PCOS and a Low Carb Diet

ktb593 wrote: »

I was recently diagnosed with PCOS. I am 25-35 lb overweight. Currently 159 lb and want to be somewhere between 125-135 lb. I was told by a couple doctors that a low carb and low sugar diet is the best way to reverse the symptoms of PCOS and the best way to lose weight when you have it. I'm in college so my budget is extremely tight and I can't seem to think of foods I can afford to eat on this type of diet. I have previously just done calorie counting but without much luck on results. Any ideas or help with this one?

You don't need to eat special foods. You can eat veggies, fruits, and a moderate level of grains, along with meat, dairy, etc. Limiting foods generally thought of as sweets (candy, cake, cookies, etc.) can reduce your carb intake quite a bit, assuming they are in your diet to begin with. I would suggest starting out by lowering your carbs somewhat but not super low. 100-150 g per day, for example, to start.

Beans and lentils sound high-carb, but they are good for us with PCOS and other forms of insulin resistance. They have such a low glycemic load that they are great for blood sugar issues. I count them separately in my carbs counts.

There are lots of other nice foods that are low-GI even though they are mainly carbs. Usually (not always) it really is the more processed carbs that end up being the big ones to avoid.

Are you insulate resistant? This is the only reason you would need to lower carbs. Other wise youll just have to lower your calories. Those of us to have this unfortunate condition require less calories than others.

ktb593 wrote: »

I was recently diagnosed with PCOS. I am 25-35 lb overweight. Currently 159 lb and want to be somewhere between 125-135 lb. I was told by a couple doctors that a low carb and low sugar diet is the best way to reverse the symptoms of PCOS and the best way to lose weight when you have it. I'm in college so my budget is extremely tight and I can't seem to think of foods I can afford to eat on this type of diet. I have previously just done calorie counting but without much luck on results. Any ideas or help with this one?

How tall are you?

@NobodyPutsAmyInTheCorner how many calories are you eating? Eating less than the 500 deficit as advised per normal, or did you have to restrict even more? Did you eat anything or low carb?

Definitely look into learning more about the glycemic index. Choosing low-GI foods can help.

You may not need to do an Atkins-style low-carb diet--just REDUCING your carb intake can make a difference. No added sugar is a good place to start.

I have PCOS along with 4 other metabolic diseases. I've found that a moderate carb diet works for me. I am defining that as around 100G/day. On a diet like that, you can still eat some fruit, some grains, lots of veggies and a couple of servings of meat in a day. I lose better around 75G/day and always gain above 125G/day.

Track and see what works for you over time.

Exercise makes a big difference for us as well. What is your workout plan?