mention low self esteem that resulted from having all of these things. I thought for years and years that I was beyond the point of no return but I was wrong. I started off slow - walking, gentle yoga, swimming and now there really isn't much I can't do - mountain hiking, racquetball, high energy aerobics, tennis, etc and I have NEVER felt better. Not just physically but mentally too and the best part is that I did this the healthy way. There is not a quick easy plan. It will take time and dedication but once you start seeing results you will be hooked. Good luck and if you need some additional support please send me a friend request and we can motivate each other along the way.

MrsH80

Thanks for replying, it's good to know I'm not on my own in my frustration

I tried metformin but rather than going into detail, let's just say it didn't agree with me and played havoc with my digestive system and made me feel really ill all the time, stuck with it for 2 months in the hope it would get better but I just couldn't take the sicky feeling etc anymore as it really took it's toll on me to the point of exhaustion so chose to stop taking it.

My downfall is that I have a sweet tooth, and love fatty juicey meats, and am a carb-o-holic! - everything bad for someone with PCOS so have to drastically change my diet!

How did you find the initial part of making all the changes, and what foods are the best to cut and increase?

kld4239

Yeah, the metformin can cause issues but you might want to talk to your doctor about starting with a smaller dose or trying the time released variety. I think it's called Metformin XR or something like that. Metformin is really designed to be taken in conjunction with good eating and exercise. Unfortunately, one thing is really no good without the others when you have PCOS.

You can attribute your sweet tooth and carb loving to PCOS as well You've probably been eating a certain way for so long that your body craves it. It's really a vicious cycle and the sooner you break it honestly the better you will feel. Sure I LOVE sweets and carbs but after limiting my intake for a few months and realizing how much better it made me feel it was well worth it. Try whole wheat pasta or egg noodles and watch your portion sizes.

Everyone has different motivations - mine was unhappiness. With my weight, my attitude, my overall bleak outlook on everything. I used to be a Debbie Downer and now I feel ALIVE. I know it sounds silly but it's true.

I will tell you that this will be one of the most challenging things that you will ever do. You can't do it part-time but also you can't be unrealistic. You didn't start feeling this way overnight and you won't start feeling better overnight either. But you will learn that eating sweets/carbs all of the time isn't worth it in the end and after awhile you won't feel good after eating high volumes of them. Baby steps - start with limiting your eating out, add some walking into the mix, I get bored easy so my exercise is pretty diverse. Then start watching the sodium intake and eat more fresh fruits and veggies and pick simple things so it doesn't seem like as much of a chore. Eat more protein and fiber - even fatty juicy meats are okay once in awhile just remember portion control. MFP really helped me with that. I didn't think I was eating THAT bad but once I started itemizing everything the truth was right in front of me. Watch out for condiments - they can sabotage all of your hard work. I LOVE butter and mayo and I still use them in moderation but the light variety. Drink plenty of water - they say drink half your body weight in ounces per day of water. Seems excessive right? No, water flushes sodium and other things out of your system. Even if I eat right if I don't drink enough water I tend to gain weight.

Pink_Hornet

I suffer from PCOS and i used to weigh nearly 200llbs and i lost over 60pounds by eating healthy and doing aerobics and using a cross trainer.I found that losing the weight helped my symptons & i went on to have kids which i was unable to do when i was bigger.I managed to keep the weight of for over 6 years and after pregnancy.I gained some weight back due to family problems but using mfp is an easy way to track what im eating & drinking.I can have anything i want to eat just in moderation & i watch my portion sizes (i bought some smaller plates & it works) Good luck & losing the weight makes a big difference to pcos believe me

godblessourhome

low carb is the way to go - around 100 grams a day. i had to change my mfp macronutient percentages from the default (55% carbs, 15% protien, 20% fat) to 25% carbs, 45% protien, 30% fat. it really helped. i also second trying the time release version of the metformin. it made a huge difference in my stomach/digestive issues (i suffered for over a year on the regular, but now feel completely fine). my weight loss has averaged about a .5 pound a week even though my calorie setting suggest that i would lose more. be patient with yourself during this journey.

not to be rude, but saying you have a sweet tooth is an excuse. fruit is sweet, cooked carrots are sweet, greek yogurt with honey is sweet. there are foods that will satisfy the 'sweet' craving if you put your mind to feeling satisfied with that. same with being a carb-o-holic. i love mashed potatoes with the best of 'em, but i have slowly trained myself to eat one serving of them and be satisfied. you can do anything you put your mind to. (<---i wish i could highlight this. because it is so important to realize that you can do anything you put your mind to.)

good luck!
dawn

MrsH80

Thanks for taking the time to give such great advice, it's really helpful and very much appreciated!

MrsH80

Thanks for taking the time to give such great advice, it's really helpful and very much appreciated!

I think I will definately be speaking to my Dr about the slow release metformin if it has helped others, and looking at recipies which can satisfy my sweet cravings! I've just ordered a copy of the PCOS diet book by Colette (I forget her surname) I've read on quite a few Q&A sites that it's meant to be really good so looking forward to getting stuck in and learning some new recipies!

The other thing I was wondering was the difference in your food expenditure when making the changes, did you find there was any cost difference between your average weekly/monthly shop?

KickassYas

I'm a fellow PCOS'er myself and let me tell you i went through hell just before i was diagnosed.

I was on weight watchers (which worked fantastic to an extent). I plateaued at 273 lbs. No matter what I did, no matter how I changed my diet and exorcise, i never surpassed that number. I saw 3 nutritionists, 2 gynos and finally on my 3rd general practitioner who sent me to an Endo to tell him my situation. they diagnosed me. this was about... 6 years ago.

I will say this... NO EXCUSES!!! I've not been successful in my weightloss because of weakness. Depression because of my size my facial hair.. just down right self loathing.

this year i've decided that not only am i not alone, but its time to suck it up and be strong. sooo i would recommend if you have insurance... see if they will cover a nutritionist who is well versed in PCOS and who can help find a balance that will work for you and any meds you may be taking. I am on yasmin (oddly thats my name HAH) as a test right now and it seems to work well with my system (I also have PMDD) That's my plan and I hope it works!

MrsH80

Thanks Bobbisoxx, Good for you!!! Me too may this be our year!!!!

I know all about going through hell, I've been a regular visitor in the last 3 years! Lol but I've had enough now and just want to put it behind me and get on with living!

I'm in England so we have the NHS to fall back on, but nutritionists (as fat as I am aware) are not covered by the NHS, Ive also just lost my job so not earning money at the moment so can't arrange to see an nutritionist until I get myself back to work which kinda sucks, bit as they say, everything happens for a reason, and my job was crap anyway lol

Thanks for the friend request by the way! It's always nice to get some extra motivation and support, and also to help inspire people!

kennedar

My Dr suspects PCOS in me, but we have not done all the testing to confirm it. I have a sweet tooth like you would not believe and crave carbs! I have lost 16 pounds since September just counting calories and exercising, which is slightly less than a pound a week. Believe me, it can be done. I am not on met at the moment, nor have I ever been although I would happily take it if my Dr thought it would help. For me, it was getting my sweet tooth under control. Sure I still eat carbs and sweets, but they are more likely to be in the form of an apple or a side dish with dinner. PCOS sucks but it is manageable, it just means that we will forever have to be more aware of what we are eating!