PCOS

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Does any other females have Pcos and struggle to lose weight? I've been dieting and going to the gym but I feel like I'm fighting a no win Battle.

Replies

  • loribethrice
    loribethrice Posts: 620 Member
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    It took me almost 8 weeks before I saw my first loss. I only did the calorie counting though at first because I wanted to see if my body would let me lose at all since I've always had problems. 2 years later and I'm down 70lbs. Your body may fight you, but at some point it gives in! I try not to go over my carbs that I'm allotted because that seems to make me gain.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    PCOS makes your body accumulate fat to the belly area, so this will be the last that will go away, but it should not really affect your weight loss much. If you are not losign, make sure you are properly counting calories (counting everything, not eyeballing things etc).
  • Quasita
    Quasita Posts: 1,530 Member
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    Women with PCOS *can* be more sensitive to carb loads, so many women dealing with PCOS see better success with low carb diets compared to more standard balances. However, PCOS in itself doesn't change physics, and weight loss will occur as long as you are being healthy and your intake is less than your output.

    I think we are prone to look for reasons why things aren't working but at the end of the day, things do generally work the same, they just may work at a slower or lower rate. Also, many women who are overweight are diagnosed with PCOS and don't technically have PCOS, but rather the symptoms of it, which can happen when women are overweight. The more these women lose, the fewer symptoms they have. The only way to diagnose PCOS 100% is to have an ultrasound that shows cystic ovaries. I know one of my doctors tried to put the label on me when I know for a fact that I don't have cystic ovaries.

    Either way, don't let a label keep you from doing right by your body. You'll get there.
  • Charliecatesq
    Charliecatesq Posts: 100 Member
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    Ive lost a stone (14lbs) it is possible but harder than perhaps for most people. Keep at it and you will see results just steel yourself for a lot of maintaining
  • loribethrice
    loribethrice Posts: 620 Member
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    I also agree with what aggelikik says. I have belly fat that refuses to go away even though I work out 5 days a week and my BMI is 19. It's never left me and when I'm bloated (which is almost always) it puffs out really huge and makes me look like I weigh a lot more in that area...well, at least to me.
  • NobodyPutsAmyInTheCorner
    NobodyPutsAmyInTheCorner Posts: 1,018 Member
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    I have PCOS. I'm 30lbs down since January and that's eating carbs too! Shock horror!!! LOL. It can be done you just have to find your sweet spot. I've found having a smaller deficit helps with the peaks and troughs of the sugar levels going up and down. I found trying to lose 2lb a week too much as I was shaky and hungry. Aim for 0.5 - 1lb a week loss and don't be scared to eat carbs in smaller amounts. They don't hinder your weight loss that much I promise.

    :)
  • gulogulo2014
    gulogulo2014 Posts: 14 Member
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    Going easy on the carbs and refined sugars helped. My symptoms disappeared once I made it out of the 200s. My largest weight was 240ish. Current in the mid 160s

    I'm not really sure if I had pcos or not but I certainly had a lot of issues related to weight and insulin resistance. Discolored skin areas improved too.
  • crys_todd
    crys_todd Posts: 41 Member
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    I've been diagnosed with PCOS for close to 10 years now. The best thing that ever worked for me was Metformin and a lower carb diet (~100g/day).
    Weight loss comes so much faster and easier with that combo. Plus it regulates my cycle and gets rid of the dark skin around my neck.
    It's very much worth it to request the MD treating you for PCOS tests for insulin resistance and treat accordingly.
  • cbutton76
    cbutton76 Posts: 5 Member
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    Thanks for all you advice. :)