PCOS and eating back exercise cals?

Melroxsox

I understand that for normal bodies we should be eating back our exercise cals, but what about women with PCOS? I stick to a low glycemic index diet and pretty low carb and virtually no sugar, but I rarely eat back my exercise cals, I don't tend to be hungry enough, and im also afraid to eat them back because of my Pcos.....if anyone has any useful advice I would really appreciate it:)

susannamarie

I have PCOS.
I eat them back.
I'm losing so far. Slightly more slowly than I'd like, but I think given the PCOS that'd be happening anyway.

healthycurves2012

I have PCOS and I eat the majority of my exercise calories back, but I tend not to eat them all. I know my metabolism is slower than the average person, so I want to leave a little wiggle room.

godblessourhome

i have pcos and have not had success eating back my exercise calories. what works for me instead is to set my activity level higher and eat the same amount everyday, regardless of exercise.

Melroxsox

i have pcos and have not had success eating back my exercise calories. what works for me instead is to set my activity level higher and eat the same amount everyday, regardless of exercise.

this is basically what I've been doing. my weightloss is so slow though!

NaomiLyn15

I have PCOS. I eat back my exercise calories most days. But, stop when I am full. I don't force myself to eat them. I have lost 53 lbs so far, and am the thinnest I have been since high school. Its working for me.

ashalabrown

I've been eating about 1/2 of mine back and doing fine that way. With pcos our weightloss will be slower than others anyway.

polegirl23

I have PCOS and don't eat my exercise calories back. I know my metabolism is particularly slow and so I'm super careful about what I eat. I'm also a mini-person at under 5 ft tall and have a small frame so my intake seems low to a lot of people but my doc is happy with how I eat and what I eat and I seem to be pretty healthy!

tscott10

I have PCOS also...ugh! I have a terrible sweet tooth and I cut the carbs and sugar for awhile and then I cave in. I lost 30lbs and stopped MFP and running during the winter and gained 10lbs back. I am currently at 175lbs and I desire to be at 145lbs. I notice that if I eat back my workout calories I do not lose much or at all. It could be because of what I am eating... I have noticed if I am on high protein diet and cut the sugar I lose easily.

Anyone can add me as a friend.

Melroxsox

thanks for the replies ladies...damn pcos! it really complicates just about every aspect of my life lol....ugh.

Usbornegal

PCOS Granny here: I have some days when I exercise for a long period of time and burn almost as many calories as originally given for the day. I try to eat back part of the exercise calories aiming for the 1200. But am often left with just carbs that are not good for me and am just not hungry enough. But if I don't eat back some I tend not to lose.

susannamarie

Oh, I will add, that while I am not low-low carb I'm trying to keep them under 45% of my diet. Eventually I want to move to 40% but right now even 45% is a struggle. I'm aiming for at least 25% protein.

omma_to_3

I have PCOS.
I eat them back.
I'm losing so far. Slightly more slowly than I'd like, but I think given the PCOS that'd be happening anyway.

Exactly that.

Melroxsox

do you gals think it wiser to do lowlow carb or more whole grains?

alsw

bump

kecarlto

PCOS really bites. I've been dealing with it for about 7 years and found that if I follow the diabetic exchange guidelines it really speeds up weight loss. It takes some effort to relearn what a serving size is but it is well worth it. For example: on a jar of peanut butter it usually says that 2 Tbs = 1 serving but really 1 Tbs = 1 serving which counts as 1 fat and 1 protein; 1 slice of bread is a serving of carbs; 1/2 apple is a serving of fruit... So, anyway, since I do not actually have diabetes I do sometimes find myself drifting away from the guidelines but I can tell within a couple weeks that my progress has slowed, even if I keep my calorie intake in check. I do occasionally eat some cals (extra protein or milk servings) back if my exercise has been especially intense but not every time - it tends to slow my weight loss down. Even after all of that progress is still slower than someone without PCOS but much steadier than anything else I have tried.

After reading all the different responses it looks like everyone's a little different. Just keep tracking and find what works for you. Good luck!!

omma_to_3

I am not a fan of lower carbs. It's difficult for me and even when I did do it, I saw ZERO results from it. The thing that helps me most is exercise and my Metformin.

susannamarie

I am not a fan of lower carbs. It's difficult for me and even when I did do it, I saw ZERO results from it. The thing that helps me most is exercise and my Metformin.

Exercise has been absolutely superb for me. I'm not a firm believer in low-low carbs, but I have definitely been helped by reducing soda (I used to go through 10-12 cans a day easily) and making sure I include fat and preferably protein at every meal.

Melroxsox

I am not a fan of lower carbs. It's difficult for me and even when I did do it, I saw ZERO results from it. The thing that helps me most is exercise and my Metformin.

I hear ya on the exercise! I could diet all year long and not lose one pound...actually with my PCOS I would probably gain! But adding the exercise is the main key for me it seems...along with the Metformin, which I only take at night now, because it was giving me such awful side effects during the day if I took it with breakfast in the morn.

omma_to_3

I am not a fan of lower carbs. It's difficult for me and even when I did do it, I saw ZERO results from it. The thing that helps me most is exercise and my Metformin.

I hear ya on the exercise! I could diet all year long and not lose one pound...actually with my PCOS I would probably gain! But adding the exercise is the main key for me it seems...along with the Metformin, which I only take at night now, because it was giving me such awful side effects during the day if I took it with breakfast in the morn.

Are you taking it twice a day? you should be taking it either twice a day, or 3 times a day with meals, unless you're on the XR version (which didn't work at all for me)

Melroxsox

I am not a fan of lower carbs. It's difficult for me and even when I did do it, I saw ZERO results from it. The thing that helps me most is exercise and my Metformin.

I hear ya on the exercise! I could diet all year long and not lose one pound...actually with my PCOS I would probably gain! But adding the exercise is the main key for me it seems...along with the Metformin, which I only take at night now, because it was giving me such awful side effects during the day if I took it with breakfast in the morn.

Are you taking it twice a day? you should be taking it either twice a day, or 3 times a day with meals, unless you're on the XR version (which didn't work at all for me)

nope my dr. told me only once a day now that I've lost so much weight. hopefully I will be able to wean off of it completely by autumn. I used to take it twice a day 500 mg each.

sjp0278

Hello my name is Stacey and I am 37 years old and I have been on here for a while and I can't get the weight to come off I have high blood pressure that I take medicine for and I have been working out and I have also had my throid checked and there is not a problem there but the weight is not coming off and I have hair that does grow from my face that I must shave daily and I now that is a sign but my question is do you go to your regular doctor to be checked for pcos or a endo doctor?

anfmusicgrl

PCOS definitely presents a lot of obstacles in weight loss. However, eating back exercise calories tends to be a person to person thing, not really specific to pcos.

As far as the carbs go...I don't eat "low carb". I do watch my sugar somewhat (although I eat a LOT of fruit), and I stay away from artificial sweetners. I also always opt for whole wheat & complex carbs instead of the white breads, white rice, etc. etc. This works really well for me. My body uses carbs for energy. (granted, the metformin helps with this process)

I just listen to my body when it comes to exercise calories. If I'm hungry, I eat back some of them. If I'm not hungry at all, then I don't eat them back. Every once in a while, I eat them all back..but that's rare. Usually it's more like 35-75%.

Frannybobs

PCOS definitely presents a lot of obstacles in weight loss. However, eating back exercise calories tends to be a person to person thing, not really specific to pcos.

As far as the carbs go...I don't eat "low carb". I do watch my sugar somewhat (although I eat a LOT of fruit), and I stay away from artificial sweetners. I also always opt for whole wheat & complex carbs instead of the white breads, white rice, etc. etc. This works really well for me. My body uses carbs for energy. (granted, the metformin helps with this process)

I just listen to my body when it comes to exercise calories. If I'm hungry, I eat back some of them. If I'm not hungry at all, then I don't eat them back. Every once in a while, I eat them all back..but that's rare. Usually it's more like 35-75%.

Thanks for this, it was really helpful. I have lost weight and got to goal before doing WeightWatchers and I didn't have to modify my diet too much from their programme. I didn't do much exercise then, I do much more now. It's stalled a bit my weight loss and I wasn't sure if needed to take anything extra into account because of the PCOS, but I already have made the switches to wholegrain rice and wholewheat pasta and wholemeal bread. What I have done more recently is increase my fruit intake, and I'm wondering if it's the sugars in there, even though they are natural. I'm going to try reducing it to 2 pieces a day and replace with more vegs or nuts/seeds/oil etc.