Anyone have pcos and have lost a great amount of weight?

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Curious if anyone has pcos and have lost a great amount of weight? What form of exercise and diet did you go by? Did you go by the calories mfp calculates for you the whole time? If you have pictures please post!=)
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  • rachel4304
    rachel4304 Posts: 115 Member
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    Depends on how you quantify great. I have PCOS. 52# in the last year (40 since September).

    I try to keep my carbs around 100 and make up the rest in protein and fat. For cardio, i do the elliptical and I lift weights or do bodyweight exercises when I can't make it to the gym. I do not go every day.

    Medicine wise, i'm on birth control and Metformin XR.

    I originally went by MFP which gave me the standard 1200. In January I plateaued, I recalculated, ate at maintenance (1800-1900) and then lowered down to 1550 plus some exercise calories.

    It's working for me. Its a lot slower than 1200 was but I want sustainability and to keep what muscle I have.

    ETA a group link you might be interested in
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3070-p-c-o-sis
  • Snotori
    Snotori Posts: 156
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    I've lost 90 since March of last year. I haven't overly exercised and just eaten what I'm suppose to. I did this to figure out a way to eat normally and keep a pretty normal life wanting to work the food into my life not my life into my diet as it were. As for pictures they are on my profile. And for calories I go by what MFP tallies and although my weight loss is slow it's faster then what I did before when I lost nothing so I figure in the LONG run it's a win :)
  • KateBarnhart85
    KateBarnhart85 Posts: 125 Member
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    I was just diagnosed with pcos and prediabetic so also curious....
  • cubbies77
    cubbies77 Posts: 607 Member
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    Depends on how you quantify great. I have PCOS. 52# in the last year (40 since September).

    I try to keep my carbs around 100 and make up the rest in protein and fat. For cardio, i do the elliptical and I lift weights or do bodyweight exercises when I can't make it to the gym. I do not go every day.

    Medicine wise, i'm on birth control and Metformin XR.

    Same for me. I've lost 60 pounds since January 2012. I'm not on birth control, but I am on Metformin and progesterone. Have your doctor test your hormone levels and check for insulin resistance. My former doctor didn't do blood tests, put me on high-estrogen birth control pills (which makes insulin resistance worse), and, as a result, I gained 100 pounds in about one year. He told me to "stop eating". I was eating 2000 calories per day and came to him crying because I couldn't figure out why I was gaining. :-P

    Anyway, insulin resistance makes weight loss very slow and very frustrating. There are periods where I don't lose anything for two months, and then I'll lose three pounds per week for three weeks straight. You have to eat like a diabetic - carbs around 100 or fewer, as little sugar as possible, high-protein, and healthy fats. If you do eat carbs, try to eat them with protein. It's hard at first, but I've gotten used to it. I can't eat pasta without feeling bloated and sick, and I used to eat it 2-3 times per day.

    Even though it's slow... and frustrating... I'm not giving up. Even when I don't lose for several weeks, I still feel better, stronger, more flexible, and my clothes are starting to look good. I also feel much, much healthier now that I have the right balance of hormones. Having zero progesterone (seriously, it was 0.01) meant I was in a *constant* state of PMS, and the insulin resistance meant I was *constantly* hungry, even if I'd just eaten a huge meal. I was a prisoner to this crap for 17 years, thanks to that original doctor. :explode:
  • Snow__White
    Snow__White Posts: 1,650 Member
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    weightloss1.jpg

    yes its possible to lose alot weight with PCOS!
    Metformin helped me alot too!
  • LindaLou252
    LindaLou252 Posts: 106
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    I've lost 70lbs in the past year with PCOS... without medication! I've gone from a size 22/24 to a size 12/14. Starting at 252lbs and down to 182lbs. PCOS is NOT an excuse! I average around 1600 cals/day and exercise 2-3 times per week. My carbs are set at 40% on MFP... protein 30% and fat 30%. I'll be doing before and after pictures on my MFP blog for my 1 year MFP anniversary on May 1st! :)
  • angelsingin4jc
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    I lost 40 lbs from March to August of last year. Then I went through a bout of Depression and gained some back. I'm currently back at 26 lbs lost. I lost 16.5 lbs last month. I eat the calories MFP tells me to, but I use a Polar FT4F heart rate monitor to accurately calculate my calories burned. MFP usually over estimates calories burned significantly, so I highly suggest you look on Amazon and get a HRM. I paid around $65 for mine. (Make sure the one you get comes with a chest strap and isn't just a watch.) I took 50mg of met a day for three months, but all it did was make me sick. I don't have issues getting my period, I just have issues with it being irregular, so I don't feel like I NEED the met. I take a prenatal multi-vitamin each day, but that's it. As for working out, I do strength training/weight lifting, Just Dance 3 Sweat Mode on my Wii, and the elliptical. I also work in retail, so I'm on my feet for several hours a few days a week. Hope this helps! :-)
  • thoseblueeyes
    thoseblueeyes Posts: 812 Member
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    Hi Carrisa,

    I have lost 122 lbs I try to keep my carbs to 100 per day also but I really watch my carbs in the evening. Carbs are harder for me to
    process later in the day so after 4pm I make sure my dinner includes protein, lots of non starchy veggies. I don't eat processed foods and I make sure I eat 6 times a day. I work out 6 times a week . I run, bike, lift weights, kick boxing, zumba, pretty much anything for exercise. Just don't give up if I can do it you can. Good luck hon!
  • MrsWells1983
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    I have PCOS and have just started my journey (here on MFP, I've started numerous weight loss journeys in my time!). I'm pleased to see that losing weight with PCOS can be done! I'm not on any medication, just plain old diet and exercise. I'm determined that this time the weight is coming off and staying off!

    Thanks everyone for the inspiration! x
  • Grace4DebraAnn
    Grace4DebraAnn Posts: 124 Member
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    Yes, it is possible to lose weight if you have PCOS, I am also on Birth control. I started my journey on 09/13/12 and have lost 69.8 pounds as ot today and have a goal to have 100 lbs lost by 09/13/13. Portion control is a big part of it, commitment and it is not just a diet it is a lifestyle change. You also have to keep that body moving. Feel free to friend me if you'd like, I log on daily and am willing to support and encourage you along your journey. Have a blessed night. Pics on my profile :smile:
  • carrisaalejandre
    carrisaalejandre Posts: 63 Member
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    Yes, it is possible to lose weight if you have PCOS, I am also on Birth control. I started my journey on 09/13/12 and have lost 69.8 pounds as ot today and have a goal to have 100 lbs lost by 09/13/13. Portion control is a big part of it, commitment and it is not just a diet it is a lifestyle change. You also have to keep that body moving. Feel free to friend me if you'd like, I log on daily and am willing to support and encourage you along your journey. Have a blessed night. Pics on my profile :smile:




    I started My journey 2 days after you and struggling to get to my 40loss!=( it feels so frustrating that this is such a slow process! Congrats on your big loss!=)
  • kazzsjourney
    kazzsjourney Posts: 674 Member
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    Ive lost 188 pounds with PCOS.(started at 380 pounds) For most of my weight loss I ate 1800 calories and limited processed foods. I did exercise a lot (7-12 hours per week) this was mostly cardio but I generally did 1-2 resistance sessions per week.

    Now I am only 35 pounds from my goal, i still eat 1800 but I dont worry so much about whether the foods are processed or not (altho out of habit dont eat a lot processed) but focus on concentrating on hitting my macros (i aim for a minimum of 135 grams protein and 71 grams of fat) i do 1-2 cardio sessions a week (usually running for a hour or bootcamp style) with 2 weight sessions a week.

    Feel free to add me if you want to see my diary :)
  • cubbies77
    cubbies77 Posts: 607 Member
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    I've lost 70lbs in the past year with PCOS... without medication! I've gone from a size 22/24 to a size 12/14. Starting at 252lbs and down to 182lbs. PCOS is NOT an excuse! I average around 1600 cals/day and exercise 2-3 times per week. My carbs are set at 40% on MFP... protein 30% and fat 30%. I'll be doing before and after pictures on my MFP blog for my 1 year MFP anniversary on May 1st! :)

    Those of us on Metformin are taking it because we have to. Without it, we would gain more weight and very likely end up diabetic. "Without medication!" makes it sound like we're taking diet pills. Metformin is not a diet pill. It helps our bodies process insulin and glucose and is necessary even while eating low-carb/low-sugar foods. Even with the medication and diet, it is still very easy to gain weight or get stuck at a certain weight. That's why so many women with PCOS get frustrated.

    I recommend anyone with PCOS have their hormones and insulin checked. Saying, "PCOS is NOT an excuse!" can make women with PCOS feel like they should be losing as much as everyone else, when it's very likely they can't. With insulin resistance, it is not uncommon to lose very, very slowly, sometimes a half-pound per week, even if you are over 300 pounds. It's frustrating when other 300-pound women lose 2-3 pounds per week and you go several weeks without dropping a pound, even if you're on medication and doing everything "right".

    You may not have insulin resistance - not everyone with PCOS does - and I'm very happy you've lost so much. But please don't make other women with PCOS feel bad for having a very legitimate, very real "excuse" for not losing as quickly as others. If anything, they need more education about what PCOS is, what it does, and what they need to ask their doctors. As I stated above, some doctors treat PCOS as one issue (throw birth control pills at them) when it's actually comprised of many issues, and this can lead to years of misery. In my case, BCP made me gain even MORE weight, since it exacerbates the insulin resistance. Everyone with PCOS should demand bloodwork instead of just hearing, "Oh, you're heavy and have acne and miss your periods? Here are some birth control pills. Try to lose some weight. Bye!"
  • shvrngrl
    shvrngrl Posts: 205 Member
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    I was 260lbs, sz 26, lost 100lbs, sz 4, on the blood type diet. My PCOS went away. I've been pregnant 4 times since then. That was in 2006. I ran, hiked, and did LOTS of Vinyasa yoga. I stayed pretty active. I took metformin for only a month. Family life has me busy and I've gained about 40lbs back, but the PCOS has stayed away.
  • marysaqib
    marysaqib Posts: 4 Member
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    I hv diagnosed with PCOs almost one month.i had gained alot of weight from last one yr.drs hv said me to lose almost 17 kg.from last 14 days i m following MFP and doing cardio daily for 30 mins.and lost 3 kg in these 14 days.hoping for the best..i hv also heard that taking apple cider vinegar 3 times a day also help in reducing weight with PCOs
  • Jennisin1
    Jennisin1 Posts: 574 Member
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    Does 41lbs count? or should I go with my heighest weight before giving birth to my daughter in 2010 and say 100?
  • GRUNO
    GRUNO Posts: 98
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    I have lost almost 50 pounds. I take metformin and bcp. I follow a high protein--low carb diet. My carbs are mostly limited to brown rice, whole grains and fruit. I eat very little processed food. I do resistance training four days a week and cardio 6 days a week.

    It is possible to lose weight with PCOS but it can be a slow process and there will be times where you do everything right and the scale doesn't move. You just have to know that the changes you're making will benefit your health.

    I've gone from being insulin resistant--pre-diabetic to having fantastic labs this year.

    If you want more information, I found Jillian Michael's Master Your Metabolism book very informative. I do not follow her diet per se but that book really does a good job of identifying and explaining how chemicals commonly found in food affect our endocrine system.
  • shar140
    shar140 Posts: 1,158 Member
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    Those of us on Metformin are taking it because we have to.

    I stopped taking mine, I don't *have* to take it. Why treat the symptom, when I can treat the source - what I eat. Sure, I lost 45lb the year I was on it, but I also attribute that to a more active lifestyle (working at Home Depot while unemployed, I'd easily hit 17k steps in a day, 5 days a week). I also don't think it was coincidence that my liver enzymes kept climbing (same thing happened to my dad, now he's on insulin shots instead), despite that I am not a heavy or even regular drinker (maybe a few a couple times a month), yet my doctor kept telling me to stop drinking since she didn't believe me (there are other things that can cause it!).

    I've still managed to lose another 30lb on my own (I'm down a total of 96lb) - maybe slower, but I'd rather control it with my diet. I have to drop my carbs under 100g a day (depends on activity level) to lose, but it can be done. Changing my diet has also regulated my cycles so I don't need to be on the pill any longer.

    PS: yes I have (had?) PCOS. Pretty much most of my symptoms have cleared up.
  • GRUNO
    GRUNO Posts: 98
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    Say 100! So what if some of that was a baby! ;)
  • Greenlola
    Greenlola Posts: 30 Member
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    I was diagnosed with PCOS in 2005 right after gaining 60lbs in 6 months.
    I went on a crazy diet and lost that weight and was able to get pregnant in 2006, since having my daughter i have not been able to lose more than a few pounds.
    I will be seeing a new doctor next week and requesting a full workup to determine what my hormone levels are like and what impact that might be having on my struggle. I been stuck at between 225-230 for the past 2 months, diet and exercise has not really changed. I did lose almost 10lbs between christmas and January (probably water weight).
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