Dragonwolf wrote: »

I can't see your diary, but from what you've described here, your diet sounds rather low in fat. That's not a good thing when you're also dropping carbs down. Make sure you're getting good fats in, so that you provide a good foundation for your hormones and nutrient absorption. Things like avocado, coconut oil, and butter are good base fats. Favor saturated and monounsaturated fats over polyunsaturated (seed and vegetable oils), as that's what our body works best on. Also, consider eating eggs if you don't already (and if you do, eat the yolks, too!). Eggs are full of great nutrients, such as choline and folate, that help and nourish the body. (Additionally, if you're vegetarian for health reasons, it might be a good idea to reconsider and at least add seafood. Fish and shellfish are great sources of things like iron, B12, and bioavailable magnesium (a lot of vegetable sources are also high in copper and phytates, which hinder magnesium absorption), and shellfish and bivalves in particular are concentrated sources of several nutrients, so a little of them go a long way.)

That said, a 4.5 pound loss, while certainly lower than what someone without PCOS would likely see with the same effort, is a good pace, especially if you look at it as 4 weeks, instead of 6. Weight loss isn't linear for anyone, so there will be times where you won't see a loss for a week, but then you might drop "extra" in a later week.

The only other big thing I'd recommend changing is to start lifting weights, if you have (or can get) access to them. If you can't, then start a progressive bodyweight strength training routine. StrongLifts, Starting Strength, and New Rules of Lifting are great weight lifting programs, and You Are Your Own Gym and Convict Conditioning are great bodyweight programs. A progressive strength training routine will help improve your hormones (progressive strength training, which is designed to be challenging, makes use of glycogen, and helps the body improve insulin sensitivity).

Complement that with some easy cardio (doesn't have to be strenuous, and when coupled with a challenging strength training routine, can actually be counterproductive). A brisk walk outside at lunch or in the evening is a good option. Try to make it outside, so you can get your best source of Vitamin D -- the sun.

You don't need to change your routine much, if at all, let alone on a daily or weekly basis, especially if you're focusing on progressive improvement (lifting more weight, working up to "full" push ups, going a little faster on the walk, etc). The body responds to the stress and intensity you give it. In fact, there's evidence that not only is the "muscle confusion" thing a myth, but can even be detrimental to the goal of "getting better." One analogy I saw was learning to play a musical instrument -- you don't do it by taking piano on Monday, clarinet on Wednesday, and trumpet on Friday, then do drums, trombone, and flute the next week. You pick one, maybe two, instruments, and practice them regularly. The same goes for exercising, and if you do something different every day or ever week, you can't even measure your progress in any meaningful way (ie - doing presses on a balance ball doesn't translate to push ups or bench presses). Pick a core thing (let's say the basic squat, press, deadlift lifting routine), and if you want, add in some accessory work to keep from getting bored (dips, curls, calf raises, etc).