Workout suggestions for PCOSer

sweetsorrow18
sweetsorrow18 Posts: 54 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi all, not sure if this is the right place to post but I'm a female, who is dealing with PCOS and I've been curious as to whether I'm doing the right kind of workout for my condition. I know any workout is good but is there something "better"? Right now I do cardio 5x/week with weight training 3x/week - I mix it up with kickboxing and a body weight style of training with a trainer. I have done 30DS and Insanity. On both of those, I lost inches, but my stomach barely budged....I eat pretty clean most of the time (moderate carb, high protein diet) but at the end of the day, the lack of results has me really bummed and I'm thinking, I might be doing the wrong kind of work out.

Anyway, any thoughts are greatly appreciated!

Replies

  • tearsinger
    tearsinger Posts: 17 Member
    I want to hear the replies on this one too.
  • MsJulielicious
    MsJulielicious Posts: 708 Member
    How long has it been since you started?
    Are you logging food accurately and consistently?
    Are you eating at a modest deficit of your tdee?
    Does your doctor have you on metformin?
  • Thatsdatdiva601
    Thatsdatdiva601 Posts: 209 Member
    Bump
  • Godblessedmom
    Godblessedmom Posts: 27 Member
    Bump-PCOS's myself and want to see the answers! I have not found the solution yet either, but have also had 3 kids!!
  • shardown
    shardown Posts: 258 Member
    I'd be curious to know too.

    Not that easy to lose the weight with PCOS unfortunately. My legs and arms are slimming down but I still have a massive belly.

    For the record I do cardio 3 times a week (Jogging, BodyCombat and Spin class). I do strength training twice a week with a PT (Deadlifts, squats, shoulder presses etc) and Pilates once a week to help with my core.
  • susylou123
    susylou123 Posts: 6 Member
    Hi, I don't have PCOS and tbh don't know too much about what is good/bad for it, but my gut feeling would be to go for Interval training at as high intensity as you can manage. Maybe 20 - 30 seconds sprint and 20-30 seconds rest pace for 20 to thirty minutes.Intervals are good because you can do them on a bike or running or swimming (or on any other cardio machine). Spin class is a good one that usually incorporates intervals. Intervals increase your metabolism for up to 12 hours afterwards and are one of the best ways of kick starting your body into losing weight. I hope this helps in some way :)
  • kethry70
    kethry70 Posts: 404 Member
    I've lost 42 lbs in the last year and am pretty content with my body from the waist up.... I'd like to be thinner and I'd like to lose the arm fat; but I think I look pretty decent, KWIM? BUT, from the waist down, I HATE looking in the mirror or at my profile. I carry so much weight in my belly :(
    Anyway, I do TKD or a HIIT style class that mixesTKD moves, calisthenics, strength and agility exercises 3-5 times a week and have been doing TRX strength workouts with a PT twice a week. Most of my weight loss has been from a 1500 calorie a day, reduced starch/sugar diet. I cheat plenty and I rarely beat myself up for going over calories. I am now getting ready to shift to maintenance or maybe a tad below and lifting in the hopes of recomping. I'm pretty frustrated with the effort to get my weight loss re-started and decided this would be more fun for a while :P
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    On both of those, I lost inches, but my stomach barely budged....

    That's just your body type. The way to lose fat is the same regardless of body type. Keep doing vigorous cardio often, and full-body strength training. Reducing carbs and calories may accelerate results. Fat loss happens slowly, so be patient.
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    Like anyone else a mix of cardio and weights. You will lose the belly fat eventually but it may be the last place you lose from. I took up running and while I still have belly fat to lose, the running really seemed to help shed some if it.
  • zivasak
    zivasak Posts: 88
    Be patient! Changes are mainly taking place inside (hormones getting back on track). You will get to see the results eventually. Keep at it!

    The Ketogenic diet works for me (High fat, low carb). I train according to my cycle.
    Day 1-14
    Full body traditional weight training X3
    Moderate intensity cardio X5

    Day 15-28
    Metabolic conditioning or full body traditional weight training followed by HIIT X3
    Walking every day

    I have been reprograming my eating for almost 2 months
    I started working out on January 20th
    I eat every 5-6 hours, take care of food combination (not to be bloated) and drink water at the right time.

    I have lost 8 kgs, my belly is way better (still a pouch) but most importantly my hormones are happier than ever.
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    Do something at least as vigorous as a 20-minute walk every day, especially directly after high carb meals. Exercise helps sensitize insulin, so you want to do it daily for that (even a walk after every meal). It doesn't have to be walking, btw. Just get moving for a bit after you eat, or at least after you eat things that will spike your insulin. I have PCOS, too.
  • lcarls71
    lcarls71 Posts: 320 Member
    Be patient! Changes are mainly taking place inside (hormones getting back on track). You will get to see the results eventually. Keep at it!

    The Ketogenic diet works for me (High fat, low carb). I train according to my cycle.
    Day 1-14
    Full body traditional weight training X3
    Moderate intensity cardio X5

    Day 15-28
    Metabolic conditioning or full body traditional weight training followed by HIIT X3
    Walking every day

    I have been reprograming my eating for almost 2 months
    I started working out on January 20th
    I eat every 5-6 hours, take care of food combination (not to be bloated) and drink water at the right time.

    I have lost 8 kgs, my belly is way better (still a pouch) but most importantly my hormones are happier than ever.

    I will have to try this out as I too suffer from PCOS.
  • sweetsorrow18
    sweetsorrow18 Posts: 54 Member
    How long has it been since you started?
    Are you logging food accurately and consistently?
    Are you eating at a modest deficit of your tdee?
    Does your doctor have you on metformin?

    I've been at this for about a year, on and off - I will admit, the past 3 months I've been more serious..I tend to have phases where I get "all in" and log like crazy, work out around my busy schedule and then times I fall off the wagon (don't we all!). My logging is becoming more consistent and I'm eating around TDEE-20% (which happens to be closer to 1500 though I tend to not even make it to my set 1350) and no I have not been on Metformin...I know the benefits of it but am trying to use alternative remedies before medication (personal choice) - I'm sneaking in a side question - but I find it impossibly hard to eat at TDEE-20% but I feel like I'm royally screwing my metabolism if I don't. I have had past experience of overexercising/under eating, which attributed to my current hormonal imbalance/low metabolism - could this be my problem?

    All the responses on here have been great and I feel like I've been doing a little bit of everything everyone has suggested...I guess my question, more specifically, is should I lean more towards a cardio based workout (ie. more cardio during the week and less body weight/strength training) or up the weight lifting/reduce cardio, which is the new thing I've been seeing on the boards these days. I know a mix is ideal, but for maybe someone without the whack hormones that PCOS causes; so TL;DR - which way should I go for the most benefit for someone who has a hormone imbalance that makes its almost impossible to lose weight -_-

    Again, thanks everyone!

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