Recently diagnosed with PCOS

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I am 21 and recently been diagnosed with PCOS. I have been overweight since I was 10 but really became a problem around 16. I keep telling myself that I will lose weight but never follow through and find it very difficult to lose it. But I am determined this will be the time I take control. Any dieting advice specific to PCOS would be massively grateful as I find it so hard to lose. I'm not sure what to write but feel posting this will make some sort of commitment to myself as I am determined now. So, hi :smile:

Replies

  • missa3428
    missa3428 Posts: 114
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    I am 21 and recently been diagnosed with PCOS. I have been overweight since I was 10 but really became a problem around 16. I keep telling myself that I will lose weight but never follow through and find it very difficult to lose it. But I am determined this will be the time I take control. Any dieting advice specific to PCOS would be massively grateful as I find it so hard to lose. I'm not sure what to write but feel posting this will make some sort of commitment to myself as I am determined now. So, hi :smile:

    Hello, I am Melissa and I am 25(almost 26) and I found out I had PCOS when I was 21 as well. No one ever told me that losing weight would be so hard! I was doing low calories that didn’t work, I did weight watchers I lost like 10 pounds and that was it, and I stuck to my points. I then did some research and went to an ENDO who told me exactly what I needed to do to lose weight.

    I have been doing low carb, high protein, good fats, and no processed sugars. I make sure my carb intake is good carbs, from meats, veggies, and very small amount of fruit as that is high in sugar. My goal is to not go over 75 carbs per day, but if I do, I do not exceed more than 100 carbs per day. My sugar intake is always between 15-25 grams I try not to go any higher. Stay away from WHITES (potatoes, bread, and pasta) also stay away from corn. The best fruits that are low in sugar are blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, and strawberries. These are all something you want to eat in moderation. Eat as much Veggies as you want. Make sure to eat a protein with every meal as the higher your protein and the less amount of carbs you intake the more you will lose. This is what my doctor and my personal trainer told me. If you decide that you want to cheat and eat carbs, make sure it is earlier in the day, as carbs that sit in your stomach all night can cause you to gain weight.

    For exercise, try and do at least 2-5 days a week of something that gets you moving as you want to get your glucose moving and not sitting in your stomach.

    Feel free to add me as a friend if you want to look at my diaries, or need help with motivation! I will be happy to help you.
  • NaomiLyn15
    NaomiLyn15 Posts: 388 Member
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    Missa3428 has it covered. Its hard to lose with PCOS, but not impossible. I've lost somewhere around 65 lbs since I started. I am at my goal weight and just working on muscle now. It can be done. Don't get discouraged.
  • NBeehler
    NBeehler Posts: 24
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    I have been doing low carb, high protein, good fats, and no processed sugars. I make sure my carb intake is good carbs, from meats, veggies, and very small amount of fruit as that is high in sugar. My goal is to not go over 75 carbs per day, but if I do, I do not exceed more than 100 carbs per day. My sugar intake is always between 15-25 grams I try not to go any higher. Stay away from WHITES (potatoes, bread, and pasta) also stay away from corn. The best fruits that are low in sugar are blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, and strawberries. These are all something you want to eat in moderation. Eat as much Veggies as you want. Make sure to eat a protein with every meal as the higher your protein and the less amount of carbs you intake the more you will lose.

    For exercise, try and do at least 2-5 days a week of something that gets you moving as you want to get your glucose moving and not sitting in your stomach.

    Feel free to add me as a friend if you want to look at my diaries, or need help with motivation! I will be happy to help you.

    EXACTLY! I am doing the same thing and have been having great success for the first time in my life. Feel free to add me as well. My diary is open and I log everyday.
  • cjcmrn
    cjcmrn Posts: 134 Member
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    it's totally doable!
    Low carb is the key and lots of movement
    don't use your PCOS as an excuse, you can do this
    I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 20. I have always ate what I wanted, now I have taken control and lost 50 lbs.
  • steffi38
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    I also was found with PCOS when I was 27 or 28. Have had a hard time losing weight too but I'm hoping joining this site will help me change that.
  • heatherevans921
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    I was diagnosed when I was 14. It isnt easy to lose weight, but it is possible. I try to steer clear of simple carbs.
  • Emkens
    Emkens Posts: 2
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    Thank you all for the help and support. It feels really good to know it is possible and other people are in the same boat :)
  • bellaa_x0
    bellaa_x0 Posts: 1,062 Member
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    i am pretty sure i have PCOS as well.. i am in the process of making an appointment to see my GYN. were any of you prescribed medication once you were diagnosed? i have read that metformin is a common drug prescribed and it can really help with weight loss.
  • AbstractAsterism
    AbstractAsterism Posts: 153 Member
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    PCOSer here, too! I'm 32, got diagnosed about 5 years ago. It sucks, but it's not impossible! I lost 30 pounds before pregnancy almost 3 years ago, and am back on the bandwagon myself.

    When I was diagnosed I got referred to an endocrinologist, who prescribed me Metformin. It's a diabetic medication mostly, but works for PCOS too. Helpful warning, though... People will think you ARE diabetic when you list this. You have to keep telling them you're not. A nurse once changed my chart at the dentist office saying I was a type II diabetic. She and I had words after that!
  • himenaya
    himenaya Posts: 42 Member
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    I found out I had PCOS a year ago and I knew deep down it was coming because I recognized the symptoms and my mother has the same thing. It IS possible to lose the the weight! I started at 240lbs and I am currently at 205lbs. That's in the last 4 months of just watching calories and making good choices of what foods I eat and forcing myself to exercise whenever possible. The bulk of my exercise is walking and surprisingly it has worked out well for me. Once in a while I will do high active cardio, but most the time it's eat healthy and do my walking. :) So you can do it! You just gotta be motivated and dedicate yourself to it. Have some goals in line for you. For example, my dream goal is to see a size 8 pants slide onto me with ease. Right not I'm jumping from 14-16 at the moment. But be sure to have baby steps. For example I consider it a huge accomplishment for every 10lbs I lose and reward yourself. :) Ultimately my husband and I are trying to have a baby and the PCOS is causing difficulty in me getting pregnant, but as long as I keep working hard at my weight lose, eventually my body will become more regulated and I should be able to have a healthy pregnancy. It's all about goals and determination. You can do it!
  • Binkie1955
    Binkie1955 Posts: 329 Member
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    Thanks for bringing this issue up! my daughter recently got such a diagnosis and my wife and I are just starting to read books about the issue. I know nothing useful at this time but this is on my radar screen now. my wife has ordered a slew of books we are reading on it and I will post them here if they prove useful. thanks for raising awareness. given how common this is surprised I'd never heard of it before.
  • kenzietate
    kenzietate Posts: 399 Member
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    I was diagnosed 5.5 years ago. I was told for the first 5 years of that to count calories and exercise. Some PCOS women find success with that. I gained 60 lbs over that 5 years. I finally found out from a nurse practitioner who had PCOS as well that low carb helps lose weight and control symptoms. I started out with a low glycemic diet ( http://www.livestrong.com/article/226671-pcos-low-glycemic-diet/ ). I lost a bit of weight but overall I just felt so much better! My symptoms were reduced amazingly! After the first 10 lbs or so though it lost its effectiveness for me. I started to do more research and found out that a very low carb diet ( http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf ) might be what I needed. I have been on the keto diet for about 3 weeks now and I can tell you that I feel amazing compared to what I did before! The most important thing to remember is to find what works for you. If low GI works, stick with that. If you go for a keto diet check out http://www.reddit.com/r/keto and http://www.reddit.com/r/xxketo for more information and support!

    PCOS presents itself differently in every woman! This is partially why it is so frustrating. But the basic chemistry is the same for everyone. This post I found/made helps to explain more about how the system works: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1067728-pcos-vs-normal.
  • kenzietate
    kenzietate Posts: 399 Member
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    Thanks for bringing this issue up! my daughter recently got such a diagnosis and my wife and I are just starting to read books about the issue. I know nothing useful at this time but this is on my radar screen now. my wife has ordered a slew of books we are reading on it and I will post them here if they prove useful. thanks for raising awareness. given how common this is surprised I'd never heard of it before.

    I just wanted to say, listen to her doctor but if he/she just puts your daughter on birth control and metformin and doesn't mention anything else, please ask questions. I had doctors like that for years and I couldn't understand why I felt horrible all the time, why I was so tired all the time, why I couldn't lose weight even though everyone in my family is skinny. I finally found out I was insulin resistant and I had to watch my carb intake very strictly. Once I started doing that, I felt amazing. I finally had energy, I didn't feel sick after every meal and I actually wanted to do things again! I know my family's support was one of the main things that kept me going over the years!