Struggling! Pcos

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Telugammayi87
Telugammayi87 Posts: 170 Member
in Motivation and Support
I've been pretty sure for a while that I have PCOS, but was just "officially" diagnosed about 2 weeks ago. I have not been able to lose weight in a year through dieting and exercising. I've lost 90 pounds, but I hit a wall after the 90 pounds. I upped my exercise, decreased my calories,increased my calories blah blah blah. I cut carbs to under about 30 Net carbs/day and lost 9 pounds in 6 days (water weight mostly...) and then no more. But doing that I had literally NO energy to even perform my job even after a month of committing to it. I went back to "normal" person carb levels and my energy has returned... but I can't lose weight. I really can't seem to stick to it. I'm too addicted to food, I don't know. I feel like I have to eat. I know on work days ( Iiterally am running around and bending/pushing/pulling all day), supposedly I burn around 2600 calories/day. If I workout, I burn over 3000. So eating 2000 calories/day for me is okay, I don't gain any weight, but I'm not losing either! No matter what I do I can't lose weight. I'm really frustrated as I've been at this weight for a year.

I want to lose weight SO badly!!

I feel like I CAN'T overcome my addiction to carbs. I do well for 2 days then binge and feel bloated and retain water even if I drink a gallon to flush it out. Would Metformin help me? I'm going to a new doctor on August 15. Is PCOS keeping me addicted to carbs? Or is just my lack of will power? I'm just tired of beating myself up over it. EVERY SINGLE NIGHT... I'm like "okay... tomorrow I'm going to be 'good' " No bad carbs! .... then I blow it... and repeat.... I don't keep bad foods at home, but my parents house is full and there's tons of free sweets/snacks at work.

Just don't know what to do! And I don't want to "blame" my PCOS, but could it be hindering me? Any supplement or medication recommendations? Metformin?

ETA: I DO feel sluggish like I never have before. I had more energy when I weighed 290lbs than I do now. I could work 10 hours, workout, clean house blah blah blah. Now it's all I can do to make it through the day. My thyroid has been "checked" meaning my dr has checked the TSH levels only. I do get cold a LOT when 95% of people are comfortable or warm.
Thanks everyone

Replies

  • pammcw
    pammcw Posts: 14 Member
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    I understand your struggle! I have been falling off my plan more than not lately too! After reading your post, I reflected on what has helped me the most with this journey...I realize I need to re-read "a course in weight loss," by Marianne Williamson. I realize the if I take this one day at a time and take time each day to connect to my higher power along with being true to myself by logging into MFP it will bring me to sanity and healing above and beyond my fondest dreams ! When I was doing this I got to 3 lbs from my goal weight. I have gained back 7 lbs but rather than beating myself up, I think it's time to re-connect to Spirit and know that I will be healed! My best wishes to you for your healing and blessing.
  • erinxo13
    erinxo13 Posts: 892 Member
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    Curious to read what others say. I also have PCOS and I've been plateaued for almost seven months and it is a pain in the butt. My doc and I talked about low carb and how that isn't something I could commit too plus she said she doesn't believe in it lol. I'm only on the pill right now to regulate blah blah..... sorry I can't help you but I'd love to see what others say, I do believe my PCOS is affecting my weight loss.
  • Jhawkrn
    Jhawkrn Posts: 4 Member
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    Hey ladies!

    I'm in the same boat.. and yes our bodies crave carbs, sweets, sugars ect. It's because we have increased levels of insulin- making us insulin resistant... we crave those things because our bodies make more insulin than it's supposed to so we have higher swings of our blood sugar than the average person.

    I have been reading this phenomonal book called, "a patient's guide to PCOS. Understanding & reversing PCOS." it's by walter futterweit and it's made me realize that we need to eat less carbs in general- but what we do eat needs to be low glycemic carbs. They are also meant to be eaten with lean protein. This is because we are at such high risk for diabetes, stroke, heart disease and more. Our bodies hold on to the carbs we eat, produce more insulin and store the extra insulin and sugars made into fat in our cells. That is why we all probably have either high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol & high triglycerides.

    This has been a game changer. I was at a plateau after losing 75lbs. I have tried to be more conscious of the low glycemic foods I"ve eaten the last week...and WHAM- 5lbs off.

    Good luck and lets try to follow one another so we can relay what is working and what isn't with one another?

    Jamie
  • kazsjourney
    kazsjourney Posts: 263 Member
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    I have PCOS and I have lost 180 pounds. I keep my carbs moderate (about 110-140 grams). I try not to have carbs at dinner time most nights...that seems to work for me. Ive eaten 1800 calories for most of my journey...currently around 1500 cals. How have you determined you burn 2600? If its a device they are estimates and will most likely over estimate if you have PCOS. Feel free to add me :)
  • VeganGlasgow27
    VeganGlasgow27 Posts: 12 Member
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    I have PCOS and my food diary is open. I'm 27 now, and was diagnosed at 17 or 18 following a positive blood test.

    Although I've been a strict vegan for eight years, I put on around 30lb during two years on seroxat. I lost all of that weight by using MFP between last August and this May, by sticking to 1,200 calories most days. Now I'm maintaining I'm usually between 1,100 - 1,800 and it balances out.

    Sorry, I meant to say that I'm 5'5. I weighed 147lb last February and I'm around 117/119lb at present.

    Edit: I'm having a junk food day, but normally stick to a lot of fruit and veg, lean protein, 50/50 or wholemeal bread and diet soya milk. I don't really have a sweet tooth, so I don't have chocolate and so on. The odd time I have tea, I use artificial sweetener instead. Seriously, I ate loads of sugar while growing up, but once you phase it out, you'll stop craving it.
  • Hannah_Banana
    Hannah_Banana Posts: 1,242 Member
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    Fellow PCOS struggle here. Consider trying Intermittent Fasting. I basically allow myself a 4-6 hour window each day to eat. I find that by fasting, by the time I'm ready to eat, my body is craving the kind of food its supposed to have - meat and vegetables. I consume approximately 30 - 60 carbs per day, with most of it going towards a piece of fruit or nuts.

    This is something if you do try you defiantly ease into slowly, because you don't want to be ravenous all day. It normally takes me about 1-2 weeks to fully get into it where it just becomes totally normal and my body isn't even hungry until late afternoon.

    May not work for you, just a suggestion. :flowerforyou:
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
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    Have you been checked for insulin resistance? Not all women with PCOS have it, but a lot of us do. I am insulin resistant, and while it does make it quite a bit more difficult for me to lose weight than someone who has a healthy metabolism, I can still lose weight.

    I'm not on Metformin as I couldn't tolerate it. I'm not on any meds at all, so it's entirely up to me to turn things around.

    I control my blood sugar by eating a pretty low carb diet. I know that's not what you want to hear, but that's pretty much the only thing that's worked for me. As I've lost weight and continued to exercise, my insulin sensitivity has improved to where I can now have up to 100-150g carbs/day and be ok. That's pretty good considering I started at 50g or less per day last summer.

    I have to be sort of mindful of where I get those carbs--carbs from fruits and veggies are fine for me, but if I start eating 150g of carbs from candy or something, I'm gonna be out of luck as far as fat loss goes. That doesn't mean I never indulge. I do when it's a celebration of some sort, but I don't make it a regular thing.

    I lift weights that are heavy for me 4 times per week, walk everywhere, swing a kettlebell twice a week. I think I have to exercise a bit more than the average woman without PCOS, but that's fine by me so long as I'm doing exercise that I really enjoy doing.

    Your diet is really important--get your insulin checked if you're unsure about it, and perhaps try to lower your carbs a bit. Maybe instead of the 30g or less (that is really difficult and pretty extreme), try for 75-100g or something. That is much more do-able.

    I agree with what Kaz is saying about the calorie burn estimates being too high for women with PCOS.
  • jamielynnmobile
    jamielynnmobile Posts: 68 Member
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    Jhawkrn is right on.

    In addition to PCOS, I found out that I'm hypoglycemic (and not just crazy, like I thought I was all those years ;p). You really should do a fasting blood glucose and be checked for insulin resistance or reactive hypoglycemia, because you sound a lot like me: it feels like I have an absolute addiction to eating, esp. carbs. It's because your blood sugar dips low and you NEED those quick-processing simple sugars in your bloodstream. Try to eat low-carb, and complex carbs with fiber (like quinoa or steel cut oats), and get your protein at every meal/snack. It doesn't have to be complicated; I always carry string cheese with me :). Basically, treat your diet like you already have diabetes and try to keep your blood sugars stable.

    Also, avoid foods and supplements that can mess with hormone balance (like soy or dong quai). I take chastetree berry (aka vitex), evening primrose oil, and eat only organic diary and no red meat or poultry. Hope these suggestions give you some food for thought! And since doctors care little about your diet, I would recommend a nutritionist or a naturopath who will help you figure out what works best for your body specifically.
  • jbirkett7
    jbirkett7 Posts: 36 Member
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    It can be very hard to lose with PCOS. I would explore going on metformin. Some ladies have found it aids weight loss, but results very because it is not a weight loss drug. I've lost most of my weight without it, mostly trying to cut out the main carb of my late meal (ie no pasta, rice, or potato for dinner I replace it with a salad) and eating at a level that I don't feel like I'm starving myself (for me that's around 1750 a day). I went back on metformin again this week and already feel like it's helping that extra bit (which is nice since I was prepared for a longer wait for the last pounds since I'm so close to goal weight).

    Since March, I have really focused on a specific program of exercise. I started with C25k, then added the 30 day shred on 3 of the days I wasn't doing that. Now I've graduated to training for a 10k (well I did a 10 week beginner program and now have started the 10 week intermediate program for an August 26th race) which for me means a schedule of 4 days a week running, 1 day a week of bicycling, one complete rest day, and 3 days (on my lighter days) of a few circuits of No More Trouble Zones.

    Sounds like you naturally get a lot of calorie burning in, but it might be worth changing up your other exercise regimes. My RE said most of his PCOS patients find that exercise is essential to their weight loss journeys.

    It can be really frustrating, but it is doable. Best of luck to you feel free to add me if you need support.
  • bhsishtla
    bhsishtla Posts: 151 Member
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    Hi dear ,did you try Baba Ram Dev yoga for weight loss, and thyroid?...It works very well.One of my friends daughter got very good results with pranayama (breathing exercises).Just try .You have so many videos on You Tube.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2LEofcC6Bo
  • TiffanyMeairs
    TiffanyMeairs Posts: 24 Member
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    I also have pcos and want so so badly to lose weight. I we have been trying to have a baby for 2.5 years with no luck . This time I am more motivated than ever! I am hoping that weight loss will dramatically improve my odds of conceiving. Please by one feel free to add me as a friend, I need all the support I can get! It would also be nice to get tips and opinions about all things pcos related. Thanks guys and good luck to you all

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