PCOS and Weightloss Struggle

Since exercise is not about weight loss (except perhaps allowing you to eat more - which may help you adhere) - for sure pick something you enjoy, and is sustainable.

Something that knocks you out for 1-2 days is no good, and if pain and wanting to eat more is no good.

Walking fast may be it for now.

Counting calories may not be sustainable (many will argue that though) - but you can learn during a long counting process what amounts are appropriate and about how many calories.

That can work during maintenance - not during weight loss.

Since your body is already under stress from disease - 1 lb weekly is probably appropriate amount of weight loss.

Now walking may be enjoyable - but if you can do resistance training - that'll transform your body even more as fat is lost.

If the regular gym stuff isn't something you like, try dance, kickboxing and other activities that help you be active and relieve stress. While I was in law school I just danced in my room to a concert video online or just music while cleaning etc. for a couple hours and went from a size 18 to 12 in about 6+ months - I wasn't using a scale (didn't have one and didn't want to know the numbers). I didn't track anything (no apps and just didn't have the knowledge) but ate in a deficit and smaller portions and it worked. I did gain weight back when I stopped those things and when I found MFP I started a similar routine and lost weight. I think taking your mind off the numbers, data, tracking and all can help sometimes because you're not stressed over them. Some tracking is good so you have an idea of what your body needs and what a certain food offers in nutrition, but some people become a little obsessive. You have to carve out the time for yourself, however that will work in your schedule, but make yourself a priority if your reading cases/studying, try reading on a treadmill? Plan meals so you buy groceries according to what you will eat. For PCOS my periods were off track and metformin didn't help me. I got myself on 30 day cycles (which I've never had!) by drinking spearmint tea daily, taking vitamins: Co-Q10, B12, D3, Biotin, fish oil and a multivitamin (I confess, some of these are gummies because too many pills make me gag and cry..!). I definitely think weight loss and managing insulin resistance is important for PCOS, but other remedies may help you as well as it did for me.

there's a PCOS group here that i think is pretty active. a lot of people have had success there and may be able to give you more specific advice or tips. i know that sometimes there is a correlation between PCOS and IR but not everyone does low carb. check it out if you get a chance.

PCOS does make weight loss more difficult, but not impossible. i think your outlook will determine your success. i'm a really slow loser for other reasons but what has helped me is to make the weight loss as easy and stress free as possible. i stick to a moderate deficit, track EVERY DAY, do exercise that i like (for me that's weight lifting and hooping), and i don't beat myself up if i go over or backslide a bit. what takes some people 6 months will likely take me 2 years. those 2 years are going to pass either way so i do what i can to balance weight loss strategies with strategies for enjoying my life.

Diagnosed last March and fell pregnant in may after trying and struggling for 8 years. I'm 30kg more than I want to be so will be giving keto a try. As soon as I get my head around munching 167g of protein every day plus side is the first few weeks the weight drops off quite quickly which for me is a fab motivation to keep going, even if I'll stink of bacon

I'm not on any prescribed meds but looking into inositol, choline etc
What do you take to manage it?
At my smallest/happiest with myself i was 18, out dancing every weekend busy at work, harder to do now with 2 kids and living with a feeder

Best of luck to you X