PCOS and weight loss success

PCOS is so difficult - the battle of losing weight, the changes your body goes through from the hormone inbalance and dealing with the possibility of infertility. I found that following the glycemic index guide helped with weight loss along with exercise. Focus on eating foods that have a glycemic number at 55 or lower. You can google glycemic index and get websites that calculate the number for all foods. Breads and other carbs usually get dropped out the door first. There also books on PCOS that can be purchased on line which suggest foods to eat to manage weight. Hope this helps hun God bless!

Hi, I have PCOS and I'm just reaching the 50lbs loss now, currently around 46lbs.

No PCOS, but I do have a tendency towards Insulin Resistance ( which tends to go hand in hand with PCOS).

What worked for me was cutting my carbs down to about 50% of the *normal* daily amount. For me that means ~100g net per day (total carbs minus fiber) and making sure I exercise 3-4x per week.

Before I cut carbs I had to exercise 90 minutes 3-4x a week to lose 7lbs in 3 months. I cut carbs, cut my exercise down to 60 minutes 3-4x a week and I have lost 19-20lbs in 14 weeks.

PCOS can be tough, but please let me offer you some encouragement! I recently had my first baby after battling PCOS most of my life. Throughout my pregnancy, I lost weight and am healthier now than I was when I got pregnant.

PCOS causes insulin resistance, which means that your body doesn't use insulin efficiently, hence the weight issues. As hard as it can be, the most effective way for me to shed lbs was to shed carbs. Not all carbs, but the bad ones. It's a tough journey, but keep at it. You can do this!

You can also talk to your doctor about taking metformin for PCOS. It really helped me, but it can make some people sick to their stomach. Always worth the question...

I have PCOS, add me!


+ bump for later.

I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 19. I was overweight from 19-25 (I did take fertility drugs during that time and I PACKED weight on fast!) I had my kids during that time. I always assumed I could blame PCOS for being overweight but when I was 26, I got sick of it and right after I had my daughter I lost it all, went from a size 18 down to a 4. I did gain a little bit back over the next 5 years (was an 8/10 last year but was also hitting happy hour a little too much) but lost that again and am now back in 4/6. So it's stayed mostly off for the last 6 years (I am 32 now.) You can definitely do it and another thing I notice is I have no PCOS symptoms if I stay under a specific weight. I don't eat meat or dairy (I did when I was overweight though) so I still eat a lot of "carbs" from fruits, veggies, quinoa, etc (but I do no sugar, no white flour, etc.) Alcohol makes me pack it on crazy fast. If I have a drink or two, the next day the scale will be up 1-2 pounds even if I am within my calories and then I have to bust my butt all week to get it back down to what it was. I think that is because alcohol is basically sugar. When I was I TTC, my cycles were crazy, MAYBE 4 a year. With my weight down, I am 29-30 days like "normal" people. I bet if I tried to get pregnant now, it would be a LOT easier (took years and multiple m/c to get my 2 kids) but NO THANK YOU, we are done! Hahaha! My husband has a vasectomy so I don't have to take anything hormonal. I am not messing with that again.

I guys. I have PCOS! I have heard that it makes weight loss much harder. As of yet, I have not had any trouble but we'll see as the process goes along! Good luck to you all in your healthy lives!

Suspected PCOS sufferer here... still considering getting a second opinion.

I started taking Metformin about 12 months ago, but I stopped taking it after about 4 months.

I'm successfully down 14kg (31 pounds), the goal is 40kg (88 pounds). I try to limit my carbs, but I love them too much! It can be done, we just have to work harder for it. I think it means we appreciate it more when we get there!

Feel free to FR me if you'd like. I'm on here every day.

Hi all,

There is a great supportive group on here called, P.C.O.SIS. I have been a member of the the PCOS sisterhood for around a decade and boy, I know it is darn tough on us! I also have endometriosis.

I too have always been 'extra cuddly' and struggled with losing weight... I went through a year of TTC with my ex-SO but to no avail... I see it as a god send because we are no longer together. I moved to a country away from my home country to concentrate on myself for a while (which has almost been five years, whoops!, hahaha). I've yo-yo'ed heaps but now I am concentrating on a better lifestyle as opposed to just losing weight.

I met with my gyno for a general check up this week and she said some pretty positive general things I thought I would share: losing weight is hard and having pcos sucks but continue on your journey to a healthier you because what would suck even more is getting something like diabetes before your 40 (I'm almost 32), your on the right track! More than half the woman in this city have PCOS so don't think your alone, and they have babies. Even woman without PCOS need assistance sometimes to fall pregnant. Continue on this right track and your cycles should definitely become more regular.

*hugs* to all our PCOS Sisters!! :flowerforyou:

I have had PCOS for, probably my whole life, but with symptoms for more than 25 years. I take metformin and although it does not help me lose weight, it does keep me regular if I eat right and exercise. I have lost about 30 pounds and am 20 lbs from my goal weight (in the middle of normal weight) for my height. Anyways, I have hit a plateau for the past 3 weeks. I exercise 2-3 hrs, 5 times a week. I run 4 miles and lift weights one day and then swim 2 miles and bike 1-2hrs the next day. This alternates during the work week every day. On the weekend I try to bike 30-40 miles on Sunday. I never go over my calorie goal and most days don't come near it because its too much for me too eat. I am eating healthfully, with very little sugar. Am I just gaining muscle as I lose fat? I feel like my body is slimmer, but the scale doesn't say the same. Am I busting my butt for nothing? Or will this pass? I am trying to use the free time I have over the summer to get close to my goal weight. Have you experienced this while exercising AND not cheating at all with your diet? Is this normal for PCOS? I'd appreciate your help and I don't know where else to post this. Thanks.

*waves* 'ello!

PCOS - work of the hormonal devil. Hair loss, hair where it shouldn't be, big ol' belly...yeah. Delightful.

But all is not lost My ovaries are bloody addled with cysts, and yet I'm still over 80lb lighter than I was 18 months ago. Take THAT.

Posted on a similar thread earlier, but what has worked for me: shedloads of exercise (6 - 7 days a week), watching my processed carbs, and most sugar coming from fruit.

I'm no saint; I still succumb to the odd binge but largely my eating has levelled out.

Meds-wise, I'm on Dianette and Metformin (don't think they're of huge benefit, personally).

It CAN be done - make PCOS your b*tch, it's well satisfying!

xxx

Suspected PCOS sufferer here... still considering getting a second opinion.

I started taking Metformin about 12 months ago, but I stopped taking it after about 4 months.

I'm successfully down 14kg (31 pounds), the goal is 40kg (88 pounds). I try to limit my carbs, but I love them too much! It can be done, we just have to work harder for it. I think it means we appreciate it more when we get there!

Feel free to FR me if you'd like. I'm on here every day.

I too stopped all the medication, they had me on metformin, BCP and spiralactone, I was so sick of taking all these prescriptions I went off them all. Did Accupuncture instead, it totally helped me as well as switching to IF.

I was diagnosed with PCOS earlier on this year and I've lost 50lbs

I have PCOS along with other health issues. I have just about everything you can with the PCOS and have struggled all my life. I have lost 51 pounds in about 10 months on the South Beach Diet. I find the South Beach Diet works the best because you are getting rid of the bad carbs that you don't need because of the insulin resistance. Anyone that wants to add me are welcome, would love to be friends with other women with the same problems. Maybe we can help motivate each other.

I have PCOS and have lost a grand total of 90 pounds since the birth of my son late last year. You can do this! Don't ever give up.