PCOS/Net Calores

begeerte
begeerte Posts: 9
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been using MFP for about a few weeks now. I started off eating my assigned calories of 1950 and then working out at least once a day between 30-60 minutes a day. I usually did the elliptical for that time and used the number of calories burned from the machine verses MFP just because MFP seemed high. I weigh myself once a week. My starting weight was 278 then 275 and today I went all the way up to 283.4! I know this week I worked out a lot...some times for 2-4 hours every day. I realize that the more you work out the more you can eat but I also don't want to over eat. I tried to eat in between work outs and stay hydrated. My work outs consisted of swimming, elliptical, and or cycling and then twice a week I do some weight lifting. I can do this because I am on vacation. Once I start back to work I will cut back. My biggest question is am I eating enough or too little? I try and net at least 1200 calories a day which seems like and to be honest... I feel better when I eat more but I'm not usually hungry. I do have PCOS so I' not sure if that factors in here at all but I thought I would through it out there. Any suggestions? Thanks for reading.

Replies

  • begeerte
    begeerte Posts: 9
    just read something about water weight gain (WWG) with exercise. So is it WWG or too little/too many net calories?
  • runningjen74
    runningjen74 Posts: 312 Member
    Hang on a second, deep breath, slow down a little. It sounds like you've jumped in to this and are expecting amazing results. Things just might need to take a bit longer. I'm afraid that you will burn out, only reason I'm saying slow down a bit. This will work out, you just may need to tweek things a bit.

    I was told I have / had PCOS. I also have border line hypothyroidism, following on from being hyper and was treated for it. Very very intermittent cycle, very other wise pretty much symptom free. I found that what I eat made, in my case, a huge difference. Weight loss does not always go fully to plan if the hormones are messed up - which is what PCOS is.

    I started to see a trainer. he told me to lift weights ~2 hours a week (2 long sessions, or 3-4 shorter ones), 1 hour of HIIT / intervals and anything else I wanted to add in. He told me to eat protein for breakfast, meat/fish being better than beans/lentils and not to eat processed foods. So that's what I did. Within 4 months headaches went - completely, and my cycle normalised, every 3 months to every 4 weeks. I have not looked back. Sure weight loss is part of the deal, but trust me, getting the hormone side of things sorted makes things far easier.

    There are also people that say folks with PCOS do better on a lower carb diet - I'm not for a moment suggesting the Atkins (though if that's what floats your boat...), just lower....I aim for about 100gm coming mainly from fruit and veg. I just feel so much better.

    A couple of books helped me understand some of the hormone stuff - Gillian michaels - Master your metabolism (I'm not saying to do all of it, but read it to understand some of it), Robb Wolf - Paleo Solution, again you don't need to buy in to everything, but try some of the things for a month and see if they help you. I don't think I need to eat like a caveman, but I do want to eat nutritionally dense food. My trainer at the start said we're going for the hormonal effect and I didn't really understand him. But I was paying him money, so did what he told me to, figuring if it didn't work that I could go back to how I was working. I love him now, he just got me to start looking at things differently - and for no other reason than I don't get headaches.

    I aim to eat about 1500 Kcal a day, don't get too stressed if I'm a bit under/over. But weight loss stalling recently even when tracking right, so I may need to re-visit this. I exercise about 4 days a week for 40-60 minutes. MFP is notorious for over estimating a calorie burn, so if eating back all of the calories this may be too much. People are also very good at under estimating what they actually eat, so it could be a bit of this too. But really when I'm eating real food - no processed anything, I find if far harder to over eat. NB: woman's weight can vary from one time of the month to the next. You will only get a feeling for your body over time.

    Please do feel to add me as a friend, or hell just look at my diary. It's far from perfect all the time, but essentially I aim to eat real food all the time, no diet/processed anything - except my 70%+ dark chocolate :)

    Note - I lost weight a few years ago, to about the same point that I'm at now. I did this by cutting my calories down and cardio. My headaches / menstrual cycle never improved. Which is why I'm now such an advocate about what you eat making such a difference.

    Best of luck, -Jen
  • Dianemarie65
    Dianemarie65 Posts: 20 Member
    Try to stay 500 calories daily below what your daily intake is. Your workouts look good with having such a variety. I would recommend to work out one hour daily. Have one rest day per week or you can just walk that day. On days I don't feel like doing intense cardio walking comes in handy. You would be surprised how many calories you burn daily just by walking. Increase your water intake. Keep track of your calorie burn versus your intake. Be patient with yourself. Our weight varies from day to day. I like to weigh myself once weekly. This keeps me on track. Keep moving forward and remember that each day is a fresh start!
  • begeerte
    begeerte Posts: 9
    Thanks for the info. Having PCOS sucks but it's always encouraging to hear from other that have it.
  • begeerte
    begeerte Posts: 9
    This is helpful. If I understand your suggestion (don't mean to be daft) If my caloric intake is 1950 at the end of the day after exercise I should net about 1400? sounds good to me. it's nice to be able to eat a bit more.
  • SharonNehring
    SharonNehring Posts: 535 Member
    I totally agree with Jen's advise. :smile: I've had PCOS for 25 yrs and it played a very big part in my initial weight gain years ago. Typical treatment for PCOS is to start taking Metformin to reduce the insulin resistance which goes along with it. My doctors never did that.

    Now I'm a type 2 diabetic and taking Metformin ironically. I've had the most success with weight loss in my life since I started taking it, which I'm sure is due to better insulin/sugar levels in my body. So my best suggestion is to eat a lower carb diet as well.

    Not Atkins, not a crazy low 20gm a day, but 100-150 gms spread out evenly throughout the day and made up mostly of good carbs, whole grains, fruits and veggies. Increase your protein levels to help you stay full longer too.

    Have you taken your measurements yet? Often times when the scale isn't moving you'll still be losing inches due to exercise. It really helps me to stay on track when the scale is stubborn.
  • lebbyloses
    lebbyloses Posts: 133 Member
    I just wanted to say that I have PCOS, and it doesn't have to stop you! You have less "wiggle room" than you might, but as the weight goes down it all gets better. Hang in there!
  • kamakazeekim
    kamakazeekim Posts: 1,183 Member
    PCOS is a weight loss killer! We have to work 10x harder than normal people. I've been working over a year and have lost about 10 pounds. Try to eat 5 or 6 100-200 calorie meals throughout the day and keep your carbs low.
  • begeerte
    begeerte Posts: 9
    for those suffering with PCOS... has anyone tried anything all natural? Is there anything other than metformin/BC to take? I don't tolerate either one so all i have at this point is diet and exercise.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    How accurately are you tracking your food? Do you weigh and use measuring cups?

    MFP and exercise machines both over predict calorie burns. Try eating back 50 to 75% of the calories they say you burned.
  • runningjen74
    runningjen74 Posts: 312 Member
    I've never taken any medication for PCOS - it wasn't put to me as an option. In fact I only really found out in passing that I had PCOS. I'd gone for tests to check if there was anything sinister and it was mentioned in passing a year or so later.
  • minipiggle
    minipiggle Posts: 4 Member
    I have PCOS and didn't lose any weight when I trialled metformin (although I did conceive on it). I haven't ever been tried on any other medication but I lose weight well on a low carb diet. I have to cut out bread completely and I stick to wholewheat pasta and brown rice. I also have to be doing an hours cardio workout at least 3 days a week as well as generally staying active and lots of walking. As long as I am consistent it does come off. I get very envious of friends who have it easier, but as long as the numbers are going down I'm happy.
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    for those suffering with PCOS... has anyone tried anything all natural? Is there anything other than metformin/BC to take? I don't tolerate either one so all i have at this point is diet and exercise.

    I may have to do this, because the met I was on recently tore up my tummy (I have an ulcer).

    -- Get your progesterone up (I take Prometrium, but my gyno says the dosed versions of OTC creams might work if strong enough).
    -- Get the testosterone down: spearmint tea, or Saw Palmetto
    -- Help insulin sensitivity: Cinnamon, prickly pear cactus, fenugreek, etc, are often used and there are legitimate studies on many of them, especially chromium and cinnamon. A good product that I know of is called Nature's Way 'Blood Sugar'.

    I also read a great study years ago done in China about cornus officianalis being as effective as metformin (I did a paper for school on it), but I haven't been able to find that study in ages. It's not cornus kousa, though, it's closely related to/sometimes the same as cornus mas, the Cornelian cherry. That's just a fruit to eat, and you can even get jam :)

    Or eat prickly pear syrup (or the pads cut up and used like green bell peppers)! Yum :) A lot of traditional societies have foods for diabetes control if it's a genetic issue in their population.

    Sorry for the hijack, y'all! I just know folks aren't all on metformin with PCOS, and supplementing can really help.
  • begeerte
    begeerte Posts: 9
    I do. I use cups, spoons, and a scale. I try the best I can to be as accurate as possible and when I'm in a position where I have to guess I usually go higher just to be on the safe side. I wasn't expecting a big loss this week but i just wasn't prepared to see the numbers on the scale go up even if some of it could have been water weight. Even with all the measuring I still get very stressed about my net caloric intake. I can only keep trying and educating my self. I think that's the important thing to remember...keep trying and don't give up. Thanks for the input.
  • jenifr818
    jenifr818 Posts: 805 Member
    Hang on a second, deep breath, slow down a little. It sounds like you've jumped in to this and are expecting amazing results. Things just might need to take a bit longer. I'm afraid that you will burn out, only reason I'm saying slow down a bit. This will work out, you just may need to tweek things a bit.

    I was told I have / had PCOS. I also have border line hypothyroidism, following on from being hyper and was treated for it. Very very intermittent cycle, very other wise pretty much symptom free. I found that what I eat made, in my case, a huge difference. Weight loss does not always go fully to plan if the hormones are messed up - which is what PCOS is.

    I started to see a trainer. he told me to lift weights ~2 hours a week (2 long sessions, or 3-4 shorter ones), 1 hour of HIIT / intervals and anything else I wanted to add in. He told me to eat protein for breakfast, meat/fish being better than beans/lentils and not to eat processed foods. So that's what I did. Within 4 months headaches went - completely, and my cycle normalised, every 3 months to every 4 weeks. I have not looked back. Sure weight loss is part of the deal, but trust me, getting the hormone side of things sorted makes things far easier.

    There are also people that say folks with PCOS do better on a lower carb diet - I'm not for a moment suggesting the Atkins (though if that's what floats your boat...), just lower....I aim for about 100gm coming mainly from fruit and veg. I just feel so much better.

    A couple of books helped me understand some of the hormone stuff - Gillian michaels - Master your metabolism (I'm not saying to do all of it, but read it to understand some of it), Robb Wolf - Paleo Solution, again you don't need to buy in to everything, but try some of the things for a month and see if they help you. I don't think I need to eat like a caveman, but I do want to eat nutritionally dense food. My trainer at the start said we're going for the hormonal effect and I didn't really understand him. But I was paying him money, so did what he told me to, figuring if it didn't work that I could go back to how I was working. I love him now, he just got me to start looking at things differently - and for no other reason than I don't get headaches.

    I aim to eat about 1500 Kcal a day, don't get too stressed if I'm a bit under/over. But weight loss stalling recently even when tracking right, so I may need to re-visit this. I exercise about 4 days a week for 40-60 minutes. MFP is notorious for over estimating a calorie burn, so if eating back all of the calories this may be too much. People are also very good at under estimating what they actually eat, so it could be a bit of this too. But really when I'm eating real food - no processed anything, I find if far harder to over eat. NB: woman's weight can vary from one time of the month to the next. You will only get a feeling for your body over time.

    Please do feel to add me as a friend, or hell just look at my diary. It's far from perfect all the time, but essentially I aim to eat real food all the time, no diet/processed anything - except my 70%+ dark chocolate :)

    Note - I lost weight a few years ago, to about the same point that I'm at now. I did this by cutting my calories down and cardio. My headaches / menstrual cycle never improved. Which is why I'm now such an advocate about what you eat making such a difference.

    Best of luck, -Jen

    This. 100% this. PCOS messes up your hormones in ways that are incomprehensible to the average person. Fix the hormones, and then tackle the weight loss. Sometimes they go hand in hand. I'm not the greatest at watching carbs or not eating processed (see today's diary for proof haha), but I can tell the difference.

    As far as this weigh-in, it could be water weight, your time of the month, or miscalculating calories in. Weigh again in two weeks and see what happens.
  • nicoleisback
    nicoleisback Posts: 184
    PCOS aside, even as a non sufferer I fgind if I exercise a lot in a week (unless I am netting below 800cal) I also gain. I figure it is just my muscles developing. Muscles take a lot of water to repair and grow, so if you have placed a lot of strain on them in a week, chances are you will retain more water.
  • dnamouse
    dnamouse Posts: 612 Member
    Just reiterating basically everything Jen said lol

    Slow down a bit and relax. It takes a while for things to settle and slow & steady really is the best way to go about it :smile:

    In my case (I have PCOS) all the cardio in the world wasn't helping, and I couldn't tell you the amount of times I jumped in head first and burnt out within a couple of weeks.

    This time around, I knew I needed to take it slow. It took me over 18 months of trying different things and fiddling with my diet and exercise to get to this point - I've lost the 10kg I needed to and have maintained fairly well for the last 4 months or so.

    >For me< I needed to lower my processed sugar & carb intake. I'm not low carb, I just worked out that too much processed stuff makes me feel like crap. I eat lots of veges and lots of protein with a good amount of fat and fibre.

    I also do strength training 3x week and add cardio that I enjoy if I have time (running & swimming mostly). I also try to get incidental exercise in - much easier now I'm fit! Running around with the kids, walking them to the park etc

    But when I first started, it was all about diet. Then I added just plain old walking and went from there.

    I used to get migraines frequently and my cycle was 90+ days long. I've now only had 2 small migraines in the last 12 months (small as in, they only lasted one day lol) and my cycle is a perfect 28-29 days.

    As the other's have said, this weigh-in may just be due to fluctuations, TOM or even the amount of exercise causing water retention. Give it a little time and see what the scales say then.
  • begeerte
    begeerte Posts: 9
    for those suffering with PCOS... has anyone tried anything all natural? Is there anything other than metformin/BC to take? I don't tolerate either one so all i have at this point is diet and exercise.

    I may have to do this, because the met I was on recently tore up my tummy (I have an ulcer).

    -- Get your progesterone up (I take Prometrium, but my gyno says the dosed versions of OTC creams might work if strong enough).
    -- Get the testosterone down: spearmint tea, or Saw Palmetto
    -- Help insulin sensitivity: Cinnamon, prickly pear cactus, fenugreek, etc, are often used and there are legitimate studies on many of them, especially chromium and cinnamon. A good product that I know of is called Nature's Way 'Blood Sugar'.

    I also read a great study years ago done in China about cornus officianalis being as effective as metformin (I did a paper for school on it), but I haven't been able to find that study in ages. It's not cornus kousa, though, it's closely related to/sometimes the same as cornus mas, the Cornelian cherry. That's just a fruit to eat, and you can even get jam :)

    Or eat prickly pear syrup (or the pads cut up and used like green bell peppers)! Yum :) A lot of traditional societies have foods for diabetes control if it's a genetic issue in their population.

    Sorry for the hijack, y'all! I just know folks aren't all on metformin with PCOS, and supplementing can really help.
  • begeerte
    begeerte Posts: 9
    I have heard of cinnamon and saw palmetto. I have also recently heard of N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC) and Inositole. I believe you can take them in place of Metformin but I am still researching. Have you heard of them?
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    I have heard of cinnamon and saw palmetto. I have also recently heard of N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC) and Inositole. I believe you can take them in place of Metformin but I am still researching. Have you heard of them?

    NAC is fabulous for loosening sticky mucous so you can drain or cough, lol. I do know that and swear by it for sinus infections and the like ;) I don't know about for PCOS (it is for Tylenol poisoning, too, so it has far-reaching uses!). I haven't read any research on inositol, but I know I've seen it discussed in relation to PCOS. I'll try to pubmed it soon and see if I can read any full texts.

    The spearmint thing sounds whacky, but that was from real research, btw. It was for hirsutism, but in PCOS that is caused by excess testosterone. That is also the cause of PCOS acne if anyone gets that.
  • catieblecktyler
    catieblecktyler Posts: 4 Member
    Cinnamon helps to regulate your blood sugar levels naturally. All you need is a cinnamon capsule from your local drug store or walmart. I would talk to your doctors first just to make sure. Metformin really messes with my stomach. However, if you start out with a low dose, and slowly work up to the therapeutic dose that might help. When I am on metformin, I avoid all greasy nasty foods.. Good luck, I hope that was helpful!"

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