Everyone is different and it will take some time to find the 'sweet spot' for your weight loss.

There are some PCOS women who can do a Low GI diet, meaning higher level of carbs but they are from whole grains paired with protein and fat to help slow the digestion of said carbs and prevent a blood sugar spike. Many of us cant do that, as we gain weight with a higher carb amount, whether or not its paired with protein and fats. So many of us have to do a low carb diet, and that is different for each person too. My low carb also has to be below about 50g net a day for me to lose weight, but for some, they can go as high as 100g of carbs a day and still lose. I also take 1000mg of metformin a day right now, so too high of a carb limit and it lets me know.

You really have to tweak things till they are right for you, your weight loss goals and your lifestyle. It is a 'diet' you'd have to be ok with doing pretty much for the rest of your life, as PCOS doesnt go away. BUT weight loss and a healthier lifestyle can be achieved even with PCOS, it just takes more time than non-pcos women and takes you knowing your body and how it reacts to carbs and other lifestyle changes.

The only time I didn't have "issues" losing weight was when I cut calories to be under 1600, cut carbs big time, and exercised. Right now I am doing Atkins as my doctor recommended along with starting Metformin. I started Atkins Induction almost two weeks ago and I have lost ~6 pounds. Its not a stellar amount, but something is better than nothing. The only thing we PCOSers can do is keep up our good work and wait.

Everyone is different so be patient as you figure out what your body needs. If you aren't already you should probably talk to a dietitian if not IRL at least friend on on here for questions like this. I know when I was getting started with the low carb thing one of the ones on here said 30-35% is probably a better range because if you go to low your brain starts to starve. Just make sure you are going with the more complex carbs because when they process them they take out the major part that slows your digestion of them so it's practically like eating straight sugar. Both of the ladies I've talked to also advocate more whole foods and making stuff yourself. The preservatives and other crap they stick in the processed foods are particularly hard for PCOS. Not to mention most of the processed foods that I can find are way high in crappy carbs and not worth it.
Good luck. :happy:

How does one focus on low carbs? What are good carbs to eat?

How does one focus on low carbs? What are good carbs to eat?

You focus on low carbs by basing your meals around protein and fats. Good carbs are the ones that come primarily from non-starchy vegetables and, in moderation, fruit (especially berries, which are lower in sugar than most fruits). Some can do whole grain products, though they tend to be pretty carb-heavy and there's a high cross over between PCOS and gluten sensitivity.

So, your meals would look something like this: a 4oz ribeye steak with buttered asparagus and a salad with avocado, sunflower seeds, mixed greens, carrots, and oil and vinegar dressing.

If you're used to a low-fat diet, it probably seems like heart attack on a plate, but I assure you, it's not. Fats aren't bad. They don't make you gain weight and they don't clog your arteries. In fact, decreasing your carbs, and increasing your fat can actually reduce your risk for heart disease. This is because it's carbs that raise triglycerides, not fat.

When you decrease your carbs, you must provide your body with another source of fuel. Most people, thanks to the anti-fat propaganda, mistakenly turn to protein, but that's a dangerous misconception. Low carb and low fat deprives the body of nutrients and fuel that it needs, and the act of converting protein to a usable fuel is hard on the liver and kidneys, especially if it's doing it full time. Therefore, if you're decreasing your carbs, that leaves one fuel source -- fat.

Additionally, the fats in the above meal aren't just fat, but also essential vitamins. High-quality animal fats are actually a mix of fats (not just saturated), and are also high in vitamins such as B, D, and K.

How does one focus on low carbs? What are good carbs to eat?

You focus on low carbs by basing your meals around protein and fats. Good carbs are the ones that come primarily from non-starchy vegetables and, in moderation, fruit (especially berries, which are lower in sugar than most fruits). Some can do whole grain products, though they tend to be pretty carb-heavy and there's a high cross over between PCOS and gluten sensitivity.

So, your meals would look something like this: a 4oz ribeye steak with buttered asparagus and a salad with avocado, sunflower seeds, mixed greens, carrots, and oil and vinegar dressing.

If you're used to a low-fat diet, it probably seems like heart attack on a plate, but I assure you, it's not. Fats aren't bad. They don't make you gain weight and they don't clog your arteries. In fact, decreasing your carbs, and increasing your fat can actually reduce your risk for heart disease. This is because it's carbs that raise triglycerides, not fat.

When you decrease your carbs, you must provide your body with another source of fuel. Most people, thanks to the anti-fat propaganda, mistakenly turn to protein, but that's a dangerous misconception. Low carb and low fat deprives the body of nutrients and fuel that it needs, and the act of converting protein to a usable fuel is hard on the liver and kidneys, especially if it's doing it full time. Therefore, if you're decreasing your carbs, that leaves one fuel source -- fat.

Additionally, the fats in the above meal aren't just fat, but also essential vitamins. High-quality animal fats are actually a mix of fats (not just saturated), and are also high in vitamins such as B, D, and K.

Thank you for this information. I am pretty clueless when it comes to eating the right foods, hence, the weight gain. But this info is great.

I've had PCOS for years. I have done a lot of yoyo-ing weight-wise. 2.5 years ago I got a prediabetes Dx. (I have a major family history of it.) At the time my BMI was about 23-24, so I wasn't even technically overweight. I do have a small bone structure and my body fat percentage was probably in the "overweight' category (33-35% or so). At that time, I really struggled to lose weight. I finally had to go lower-carb (around 75-100 gm/day) and lost about 12 lbs. I managed to reverse the prediabetes. Since then I have lost another 7-8 lbs. it seems like now I can get away with eating 100-120 gm carbs/day and still lose weight. I also try to eat around 100-110 gm protein/day and fat is around 60-70 gm/day. It seems like as I have lost more weight, I've been able to gradually increase my carb intake and still do OK but I had to get fairly thin to get to that point.