PCOS and weight loss support needed - any tips?

paas85

Hi,

I'm fairly new to MFP and have PCOS. I got married last year and want to try and lose some weight before TTC.

Due to the PCOS the weight loss is slower, but at least I am now losing. I wondered if there were any PCOS success stories and if any ladies have any tips? I am trying to follow the low GI diet, but I've also heard that eating like a diabetic is very helpful.

Any support is much appreciated.

Thanks

ladyshands

I found the diabetes life website last year and sometimes make recipes from there... saw it on tv... check it out!

www.dlife.com

AmberleyAngel

Ask your doctor about Metformin. It is a diabetes medication which is often prescribed pre-diabetes and when PCOS is present. I was put on Metformin when I was wanting to get pregnant but needed to lose weight, and I have PCOS. It might not be suitable in your case, but it might be worth asking.

Best wishes.

lotusspark

I have it and have been succesful in losing 116#s with many more to go...you're welcome to friend me, I have an open food diary..it might be of help.:)

catalinabay

I have PCOS (diagnosed in 2005) and have been fighting my weight gain with it for longer than that. Only recently has it gotten out of control, so now I am doing something about it.

I have tried all kinds of diets and so far, and so far the only one that seems to work for me is drastic calorie cutting (at least compared to my normal eating habits).

I was also diagnosed as diabetic, and eating to keep my blood sugar in check also helps (eating something every 2-3 hours).

Katie

AmandaNoel91

I was just diagnosed with PCOS 3 months ago and am Trying to get back on the right track with losing weight. I was put on Metformin (500mg 3 times a day) but had to stop after a month and a half. I will be starting a similar medication to make me more sensitive to the insulin that I am producing. If anyone with PCOS wants to join me on this journey please add me. I'm 21, graduating from college in June and starting grad school right after. Being that I want to have kids in the near future and am tired of weighing 245ish pounds I'm going to give it my all.

PunkyRachel

I try to keep to a diabetic diet, even though I'm not diabetic. I take a multivitamin & Cinnamon pills (helps your body process sugar better). It has been slow but I'm now down 44 lbs and down from a 20 to a 12 current, in 14 months time. Keep active, it helps with your period. My period on average used to run 7-18 days and cramps were severe, but now my period only runs 4-11 days and my cramps are mild. Which is a huge improvement, I think.

P.S. I was diagnosed @ 20 and have been dealing with this for years now. I have always been chubby, I'm skinnier now than before I met my husband 10 years ago! You can do it too!

jhbralow

Hi, i just joined this site today. I have PCOS and diabetes. The only diet that ever worked for me was Atkins. To bad I didnt stick with it.
Good luck to you. Oh, umm I was able to have children after following atkins too.

RachelSRoach1

I have been diagnosed with PCOS about 8 years ago, and I have had tons of success losing weight.

The first time I lost weight I lost about 100 pounds thanks to lots of walking and Metformin erasing my appetite. Unfortunately I started getting lax with myself and gained it back over the course of the next few years.

The second time I lost weight was about two years ago, I lost 60 pounds simply by eating the right stuff, working out, and without any medicinal help.

This time I have lost about 25 pounds, I plan on actually sticking with it this time (don't we all) and I am set on not trying to follow some fancy diet plan or using any medication. What I'm doing is working...

If you would like to add me for some awesome motivation.. feel free!

also.. my diary is public if you would like to check it out

samanthachen

Hi! I am an acupuncturist, and I specialize in fertility and women's health. Without meeting you and diagnosing you in Chinese medicine with our special terms, the general advice I can give is avoiding "damp" producing foods. In acupuncture and Chinese medicine, PCOS is viewed as dampness (think of those fluid-filled cysts... it is like phlegm or dampness). You want to eat well-cooked foods, so your body doesn't have to work as hard breaking it down. Soups, cooked veggies, and warm foods. Avoiding the damp foods that we call the "ice cream" diet: raw foods, cold foods, dairy, and sugar. All those categories produce dampness/phlegm. Avoid caffeine as well; for some reason, it makes the cysts worse. By eating the warmer cooked foods, your body breaks down the food better, and you can see the pounds come off. When your body has to work harder to break it down, you might see things like (getting a little more personal here) looser stools, gas, poor appetite or sugar cravings, puffy ankles, and a bigger belly. When you eat those cooked, warm, warming, and easy-to-digest foods, you might notice a better appetite and metabolism, less water-retention, and even less menstrual cycle irregularity. Like I said before, without meeting you, these are just generalizations. I hope this helps!!!!!! Good luck!

samanthachen

I try to keep to a diabetic diet, even though I'm not diabetic. I take a multivitamin & Cinnamon pills (helps your body process sugar better). It has been slow but I'm now down 44 lbs and down from a 20 to a 12 current, in 14 months time. Keep active, it helps with your period. My period on average used to run 7-18 days and cramps were severe, but now my period only runs 4-11 days and my cramps are mild. Which is a huge improvement, I think.

P.S. I was diagnosed @ 20 and have been dealing with this for years now. I have always been chubby, I'm skinnier now than before I met my husband 10 years ago! You can do it too!

The cinnamon tip is great, too, in Chinese medicine. It helps circulate blood flow around the ovaries, keeping things healing and moving as well as regulates the blood sugar! Great advice!

PunkyRachel

I try to keep to a diabetic diet, even though I'm not diabetic. I take a multivitamin & Cinnamon pills (helps your body process sugar better). It has been slow but I'm now down 44 lbs and down from a 20 to a 12 current, in 14 months time. Keep active, it helps with your period. My period on average used to run 7-18 days and cramps were severe, but now my period only runs 4-11 days and my cramps are mild. Which is a huge improvement, I think.

P.S. I was diagnosed @ 20 and have been dealing with this for years now. I have always been chubby, I'm skinnier now than before I met my husband 10 years ago! You can do it too!

The cinnamon tip is great, too, in Chinese medicine. It helps circulate blood flow around the ovaries, keeping things healing and moving as well as regulates the blood sugar! Great advice!

your very welcome

PunkyRachel

Hi! I am an acupuncturist, and I specialize in fertility and women's health. Without meeting you and diagnosing you in Chinese medicine with our special terms, the general advice I can give is avoiding "damp" producing foods. In acupuncture and Chinese medicine, PCOS is viewed as dampness (think of those fluid-filled cysts... it is like phlegm or dampness). You want to eat well-cooked foods, so your body doesn't have to work as hard breaking it down. Soups, cooked veggies, and warm foods. Avoiding the damp foods that we call the "ice cream" diet: raw foods, cold foods, dairy, and sugar. All those categories produce dampness/phlegm. Avoid caffeine as well; for some reason, it makes the cysts worse. By eating the warmer cooked foods, your body breaks down the food better, and you can see the pounds come off. When your body has to work harder to break it down, you might see things like (getting a little more personal here) looser stools, gas, poor appetite or sugar cravings, puffy ankles, and a bigger belly. When you eat those cooked, warm, warming, and easy-to-digest foods, you might notice a better appetite and metabolism, less water-retention, and even less menstrual cycle irregularity. Like I said before, without meeting you, these are just generalizations. I hope this helps!!!!!! Good luck!

good info here, I didn't know about the caffeine thing? I have coffee or vanilla chai tea most mornings, so I will cut that out. Besides my husband says I am mean/b*tchy on caffeine, but I don't believe him lol
I take my vitamins everyday, multivitamin, cinnamon, krill oil, and a baby aspirin (heart problem run in my family, don't want to be next) along with diet and exercise.

AmandaNoel91

I try to keep to a diabetic diet, even though I'm not diabetic. I take a multivitamin & Cinnamon pills (helps your body process sugar better). It has been slow but I'm now down 44 lbs and down from a 20 to a 12 current, in 14 months time. Keep active, it helps with your period. My period on average used to run 7-18 days and cramps were severe, but now my period only runs 4-11 days and my cramps are mild. Which is a huge improvement, I think.

P.S. I was diagnosed @ 20 and have been dealing with this for years now. I have always been chubby, I'm skinnier now than before I met my husband 10 years ago! You can do it too!

The problem I have is that I don't have a period at all. I go 6 months or more without having one then having it last for a month. I take a multivitiman.

PunkyRachel

I try to keep to a diabetic diet, even though I'm not diabetic. I take a multivitamin & Cinnamon pills (helps your body process sugar better). It has been slow but I'm now down 44 lbs and down from a 20 to a 12 current, in 14 months time. Keep active, it helps with your period. My period on average used to run 7-18 days and cramps were severe, but now my period only runs 4-11 days and my cramps are mild. Which is a huge improvement, I think.

P.S. I was diagnosed @ 20 and have been dealing with this for years now. I have always been chubby, I'm skinnier now than before I met my husband 10 years ago! You can do it too!

The problem I have is that I don't have a period at all. I go 6 months or more without having one then having it last for a month. I take a multivitiman.

Yep, I have never since I got my very 1st period been regular. My mom would even let me stay home from school as a teen because my cramps were that bad. I still skip around, but when I have one its very mild and lighter. I love it! Also when I had my 1st miscarry I bled for a month straight, last month I had my 7th miscarry and I only bled for 5 days. I can't afford to see doctors (no health insurance) so my PCOS is self medicated, also why I haven't seeked help with pregnancy. I wish you the best of luck with your journey and just know your not alone.

samanthachen

Hi! I am an acupuncturist, and I specialize in fertility and women's health. Without meeting you and diagnosing you in Chinese medicine with our special terms, the general advice I can give is avoiding "damp" producing foods. In acupuncture and Chinese medicine, PCOS is viewed as dampness (think of those fluid-filled cysts... it is like phlegm or dampness). You want to eat well-cooked foods, so your body doesn't have to work as hard breaking it down. Soups, cooked veggies, and warm foods. Avoiding the damp foods that we call the "ice cream" diet: raw foods, cold foods, dairy, and sugar. All those categories produce dampness/phlegm. Avoid caffeine as well; for some reason, it makes the cysts worse. By eating the warmer cooked foods, your body breaks down the food better, and you can see the pounds come off. When your body has to work harder to break it down, you might see things like (getting a little more personal here) looser stools, gas, poor appetite or sugar cravings, puffy ankles, and a bigger belly. When you eat those cooked, warm, warming, and easy-to-digest foods, you might notice a better appetite and metabolism, less water-retention, and even less menstrual cycle irregularity. Like I said before, without meeting you, these are just generalizations. I hope this helps!!!!!! Good luck!

good info here, I didn't know about the caffeine thing? I have coffee or vanilla chai tea most mornings, so I will cut that out. Besides my husband says I am mean/b*tchy on caffeine, but I don't believe him lol
I take my vitamins everyday, multivitamin, cinnamon, krill oil, and a baby aspirin (heart problem run in my family, don't want to be next) along with diet and exercise.

HAHAH You are too cute! I am glad there was something in there that was new information. I have regular cysts (not PCOS) but the function of the caffeine is the same, and the lack of caffeine helps, but it is so hard to give up! I love the taste...

DebbieLyn63

I have had PCOS for over 30 years. Long before it even had an official name. Back then, they called it cystic ovaries, irregular periods, or just not ovulating normally. I had never heard until I came on here, that it was a reason to gain weight. I learned early on in my life that I could not eat as much as other people without gaining weight, so I simply watched what I ate, and when my weight creeped up over a year or two, then I would 'diet' for a few weeks to get the extra weight off, then go back to maintaining my weight.

I also learned thru experience, that I do better with a lower carb diet. It helps with weight loss, arthritis pain, overall body pain, moods, sleep, energy, etc. I cut out 99% of processed sugars, breads, pastas, grains, etc. I have found this way of eating helps many others with PCOS, as well as those that are diabetic, or have family histories or other risk factors for Diabetes.

It has always been more difficult for me to lose weight, especially the older I got. But it is not impossible. I find that I have to be near 100% compliant on my diet to have good, long term results. Some times it gets frustrating and I think it is unfair that I can't have cheat days, and just 'cut back a little' like many others can do and have great results, but life isn't always fair, and I finally just had to grow up and accept the realities of my life in many areas, not just diet.

With 100% compliance, I was able to lose 8 pounds a month for the first 3 months. Thanksgiving, I took a couple of days and ate foods, and more calories than normal, but stayed within maintenance, and I gained 2 pounds, It took me 2 weeks to get those pounds off and then managed to lose a couple of more pounds before Christmas hit and I did the same thing. It took almost a month to get those 2 lbs of Christmas weight off and start losing again. I am now 5 pounds less than I was the day before Christmas. Almost 2 months to lose 5 lbs. But I am back losing around a pound a week fairly steady now. For me, it doesn't take much to derail my body and shut it down for several days. Super Bowl sunday I ate a piece of cake and some nachos, and a couple of bites of a couple of other desserts, gained 2 pounds and it took 4 days to get them off.

My body is just that sensitive to carbs.

Most people do not understand that, unless they have the same experience.

But I have choices.

I can either say, forget it, I can't lose weight, diets don't work, I will always be fat.

I can keep myself 100% strict and never go off plan. Or

I can stay as strict as I can, but allow the occasional moments when I go off plan, but accept that it is going to derail my progress for a few days or weeks, and get back on track as quickly as possible.

I have managed to lose 35 lbs since the end of August. It hasn't always been easy, but I am determined to get back to a healthy weight again, and to dodge the Diabetes bullet that took my Mom last summer.

I feel so much better, am a lot thinner and more active than I have been in 12 yrs. Whenever I start to get frustrated or feel like it isn't worth so much work, I take a look back to last summer and remember how far I have come, and tell myself, YES, it is worth it.

I am worth the effort.

tiffanycsams

I also have PCOS. I am on medication for it. I am trying to have a baby but must lose weight first. Motivation I think is the key. I am surprised to see so many people going they the same thing as I am.

dgrosse2015

I have been diagnosed with PCOS for two years and have just recently found a way to lose weight and keep it off. I decided to juice detox for three days, partially for overall health, but also to lose some which could result in a regular cycle. In three days, I lost eight pounds, and I have kept it off for two weeks now (one of which was spent on a cruise where my eating habits were not so great). I really recommend Jason Vale's three day detox as it seems to be the only thing that has provided me with visible and lasting results. In my opinion, all natural fruit and vegetable juice is the best "healer" of all! I would like to add that whole PCOS does make it "more difficult" to lose weight, I have been told by multiple nutritionists and OBGYNs that it is only a harder by a very tiny percentage, and that the women just need a way that works for them. I cannot express to you how much I love the detox and how great I feel afterward. Good Luck and feel free to ask questions!!

Karinlin25

PCOS affects our ability to lose weight??? I've been trying for 18 months by using MFP to manage my calorie intake, eat cleaner and exercise more but I've GAINED weight. I eat crappy one day and gain 5lb over night. Then I feel gross and crave even more crappy food. How do you get past that wall?