Long way to go, PCOS and miserable

Charliecatesq
Charliecatesq Posts: 100 Member
edited October 2014 in Motivation and Support
I've been logging in every day for nearly two weeks, have lost anything up to 7lbs so far (unsure exactly as i bought new scales that were more accurate so not entirely sure what my first "true" weight was) but i am just miserable with the whole thing. I was diagnosed a few weeks ago with polycystic ovaries and possibly hypothyroidism and was told by my GP that i was now in a higher risk group for diabetes 2 because of the those conditions.

Rightfully i have decided that now is the time to lose some weight and drop a few stone and dress sizes but the whole process has left me sad that i am no longer allowed to just grab things out of the fridge and indulge in a few beers at the weekend.

Did anyone else have this sort of "starts funk" when they decided to start dieting properly and what did you do to help get over it? I am personally looking forward to seeing some changes in my body that will spur me on but at them moment i am just craving toast!

Replies

  • robinm58
    robinm58 Posts: 5
    Hi Charlie. I too have PCOS and just recently started watching my diet. I am 27 and my husband and I have decided that we want to have children. We are hoping that we can do it without fertility meds and I heard losing weight can help. So my goal is to drop 25-30pounds. Hopefully I stay motivated to lose the weight.
  • GlucernaBrand
    GlucernaBrand Posts: 486
    There is a really good book and website on PCOS at http://www.pcosnutrition.com/ ~Lynn /Glucerna
  • nursiekins34
    nursiekins34 Posts: 10 Member
    I also have PCOS and it really sucks when you want certain foods and realize they aren't exactly PCOS friendly. What keeps me going is that I don't want to be on the meds anymore and I want to get rid of the PCOS. I'm not perfect and I don't always make the right/best choices but when I do, I feel better and it's one step closer to my goal of not being on the meds anymore. If you want to add me and have some extra support, feel free!
  • sengalissa
    sengalissa Posts: 253 Member
    It does get easier!
    First when you start, you see what you cannot have anymore. Instead, get into the habit of planning good food. What do you like that's ok to eat? When I started, I ate lots of fruit salad. Love that stuff. (Not necessarily low calorie but ok) i felt blessed to have such good food. Count your blessings! I plan and prelog all my food, and I look forward to every meal as something special that nourishes my body.
  • ithrowconfetti
    ithrowconfetti Posts: 451 Member
    Hi, all! I've read that Diindolylmethane is particularly helpful for those with PCOS, in terms of getting rid of excess estrogen, which could cause weight gain. In any case, if it doesn't, at least it's packed with the benefits of cruciferous vegetables. Perhaps you may want to look into that, if you're not averse to supplements.
  • Charliecatesq
    Charliecatesq Posts: 100 Member
    Hi all, thnakas for your encouragement, in the UK it seems you are not offered any medication for PCOS and you ar epretty much just told to loe weight and keep it off. I will look into the suppliments though and read the link thank you.

    It seeems weekends are the hardest so perhaps making more of an effort ot plan a high taste/low cal "brunch" so it feels special would be a way to go. Thanks to all of you for taking the time to reply.
  • Kaa525
    Kaa525 Posts: 23 Member
    Ugh, PCOS and hypothyroid is a pain. Losing weight has been difficult for me-I've found that I have to drop my carbs down to under 100 grams a day, which is borderline ketosis. I try to keep my protein up high, over 100 grams. I rarely care about fat levels and I never buy fat free or low fat items because that means the carb levels are usually elevated. A typical day for me would be having an EAS AdvantEDGE carb control shake, a string cheese or laughing cow wedge, lots of water, .5 cup of non salted pistachios, maybe a salad with ranch dressing or balsamic vinegar and some protein on top and then a dinner made up of a protein (4-8 ounces of chicken or beef) and two different vegetables like broccoli and steamed squash. I've battled this combo for a while and I haven't gotten any better at being diligent about cleaner eating-I know first hand how frustrating it is!
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    I have PCOS (no meds.) I have been able to work more carbs into my diet now but in the beginning I cut out most that were not from veggies and fruits (i.e., grains and added sugar.) I wasn't logging in MFP back then so I'm not sure how many grams of carbs I had on a daily basis but I only had one serving of grains and/or "sweets" per week.

    I'll second Kaa525's suggestion for going full fat or at least only reduced fat instead of fat free. I eat a lot of dairy (yogurt, milk, cottage cheese) plus other protein. And a lot of veggies/fruit. I know that some people shy away from fruit because of the sugar but it hasn't hurt me in any way to continue eating it.
  • Charliecatesq
    Charliecatesq Posts: 100 Member
    I could definately have a go at eating less bread and potatos as its my go to "easy" food (sandwiches, mash, rice, pasta etc) if that seems to help? I have fallen into a trap pf "lazy dieting" where i am eating no breakfast, a sandwich, crisps and a choccy bar for lunch then a more balanced neal for dinner where in reality i should be prepping something far less processed for lunch. I am finding the transition really hard from just grabbing what i want to thinking ahead about lunch but the only person who can really change that is me!

    You are all so lovely, thank you!
  • jesshoperose
    jesshoperose Posts: 4 Member
    I just wanted to throw in that I have PCOS too and once I dropped some weight it was very easy for us to conceive-first try in the first month. :) I took metformin though, that seemed to help jumpstart the weight loss, that combined with the low carb diet. Now I'm off medication and trying to watch what I eat, the low carb/no carb may be the only with PCOS unfortunately
  • Miss_1999
    Miss_1999 Posts: 747 Member
    Hi There! I wrote a thread a little while back to kind of help out for those who are newly diagnosed or even struggling with PCOS and may even have questions. The first part tells a little about me and how I was diagnosed, the second part tells about some of the signs/symptoms of PCOS and some FAQS. Please feel free to ask anything. I'll be glad to help in any way I can. I've been diagnosed since January of 2003, and have been most likely living with PCOS my entire life.

    community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1448249/diagnosed-living-with-pcos-read-me
  • almartini11
    almartini11 Posts: 35
    I also have PCOS. It's been so devastating to me as of late. I stopped taking birth control last October. By January, I had gained thirty pounds. I didn't know what was going on, and had just gotten a new job so thought the promotion stress was getting to me. I became completely sluggish and could barely get through a day. I also was not having my monthly cycle. In April, I finally had a cycle, but it was so painful I had to go to the doctor. In June, I was diagnosed with PCOS. July I was on 50 mg of clomid, August 100 mg, and September and October I was put on 150 mg. I just got the negative pregnancy test for October today. I was devastated, but I am still going to try to lose weight. So far I have taken off 18 of the 30 that I put on, and I need to keep at it. What motivates me is wanting to be a mother, and not wanting to go back to where I was at the beginning of the year, depressed, miserable, and ballooning. Another motivational tool that I think helps is reading. I read these walls, and also a lot of books. One that really helps me to put the excuses away is a book called "...then just stay fat". Anytime I hear myself making an excuse in my head, I think of the title to that book. It's a really good book that helps you put things in perspective. Feel free to friend me if you would like someone to lean on. I wish us all the best in our struggle with PCOS <3
  • GlucernaBrand
    GlucernaBrand Posts: 486
    edited October 2014
    Charliecatesq your idea to plan out a balanced lunch instead of grabbing something quickly is excellent. It sounds like you're doing this already for dinner - perhaps you could use dinner leftovers for lunch to keep things simple?
  • bbg_daryl
    bbg_daryl Posts: 150 Member
    edited October 2014
    There's a PCOS group here on MFP :D

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/3070-p-c-o-sis
  • Charliecatesq
    Charliecatesq Posts: 100 Member
    Ah thanks for this! I have lost 10- 7lbs so far (not sure how much exactly as did first weigh in on a duff set of scales) and it is getting easier. I will certianly check out the groups, thank you.

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