PCOS Diet
candycaneps
Posts: 340 Member
I was diagnosed with PCOS 8 years ago but never had a weight issue until after I had my daughter 4 years ago. I gained 70 pounds during pregnancy and I still have 40 pounds of it.
We recently tried to get pregnant and I had an ectopic pregnancy. They had to do surgery and found that I healed wrong from my c-section with my daughter and I can't conceive without IVF.
I need to lose weight to increase my fertility and health...I had never needed to follow a specific diet but since losing weight has proven to be hard I have been advised to try and eat more geared toward PCOS...I have no idea where to start and am overwhelmed.
He said even if I could lose 5-10 pounds (and every 5-10 after that is awesome) that it would help.
Any advice or suggestions would be great. Thank you.
We recently tried to get pregnant and I had an ectopic pregnancy. They had to do surgery and found that I healed wrong from my c-section with my daughter and I can't conceive without IVF.
I need to lose weight to increase my fertility and health...I had never needed to follow a specific diet but since losing weight has proven to be hard I have been advised to try and eat more geared toward PCOS...I have no idea where to start and am overwhelmed.
He said even if I could lose 5-10 pounds (and every 5-10 after that is awesome) that it would help.
Any advice or suggestions would be great. Thank you.
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Replies
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I also have PCOS and I've struggled with the weight gain associated with it for the last 5 years or so. I understand the overwhelming part. I'll help as much as I can! Also, a great place to get some info from women with PCOS is from the message boards on soulcyster.net.
Personally, I'm trying a low-carb type of diet. No plan in particular. I don't eat bread or pasta often but when I do it is only small portions and it must be 100% whole wheat. I often substitute lettuce for bread for sandwiches which helps.0 -
I have PCOS too, and I have struggled with my weight all my life. I recently read an article which explained emotional causes for PCOS. It helps to de-stress and get help. Women develop PCOS because they feel chronically stressed or hopeless. All these emotions have been proven to cause PCOS . Since many PCOS diets are available all over the internet it is also importantt to view it as a state of chronic emotional disturbance and treat that aspect of it too.
Its difficult but we can overcome it with hope and support0 -
I recently read an article which explained emotional causes for PCOS.
PCOS is a disorder related to the endocrine system, which helps regulate your body's hormones. Emotional states do not cause PCOS, they are a symptom of it.0 -
@candycaneps
I also have PCOS, and there's a lot of information available online for what could possibly help but there's no clear-cut "do this diet" type thing. But I can definitely try to help point you in the right direction! To get started you'll want to understand the glycemic index and how that affects your insulin levels. Here is a "basics" page for that: http://youngwomenshealth.org/2013/12/12/pcos-nutrition/
Here is a study that many articles online have cited about nutrition in women with PCOS: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23420000
That study indicates that low carb diets (not keto, please consult with your doctor before deciding to take that route), low glycemic index diets, and high protein diets all have benefits for PCOS sufferers. But ultimately weight loss is dependent on a calorie reduction, not the type of foods consumed.
Please also note that you may face the possibility of having a reduction in your BMR compared to a normal individual: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18678372 - Due to this, you may find that you will need to restrict your calories differently than a TDEE calculator would suggest. Please talk to your doctor about this to determine where you fall in that.
This is just a start, but I hope I've helped.0 -
You could have a look at the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet.0
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@candycaneps
I also have PCOS, and there's a lot of information available online for what could possibly help but there's no clear-cut "do this diet" type thing. But I can definitely try to help point you in the right direction! To get started you'll want to understand the glycemic index and how that affects your insulin levels. Here is a "basics" page for that: http://youngwomenshealth.org/2013/12/12/pcos-nutrition/
Here is a study that many articles online have cited about nutrition in women with PCOS: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23420000
That study indicates that low carb diets (not keto, please consult with your doctor before deciding to take that route), low glycemic index diets, and high protein diets all have benefits for PCOS sufferers. But ultimately weight loss is dependent on a calorie reduction, not the type of foods consumed.
Please also note that you may face the possibility of having a reduction in your BMR compared to a normal individual: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18678372 - Due to this, you may find that you will need to restrict your calories differently than a TDEE calculator would suggest. Please talk to your doctor about this to determine where you fall in that.
This is just a start, but I hope I've helped.
Thank you, I will definitely go through these. I don't currently have a desire to go keto and it's never been suggested to me. I will have to figure out how to move forward with a low glycemic diet. I am not educated on any of that.
For the reduction in BMR...do you know how to calculate that? I looked at the link provided but didn't see how to calculate mine myself (unless I am missing the actual formula.)
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Ask your doc for a referral to a registered dietitian:) Thats what mine did, haven't gone to see the RD yet though...0
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sandysunrise003 wrote: »I have PCOS too, and I have struggled with my weight all my life. I recently read an article which explained emotional causes for PCOS. It helps to de-stress and get help. Women develop PCOS because they feel chronically stressed or hopeless. All these emotions have been proven to cause PCOS . Since many PCOS diets are available all over the internet it is also importantt to view it as a state of chronic emotional disturbance and treat that aspect of it too.
Its difficult but we can overcome it with hope and support
Uhh....can you link the article because I have a hard time understanding that? If you have PCOS, I'd assume your doctor has briefed you on it. As soon as I can afford to go to the doctor, I'm going to get checked out for it. I don't *know* if I have it, but I have a strong feeling I do, as I display most of the symptoms and I have a history of ovarian cysts, which I've had surgery to correct.0 -
I have a couple friends with PCOS. They have lost quite a bit of weight. If you are interested in support and motivation and eating healthy feel free to add me and we can chat about it. They have tried certain products and now they don't need their medications.0
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I have a couple friends with PCOS. They have lost quite a bit of weight. If you are interested in support and motivation and eating healthy feel free to add me and we can chat about it. They have tried certain products and now they don't need their medications.0
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I have PCOS too. I was diagnosed with it AFTER having 5 children and gaining a lot of weight over the years due to the pregnancies and emotional eating. In the last few years I have lost all the excess weight. I exercise a minimum of 5 days a week most weeks, both cardio and lifting weights, and eat a healthy and balanced diet loaded with fresh fruits and veggies, some grains and lean meats, and treats too.
My diary is open to the public if you would like to get a general idea of what I eat, which has worked for me. I also suffer from diverticulosis, which is a weakening of the last part of the intestines, so must eat to avoid constipation, which helps me avoid having infections of the weak parts in my intestines. (diverticulitis) Dieting and constipation can go hand in hand if one isn't careful. So, I eat with a goal of achieving 50 grams of fiber per day, all from my food and not from supplements. I also strive for a minimum of 8 12oz glasses of water a day.
I take Metformin to help manage the symptoms from PCOS, and have been able to cut my dosage in half since becoming much more active and dropping the excess weight, although my acne is not going away. (argh!) I have been able to stop taking cholesterol medication, as well, which makes me happy.
I do have one recommendation, and that is to change one thing at a time, or it becomes too overwhelming when it comes to changing your diet. You can make these changes every few days or each week, when you go grocery shopping, but don't try to change everything all at once. It can set you up for failure, and none of us wants to fail, or we wouldn't be here. As an example, if you are eating no breakfast, or are a cold cereal eater, like I used to be, change your breakfasts to include something high in fiber and low in added sugar. I used to eat cold cereal for breakfast every morning and a few years ago I switched to oatmeal, to which I add a palm full of Craisins (10 grams by weight--yes, I use a kitchen scale and weigh and measure everything, logging it here!) and some chopped fruit. My breakfast this morning was oatmeal with Craisins, a chopped apple, a few blueberries and cinnamon. I had that with a cup of pumpkin spice coffee that had a teaspoon of cocoa powder in it and a packet of Splenda to sweeten it.
Best of luck with your efforts, OP!0 -
I was diagnosed with PCOS years ago and was told that my red blood cells take over my white blood cells. Now my white blood cells are lower than normal and stay that way because of this. Can't seem to get them up, nothing is working. I was wondering if any of you have this same issue with your white blood count.0
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I was diagnosed with PCOS last year. First it really scared me and the more i read up on it the more it scared me. The beginning of January I began working out 5 days a week for at least an hour. I do about 30 mins of cardio, recently ive switched to 20 mins of HIIT. And then I lift weights for about 30 mins.
I've gone into Flexible Dieting, or watching your Macros more than your calories. I used multiple calculators online for my BMR, TDEE and the percentages of Carbs, Protein, and Fat. I took a median percentage and adjusted it to myself. I've been doing that for a week and already I can see a change.
from the beginning of January I've lost 6lbs (I havent weighed in Feb because I dont want to all month) and So far I've lost 8 inches all over.
I;m going to keep with it until I stall for at least 10 days, then I'd evaluate.
I know some people who say Ketogenic diets, but those don't seem very good to me unless a Dr. told me to.0 -
I also have PCOS, I have struggled with it since I was 18 (I am 31 now), it took me 7 years of trying with the help of a fertility doctor to get my daughter. I recently met with a nutritionist who advised me to go on a low carb diet. I know that low carb is not for everyone and she did not suggest something as extreme as Atkins, just to make better choices, no white stuff (bread, potatoes, corn, rice, etc), no high carb fruits such as pineapple and bananas and to keep my carbs under 70 a day (I am aiming for 45 daily) but if I go over that I don't stress as long as I stay under 70. PCOS is linked to insulin resistance and a low carb lifestyle helps control that. I also take metformin which is a diabetes medication, it can help regulate hormones and aid in weight loss.0
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i was diagnosed with pcos 14 years ago and underactive thyroid 2 years ago
im under the care of an endocrinologist, another consultant and a dietitian. ive lost 165lb with a balanced diet and exercise
recently lost a baby too. the pregnancy was a complete suprise as doctors were 99% sure i couldnt concieve0 -
I have PCOS. I limit my carbs somewhat but am not crazy about it. Basically, I eat 1-2 servings of grain a day and limit stuff like cake, ice cream, candy, etc. to once a week. I eat a lot of fresh fruits and veggies, dairy (generally full fat or reduced fat rather than fat free whenever I can), meat, and eggs. I focus on meeting my overall calorie and protein goals, don't try to limit fat, and my carbs land where they land (though I try to eat more on weight training days.)0
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sandysunrise003 wrote: »I have PCOS too, and I have struggled with my weight all my life. I recently read an article which explained emotional causes for PCOS. It helps to de-stress and get help. Women develop PCOS because they feel chronically stressed or hopeless. All these emotions have been proven to cause PCOS . Since many PCOS diets are available all over the internet it is also importantt to view it as a state of chronic emotional disturbance and treat that aspect of it too.
Its difficult but we can overcome it with hope and support
I'm going to go ahead and call BS. While stress can lead to the production of high cortisol levels by the adrenal glands, it should not be touted as the sole reason why women develop PCOS. So if you could just go ahead and either supply a link to the article or stop spreading misinformation, that would be great.
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sandysunrise003 wrote: »I have PCOS too, and I have struggled with my weight all my life. I recently read an article which explained emotional causes for PCOS. It helps to de-stress and get help. Women develop PCOS because they feel chronically stressed or hopeless. All these emotions have been proven to cause PCOS . Since many PCOS diets are available all over the internet it is also importantt to view it as a state of chronic emotional disturbance and treat that aspect of it too.
Its difficult but we can overcome it with hope and support
Oh give me a break. That is not a valid explanation at all.0 -
I think sometimes people place too much trust on doctors. Doctors learn very little about nutrition. For most people that make the switch to low carb, they start feeling amazing, full of energy, my advice is try it for 30 days, no harm will be done and you might be pleasantly surprised with your results.0
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Has any of you passed PCO down to your daughters?0
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Have you ever been tested for hypothyroid, under active thyroid problems, this is something which often goes undetected sometimes with consequences particularly in our theoretically more affluent countries? Pregnancy can cause a temporary imbalance of the thyroid though it can be permanent in some. I have read low for you thyroid problems can also be present in many other health problems because it regulates most if not all systems, particularly the replication of simple cells, our reproductive cycles and sugar absorption, in the body with a couple of other related "glands". There are so many ways our bodies can under perform. Web site, Stop the thyroid madness, is full of good information on this subject.
Living on a calorie restriction makes it more difficult to achieve proper nutrition. The general weight loss advice, to avoid fat, milk eggs and other things expose you to not having enough of the building blocks we need to build our hormones. If you listen to the controversy, the fear that it is possible to have too much of any one vitamin or mineral from supplements people who have a problem with vitamin and or mineral absorption from sluggish digestion, from may be hypothyroidism really flounder. Nutritional requirements are complex and individual. Even nutritionist and dietitians are not infallible.
Working out what is right for yourself is very hard.0 -
I've had PCOS since my late teens ( not from stress back then), and unfortunately it has developed into Diabetes .I have just been to a dietician and she advised me that my meals should be 30gm carbs each, 20-80gr of protien each meal, and increase fibre,and if I need a snack between meals it can't contain ANy carbs, plus 30 min of excersise everyday if possible but at least 5 days/week.
So far so good,by increasing my protein I'm not feeling hungry between meals. Getting more energy from excersising, and have lost a few pounds so far.
I suggest you get an A1c done to check your blood sugars if you haven't already.
Best of luck
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whitespider360 wrote: »Has any of you passed PCO down to your daughters?
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@whitespider360whitespider360 wrote: »Has any of you passed PCO down to your daughters?
My mother and I both have PCOS. She had always told me that she had "more testosterone than other women", but she was unaware of its existence until I was diagnosed, then she got checked.
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I got it from my mother, and I'm almost positive that my daughter has it, she has all the signs of having it. I can't find a dr around this little hick town to test for needs to be tested. And you have to have a dr referral to get to see a endocrinologist. They're just telling me that the hair growth is from being over weight, but it's every where on her.0
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My friend tried a ketogenic diet and it helped her.0
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I just got some bloodwork back today and found this post in my searches. Thanks for the links! I'm curious and researching how to keep my vegetarian diet (I do eat some fish... so for those picky people...pescatarian) and also eat properly to support my insulin resistance. Any advice is appreciated!0
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I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 17 (I'm now 33) and had never been on treatment other than birth control pills to regulate the hormones. I know there is sometimes an insulin resistant component to it as well but my IR level was always fine in blood tests. After lots of research, I found out the Metformin can help whether you are IR or not. It has been nothing short of life changing for me. I've always kept a very close eye on calories and exercise very hard 6x a week (45 mins-1 hr of weights, 30 mins-1 hr of cardio) and was continuing to gain weight. I have been on Metformin ER 500 mg 2x a day for 5 weeks and have lost 6.6 lbs. I have no desire to have children, so the infertility has always been a bit of a fringe benefit but I've heard of a lot of people that were able to conceive after being on Metformin.0
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