Any Ladies With PCOS?
krazymyra
Posts: 10
Ive been diagnosed with PCOS since i was about 18 years old. Im 21 now and have gained about 75 lbs since theyve told me i had it. and its hard to lose weight; Does anybody have any tips or advice on what to eat?or what kind of excercises to do? I would really appreciate it.
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Replies
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What is PCOS? I have been on antidepressants and gained so much weight, and I've tried everything and can't lose, hoping this works...0
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Ive had PCOS my whole life. I don't blame my weight from it though. I am overweight for what I put in my mouth.
Your diet should be the same as anyone else's. However, you may want to keep an eye on carbs as people with PCOS later in life tend to become diabetics without proper nutrition. So watch those carbs and don't overload too much on carb calories. Eat some healthy carbs and lots of lean protein.
IN the gym, start out small, just ride the bike for a while, then when you start to see results, you will want to move on to bigger things.
Good luck.0 -
Eat like you are a diabetic. You need to follow a low glycemic index diet full of veggies, high protein meat/fish, and no processed high carb foods.
I have PCOS and am at healthy BMI. I can never lose those last "10/15" lbs I'd like to, but I exercise at least 6 days a week and really watch what I put into my body. I've lost and kept off 60lbs. I'd also recommend talking to your doctor to check your blood glucose and see if you are insulin resistant. Most women with PCOS are and therefore benefit from taking Metformin. It has taken me years but I now follow an eating plan where I don't eat processed foods and I follow a low glycemic index diet with lots of veggies and I watch my fruit as well only eating berries, apples, and pears because even a banana or pineapple can spike your blood sugar releasing insulin which results in your body to store excess fat.
Good luck with everything. There are lots of eating plans and cookbooks for people that have PCOS, I'd check those out.0 -
Eat like you are a diabetic. You need to follow a low glycemic index diet full of veggies, high protein meat/fish, and no processed high carb foods.
I have PCOS and am at healthy BMI. I can never lose those last "10/15" lbs I'd like to, but I exercise at least 6 days a week and really watch what I put into my body. I've lost and kept off 60lbs. I'd also recommend talking to your doctor to check your blood glucose and see if you are insulin resistant. Most women with PCOS are and therefore benefit from taking Metformin. It has taken me years but I now follow an eating plan where I don't eat processed foods and I follow a low glycemic index diet with lots of veggies and I watch my fruit as well only eating berries, apples, and pears because even a banana or pineapple can spike your blood sugar releasing insulin which results in your body to store excess fat.
Good luck with everything. There are lots of eating plans and cookbooks for people that have PCOS, I'd check those out.
Heathercrist---awesome information. With my PCOS and my medical background - you nailed it! I just didn't have the time to type all that.0 -
Ugh - the joys of PCOS. The good news is you are young and it can be controlled and often undercontrol to the point where it is like you don't have it.
Are you on Metfrormin? If your not I would suggest asking your doctor about it. Most women who have PCOS are Insulin Resistance and the Metfromin helps control the insulin resistance. Although so does Diet & Exercise.
As for tips:
Low Carb/ Low Glycemic Foods work best for women with PCOS - you can look up low glycemic foods and eat of the low index and medium index, leaving the high index foods for the special occasion. I always like to suggest reading the book "Idiots Guide to Low Glycemic Weight Loss" - this book help explains INsulin Resistance and how to pair up your foods.
Do not cut out fruit!! A lot of people will tell you that fruit is high in sugar and carbs! This is true! But it's natural sugar and your body needs to be able to feed off it's energy. Instead pair your fruit with some almonds, cottage cheese or other high protein items.
Eat every 2-3 hours, and make sure a protein is included with each meal. Almonds, Cottage Cheese, Sliced Turkey etc. are all good for your body and and have protein and low carbs/low glycemic.
As for exercise, our bodies work best with 20-30 minute sessions, since this is when you are going to burn the most fat. Keep in mind if you eating a low glycemic or low carb meal, where other people would intially burn off sugar, you would be burning fat. So do multiple 20-30 minute sessions of cardio a day.
Don't forget the weight training. Heavy weight training will reduce your blood sugar, helping out insulin resistance. So make sure to include weight training into your daily routine.
The only other hting I can say is don't give up!! It's going to be hard, often times you are going to fail. And even if someone next to you is losing double the weigh, and it will happen, and putting in half the effort, just keep going. The end result will be a much happier, healthier and skinnier you!0 -
Eat like you are a diabetic. You need to follow a low glycemic index diet full of veggies, high protein meat/fish, and no processed high carb foods.
I have PCOS and am at healthy BMI. I can never lose those last "10/15" lbs I'd like to, but I exercise at least 6 days a week and really watch what I put into my body. I've lost and kept off 60lbs. I'd also recommend talking to your doctor to check your blood glucose and see if you are insulin resistant. Most women with PCOS are and therefore benefit from taking Metformin. It has taken me years but I now follow an eating plan where I don't eat processed foods and I follow a low glycemic index diet with lots of veggies and I watch my fruit as well only eating berries, apples, and pears because even a banana or pineapple can spike your blood sugar releasing insulin which results in your body to store excess fat.
Good luck with everything. There are lots of eating plans and cookbooks for people that have PCOS, I'd check those out.
Heathercrist---awesome information. With my PCOS and my medical background - you nailed it! I just didn't have the time to type all that.
Well not only am I a woman who is plagued by this syndrome, but I am a RN. If you fully understand what is going on with the physiology of it all, it is easier to break it down and explain it in layman's terms.
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PCOS here! I've had a cyst removed along with my right ovary.0
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My sister has PCOS. Echoing the other posters, she was put on Metformin, put on a strict prediabetic diet (low carb and low sugar), and exercise regime. When she stuck to this plan, her weight literally melted off her. She went from a size 24 to a size 12. I don't know about yours, but my health plan offers classes on Eating with Diabetes that will teach you how carbs and sugar affect your body with diabetes and what to eat and what not to eat and portion sizes etc.; or perhaps if you have access to a nutritionist might be helpful. It was a really dramatic change for my sister and a hard one for her at first. But has since gotten into her new lifestyle. Good luck to you!
Melanie0 -
PCOS is poly-cystic ovarie syndrome? right?
what exactly does that entail? my was sister talking to me about ovarian cysts because she thinks I might have them, but she said most of the time they break up on their own and/or are re-absorbed back into the body... ?0 -
Hi everyone,
I'm new to this site - but am always looking to connect with some like minded ladies who struggle with this frustrating disorder. I'm trying a new approch with the low glycemic index, but am finding it challenging. Does anyone have suggestions on some good reference material?
I started (again) in November to try and change my eating habbits / lose weight when I hit my highest at 216, I'm down to 209 as of this am...but it is SO SLOW!! I know in my heart that's the healthy way to do it...but WOW it's hard to stay focused. For now I'm trying to set SMALL goals and just keep moving forward...
Anyway...hope everyone has a great weekend!
~ Betty0 -
Thought I would correct a few things. If you have PCOS, you are insulin resistant. PCOS is essentially insulin resistance. Insulin is the hormone that lowers your blood sugar. My doctor told me that I do not have to take Metformin or BC if I don't want to, but I have heard countless stories of ladies going misdiagnosed, undiagnosed or being told that BC fixes PCOS. PCOS cannot be cured; it is a disease. You will live with it forever, and I've heard some endocrinologists believe girls have PCOS from birth. You don't have to have polycystic ovaries to have PCOS. PCOS is the daughter of diabetes, meaning if you don't treat it early you are likely to develop diabetes later in life. You can treat PCOS with a diet change and exercise.
I have never taken Metformin or BC, however I am on a journey to treat PCOS naturally. 1000mg of Cinnamon a day for blood sugar regulation and 850mg of Vitex for hormone regulation. If you girls are interested in treating PCOS naturally, I can give you some insight! I have heard horror stories of girls on Metformin being bound to the toilet for weeks at a time so I imagine it's frustrating.
I thought I would note that it is much harder - probably twice as hard for a woman with PCOS to lose weight, so don't lose hope if you aren't seeing results as quickly as you'd like!
An amazing book to pick up for PCOS is called A Patient's Guide to PCOS by Dr. Walter Futterweit. Dr. Futterweit is one of the top endocrinologists in the world and specializes in PCOS. He explains everything in that book and I 100% recommend picking it up if you have PCOS.0 -
That's great info thank you! I have heard about using cinnamon for blood sugar regulation and am very interesting in learning more, did you notice a difference? Also, do you take a tablet form or use pure cinnamon?
I personally feel I went misdiagnosed for MANY years and really didn’t get any attention from my doctors (primary MD or GYN) about it until I hounded them about my symptoms as they began to worsen in my early 30’s. My new GYN (who diagnosed me) recommended of course weight loss and then BC pills or an IUD to manage my amenorrhea...as I wanted to use as few hormones as possible I went with the IUD. She did not put me on metformin or any other antiglycemic meds as I have no plans of pregnancy and that is typically the only time she recommends it. That's about where her support stopped though...she was very clear that weight loss was important - but didn't have any great suggestions of how I was supposed to go about it…just that it was going to be hard… I discovered the glycemic index and insulin connection on my own and hope to improve my use of this program.
I will definitely look into that book, thank you for the suggestion!
~ Betty0 -
That's great info thank you! I have heard about using cinnamon for blood sugar regulation and am very interesting in learning more, did you notice a difference? Also, do you take a tablet form or use pure cinnamon?
I personally feel I went misdiagnosed for MANY years and really didn’t get any attention from my doctors (primary MD or GYN) about it until I hounded them about my symptoms as they began to worsen in my early 30’s. My new GYN (who diagnosed me) recommended of course weight loss and then BC pills or an IUD to manage my amenorrhea...as I wanted to use as few hormones as possible I went with the IUD. She did not put me on metformin or any other antiglycemic meds as I have no plans of pregnancy and that is typically the only time she recommends it. That's about where her support stopped though...she was very clear that weight loss was important - but didn't have any great suggestions of how I was supposed to go about it…just that it was going to be hard… I discovered the glycemic index and insulin connection on my own and hope to improve my use of this program.
I will definitely look into that book, thank you for the suggestion!
~ Betty
I noticed a difference almost immediately when I took cinnamon. I no longer have cravings for snacks, especially when I'm bored. They sell 500mg capsules of cinnamon, and I take 2 in the morning after I eat breakfast - it's important to not take them on a full stomach. And also, you should avoid cinnamon if you have kidney problems. Other than that there are no side effects that I have had. If your stomach is sensitive to spices, you MIGHT get a little bit of heartburn, but that's it.
As far as Vitex goes, Vitex = Chastetree Berry - an herb that has been used for centuries to help women with gynecological problems, such as PMS and amenorrhea. I have heard that it takes a couple of months to help with amenorrhea, but I got my cycle for the first time in 12 months after taking Vitex for 1 month, but that is just my experience.
It's really sad how not many doctors know alot about PCOS. From what I've heard, most doctors stick you on meds and don't explain anything. It can be scary being diagnosed with a disease and not knowing anything about it. My doctor explained alot, but I still did tons of research on every aspect of it.
Losing weight with PCOS is like anything else. Take it one step at a time and it requires alot of patience, and you have to realize that you are not going to see results as soon as you'd like. 0 -
Thought I would correct a few things. If you have PCOS, you are insulin resistant. PCOS is essentially insulin resistance. Insulin is the hormone that lowers your blood sugar.
Sorry, but this is INCORRECT... I know many Cysters that have PCOS and do not have INsuline Resistance! Just because you have PCOS does not mean you have Insulin Resistance... and just because you have Insulin Resistance does not mean you have PCOS! PCOS effects women differently, just because one women has symptoms does not mean you will have them. For example, you may or may not have cysts on your ovaries and could STILL have PCOS. As well you could not have cysts and still have INSULIN RESITANCE...0 -
Thought I would correct a few things. If you have PCOS, you are insulin resistant. PCOS is essentially insulin resistance. Insulin is the hormone that lowers your blood sugar.
Sorry, but this is INCORRECT... I know many Cysters that have PCOS and do not have INsuline Resistance! Just because you have PCOS does not mean you have Insulin Resistance... and just because you have Insulin Resistance does not mean you have PCOS! PCOS effects women differently, just because one women has symptoms does not mean you will have them. For example, you may or may not have cysts on your ovaries and could STILL have PCOS. As well you could not have cysts and still have INSULIN RESITANCE...
This absolutely CORRECT! I was going to post this as well. PCOS is a disorder of hormone imbalance. Typically the main issue is having too many male hormones which causes acne, hair growth in crazy places, thinning head hair, etc.. I've learned in life to not use "NEVER" or "ALWAYS"...cause this is typically NOT the case! Many women do in fact have Insulin Resistance that have PCOS but the two are definitely not interchangeable!0 -
Thought I would correct a few things. If you have PCOS, you are insulin resistant. PCOS is essentially insulin resistance. Insulin is the hormone that lowers your blood sugar.
Sorry, but this is INCORRECT... I know many Cysters that have PCOS and do not have INsuline Resistance! Just because you have PCOS does not mean you have Insulin Resistance... and just because you have Insulin Resistance does not mean you have PCOS! PCOS effects women differently, just because one women has symptoms does not mean you will have them. For example, you may or may not have cysts on your ovaries and could STILL have PCOS. As well you could not have cysts and still have INSULIN RESITANCE...
This absolutely CORRECT! I was going to post this as well. PCOS is a disorder of hormone imbalance. Typically the main issue is having too many male hormones which causes acne, hair growth in crazy places, thinning head hair, etc.. I've learned in life to not use "NEVER" or "ALWAYS"...cause this is typically NOT the case! Many women do in fact have Insulin Resistance that have PCOS but the two are definitely not interchangeable!
Exactly... just because you have A. does not mean you will have B. ... Please do not think that PCOS effects everyone the same.. it does not! .. The best thing to do is to get your Gluclose/Inslin tested at a fasting level to determine if you have Insulin Resistance or diabetes.0 -
Thought I would correct a few things. If you have PCOS, you are insulin resistant. PCOS is essentially insulin resistance. Insulin is the hormone that lowers your blood sugar.
Sorry, but this is INCORRECT... I know many Cysters that have PCOS and do not have INsuline Resistance! Just because you have PCOS does not mean you have Insulin Resistance... and just because you have Insulin Resistance does not mean you have PCOS! PCOS effects women differently, just because one women has symptoms does not mean you will have them. For example, you may or may not have cysts on your ovaries and could STILL have PCOS. As well you could not have cysts and still have INSULIN RESITANCE...
This absolutely CORRECT! I was going to post this as well. PCOS is a disorder of hormone imbalance. Typically the main issue is having too many male hormones which causes acne, hair growth in crazy places, thinning head hair, etc.. I've learned in life to not use "NEVER" or "ALWAYS"...cause this is typically NOT the case! Many women do in fact have Insulin Resistance that have PCOS but the two are definitely not interchangeable!
Exactly... just because you have A. does not mean you will have B. ... Please do not think that PCOS effects everyone the same.. it does not! .. The best thing to do is to get your Gluclose/Inslin tested at a fasting level to determine if you have Insulin Resistance or diabetes.
I got that bit of insulin resistance info Angi Ingalls, not sure if you've heard of her but she is very advocate in PCOS awareness etc. I may not have understood what I read at the time though. My apologies. 0 -
I was diagnosed with PCOS and insulin resistance. I gained a total of 49 lbs. before I received this diagnosis. As a means to lose weight, my endocrinologist has required that I go on a 1200 calorie diet (even though MFP and the trainers at my gym state that my metabolism will burn approx. 1455 cal.). i am also supposed to be on a low-carb diet---no breads, starches, etc.
I am also on 500 MG of Metformin per day and did not have any side effects at all.
Upon joining MFP, I decided to try to really stick to that 1200 cal. requirement and have lost 6.4 lbs in 3 weeks, which seemed nearly impossible over the past year that I've had this diagnosis.0 -
So glad to see this community here!!! I'm a PCOSer too as well as a newbie to this site! Can't wait to read and share tips!!0
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Hi again ladies!
Well, I'm continuing my agonizing slow but steady loss (0.4 this week). The key for me THIS time I really think is having my husband's "buy in". He has never had a weight problem (bless his lil heart)...but his 30's are catching up with him and gone are the days where he can live on Pepsi and chips. So, he has starting weighing in weekly WITH me, and although he doesn't log his foods or do the exercise tapes with me - I think he has a better awareness and is definitely making better food choices. We are also food shopping consistently, so we're getting in those fresh veggies and meats (though I might just go broke trying to eat better!!)
My biggest barrier is TYPE of food choice. It's hard to switch that mentality from simply decreased caloric intake and low fat to NOW having to consider WHERE those calories come from and how my body metabolizes them. But I really have noticed a difference since I've been "paying attention". Something else that I really think has helped me personally is moving from frozen dinners (healthy choice, WW, lean cuisine, etc) to bringing a freshly made lunch.
Have a great weekend everyone!
~ Betty0 -
Hi mzmckenz, nice to meet you :-)0
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I've been doing really well in losing weight. Since 1/6 I've lost 22 pounds. You are welcome to be my friend and look at my food diary. :-)0
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