Trusting the calorie goal... (PCOS)

wowgirl30
wowgirl30 Posts: 40 Member
edited November 2023 in Getting Started
Hello - I'm new here and I am having some doubts about the calorie goal set for me. I am obese and set my weight loss for the 2 pound a week setting. I picked "lightly active" as I work at a salon and spa spending most of the work day on my feet. For exercise I swim laps (not very well, but I try) mixed with light water aerobics 3-4 times a week. It put my calorie goal at 1740. This seems very high because whenever I diet, it is usually 1200 calories (long history of yo-yo dieting that obviously hasn't worked out too well).

Personal info: I have PCOS and take metformin, bcp and spiro for meds. I find that I have to stick to whole foods in order to get any weight loss. I'm not sure if PCOS means that I have to eat less calories than someone without hormonal issues - I just know that from past experience at 1200 calories I usually lost an average of 1/2 a pound a week. I did join a PCOS group here, but I'm having trouble searching through all the topic threads to find a similar question/answer.

I guess what I am wanting to know - is there anyone here with similar circumstance here and did you go with what MFP sets or do you find that you have to eat less to lose weight? I am afraid of putting on even more weight and skeptical that I would lose any eating 1740. Thanks

Replies

  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    Start with that number and see how you react to it for 4-6 weeks. I have PCOS , 4'11" 119 pounds and my maintenance is 1800-2000 calories.

    Good luck
  • wowgirl30
    wowgirl30 Posts: 40 Member
    thanks very much for the advice. I guess patience will have to be another thing I work on :embarassed: (4-6 weeks for testing out calories! is that considered a normal amount of time to see if something is working or not?)
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    With pcos its not so much the calories that are different but rather the composition where its different than most people. Most women I know with pcos they have to limit carbs to 80 to 120g max, especially if they have insulin resistance. I would suggest looking into our pcos groups they can very beneficial.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Log accurately (use a digital scale when you can) and try to keep your carbs down. You do not have to go low carb, but keep them lowish.

    Your calories may have to be lower than 'average' but you should not have to go down to 1,200.
  • wowgirl30
    wowgirl30 Posts: 40 Member
    thanks everyone - yesterday was my first day and I found it really hard to eat whole foods and reach anywhere close to the calorie goal. I did get 1427 though so it was well above 1200. I crave sugar so much and getting carbs under control has always been my downfall..
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    I would suggest calorie dense food like nuts, full fat cheese or healthy oils to help get to your calorie goal. Don't worry, at first you learn what work and what does not.

    Good luck
  • wowgirl30
    wowgirl30 Posts: 40 Member
    I'm used to aiming low so I use fat free dairy and light cooking spray. Guess its time to go grocery shopping. I'm not new to diets just struggling with the concept of being told to eat that level of calories while trying to lose weight. Its a head trip for sure but I am willing to try as I am at my worst weight ever. Now to give it some time :smile:
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    Dietary fat is really good for you so dont do anything low fat. You can always eat peanut butter or add cheese. Also use high calorie meats if you need to. And dont be afraid to eat dirty a little to help get calories. There is nothing wrong with an 80/20 approach.
  • MuseofSong
    MuseofSong Posts: 322 Member
    OP - I'm Obese, have PCOS, lightly activity from my job as well, and I'm losing weight eating, on average, 1800-2k calories per day. I have my setting at 1 lb per week which is approximately my tdee -20% as well. You could be losing weight eating 2.2k calories per day, based on your current info.

    Don't be afraid of eating a proper amount of calories for your size and activity level. The one calorie number for everyone if you want to lose weight is total rubbish. And you don't have to be at the 2lbs per week setting to lose weight at a decent pace either. :)

    Edit: Also of note - I eat carbs! I eat the heck outta carbs! I :heart: me some carbs. Carb fear is dumb! The calorie deficit and weighing your food will lower the carbs FOR you, don't sweat the carbs - totally my opinion . . . you can hate carbs if you want to. I guess . . . :wink:
  • ranganayakee
    ranganayakee Posts: 67 Member
    I have PCOS, take metformin on and off and I struggle to lose weight.
    What I realize is low carbing with high protein works. I try to hit 100 G protein and about 110-120g carbs.
    I'd love to go lower in carbs unfortunately I like my food a lot and not willing to compromise on that.

    1200 or 1600 calories a day doesn't matter, so I stick to eating more!
  • missa3428
    missa3428 Posts: 114
    Hello, my name is Melissa. I have PCOS as well and I take Met 2000mlg a day!! I am doing high protein low carb my carbs I keep under 70 a day but for the most part I keep them below 50. I try and eat 100 grams of protein and no more than 30 grams of sugar each day. My calories are set to 1800. You can change your ratios for your carbs and protein and fat! I do high fat as well! Do your research on Google in regards to diets for PCOS. You can get the ratio that is best for you! I am down 28 pounds in 3 months. I also work out 2-4 days a week just walking helps PCOS as it gets your glucose moving in your lower stomach.

    I sent you a friend request if you want some help with losing weight and you can see what I eat through my diary.
  • bridgie101
    bridgie101 Posts: 817 Member
    thanks everyone - yesterday was my first day and I found it really hard to eat whole foods and reach anywhere close to the calorie goal. I did get 1427 though so it was well above 1200. I crave sugar so much and getting carbs under control has always been my downfall..

    Get a bag of dried fruit. Weigh it, record it, cut it into tiny bits and eat it when you feel like it. I like dried mango best. ;)

    My daughter has PCOS and her specialist has said nothing about restricting any particular food group. Her problem is not caused by a food group. Her problem is caused by being over a certain weight. Ie it's the fat on her body that is the problem so getting rid of it is paramount.

    The number you have been given sounds right depending on how large you are. A pound of fat takes something like 16 cals a day to maintain. If you have a spare 100lb of fat, that's an extra 1600 cals a day just to push blood round it on a daily basis. If my maintenance is 2020 a day, then yours is probably well up in the 3000's. go look on your goal page, it will tell you. :)

    Given that you've failed horribly at 1200 cals a day in the past I would absolutely avoid doing it again, why flog a dead horse? Do this diet, enjoy yourself, eat what you fancy unless you've gone and got yourself type 2 diabetes, and generally don't make it too hard for yourself.

    And get a good pair of scales for weighing small amounts of food. And don't forget to log everything.

    And if you do that you will lose weight.
  • bridgie101
    bridgie101 Posts: 817 Member
    Just saw your ticker. 147 spare pounds at 16 cals a pound equals 2352 cals a day just to maintain the fat, not any other part of your body. I'd say your maintenance level is definitely in the 3000's

    And you'll absolutely lose weight on 1700 cals a day, and I wouldn't go below it if I were you, until mfp tells you to. As you get thinner, your daily food allowance will shrink. :)

    I'm losing about 1.5kgs a week using MFP's calorie allocations. Just trust the system. :)
  • SkimFlatWhite68
    SkimFlatWhite68 Posts: 1,254 Member
    I have PCOS (also Insulin Resistance) and have lost 30kg in the last year. I have eaten at the recommended MFP calories BUT I keep my carbs to between 75-100g per day and these carbs mainly come from non-starchy vegetables and berries or citrus fruits. I found that reducing wheat and starches from my diet made a HUGE difference to my PCOS symptoms and fat loss.

    1200 hasn't worked for you and it didn't work for me either. It led to starve-binge cycles and yo-yo dieting. Start with the 1700 and watch your carbs and in a month, tweak it. Slow and steady wins the race!!
  • Robsieb
    Robsieb Posts: 1
    Hi, I also have PCOS. My dietician recommended Low GI eating. There are some great recipe books and recipes online for Low GI. You can still have carbs but you just choose the right ones. I found that for me 1500 calories was the right amount but as others have commented you need to test your calorie intake and see what works best for you.
  • mirrinias
    mirrinias Posts: 80 Member
    I have PCOS and have my calorie goal set to 1580. At 1200, it was like I was trying to think and move through molasses all the time, and I couldn't space my food out correctly and would get faint when my blood sugar dropped.

    1580 is working well for me, though I won't lie, many days it is more than that. I am still losing weight, although it is slooooow.

    I'm impressed by my body's ability to maintain, though; once I have lost a little weight, my body doesn't really go above that unless I ate a lot of sodium the day before. In fact, I had one week where I weighed exactly 219.2 lb. every single day. I even weighed myself in the morning and evening...the same.

    I seem to get the best results if I limit sodium and processed foods, and eat more protein, fruits, and veggies.

    I tried low-carb for a while, under 20 g, and got absolutely fantastic results but didn't find that way of eating to be sustainable for me in the long run. I'd rather be able to eat more carbs and lose weight more slowly.

    I've lost about 38 lbs since November 2012...but it's staying off. And that right there is the important part, even if the loss itself took me a long time.
  • wowgirl30
    wowgirl30 Posts: 40 Member
    Hello, my name is Melissa. I have PCOS as well and I take Met 2000mlg a day!! I am doing high protein low carb my carbs I keep under 70 a day but for the most part I keep them below 50. I try and eat 100 grams of protein and no more than 30 grams of sugar each day. My calories are set to 1800. You can change your ratios for your carbs and protein and fat! I do high fat as well! Do your research on Google in regards to diets for PCOS. You can get the ratio that is best for you! I am down 28 pounds in 3 months. I also work out 2-4 days a week just walking helps PCOS as it gets your glucose moving in your lower stomach.

    I sent you a friend request if you want some help with losing weight and you can see what I eat through my diary.

    Thank you Melissa for the friend request and thanks to everyone for the fantastic advice and support. Logging my calories today and I managed to get to 1690 with the help of full fat salad dressing (it was delicious) and an extra snack in the evening. My total carbs were 129 and I had 33 grams of fiber. That is a lot lower carbs than it had been and probably 4 times as much fiber. Day 3 without any sugar/candy/chips and I did have a headache. I am actually excited to swim laps tomorrow before work - might have something to do with the fact that I won't have a "food hangover" from the weekend. :embarassed:
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    I have PCOS as well but less severe than yours I guess, I am only on bcp.

    I have found MFP's calorie levels pretty reasonable for me for the most part. I would try it for a month at mfp's calorie level and see how it goes.

    Exercise really, really helped to stabilize me. For me, adding regular vigorous exercise did MORE than the bcp.
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