Having PCO's and losing weight, am i alone?
Bubbaluh
Posts: 39 Member
Ive been dieting since i was about 9, so for the last 12 years, recently jumped on the "count your calories and exercise" wagon which is hard to except there is no miracle diet or pill to make everything better, Ive lost 12kgs (22lbs) this year and 30kgs (66lbs) in the last two years. Diet pills can claim about 20lbs of that. Obviously depression has won over every time and made me give up.
What i really wanted to talk about is calorie intake and weight loss, It seems if i consume 1500-2000 calories a day, i gain.
Just wondering if this is the same for anyone else? and if they can give an advice or just want to talk about it, Im losing weight buy burning 700cal on my bike and eating around 850cal a day, Of course im making sure i get alot of veggies and protein, take my vitamins and drink plenty of water daily. Ive been reading through forums on this site and cant seem to relate to other people's stories.
Anyone else out there having this problem? If so i just want some tips on how you manage/lose your weight, if youre obese or just over weight.
PS. Ive had PCO's for years but wrote the period once every two months as stress, was taking birth control for 19months which regulated it, after i stopped taking it i had an 8 month dry spell. Exercise is the thing that brings my period on regularly now im presuming. Ive also undertaken laser hair removal on my chin with dull results.
What i really wanted to talk about is calorie intake and weight loss, It seems if i consume 1500-2000 calories a day, i gain.
Just wondering if this is the same for anyone else? and if they can give an advice or just want to talk about it, Im losing weight buy burning 700cal on my bike and eating around 850cal a day, Of course im making sure i get alot of veggies and protein, take my vitamins and drink plenty of water daily. Ive been reading through forums on this site and cant seem to relate to other people's stories.
Anyone else out there having this problem? If so i just want some tips on how you manage/lose your weight, if youre obese or just over weight.
PS. Ive had PCO's for years but wrote the period once every two months as stress, was taking birth control for 19months which regulated it, after i stopped taking it i had an 8 month dry spell. Exercise is the thing that brings my period on regularly now im presuming. Ive also undertaken laser hair removal on my chin with dull results.
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If you are netting only 150 calories a day your matabolism as probably slown down alot and so when you eat wat you should be eating the 14-15 hundred calories your body is holding on to that. The nutrition coach at lifetime will never allow anyone to go below 1200 calories because of this.
Other factors could be if you are insulin resistant you could be eating to many carbs or processed carbs. You could not be eating enough fat in your diet as well.
I would suggest talking to your dr and a nutirtionist find out how many NET calories you should be netting a day and find out if you need a special diet.
Good luck0 -
I completely agree with wifeofpj!! Your metabolism has slowed down so much if you are only netting 150 calories...no wonder you don't like sticking to it - I would HATE it!! Although it def says something about your determination!!
You should def figure out if you are insulin resistant - I just recently figured out I am
but it is extremely common with people with PCOS...know that when you start to eat more calories - your body at first is going to hold on to every little calorie it can - it can be tough mentally - but it will even itself out - especially after you prove to your body that you are going to give it the fuel it needs...
Def go see a nutritionist to figure out how many calories you should be eating and about ways to speed up your metabolism...that way you can enjoy your food and still lose weight
good luck!!
Also - there is a group called EM2LW (eat more to lose weight) on this website - they can give ideas about your metabolism and stuff like that - its not as good as going and getting tested but it is something you can look into if you wanted...0 -
I agree with seeing a nutritionist. I wouldn't doubt that what your doing (the super restrictive diet, yo-yo-ing) has really messed with your metabolism and you probably need some professional advice to get it going again. What you're doing now is not healthy or sustainable over the long term.0
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No you are not alone.
I have PCOS and it's difficult, but not impossible. I recently stumbled on "The Smarter Science of Slim" and it is absolutely fantastic for our hormones. I posted about it yesterday, you can read it here... http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/939976-the-smarter-science-of-slim (on iPad, sorry you will have to copy and paste into URL).
I still record my calories and keep around 1500 a day, but with the QUALITY of food i am eating, that is heaps!
Give it a try for a month and see.
Best wishes.0 -
My endocrinologist told me years ago that PCOS and Insulin resistance go hand in hand and not sure which one caused the other.. It's all hormones. I have both, but I don't use it as an excuse. I control what I put in my mouth, and that it turn keeps the hormones under control.
It's not hopeless. Read the other post and become informed and you can change your life. for the better!! 0 -
I usually eat around 1500 calories a day (a little bit more on days I exercise heavily) and I've managed to lose a great deal of weight! I agree with the other posters that you should see a nutritionist to understand what you need to be eating. Just remember that it will take a little bit for your body to stop freaking out and realize that you aren't starving. Once that happens, the weight should start coming off!0
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First off, Thank you for all your kind replies, they are helpful to read about and well done for deciding for a healthy lifestyle too!
I didnt drop down to this amount dramatically, it went down from 1800 to 1500 to 1200 to 1000 now at 850, I just got no results at all with anything above 1000, I flatlined for a month, ive just fought through my plateau that went for a month (felt like a year) but recently broken through, i have a BMI of 40 so my doctor has told me 850-1000 calories a day is fine, but i never thought to ask about the exercise net calories! At consuming around 850 a day and exercising off 700 i lose 1-2kgs (3-5lbs) a week!
I should also mention i am HYPOGLYCEMIC, a genetic inheritance from my mother so my blood sugar levels never seem to get high enough from food, i eat alot of protein and complex carbs to manage it all, Meaning i cant be treated for PCOS with the usual treatment (my blood sugar would drop too low) I also take alot of vitamins and fish oils, drink PLENTY of water and consider my diet to still be quiet balanced in my eyes.. (oh and gallstones too from dramatic weight loss/stress/poor diet 2 years ago)
I haven't seen a nutritionalist and i'm quiet avoidant, i tend to get very defensive about my weight and get extremely emotional. It has been the main topic of my psychologist visits as of late, hes very intelligent and has a great idea, makes me watch healthy eating things with him that make alot of sense and trys to sway me from low calories, but i just cant, mentally!
All of this aside the thing im struggling with the most is the anxiety developing from having to eat, Its become quiet upsetting to go out for dinner for birthdays, having someone else cook something for me that i cant count properly causes alot and alot of anxiety for me and sometimes sends me into an anxiety attack. I dont want to stop exercising either, i started off at 20 minutes on my bike for a few weeks and have worked myself up to 60-75minutes, But i cant seem to bring myself to compensate for whats been burnt, Im stuck in a pickle of hormonal dieting emotional mess! >.<0 -
Thanks SkimFlatWhite for the link, reading right now!0
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No worries. With those issues, I'd be following the advice of your dr.
But personally, the SSoS is working for me.
Best wishes.0 -
No worries. With those issues, I'd be following the advice of your dr.
But personally, the SSoS is working for me.
Best wishes.
Im glad you've found something that works for you, its great to hear peoples personal success stories! Im still kinda new to MFP and finding my way around! Best wishes at reaching your goal weight!0 -
I wish you absolutely the best - I know just how frustrating it can be during this whole weight lose journey...I would get soooo sensitive and defensive to anyone (especially family) when they would try to talk about my weight...it would control me in every way...and then I actually jumped on the bandwagon and started looking into every little thing that I was eating and somehow the food started to even controll me more...I'm finally at a place with myself where the food doesn't control me or dictate who I am...we still fight - but I won't give it control
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Couple things...you should know that you are doing a fantastic job!!...you are doing great choosing a protein and complex carb for each meal!! And the "cleaner" it can be (meaning not processed or very few ingredients in it) the better it is for your body...it sounds like you are doing a great job drinking your water and taking your fish oils
Here are my thoughts when it comes to lowering calories...our bodies are intelligent - our bodies will go into survival mode and do everything in its power to not let us starve to death...it doesn't surprise me when people (including myself) have to lower calories to start to lose more weight again - meaning if you are eating 1800 and losing but then plateau so you have to drop down to 1500...our bodies got used to those 1800 calories and equaled itself out...the problem with this process is that at some point we will need to eat more calories than our body is going to need bc our body will have gotten programmed to equal itself out at 750 calories...the whole thing depressed me so much when I would think about it but it made sense to me...so I've been looking into speeding up my metabolism - how to reset it - and how to get it to burn more calories...now I am NOT a pro or expert at this!!! It is just where my though process took me when I have been at various stages of this weight lose journey...so I guess my advice is to google how to speed up your metabolism so that you can begin to eat more calories and still lose weight...
Also - I would look into changing up your workout bc our body gets used to what you are doing and expects it - so changing it up can show great results...one idea - try lifting weights - one great way to speed up your metabolism is to add more muscle to your body...and by lifting I do mean lifting heavy pushing yourself in the weight room either by yourself, with a friend, or possibly getting a trainer....also - some studies have shown that doing HIIT cardio can give you better results than a long steady cardio...example would be instead of being on the bike for 60 min pushing yourself at a steady state - try sprinting on the bike for 15-30 sec and then slowing down for 30-45 sec...keep repeating for 10-20 min....
I def still believe you should talk to your doctor about all of this - I personally am not hypoglycemic so I don't know much about it and what foods will work best for your body...but again - it sounds like you are doing a great job!! Really truly!! Be proud of yourself for how far you have come - and know that even if there is an off day - you are stronger now so one off day doesn't mean an off week!!!0 -
I wish you absolutely the best - I know just how frustrating it can be during this whole weight lose journey...I would get soooo sensitive and defensive to anyone (especially family) when they would try to talk about my weight...it would control me in every way...and then I actually jumped on the bandwagon and started looking into every little thing that I was eating and somehow the food started to even controll me more...I'm finally at a place with myself where the food doesn't control me or dictate who I am...we still fight - but I won't give it control...
Couple things...you should know that you are doing a fantastic job!!...you are doing great choosing a protein and complex carb for each meal!! And the "cleaner" it can be (meaning not processed or very few ingredients in it) the better it is for your body...it sounds like you are doing a great job drinking your water and taking your fish oils
Here are my thoughts when it comes to lowering calories...our bodies are intelligent - our bodies will go into survival mode and do everything in its power to not let us starve to death...it doesn't surprise me when people (including myself) have to lower calories to start to lose more weight again - meaning if you are eating 1800 and losing but then plateau so you have to drop down to 1500...our bodies got used to those 1800 calories and equaled itself out...the problem with this process is that at some point we will need to eat more calories than our body is going to need bc our body will have gotten programmed to equal itself out at 750 calories...the whole thing depressed me so much when I would think about it but it made sense to me...so I've been looking into speeding up my metabolism - how to reset it - and how to get it to burn more calories...now I am NOT a pro or expert at this!!! It is just where my though process took me when I have been at various stages of this weight lose journey...so I guess my advice is to google how to speed up your metabolism so that you can begin to eat more calories and still lose weight...
Also - I would look into changing up your workout bc our body gets used to what you are doing and expects it - so changing it up can show great results...one idea - try lifting weights - one great way to speed up your metabolism is to add more muscle to your body...and by lifting I do mean lifting heavy pushing yourself in the weight room either by yourself, with a friend, or possibly getting a trainer....also - some studies have shown that doing HIIT cardio can give you better results than a long steady cardio...example would be instead of being on the bike for 60 min pushing yourself at a steady state - try sprinting on the bike for 15-30 sec and then slowing down for 30-45 sec...keep repeating for 10-20 min....
I def still believe you should talk to your doctor about all of this - I personally am not hypoglycemic so I don't know much about it and what foods will work best for your body...but again - it sounds like you are doing a great job!! Really truly!! Be proud of yourself for how far you have come - and know that even if there is an off day - you are stronger now so one off day doesn't mean an off week!!!
You sound like youve been doing this for a while, i appriciate your kind words and encouragement, its just what i needed! Ive been scared to really do anything changing up my routine on my bike (i dont like change, who does?) But HIIT sounds like a great idea, theres settings on my bike for these things but never been game to try it out, always stuck on the flat line!
Youre right i definately have a slow metabolism even when im eating "normal" and not losing weight and it makes me slowly gain over months, I have the luck of inheriting bad genetics also, fathers side are all obese father included even though they have busy and psychical life styles, dont want to go down that road personally! Im glad to read that you had some control issues too, i guess its what its all about, i feel like ive bounced from one end of the scale to the other. Thank you alot!0 -
Just wanted to chime in that I am also hypgoglycemic but still take Metformin for insulin resistance. Even if your blood tests are normal, which mine were, we are usually still insulin resistant as a PCOS'er. I make sure to eat protien as my first meal of the day, as long as I do that, I do not have any attacks. I think the hypoglycemia is related to the PCOS, it's how your body processes sugar. Metformin alone with no change in diet and exercise, a year ago, made me lose 10 pounds right away. So even though my blood tests are fine, there is evidence I am insulin resistant. Plus I carry all my weight in my stomach, another sign of insulin resistance. Hope this helps!0
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Just wanted to chime in that I am also hypgoglycemic but still take Metformin for insulin resistance. Even if your blood tests are normal, which mine were, we are usually still insulin resistant as a PCOS'er. I make sure to eat protien as my first meal of the day, as long as I do that, I do not have any attacks. I think the hypoglycemia is related to the PCOS, it's how your body processes sugar. Metformin alone with no change in diet and exercise, a year ago, made me lose 10 pounds right away. So even though my blood tests are fine, there is evidence I am insulin resistant. Plus I carry all my weight in my stomach, another sign of insulin resistance. Hope this helps!
Thanks for this, i have a doctors appointment this friday so ill talk about it then, always good to know. :drinker:0
