new to this group, wanted to ask how you all lose weight
jingermanko
Posts: 14
Hi, I am not so new to MFP, but decided to look into some groups, starting with PCOS. I found out I had PCOS about 4 1/2 years ago, but living with it much longer and not really knew what was happening to my body. I was constantly told I am having these issues because of stress. I use to be skinny, but always had irregular periods. I was able to concieve my first daughter with out any help, and after having her I did have some life stressors and gained a lot of weight, and have been struggling ever since. I took clomid and got pregnant with a second daughter and now we are getting ready to try for a third. However, I am still trying hard to lose some of this weight....and I have lost 7 pounds in the last 3 months. And that was a lot of work. I don't have problems with my insulin, it was always in normal limits. Even when I was on BCP I felt like I had difficulties losing weight. Is there some suggestion to help make it a little easier. I watch my calories, I eat about 1500 per day, I am not always perfect but have more good days than bad. I try to eat cleaner, but don't restrict what I eat, I just count everything, so if i want a cookie I eat it and add it to my diary. I am doing my best to go to the gym and do cardio 3 times a week for 30 minutes. I work night shift (which I know does not help at all) but hoping to switch back to days in the next month or so. I have clomid again so we are serious about having another and I know all this dieting is going to go out the window, but I plan on staying active more to get into the habit than for weight loss. Does anyone have any suggestions? I am 6.0, 240 pounds, 33 years old, MFP estimates my BMR at 1906. Please any thought will be greatly appreciated.!!!!
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Go by the paleo lifestyle0
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Hi,
I think everyone has to find their own way as far as what works for them. What works for me is avoiding grains, added sugars/sweeteners, processed foods, and watching my carbs. I have PCOS and am IR, but I've also got food sensitivities (gluten, dairy). I eat according to paleo/primal principles, but I am growing reluctant to say so, mostly due to the way fellow paleo/primal eaters behave on the internet. I'm not a freak about this way of eating, nor am I dismissive or critical of anyone else's food choices.
Apart from that, I don't do any steady state cardio (elliptical, treadmill, bike, etc.), but I do strength train (lift heavy as they say) with barbells and dumbbells. I also swing my kettlebell like crazy (this is cardio/strength training, but resembles circuit or interval training more closely than steady state cardio). I also make it a point to walk everywhere I can.
Working night shift is really hard on your body and your schedule, you're right.
Patience and tenacity is a must for anyone trying to lose a significant amount of weight, but even more so for those of us with PCOS or some other condition that affects our metabolism.
I've lost 55 lbs since July 2012, but have been holding steady for the last month-ish. It's hard to tell what's going on right now, with water fluctuations and going back to strength training after a long break, though. My scale is all over the place, so I try to stay off it and just do my thing.0 -
I was only diagnosed with PCOS 2 months ago, but I have lost weight in the past and gained it all back in the past I had found that eating low carb and watching my sugar intake worked the best for me. In the 2 months since being diagnosed I have lost 27 lbs eating very clean and watching my carbs and sugar. I have restricted my fruit intake a little trying hard to have 3-4 servings of vegetables to every 1 serving of fruit. I eat whole grains mostly and try to restrict all bread and pastas even whole wheat. I do have those once in awhile but they are not stables in my diet.0
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Hello I would say welcome first of all and join the journey. I have had PCOS for over ten years and wasn't dignosed till I had my daughter. I can't have BCP due to a blood clot that I had in my lung due to the BC I was on ... so the Dr's where stumped and had to get creative with treating my PCOS. I have been on metformine for years and mengace which stops my cylce all together. Had three transfusions due to my constent cycle, so .... I say all this to say, due what been working for you ..... tweek it here and there but you know your body. Consistent excersise, eating reasonable and water would be my two cents.0
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Hi! For my body particularly, I found that with PCOS, it wasn't as simple as cutting out junk food and eatting proper portions etc. I CANNOT lose weight unless I work out. It's been very difficult and it took me a long time to understand WHY I wasn't losing weight when I was being so good with my diet. So eventually I started hitting the tredmill and doing weights. In the past I was able to lose about 35lbs. After that I started a new school & work schedule and wasn't able to really go to the gym like I had before. I ended up gaining all the weight back even though I had been eating healthy. I just got a hand-me-down tredmill and have been walking on it, and this is how I've finally been able to shed some lbs. Hope this helps!0
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So far I've found that following the MFP settings has worked for me (except I changed my percentages to 45% carbs - 30% fats - 25% protein because I am exercising a lot and I found that 15% protein was way too low for me). I eat up to my allotted calories, and I exercise a lot, and eat back those calories. I am 14 lbs down. However, I have been told, and have read that it gets harder to lose the weight the more you lose, and the closer you get to goal. So I'm guessing that with PCOS, at some point I will have to start cutting out more and more carbs, and getting my sugar down (I'm usually over on sugar) in order to get to goal weight.
I'm not doing paleo or low carb or any of that, but as I said, I'm open to considering it if the weight loss stalls at any point. I am not current on any medication except BC, but I'm going to be coming off the BC very soon, so I'm considering either starting up on metformin or trying something natural such as chasteberry. I'm really hoping that coming off BC doesn't send my hormones all out of wack and ruin all the good work I've done over the past 2 months.
Good luck to you!0 -
I was diagnoised at 17 after not having had my period for 13 months. I'm 28 now and thats about how long it has taken me to figure out what works. I lowered my calorie intake from the MFP recomended 1600 to 1350 as this helped me watch my portion sizes. I have turned over to clean eating. I have also found that limiting dairy in my diet has helped. I find dairy, sugar and processed carbs like white bread or pasta are the worst for me. I can litterily see the scale go up almost a kilo in a day if I eat more then say 100gms of carbs in a day. I exercise a few times I week but I have the feeling I will need to increase or change the type of exercise I am doing.
I have currently reached a plateau, My doctor is starting me on meformin which I have resisted as the side effects concern me and I have a memory like a gold fish so I can gurantee I will forget to take them. but with PCOS it affect everyone in so may different ways it's never going to a "one size fits all" method I'm sorry to say. Good Luck I hope it goes well for you0 -
Thank you so much for all of your responses....seems like carbs are my enemy, well processed sugary carbs. I will definitely keep a closer eye on what I eat. I am going back and forth on getting pregnant right now...thinking I should try hard to lose some of this excess weight first. But I am still not sure if that is what I really want, I am kind of baby crazy right now...I work in the NICU, Plus my little one just turned two. So I need to figure that out first. I did take a week off, and I can say this...I feel like crap. I am starting at a different hospital on easter Sunday and switching to day shift, I think my body will like me more then. I went shopping and made healthy choices, no bread, no sugary sweets, and gonna try to get this going again. Well I will let you know how I did...thank you all so much again for your responses!!!0
