Does anyone have any Success Stories with PCOS

jennpasic

I have PCOS and it is so hard for me to lose weight does anyone have any tips for eating and or exercise success stories would be great I am new here so anything helps thank you

babyshme

Keep an eye on your carbs and sugar. So far I am down 22lbs and still going.

scatterbrained

Hi there...

I guess I could be considered a PCOS success; I maintain a healthy BMI and have normal (even low!) blood glucose levels! For reference, I'm 5'4"(and a half) and I weigh about 133lbs (164cms, 60kgs).

What do I do / what did I do?

* Small(er) portions. This may be hard initially, though it does get easier. Eat only until you no longer feel hungry. Don't make the mistake of eating until feeling 'full' - our body's aren't great at relaying messages of fullness to our brains.

* Cut the carbs. This is tough if you're eating from a standard western diet... but, as with smaller portions, it gets easier, and is absolutely intrinsic in getting the weight to shift. Carbohydrates are not the friend of PCOS sufferers. They exacerbate the insulin resistance underlying most cases of PCOS.

* Understand that this is a lifetime investment in your own health; you will need to watch what you eat for the rest of your life. The pay off is that you will hopefully regain fertility, vitality and control of your own body. I'd do this trade a million times over. There are better things in this world than carbohydrates. I've been carb free for around 5-6 years. I have occasional indulgences, but these are not daily, and these are appreciated due to their rarity!

Good luck - it's tough, but it's DEFINITELY possible, and (at least in my case) the most positive and life affirming decision I ever made...

Meloonie

Thanks for posting this topic. I have PCOS and although I have already lost 80lbs I have just switched to a Low Gi diet and have been struggling with the lack of carbs so hearing of other peoples success is really inspiring to keep it up so thanks scatterbraine.

Joannie30

Are even "good" carbs a no-no?

npetercmway

I am on my way and not a success story yet. I have had PCOS and a hypothryroid for years. I decided this year that I not longer wanted to feel the way that I was feeling. I have lost 18 lbs this year already and feel so much better. (I only started MFP in March) The big things for me this time is that in my mind it is a lifestyle change. I exercise more and eat better for the body type that I have. I love how MFP helps me to stay aware of where I am at calorie/carb wise and to stay on track. I can plan better when I am eating out. The biggest change for me I have to say is my attitude. It is so easy to get overwhelmed by how big my goal is but I am focusing on making the best choices that I can today and letting it go at that. If I have a bad day or a bad meal, I let it go and concentrate on making better choices the next time I am eating. Like another poster, I do have carbs occassionally and I enjoy them but unlike before it does not send me into a carb craving binge. Good luck! Stick with it and make the best choices for you!

amanda_lessofme

In addition to what these ladies have said in regards to food. I try to keep my blood sugar balanced by eating throughout the day. I make sure I snack between meals. Snacks are always nuts (walnuts, pecans, or almonds in my case--never peanuts), and sometimes I add a bit of fruit or cheese in with the nuts to mix things up and keep from getting bored.

Also, exercise is also key for helping reduce PCOS symptoms. Some studies show exercise to be just as effective as Metformin at controlling blood sugar in PCOS women. Cardio is good, but strength training is a must for PCOS women.

amanda_lessofme

Are even "good" carbs a no-no?

What do you mean by "good" carbs?

GeorgieT23

Good carbs meaning wholegrain stuff or brown bread brown rice etc?
After asking the same question on a thread i was advised to stick to one portion a day instead of completely cutting carbs.
But this is just a long term suggestion. And will depend on your situation.

scatterbrained

The other thing to mention is, you don't HAVE to do a plan like Atkins to see success with low carb eating (though I know plenty of people who have had success with Atkins for PCOS).

Personally, I'm a pescetarian (only started eating fish 2 years ago after going meatless since 5 years of age!) and I don't touch things like protein shakes or processed bars (again, a personal decision - I know people who swear by them). My levels of carbs are probably *slightly* higher than people sticking to a mainly meat-based diet as I eat a combination of vegetables, salads, fish, eggs and nuts.

With PCOS, I don't think there really are any 'good' carbs - there are carbs which cause less of an insulin/glucose spike than others (ie; wholegrains, rolled oats, lentils), but these are still carbs and an increase in their intake may slow your progress causing you further frustration. They may also be something you can increase to a moderate amount once you reach a healthy and maintainable weight.

As an aside, I don't think carbs are necessarily bad in and of themselves; they just don't agree with us ladies with PCOS. There are plenty of other tasty, beneficial things your body will enjoy in lieu.

Lozze

Are even "good" carbs a no-no?

Yes, you need carbs to live.

I eat between 50-60% carbs per day. It has not affected my weight loss. I eat the low GI ones but I still have potatos, pasta and so on.

The big difference for me has been the Metformin. I've found with PCOS it's not hard to lose weight, I just need to be discplined. So if I stray I tend to not lose. So the past couple of weeks where I've had little 'naughty' snacks sneaking in and my weight loss has slowed.And that's still at my calorie level.

Meloonie

You must have carbs, you need them for energy, just try and have the unprocessed, low gi carbs - wholegrains all the way, and proper porridge oats instead of instant porridge etc.

This is a great site that I got the link to on MFP http://www.glycemicindex.com/

mrspeters3806

I too have PCOS. I was diagnosed with it about 5-6 years ago. I was told it is going to be extremely hard to lose weight and honestly that just made trying to lose weight even harder. I watch what I eat and pay attention to carbs but honestly I live my life like PCOS was never mentioned to me. I cannot take metformin because it makes me horribly sick. I got married in October so I am not trying to get pregnant yet. The only constant reminder of PCOS is the pain I suffer from with the cysts.

All in all I say just live your life like you are "normal". Diet and exercise. I have lost 37 pounds since January 28th, 2012. You can do it but you have to stop listening to people say "it's harder for you" or "it's next to impossible"

You cannot get results by doing nothing. Keep your chin and believe in yourself.