Why is it harder to lose weight with PCOS?

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  • girlhermes
    girlhermes Posts: 4 Member
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    kar328 wrote: »
    Another "cyster" here. It's been slow, but it's definitely achievable. I'm down 103 lbs, today is day 1565 here. I have been plateauing for a long time now, those last ten or so pounds just want to hang around. I've changed my macro settings a bunch of times, did the standard high fat, moderate protein, low carb recommended for PCOS. Just saw my dietician last month and she decided to treat me like I don't have PCOS and we reduced my fat to 30% (Before this I was making sure I hit my protein numbers, keeping a range for carbs and not really looking at the fat, so it was over 50%). Somehow this is now working, in the 4.5 weeks since my appt, I'm down 6.2 pounds :smiley:

    amazing! What great progress - and very heartening.
  • linsey0689
    linsey0689 Posts: 753 Member
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    I don't know if this is what you want to know or not. Might be too medical to you but women with PCOS are often times insulin resistance. Insulin is the key for glucose to work in the body. If your body is insulin resistance a lot of glucose (carbs/sugar) are turning too fat. Have your doctor check your fasting INSULIN levels. This is different than fasting glucose and also different than diabetes. I have insulin resistance and my doctor started me on metformin for my PCOS which seem to make things a little easier. He said it makes my doctor work like normal women and I actually started having regular periods for once in my life
  • ladypew
    ladypew Posts: 89 Member
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    Lashawn71188 wrote: »
    I have PCOS and the best thing for me is a low carb high fat diet. That plus weight training and HIIT cardio for the past 5 1/2 months and I'm down 50 lbs!

    Same here! I eat carbs but cut out bread, pasta (the pure baddies) and under 1200 cals and down 45lbs. Have started yoga and strength training now, but if u have the energy HIIT does work wonders
  • CupcakeKendra
    CupcakeKendra Posts: 212 Member
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    For me, If i stick with a 1200 calorie diet and no cheat days, while exercising 6 hours a week, I can lose weight quickly. I lost 50 lbs in 90 days before! I have PCOS and a pituitary tumor.
  • erbear117
    erbear117 Posts: 62 Member
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    The reason PCOS women have trouble losing weight is due to insulin resistance. I have been looking up a lot of clinical research on the topic (and keto/LCHF diets for PCOS) because I do not want to take medication. The research points to insulin resistance being the primary factor. If you can manage that, by changing your diet, or taking cinnamon supplements and other things (supplements for diabetes are a good clue), then it presumes that your PCOS symptoms will be much easier to manage.
  • Emily3907
    Emily3907 Posts: 1,461 Member
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    FWIW, I have PCOS. I used to be considered insulin resistant, but after 2 years on metformin and some changes to my diet, I was able to stop medication by simply balancing my macros better.

    Now, I just try to "link and balance" my meals, but not quite to the extreme that the Insulin Resistance Diet recommends. Basically, I never have carbs without a protein and I try to keep my protein to at least 50% of my carbs. So, if a meal has 30 g carbs, I have to have 15 g of protein. Obviously, this is not always perfect (like with dessert), but I try to keep my days macros balanced to the above. I have found balancing my meals like that makes it much easier to lose, because I stay full longer. I still eat all the carbs, pasta, white bread, sugar, etc. I am just more mindful about how and when I eat them. I eat about 1600 cals a day. (I also have a lot to lose.)

    Also, another big (HUGE) help for me has been adding exercise. I swim 3-4 days a week and I am starting to lift 3 days a week. From my own research, those of us with PCOS benefit greatly by regular exercise and strength training.
  • vnb_208
    vnb_208 Posts: 1,359 Member
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    I also have pcos and have lost 75lbs since august 2016
  • JaydedMiss
    JaydedMiss Posts: 4,286 Member
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    welcome back necro thread, I stick by what i said at the start
    JaydedMiss wrote: »
    Unlikable response to the topic but i have PCOS and iv lost 95 pounds in the past 11 months. Eating plenty of carbs... Im a strong believer its harder in studies because people use it as an excuse and its a mental thing. Yes it can mess with blood sugars and be more likely to binge if you let your blood sugar get screwy, Yes it can be harder to find your middle ground. But no, It doesnt halt weight loss and no your body wont just hold on to fat against all logic. Weight loss is hard for everyone, People dont succeed until they take the time to learn their own body and its needs. Don't give it a second though or youll use it as an excuse (even unknowingly) Just do your research and experiment find what YOU need. And do it. Your not a textbook, You dont need excuses, You can do it. Do try to ditch preconceived notions though, or just keep them in the back of your mind (like i guess low carb helps some people, But for me if i listened to that id of failed miserably my body needs carbs and thats okay, But i kept it in mind while i experimented)

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