PCOS & losing weight

mplswhovian
mplswhovian Posts: 15 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all,

I was just diagnosed with PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) a few days ago and have been researching like crazy since then. There's so much out there about diet helping to control the disease as well as a lot about what type of diet to "follow", but I would love to hear if there are any ladies on here who deal with PCOS and their experience with food. Thanks!

Replies

  • thin1dayplease
    thin1dayplease Posts: 291 Member
    Hi :)

    I have been diagnosed with PCOS since the age of 18 (I'm now 26). But, I think I actually have had symptoms since the age of around 15/16. To be honest, I just follow a calorie controlled diet and not a 'low GI' diet etc. It works just fine for me. I do see an improvement in my PCOS symptoms when I lose weight. My gynae told me that losing just 5% body weight can help the symptoms. Good luck. Feel free to add me as a friend :).
  • mplswhovian
    mplswhovian Posts: 15 Member
    Thanks!

    After talking to my gyno on Monday I realized I had the symptoms since I was in my teens too (32 now). They put me on BCP then, but I just recently went off them and don't want to go back on. I'm going to try losing weight before any of the drugs.
  • wkwebby
    wkwebby Posts: 807 Member
    Try looking up the Low GI diets or diabetic diets. Since you don't actually have diabetes, you don't have to be too strict, but the lower carb foods in the Low GI and diabetic diets will help you lose the weight. Calories will still end up being the bottom line for losing weight, but the change in diet will make your body react more normally to foods. PCOS seems to make your body behave like it is diabetic (in all of the forums and info on the web).
  • Brooklyn2Bmore
    Brooklyn2Bmore Posts: 8 Member
    I agree with the ladies above, I just want to add.... exercise is also key to controlling PCOS. I was diagnosed a few years ago and I noticed that when I change my diet alone, the results aren't as drastic as when I add exercise. You don't need much... just 30min a day of cardio will make a difference!
  • payito24
    payito24 Posts: 2 Member
    Hi!

    I was diagnosed over the summer while trying unsuccessfully to conceive. It was so hard to hear the news and I have to admit, depressing. I had gained 60 lbs in the last year out the blue... I just could not keep the weight off regardless of what I was doing.
    After a month or so of denial I started to research and educate my self on how to help my body get back to normal... Look into a low glycemic index diet or cook book, this really works. Pcos women become insulin resistant, we behave like diabetics. Along with the low GI diet, I was put on metformin in order to help with the sugars, hormones and periods....
    I wasn't really losing much weight until I started walking 30 min a day... At least, and I have seen the weight shed off slowly... But surely.
    Good luck! Don't give up! If you give up, it only gets worse...the lbs just keep adding... Do something now and give time for your body to accept the changes slowly... After all pcos requires. Life style change not so much of a diet!
  • HappilyDistracted
    HappilyDistracted Posts: 1,700 Member
    I think low carb helps me feel better/get cycles closer together. I am also hypothyroid and insulin resistant. I'd say try one of the suggestions, track some cycles/symptoms, and see what happens.

    Frankly, I don't think they know a whole lot about what causes PCOS or how to resolve it. They just know it is linked with thyroid disorders, increased testosterone, insulin resistance/diabetes... you can actually go on medications for all of these things too, but I've done that and prefer to stick with diet and environment changes.
  • morgancs21
    morgancs21 Posts: 39 Member
    I was diagnosed 8 years ago. I have lost 90lbs before doing low carb. 2 pregnancies later I gained ove 60 back (stopped working out and stopped dieting) . Also a lot of exercise. 30 min of cardio in the morning before breakfast really kicks the metabolisms in for the day. Weight training is also very very good because we produce more testosterone so we can build muscle easier and that also helps with weight loss.

    Now I am doing the slow carb diet and am losing again I also walk an hour 3 days a week and do at home strength training 5 days a week.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    mplswhovian wrote: »
    Hi all,

    I was just diagnosed with PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) a few days ago and have been researching like crazy since then. There's so much out there about diet helping to control the disease as well as a lot about what type of diet to "follow", but I would love to hear if there are any ladies on here who deal with PCOS and their experience with food. Thanks!

    I was diagnosed at 15, I am now 40. The key to control the symptoms is to maintain the weight in normal to low BMI range and exercise regularly. It sounds kind of "boring" compared to all the hype out there, but it works. Periods of inactivity or gaining just a few kilos (even still well within normal BMI) for me always meant having symptoms. I never followed any special diet, just monitoring calories and portions. Exercising is also important, regardless of weight. I was discussing for a while with my dr taking meds to help with fertility issues, but finally just upping exercise and getting to the lower healthy BMI worked. I have noticed through the years that even a few months of reduced physical activity bring symptoms back.
  • Mellylissa23
    Mellylissa23 Posts: 1 Member
    I was diagnosed last week as well, but actually I feel like I've had symptoms for a long time and never attributed them to anything, I just thought that it was normal for me.
    I've already started making changes to my diet and exercise (which was previously minimal) and I'm feeling quite positive so far. But I'm reading a lot of different things in regards to what sort of diet is best. Some people have said dairy and gluten free, others low GI, and like some of the ladies above, just lower calorie. To be honest I feel like I don't want to make any changes that are too drastic because I'm worried I won't stick to it and I'll lose focus, which has happened a lot in the past when I've tried to lose weight.

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