PCOS ladies- it is possible. 106 lost in a year w/NO meds

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joyzy
joyzy Posts: 97 Member
in Success Stories
Last August I weighed 270lbs. Now I weigh 164. The short version: I stopped eating so much crap and started moving more.



I've posted here before to give people some inspiration since I used to love looking at these forums when I started what seemed to me to be an insurmountable goal. Seeing other people have success made me think that it was possible that one day I might be able to do it too. So that's why I'm posting again.

One thing I haven't mentioned before is that I have PCOS. (here's a description of PCOS. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001408/) The PCOS combined with unhealthy eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle lead me to gain roughly 10lbs a year throughout my twenties. It was a vicious cycle.

I married in 2002 at age 22, started trying for a baby in 2003 at age 23. We had trouble trying to conceive due to my PCOS and we went through fertility treatments to conceive our first two children. We have three kids and they were born in 2006, 2008, and 2010.

After our last baby was born in 2010, my concern for my PCOS kind of fell to the wayside since we aren't planning any more children. I sustained a debilitating spinal cord injury in 2011, I decided I needed to lead a healthier lifestyle, for the future of my family. I was left temporarily paralyzed from the waist down, and permanently paralyzed down part of my right leg and foot, and had to learn to walk again. I began counting calories with MFP, as well as cardio exercise every day for 45 minutes or more per day.

I know everyone is different, and there are varying degrees of PCOS. But my weight loss journey was possible without the use of any meds. (I had used metformin for a few months while TTC #2 in 2007 and it made me terribly sick). I did this entirely through changing my eating and exercise habits. I'm not saying this will be the case for everyone. Obviously, talk to your doctor to find out what's best for your personal goals.



So here's the basics of what worked for me:

Cutting down to eating 1500-1800 calories per day.
Cardio exercise daily: walking, jogging, running, elliptical, biking. 45-120 minutes of sweating per day.
And 7 months ago I added in strength training at the gym 2-3x/week.

I'm 5'8" tall and 32 years old.


Before (in the hospital with my spinal cord injury) and after (today!)
photo-94.jpgphoto-96.jpg

Before: size 24 - 270 lbs
photo-93.jpg

Size 10 dress - 164lbs
photo-92.jpg

Last week (164lbs)
20120827.jpg


If you have any questions, please ask.

Joy :-)
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Replies

  • akarney
    akarney Posts: 124 Member
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    Way to go! You look amazing and so healthy!
  • haley0h
    haley0h Posts: 19 Member
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    THAT IS AMAZING! Especially with PCOS, you are incredible! I have had cysts rupture before but no diagnosis of PCOS. And last year i had a miscarriage at the end of september (coming up on a year now) and i became very depressed and then had another miscarriage in January. But now i have decided to get my act together and eat healthy and stay active and i hope this helps my woman parts be healthier too! I would really love to have a healthy child some day.
  • norzip
    norzip Posts: 173 Member
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    You are amazing!
  • Cupcakehippiemommy
    Cupcakehippiemommy Posts: 457 Member
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    Ahm-mazing cupcake!!! Great way to inspire doll!
  • ChristyRunStarr
    ChristyRunStarr Posts: 1,600 Member
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    You look amazing Joy! Thank you so much for your inspirational posts :smile:
  • clumsygermangurl
    clumsygermangurl Posts: 164
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    You look so AMAZING, I hope you bought that dress it was soooo cute!
  • californiagirl2012
    californiagirl2012 Posts: 2,625 Member
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    yep, it is possible. I did it too. removing the word crap (even though I eat healthy) and replacing with "less"

    eat less, move more (to quote Brad Pilon)

    Yes, it is all that matters.

    blog bobbiesfitness.com

    AWESOME JOB! YOU LOOK FANTASTIC!!!!!!!
  • Steph38111
    Steph38111 Posts: 35
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    That is an amazing success story and a great inspiration so those of us with 100+ pounds to lose. Way to go!
  • melbot24
    melbot24 Posts: 347 Member
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    You are so incredible, congratulations on all of your amazing success.

    Thank you for the inspiration, I really needed this today.
  • eedossa
    eedossa Posts: 54 Member
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    Congrats! You look amazing! Thank you for sharing your story, it is truly inspiring!
  • OfficiallySexyVal
    OfficiallySexyVal Posts: 492 Member
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    Definitely an inspiration! Looks like I need to up my cardio to 1hr 30 minutes a day and increase days for weight training! I am in a bit of a rut and have 74lbs to lose!
  • cici1028
    cici1028 Posts: 799 Member
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    Way to go! You look incredible!!! And HEALTHY!
  • thisisiamj
    thisisiamj Posts: 145 Member
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    Was feeling super down and anxious yesterday. Thanks for your story. Truly inspiring :)
  • Booksandbeaches
    Booksandbeaches Posts: 1,791 Member
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    Wow! Amazing transformation....you look great!!
  • NWriceC
    NWriceC Posts: 28
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    WOW!
    Congratulations!

    Would love to be friends with you, if you don't mind.

    I'm going to try what you said: take in less calories and move more.

    AMAZING!!!

    Girl, you should be the poster child for MyFitnessPal, lol.

    Thanks for the inspiration!

    Nicole
  • melsmith612
    melsmith612 Posts: 727 Member
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    What an inspiration your photos are... you look amazing and so healthy! I was diagnosed with PCOS in 2002 (at age 20) and have been fighting to get (and keep) my weight down ever since, in hopes of improving my chances of having kids. I've lost nearly 60 lbs since February but need to up my exercise goals if I ever want to see the kind of success you've posted here. Congrats!!!
  • Narc_soda
    Narc_soda Posts: 181 Member
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    Bump!
  • Julie7741
    Julie7741 Posts: 93 Member
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    It is possible girls-

    I was on medication- Glucophage, spirolactone, birth control pills, and two medications for blood pressure.

    I have lost 52 lbs., and have been taken off of ALL of those meds. Now, I will say it has taken a while- I started in January. I also am still stuck with more belly fat, and a higher body fat percentage than I would like to have. I have about 10-15 lbs to get to my goal weight and a healthy BMI.

    I honestly was so sick that I did not think it was possible. I was literally knocking at the door of being a full blown diabetic. I have two girls, thanks to the miracle of modern medicine. We are done having children, and I thank my lucky stars for them every day. I decided that I was going to take control of my health for them. I worked so hard to get them, they deserve to have a healthy mom.

    I do lots of cardio, at least 45 minutes a day if not more- 6x per week. I am going to start backing off of the cardio a little and adding in some weight training soon. I really want to tone my belly and get my body fat down.

    We can do this. I do think it is possible to defeat this awful disease. Maybe not be cured, but we can win.
  • Bere4ever
    Bere4ever Posts: 188
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    congrats Joyzy!!! thanx fot your support:drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker:
  • mrstweedle1
    mrstweedle1 Posts: 43 Member
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    You look cute as a button in that dress! I hope you bought it :)

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