Women with PCOS and/or on low carb diets

Hello!

I'm new as well and was recently diagnosed with PCOS; currently doing blood workup regarding further hormone / insulin resistance.

My goals are to reduce weight, balance hormones, and get pregnant, feeling good and looking good! Hoping to get back to about 150 - 160 lbs (Currently 208 lbs)

My history: played semi pro soccer when I was younger, gained some weight in my 20's and usually sat around 170-190lbs. In 2013 I spent a the first quarter of the year working hard and was down to 150lbs; then I got lazy and fell off the healthy wagon. Both my Husband and I know a lot about nutrition and weight lifting; sadly we haven't been using that knowledge. But after this last year between his diagnosis (Hashimoto's and Low T) and my diagnosis (PCOS); its time we use that knowledge!

Since 2015 I've put on about 40-50lbs which is really outside the normals but I figured it was just due to my inactivity. In hindsight; it was due to a hormone problem. I didn't eat terribly, and usually was within 1500cal but high in bad carbs. I've had classic symptoms of PCOS for about the last 10 years; weight gain, thinning hear on my head / eyebrows, acne, thicker oily skin, thicker thigh hairs (particularly on the inner and back of the thigh). Most of the time I was on a BCP so I was regular. It was only after getting married in 2015 that my cycles were irregular; doctors blaming the BCP saying it will need to be at least a year to regulate. Earlier in the fall I switched doctors cause I was tired of being told its from the BCP.

I'm about a week into going really low carb (75g or less) / no sugar - its been interesting; similar to the diet I had previously in 2013. I can say right now, my body is throwing a tantrum; it wants carbs and feels like its going to break its crayons because I'm not giving in.

Food Focus:

• Tracking my food, and eating in regular intervals to reduce spiking insulin.
• Making smarter choices - Carbs, if I am consuming carbs they are slow acting carbs (higher in fiber) subbing white rice for brown rice (not instant, the 45+minutes to cook kind) if I want pasta using spaghetti squash etc.
• Watching my sugars; making sure what I put into my body isn't full of refined sugars. Keeping natural sugars low and moderated as well.
• Retraining my brain/stomach that I don't need to feel FULL to have completed a meal; and if I'm still hungry drink more water.

I have an addiction to fizzy drinks; I don't care for Diet pop/soda so I have switched over to using Club soda and "Diet" / low sugar juices. And it's important to increase protein intake, I have 1-2 protein shakes a day (Vanilla Caramel - Carnivor Beef Protein) with an unsweetened almond milk. Soy can cause issues with PCOS; and I prefer Almond Milk to Soy Milk.

I dearly love bread, and I haven't quite figured out how to fix that craving yet. I also love chips, so I have switched to eating Kale chips (Walmart has a huge bag if precut Kale) that make them perfect to season and roast!

Feel free to add me! Support is essential in staying strong!

I feel your pain breaking the carb addiction. Tylenol didn't help, I cried and just told myself I was more sick of being fat than wanting what I was craving. Cravings are better now, no headache. I also slowed down my eating. I chew more and take smaller bites.

Also PCOS and insulin resistant here. Hi ladies (and starnold)! I stay on the lower carb recommendations, but I don't do "low carb". I aim for 45% for carb macros. Lower carb didn't work out for me and my dietitian convinced me to stop because I felt terrible and wasn't getting any results. But what I can say, even if you are doing low carb... I started eating way more of the ancient grains, and eating even just a little bit of barley, farro, wheat berries and stuff like that proved to be extremely satisfying and I stopped craving bread and pasta (oh how I love pasta!). I add just a bit to my mostly lean meat and veggie meals, and it has made a world of difference. So the more whole the grain, the better your body may like it and use it, leaving you with less cravings for the other stuff.

Hope this helps!

New to MFP but have had PCOS for years and have struggled with the symptoms and my weight ever since being diagnosed. I have had success doing a low carb diet in the past and lost 40 pounds for my wedding. I gained it all back plus some after I had my daughter. I am currently starting the ketogenic / low carb diet again in hopes to lose alot of weight and maintain a healthier lifestyle.