PCOS success stories without Metformin? Need Motivation!

MoreOfJen

I need some motivation/encouragement! Someone I can take as an example: "If she can do it, then I can do it too!" Anyone with PCOS and has lost weight WITHOUT metformin? How does your average meals looks like? And what is your exercise plan? How do you stay motivated when you see the scale moving down sooo slowly??

I would appreciate it a lotttttt!!!

zdreamer

I can't post a success story just yet but I am GOING to do this w/o Metformin (which makes me feel absolutely awful). So, I will be watching this thread for big time successes!!

I am 14 pounds down so far...........no complaints. Just keeping carbs low and MOVING.

middyfire

I'm not a success yet as I have a loooong way to go. But I have lost over 40lbs since January.
This time I am simply sounding my callories and trying to meet my macros. I don't specifically avoid anything but do make sure it fits into my goals for the day. I did have success losing about 30lbs on a low carb (south beach) diet and metformin before, but I -felt- like I was on a diet and it wasn't sustainable for me.

This time I'm simply looking at this like a lifestyle change and I'm not feeling deprived.

Exercise wise I 've been doing circuit training 3x per week and I just recently started C25k.

Carnivor0us

I've had PCOS for almost a decade and am losing weight with a ketogenic diet and no medications.

BPayton27

I'm down 87 with PCOS, diabetes, and an underactive thyroid. You absolutely can do it without Metformin. I've found that lessening (not eliminating!) carbs has really helped.

zombiemomjo

I tried WeightWatchers, Atkins, grapefruit diet, etc. Metformin didn't do anything for me. After finally getting pregnant after years of trying, I figured out that low dose birth control pills really helped me out. On them for a month or two so I could stop focusing on getting pregnant, and BOOM, conceived the first month off of them. Any hoo, this isn't a trying to conceive story. When I got serious about losing the weight 18 months ago, I went back on the low dose BC and started exercising every day. I burned more than I took in every single day, and I lost 30 lbs in 10 months. Slow progress, but I did it!!! I gained some back after taking a break from the pill, celebrating the big 4-0 and the holidays, and I have been struggling to lose that, but once I got back into exercising every day, my body continues to change. No, I'm not dropping the weight, but I'm getting stronger and adding muscle. Even my 5 year old noticed my shoulders.

I do try to watch my carbs, but I will not cut them out completely. It's hard, and it's slow for us cysters, but it can be done! I'm no longer pre-diabetic!! It can be done!!!

mdj2011

I have pcos. Just starting my journey. I have 80+ lbs to loose. Feel free to add me. I think support from other people who understand the frustration will be key for success.

tooliebell

I have PCOS and I have lost 71 pounds since July 1, 2012, with no Metformin. I only took that stuff when I was trying to get pregnant and it made me feel awful!

Carbs are my worst enemy as I'm sure you can relate. I try to keep them at a minimum and find I do better when that happens. Exercise and eat right and it will happen.

MoreOfJen

Oh, I'm so glad to read that you CAN LOSE weight WITHOUT Metformin! Of course, everyone lose weight on a different way. But my doctor in the Netherlands wouldn't describe Metformin for me, as I thought that that must be the only way to lose weight with PCOS. He just simply told me: you gotta live with it... Anyhow, I started with walking these couple of weeks and found myself gaining weight instead of losing. Very discouraging! I read that most of you limited the usage of carbs. I grew up learning to eat bread in the morning, lunch and white rice in the evening. I guess I need to find an alternative! I also read somewhere that people with PCOS need to increase the amount of protein? What is your experience with protein and is taking protein shake the same? It makes me feel good that I'm not alone battling this! Good luck with your journey ladies and keep updating :happy:

Mmmmona

Ask if he will prescribe you Spironolactin. That drug basically cured me. I took it for a year and a half and my cysts disappeared. I have been off it for two years and still no cysts.

Init2winIt79

I am a work in progress and I too have PCOS, I'm glad you started this thread, it is easy to forget that we are not alone in our struggle : )
Anyone can add me, it is nice to have support and give support.

I have lost 20lbs total(from my highest weight of 170is, I'm 5'2), 14lbs lost since I joined MFP

I do not use metformin or birth control, when I was younger I was on BC but it never helped...and I gained 30 lbs...cysts continued

I was always athletic, I gained weight because I ate very unhealthy...fast food all the time.

I've beenup and down a lot, but I know it is because of what I eat, when I take weight loss and a healthy life style seriously, I lose! This time my goal is to lose weight, build muscle, and keep the weight off!
I'm doing this by:
Eating much cleaner(no fast food, only on my 'cheat' day)
I only drink water!( no soda or juices, barely drink alcohol(never liked it much to begin with), tea sometimes, or infused fruit water)
I try not to eat any white bread or white rice, if there's no option I'll have very little and put more veggies on my plate.
I started making 'Green' smoothies every morning(celery, asparagus, spinach, beets, carrots, cucumbers, & water..sometimes banana or blueberries added)...at first tatsed like crap, but now that I know how good I feel for the hwole day if I drink it..I actually look forward to it. It helps burn fat, fight cancer, keeps you full for longer, gives you energy, and supplies a lot of water! I drink this before my workouts;

I start by stretching then,
I run on elliptical,(or outside, or treadmill) at level 8 for 3-5 miles doing HIIT, fast as I can for 1 minute, then run at a good pace for 2, and back to sprinting!
After that I use a bike for 2 or 3 miles, I try to break a sweat and keep it going, even if it means doing Hills.
After warming up I stretch again, then I hit the weights for resistance training
chest press, flyes, curls, tricep dips
when I have time I add in lower body workouts such as squats, lunges
After every workout I sit in the gym's sauna for approx. 25 minutes, and do my ab workouts here, great way to wind down and sweat more!

I do this routine about 3x a week sometimes 4, I work nights so one of my biggest challenges is CONSISTANCY...finding the time and motivation can be hard sometimes, but when I slack at the gym it shows in my clothes and in the mirror almost immediately..so I am my own motivation, I like how I feel about myself and how I look when I exercise, when that doesn't work I look at success pictures and stories, that always works!

Good Luck on your journey! Just remember you can and will accomplish your goals.

kazzsjourney

I have PCOS and dont take metformin. I have lost 182 pounds with another 40 pounds to go...so yes it definitely can be done

livlovra

Paleo/Primal diet works for me.

And plenty of exercise. Definitely don't need drugs. I did a lot of research on this for a uni course I was doing and in Holland they had found diet and exercise are MORE effective than metformin. Good luck.

belindab10

I'm not a success yet as I have a loooong way to go. But I have lost over 40lbs since January.
This time I am simply sounding my callories and trying to meet my macros. I don't specifically avoid anything but do make sure it fits into my goals for the day. I did have success losing about 30lbs on a low carb (south beach) diet and metformin before, but I -felt- like I was on a diet and it wasn't sustainable for me.

This time I'm simply looking at this like a lifestyle change and I'm not feeling deprived.

Exercise wise I 've been doing circuit training 3x per week and I just recently started C25k.

I don't have PCOS but I saw the words metformin and just cringe when I think of that medication. I was diagnosed with diabetes couple years ago and was put on metformin...i hate that stuff! made me feel awful! I basically have been weaning myself off of it by watching what I eat which is watching my sugar intake, reading packages and aiming for products that have a higher fiber count and less sugar count, counting my calories by inputting them in MFP, drinking alot of water and exercise. I am down 40 lbs down.

I didn't even know that they gave metformin for PCOS so this is new to me but I feel better not taking it. What's funny is at my recent doctor checkup they were amazed at how much weight I had lost and how better my sugar count was....but you know what? He still wanted to keep me on the meds! I just nodded and said yeah but I'm still not taking it. Just gonna keep doing what I'm doing and I guarantee with what I'm doing and faith I know next time when I have my check up I'm going to be out of diabetic range .

mariahmilan

I've had PCOS since I was a teen - it's been HELL!

Honestly, the only way I was to EVER lose any weight with PCOS (I went down from 252 to 192 myself this way) is to keep an eye on hormonal elements.

PCOS is an edocrine disorder and we have way too much estrogen. And the bummer about it is that estrogen is everywhere! So we have to be really crazy about things that include more estrogen around us - these are things like laundry detergents and cleaners we use, plastic that we drink out of, skin care (skin is our biggest organ!), soybeans, gmo foods (these really disrupt our hormones!) and even scents. Did you know lavender has a lot of xeno-estrogens in it?

I have been very dilligent about learning all of these things since my 20's when I was ttc my first baby (in vitro) then the next two came on their own as my body got healthier.

While food is a portion of what triggers our PCOS (soy, gmo foods) a lot of it has to do with our environment as well.

Hope this is helpful to you. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions at all!

mrsowen2012

Hi

I too have had PCOS since I was a teenager. I was first diagnosed here in the UK by a horrible doctor at the age of 14 - who resulted me into tears after telling me that I would never be seen as sexy and that no man would ever love me - I do have to say that I later went on and worked for that hospital and found out that it wasn't just me that he would say horrible things to!

Anyway, I thought I would say that I am here for support - I am back on the weight loss wagon, but this time for forever - hence why I joined MFP.

I am currently on a birth control pill - Dianette - which is supposed to be perfect for us PCOS-ers. I love to swim and I have now joined a local pool. Unfortunately due to typical PCOS problems I can't always go and these last 2 weeks I haven't been able to go as I had a cyptoscopy and I've not been right since, but I am going to go back to aquafit tonight - which is a really great fun way to burn some calories!

Lots of people have told me that I could take Metformin, but I work with alot of patients that are on Metformin and I don't feel that I need to take it. If I can change my diet and lifestyle then I shouldn't need to pop another pill!

I have also started up a blog with food that we are eating together - my hubby (yes, Hubby - have that horrible Dr!) and I - we want to loose it together so when we have children in the future we can be good role models to them.

My blog is here: http://thelifeofmrso.blogspot.co.uk/

This week we are trying to slowly cut down on the carbs AND Jeremy has joined the gym!!

Feel free to add me on here as friend - we all need to stick together.

Good luck! x

lwoodroff

I am a PCOS girl but no cysts, just amennhorreic (sp? irregular periods basically) and high testosterone. Took metformin when ttc (and it worked!) but everything since then has been just me..

my understanding is that it is easy to put weight on and hard to get it off with PCOS. But that is the clue - 'hard' not 'impossible'.

Portion control, keeping an eye on your macros, and getting yourself moving will all help you beat this.
Oh, and I can't recommend lifting heavy things and putting them back down again enough, wish I'd discovered lifting years ago! I'm on 2000 cals/day as a result AND I have a waist for the first time ever!

some before/afters on my profile

cmalmasy

Thanks for posting this! I am in major need of motivation as well. I have PCOS and have been able to control my weight, but after I had twins last year I now have 30 pounds to lose and the scale is NOT budging! I truly think I may just throw my scale away because I am so discouraged by it. I'm watching my diet and working out like crazy. Just this week I started taking Metformin again, but now that I read all of these posts, I'm thinking maybe I don't have to. I've always been afraid of birth control pills because I feel like it will mess with my already screwed up hormones, but maybe that is an option. Thanks ladies- good thread!

susannamarie

I have had PCOS since my early teens, which is when I really started gaining weight.

For me, I credit two things:

1) I took birth control pills, starting about 8 years ago. I know they don't help some, but they helped me get on track.
2) I started regularly doing martial arts about 6 years ago. I love them, and since I have been doing martial arts I have even gone off the bc for over a year at a time and my blood sugars, cycles, etc. stayed regulated. I think (but cannot be sure) that the physical activity really helped stabilize me.

I lost 33 lbs last year. I put 15 back on while dissertating this spring, but THAT'S over, so I'm back on track and up to -22 from beginning. It's probably more since I haven't been able to weigh myself in the two weeks.

Jennisin1

Me... I did it without anything but diet and exercise.

joeylu

I lost 40 lbs before i had my son without Metformin. I hate metformin. I did the pcos diet of 40% 30% 30% and ate little to no sugar and I did it

Mrc1974

Paleo/Primal diet works for me.

And plenty of exercise. Definitely don't need drugs. I did a lot of research on this for a uni course I was doing and in Holland they had found diet and exercise are MORE effective than metformin. Good luck.

If the above is referring to Holland/Netherlands, in Europe, then here in the Holland/Netherlands they do not give out Metformin for PCOS, I am from the UK, living in the Netherlands and asked about Metformin, and I go a straight NO!

JLHNU212

I am not a success story...YET! I have just been watching the portion control and working out more. I have only lost 7 pounds in 2 months, but that is SEVEN pounds! I hated metformin... It made me feel so terrible! I am dreading the day I have to go back tot he doctor and she tells me she wants me back on it. I have 10 more pounds to lose first. I gained too much weight in the last year of TTC with different meds and procedures, so she said she wanted me to lose 15 before she could work with me again! So that is the goal!! Anyone can friend me if they need some support or motivation!!!!

MoreOfJen

I think my doctor in the Netherlands doesn't know much about PCOS... he hasn't even given me much information about PCOS. I read it all on the web. He only said: there is a lot of written about PCOS, don't believe everything. He further stated that it doesn't mean I can't have a baby. Basically, he said: you have PCOS. There is no cure, live with it. See you next time, bye! I'm not ready to have a child, in the future I would love to have one. But I think I have to work on myself first, before I can give my all to raise a child. My first goal is to achieve the "healthy weight" according to the BMI-standard, which is about 7 kg. I guess I have to be my own doctor.

crimsontech

I lost 50 pounds without Metformin using diet and exercise (and for some of it, I was on a doctor-supervised low-carb, very low calorie diet... 3 weeks and 20 pounds off). However, I have been plateaued for about a year now. I started taking Metformin about a month ago but it hasn't helped. It did seem to make my weight more "stable" and less prone to day-to-day fluctuations.

So long as I take Metformin with food, I don't have any side effects. If I forget to eat with it, I can usually find myself in the bathroom 2 hours later.

I am currently in the process of working with my new GYN to fully understand my individual condition and figuring out the best course of action for me. I am very intrigued at the whole concept of excessive estrogen in my system because I have a lot of things going on and I hate to think they are not all related somehow.

MoreOfJen

I just found out that the winner of the Biggest Loser USA season 11, Olivia Ward and runner up Hannah Curlee also have/had PCOS! I don't know if they used Metformin for losing those weight, but they are PCOS weight loss success stories. They have information about their new lifestyle on Youtube, called: MyFitspiration. Sharing some inspirations!

MoreOfJen

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chicanita91

I was diagnosed with PCOS about 5 years and didn't really focus on losing the weight until this year.. I was put on metformin right away but not to deal with weight issues but the ovulation issues. As I can't believe I'm losing weight it's the best feeling knowing that I'm doing this with no medications, just being conscious of carb intake the weight is just falling off, and i'm actually losing weight as fast as someone that doesn't have PCOS. I've been overweight my whole life so this is so exciting for me any body feel free to add me for support, losing weight with PCOS is possible and it feels great.

RunConquerCelebrate

I am curious to find out how all of you were diagnosed with PCOS?? I went to a new Dr he did blood work and told me that I had PCOS, he also said that I had hormonal imbalanced. he put me on hormone medication, metformin and thyroid medicine.

I hated the way I felt with the medication, I felt like I was retaining a lot more water and was gaining weight vs loosing. I went for a second opinion took the medication and my blood work and the Dr told me that I should be on any medication that according to the blood work all my levels were fine. I did not need hormone medication, thyroid medication or the metformin. He said that the test I had done was not even testing me for PCOS.

I know i can drop the weight without any medication

MoreOfJen

I am curious to find out how all of you were diagnosed with PCOS?? I went to a new Dr he did blood work and told me that I had PCOS, he also said that I had hormonal imbalanced. he put me on hormone medication, metformin and thyroid medicine.

I hated the way I felt with the medication, I felt like I was retaining a lot more water and was gaining weight vs loosing. I went for a second opinion took the medication and my blood work and the Dr told me that I should be on any medication that according to the blood work all my levels were fine. I did not need hormone medication, thyroid medication or the metformin. He said that the test I had done was not even testing me for PCOS.

I know i can drop the weight without any medication

I was diagnosed twice: one time in a foreign country and another time in my own country. Both were diagnosed through an ultrasound at the gyn based on that they saw a lot of Cysts. The first time I went to the hospital, was because I had a period of 6 weeks already. They told me it was PCOS, but I thought... maybe it is better to be diagnosed by my own doctor in the Netherlands. No bloodtest or whatsoever was taken.

I must say I had symptoms when I was a teenager, such as irregular period, weight gain, spots etc. My doctor at the time told me it was due to that I was stressed out about school and that some woman have a regular period not until they reach 35 years old...

kazzsjourney

I was diagnosed by blood tests and a internal ultrasound.