Ladies with PCOS...

stephakneeeee
stephakneeeee Posts: 10 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Tips for losing weight?
I know low-carb is preferred due to insulin resistance, but I'm struggling with a lack of energy. Carbs give me energy to exercise, but then I don't lose weight (even though I'm eating portions of healthy grains like quinoa, wild rice, etc). Wondering if anything else you have found works or gives you a boost?

Replies

  • tannibal_lecter
    tannibal_lecter Posts: 83 Member
    Caffeine or creatine might help you out if your doctor gives you the okay.
  • GA_belle
    GA_belle Posts: 22 Member
    Right now I'm just staying within my calories (most of the time) and I'm down about 17 lbs. I still have a long way to go though. I've lost weight doing low carb before, but I have never been able to stick with it long term. This time I'm trying to change my eating in ways that I believe I can sustain. I'm not counting my carbs, but I have cut way back on my sugar intake by limiting cookies/candy/desserts to special occasions and eliminating all sugary drinks. I do eat complex carbs though and my diet would definitely not qualify as low carb. In addition to PCOS, diabetes runs in both sides of my family and my A1C was in the pre-diabetic range for the first time at my last physical. I have a 6 month recheck and am hoping that by cutting a good bit of sugar from my diet and losing some weight that I will be able to get it back down into the normal range.
  • purpleposies
    purpleposies Posts: 90 Member
    There have been a lot of successes with low carb 'diets', etc., but really you just need to find what works for you. I've had a lot of success using South Beach Diet principles (I conceived my son in 2009 after losing 15 lb on the first two-week phase), but I don't abide by their rules as law.

    If you eat carbohydrates, try to make them complex - the "better for you" carbs - so that they take longer to digest, and have more nutrients, which will keep your insulin more level. If you find yourself hungry often, eat snacks, or eat a lot of smaller meals throughout the day. Make sure you're not eating too little and exercising too much.

    Just do you, boo! :smiley:
  • swift13b
    swift13b Posts: 158 Member
    I lost around 22kgs after my diagnosis with PCOS and insulin resistance. I ate at a deficit and was careful with my logging. I cut out or found alternatives for things like pasta, bread and potatoes. During weight loss I ate around 150 grams of carbs per day or less. I aim for the same now in maintenance but I'm eating out a lot more these days so it doesn't always happen that way. I'm still maintaining just fine though. When I had my last endocrinologist check up in December, I'd only lost about 12kgs but my fasting blood sugar test results were good enough that she was happy for me to stop taking metformin (which I already had stopped when I started my diet because I wasn't a fan of it).

    A coworker was recently diagnosed with PCOS and awaiting the results of her blood sugar tests. Her and another coworker were discussing how they'd been trying to lose weight and both exclaimed that you can't lose weight with PCOS and I said "well... I lost 22kgs so really that's just an excuse." She replied "yeah but you were real strict about it." Yes... that's kind of the point :)
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Have you been diagnosed with insulin resistance

    Has a dietician put you on low carb following a medical diagnosis

    If you can't answer yes to those, and low carb is making you feel rubbish then eat carbs

    Just CICO carefully and you will lose weight
  • stephakneeeee
    stephakneeeee Posts: 10 Member
    GA_belle wrote: »
    Right now I'm just staying within my calories (most of the time) and I'm down about 17 lbs. I still have a long way to go though. I've lost weight doing low carb before, but I have never been able to stick with it long term. This time I'm trying to change my eating in ways that I believe I can sustain. I'm not counting my carbs, but I have cut way back on my sugar intake by limiting cookies/candy/desserts to special occasions and eliminating all sugary drinks. I do eat complex carbs though and my diet would definitely not qualify as low carb. In addition to PCOS, diabetes runs in both sides of my family and my A1C was in the pre-diabetic range for the first time at my last physical. I have a 6 month recheck and am hoping that by cutting a good bit of sugar from my diet and losing some weight that I will be able to get it back down into the normal range.

    That's my problem. I lost a ton of weight before (doing low carb as well), but I struggle to sustain that diet over a long period of time (I lost about 110 pounds over a year's time). I'm down about 26lbs now but have a lot more to go, again. :( I think that's why I am getting frustrated, the loss isn't happening as fast as I'd like while incorporating carbs into my diet compared to the time I lost with a low-carb diet.

  • stephakneeeee
    stephakneeeee Posts: 10 Member
    swift13b wrote: »
    I lost around 22kgs after my diagnosis with PCOS and insulin resistance. I ate at a deficit and was careful with my logging. I cut out or found alternatives for things like pasta, bread and potatoes. During weight loss I ate around 150 grams of carbs per day or less. I aim for the same now in maintenance but I'm eating out a lot more these days so it doesn't always happen that way. I'm still maintaining just fine though. When I had my last endocrinologist check up in December, I'd only lost about 12kgs but my fasting blood sugar test results were good enough that she was happy for me to stop taking metformin (which I already had stopped when I started my diet because I wasn't a fan of it).

    A coworker was recently diagnosed with PCOS and awaiting the results of her blood sugar tests. Her and another coworker were discussing how they'd been trying to lose weight and both exclaimed that you can't lose weight with PCOS and I said "well... I lost 22kgs so really that's just an excuse." She replied "yeah but you were real strict about it." Yes... that's kind of the point :)
    swift13b wrote: »
    I lost around 22kgs after my diagnosis with PCOS and insulin resistance. I ate at a deficit and was careful with my logging. I cut out or found alternatives for things like pasta, bread and potatoes. During weight loss I ate around 150 grams of carbs per day or less. I aim for the same now in maintenance but I'm eating out a lot more these days so it doesn't always happen that way. I'm still maintaining just fine though. When I had my last endocrinologist check up in December, I'd only lost about 12kgs but my fasting blood sugar test results were good enough that she was happy for me to stop taking metformin (which I already had stopped when I started my diet because I wasn't a fan of it).

    A coworker was recently diagnosed with PCOS and awaiting the results of her blood sugar tests. Her and another coworker were discussing how they'd been trying to lose weight and both exclaimed that you can't lose weight with PCOS and I said "well... I lost 22kgs so really that's just an excuse." She replied "yeah but you were real strict about it." Yes... that's kind of the point :)
    swift13b wrote: »
    I lost around 22kgs after my diagnosis with PCOS and insulin resistance. I ate at a deficit and was careful with my logging. I cut out or found alternatives for things like pasta, bread and potatoes. During weight loss I ate around 150 grams of carbs per day or less. I aim for the same now in maintenance but I'm eating out a lot more these days so it doesn't always happen that way. I'm still maintaining just fine though. When I had my last endocrinologist check up in December, I'd only lost about 12kgs but my fasting blood sugar test results were good enough that she was happy for me to stop taking metformin (which I already had stopped when I started my diet because I wasn't a fan of it).

    A coworker was recently diagnosed with PCOS and awaiting the results of her blood sugar tests. Her and another coworker were discussing how they'd been trying to lose weight and both exclaimed that you can't lose weight with PCOS and I said "well... I lost 22kgs so really that's just an excuse." She replied "yeah but you were real strict about it." Yes... that's kind of the point :)


    I have lost a ton of weight before on a low carb diet (as mentioned in my above reply, I lost about 110lbs in a year a few years back) so I definitely know I can lose weight; I'm not really making excuses. I just find a low-carb diet is very difficult to sustain over a long period of time and tends to make me feel lower in energy compared to when I do eat carbs. However when I do eat them, I'm noticing I'm not really losing weight, or as quickly as I would like to/think I should be/have in the past etc. Just another frustrating issue PCOS has brought to my life!
  • lautour
    lautour Posts: 89 Member
    Yeah, I feel you. Certainly you can lose weight with PCOS, and you will if you're eating at a deficit. But I do find there is a significant difference in the rate of weight loss. Even low-carb, I don't lose weight as fast as many other people or as fast as I did before I developed PCOS. But without low carb, weight loss is at a crawling pace. It's still coming off, but it's slow and that can be frustrating when you're working hard.
  • Mich4871
    Mich4871 Posts: 143 Member
    edited July 2015
    You can definately lose weight with PCOS - I've lost about 80lbs over the past 3.5 years. Calories in vs calories out doesn't always apply to ladies with PCOS. I watch my carb and sugar intake. I was also on Metformin for a while to help regulate my insulin. After a while with regular excercise and diet, I stopped the Met (with the help of my endo), because it was also messing with my stomach. As for carbs for energy, I have the opposite issue. If I eat carbs, they make me sluggish and foggy. Maybe try coffee instead or an a natural pre-workout
  • GA_belle
    GA_belle Posts: 22 Member
    edited July 2015
    [/quote] That's my problem. I lost a ton of weight before (doing low carb as well), but I struggle to sustain that diet over a long period of time (I lost about 110 pounds over a year's time). I'm down about 26lbs now but have a lot more to go, again. :( I think that's why I am getting frustrated, the loss isn't happening as fast as I'd like while incorporating carbs into my diet compared to the time I lost with a low-carb diet. [/quote]

    Wow, you did lose a lot. I've never lost more than 20-25 lbs before I fell off the low carb wagon. I've used PCOS for years as an excuse for not trying to lose weight. Since I have not been able to make low carb a permanent lifestyle, I've accepted that my weight loss is going to be slow and I'm even okay with never reaching my ideal weight. However, I want to be healthier than I am now and I have to keep reminding myself that any amount of weight loss gets me toward that goal. I've been reading research that shows how much just a 10% loss can greatly improve your health. Try not to get discouraged that it isn't as fast as you want and focus on the fact that you are doing it at all. You weigh less than you did last month, or 6 months ago, or last year. That's what I'm trying to do to help myself stick with it this time.

  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,196 Member
    How many grams of carbs are you eating a day?

    I've tracked over several years and find that a moderate carb (70-100G/day) works relatively well for me and is sustainable over time.

    I have PCOS as well as some more complex issues. At that carb level, I am able to be very active. That said, I DO drink a lot of coffee. :smiley:
  • rachyowl
    rachyowl Posts: 2 Member
    I have PCOS and have lost 30 pounds. I tend to try and eat low GI, so slow release carbs (like some of the ones you have already mentioned). I eat a couple of oat cakes instead of bread with lunch, I might have oats for breakfast with greek yogurt, I try to have extra veg or sweet potato wedges rather than pasta/rice/potatoes with dinner.
  • swift13b
    swift13b Posts: 158 Member
    Mich4871 wrote: »
    You can definately lose weight with PCOS - I've lost about 80lbs over the past 3.5 years. Calories in vs calories out doesn't always apply to ladies with PCOS. I watch my carb and sugar intake. I was also on Metformin for a while to help regulate my insulin. After a while with regular excercise and diet, I stopped the Met (with the help of my endo), because it was also messing with my stomach. As for carbs for energy, I have the opposite issue. If I eat carbs, they make me sluggish and foggy. Maybe try coffee instead or an a natural pre-workout

    I agree, carbs definitely decrease my energy levels. OP, perhaps you're not eating enough protein? Also you need to find a way to make your diet (whether low carb or not) sustainable for the long term. Whether that means allowing one cheat meal/day a week or having room for dessert every day.

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