PCOS and Insulin Resistance

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Replies

  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 935 Member
    Butterchop wrote: »
    I have IR and Pcos and do not eat low carb. I lost weight fine weighing and measuring my food correctly. It is super easy to overestimate especially when you have no idea what is in the recipes. 500 calories is not much at all . If you want to go low carb fine but you will still need to be able to measure your intake. If you eat others cooking, will they just cook low carb stuff for you? If carbs increase cravings then eat less carbs. For me they don't and I would be miserable.

    It’s quite challenging to guess how much I’ve eaten at other people’s houses but I guess I’ll add 100 calories extra for fats/oils. I will start overestimating abit and yes it’s very easy to eat more than you think. I do weigh and measure my own food otherwise. I’ll also see if I feel better by eating less carbs.
  • me0231
    me0231 Posts: 218 Member
    I have PCOS and IR and I generally aim to eat about 100g of carbs. I did strict calorie counting and lost and I did keto and lost as well. Low carb is the most sustainable for me. However, I think pcos affects the calories you can eat. I'm 5'10 and I maintain on 1600-1700 calories at 155 pounds. I'm fairly sedentary outside the gym (lift 4x, cardio 2x) with a desk job and grad school though, but I try to get my 10k steps in. I probably average about 6k though.

    Anyways, I think you're eating too much bottom line. I don't think most calculators are accurate for pcos. I should be losing about a pound a week according to these online tdee estimators but I've been maintaining for about 3 months now within about 5 pounds at this intake. Definitely not losing anything. If I were you I'd drop the calories by a couple of hundreds and see how you do there. Only do low carb/keto if it's sustainable way of eating for you. I think you can lose just fine as long as the calories are appropriate.

  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    xxzenabxx wrote: »
    xxzenabxx wrote: »
    xxzenabxx wrote: »
    I have PCOS, and what I've found what works for me is a combination of counting calories, spreading out the carbs I do eat throughout the day, and eating more small meals every few hours to keep my cravings under control. I try to hit my fat and protein goals in MFP every single day to keep satiated. That being said, I notice that my period, my water intake, and my sleeping habits affect the scale some too. I also do use my food scale 90% of the time. It does seem to take more time to lose with PCOS, but when I stick to this, I will lose weight.

    Yeah I read somewhere that it takes double the effort to lose half the weight with PCOS. If you don’t mind me asking how many calories are you eating?


    the calories one eats is not going to be the same for you in most situations. you have to be in a deficit to lose weight whether you have PCOS, insulin resistance or any other health issue. it is very easy to overeat and wipe out any deficit if you arent using a food scale. trust me Ive done it. if you think you are insulin resistant or have PCOS please see a dr and get blood work done to make sure. if you arent losing weight it doesnt mean you have either one. and pcos doesnt always mean you are insulin resistant or vice versa.so get tested,get a food scale and go from there. low carb doesnt help with weight loss unless you are in a deficit. what you will lose is water weight when you drop your carbs,but if you are eating low carbs and higher fat and protein its still possible to overeat and not lose anything,

    I’ve already been tested for PCOS why wouldn’t I know this? And I’m over weight so that’s why it’s possible I have IR. lower carb would help because with IR you can’t process carbs in the same way. I live in the UK and there’s no test for IR but studies say that women with PCOS have IR too if they can’t lose any weight. I’ll try the lower carb diet because it’s helped PCOS women to lose weight. I don’t care about people who don’t have PCOS for them they can eat what they like and lose weight. Also I didn’t say super low carb but around 100g so it’s not too low. If you don’t have any experience with the frustrations of PCOS then don’t comment.

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3277302/
    http://www.thepcosnutritionist.com/resources/insulin-resistance-and-pcos-introduction/

    first of all just because you are overweight doesnt mean you are insulin resistant. my daughter is obese and has a thyroid disorder they thought she was insulin resistant and possible had pcos. she has neither. as of insulin resistance there is a blood test they can do to montor the levels/I myself have to have my insulin resistance levels tested every so often due to a health issue that can cause IR. there is blood, a glucose tolerance test,and a few others.

    and no with my health issue I cannot eat what I want. I have to watch my cholesterol and fats. low carb can help with insulin resistance if you have it. not everyone overweight does. you still have to be in a calorie deficirt no matter if you do low carb or not. Its how weight loss works.I cant process fats like other people can, and my health issue can result in type 2 diabetes if I dont control my diet. I may not have pcos but I have other issues like fibroids and cysts and other issues,I could end up with it down the road. if you arent losing weight then you arent in a deficit, the difference is your calories you need to take in may be lower than what the calculators give you. I know mine is.

    I have high androgen levels and acne which are caused by high insulin levels. Why do I feel tired after eating carbs but I feel fine after eating a low carb meal? I think you don’t understand my point. Yes it’s about calories but calories are not 100% of the equation otherwise the human body wouldn’t have hormones and we would be like robots. I know I need to be in a calorie deficit stop repeating what I already know. But since I definitely have PCOS I probably have IR. I’m not just overweight without hormonal issues. That’s a whole other story. Stop acting like you know my body more than me.

    I only want to hear from people with PCOS so please don’t bother replying.

    It could be that some don't realize that PCOS is a type of IR, hence the mix up.

    I don't have PCOS, but I do have IR in the form of prediabetes. I find that following a very LCHF diet works best for me (under about 20g carbs) but others find they do great with just low carb (under 100-150g) rather than ketogenic levels. Those withIR do tend to lose a bit easier on a LCHF diet, with an unprocessed HCLF working for others.

    I really like Dr Bernstein's Diabetes Solution book. It is all about lowering insulin through diet - good for IR. Fung's Obesity Code is also good for reducing insulin levels.

    The Low Carber Daily MFP group may be a good spot to find more lchf help.

    Good luck!
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 935 Member
    me0231 wrote: »
    I have PCOS and IR and I generally aim to eat about 100g of carbs. I did strict calorie counting and lost and I did keto and lost as well. Low carb is the most sustainable for me. However, I think pcos affects the calories you can eat. I'm 5'10 and I maintain on 1600-1700 calories at 155 pounds. I'm fairly sedentary outside the gym (lift 4x, cardio 2x) with a desk job and grad school though, but I try to get my 10k steps in. I probably average about 6k though.

    Anyways, I think you're eating too much bottom line. I don't think most calculators are accurate for pcos. I should be losing about a pound a week according to these online tdee estimators but I've been maintaining for about 3 months now within about 5 pounds at this intake. Definitely not losing anything. If I were you I'd drop the calories by a couple of hundreds and see how you do there. Only do low carb/keto if it's sustainable way of eating for you. I think you can lose just fine as long as the calories are appropriate.

    Okay I was feeling that I might be eating too much so I’ll drop down to 1500 calories and see if that helps. Well I do feel better on lower carb and I’ve found with 100g I can still have oatmeal preworkout and a few other carbs like beans lentils and fruit so I’m not depriving myself.
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 935 Member
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    xxzenabxx wrote: »
    xxzenabxx wrote: »
    xxzenabxx wrote: »
    I have PCOS, and what I've found what works for me is a combination of counting calories, spreading out the carbs I do eat throughout the day, and eating more small meals every few hours to keep my cravings under control. I try to hit my fat and protein goals in MFP every single day to keep satiated. That being said, I notice that my period, my water intake, and my sleeping habits affect the scale some too. I also do use my food scale 90% of the time. It does seem to take more time to lose with PCOS, but when I stick to this, I will lose weight.

    Yeah I read somewhere that it takes double the effort to lose half the weight with PCOS. If you don’t mind me asking how many calories are you eating?


    the calories one eats is not going to be the same for you in most situations. you have to be in a deficit to lose weight whether you have PCOS, insulin resistance or any other health issue. it is very easy to overeat and wipe out any deficit if you arent using a food scale. trust me Ive done it. if you think you are insulin resistant or have PCOS please see a dr and get blood work done to make sure. if you arent losing weight it doesnt mean you have either one. and pcos doesnt always mean you are insulin resistant or vice versa.so get tested,get a food scale and go from there. low carb doesnt help with weight loss unless you are in a deficit. what you will lose is water weight when you drop your carbs,but if you are eating low carbs and higher fat and protein its still possible to overeat and not lose anything,

    I’ve already been tested for PCOS why wouldn’t I know this? And I’m over weight so that’s why it’s possible I have IR. lower carb would help because with IR you can’t process carbs in the same way. I live in the UK and there’s no test for IR but studies say that women with PCOS have IR too if they can’t lose any weight. I’ll try the lower carb diet because it’s helped PCOS women to lose weight. I don’t care about people who don’t have PCOS for them they can eat what they like and lose weight. Also I didn’t say super low carb but around 100g so it’s not too low. If you don’t have any experience with the frustrations of PCOS then don’t comment.

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3277302/
    http://www.thepcosnutritionist.com/resources/insulin-resistance-and-pcos-introduction/

    first of all just because you are overweight doesnt mean you are insulin resistant. my daughter is obese and has a thyroid disorder they thought she was insulin resistant and possible had pcos. she has neither. as of insulin resistance there is a blood test they can do to montor the levels/I myself have to have my insulin resistance levels tested every so often due to a health issue that can cause IR. there is blood, a glucose tolerance test,and a few others.

    and no with my health issue I cannot eat what I want. I have to watch my cholesterol and fats. low carb can help with insulin resistance if you have it. not everyone overweight does. you still have to be in a calorie deficirt no matter if you do low carb or not. Its how weight loss works.I cant process fats like other people can, and my health issue can result in type 2 diabetes if I dont control my diet. I may not have pcos but I have other issues like fibroids and cysts and other issues,I could end up with it down the road. if you arent losing weight then you arent in a deficit, the difference is your calories you need to take in may be lower than what the calculators give you. I know mine is.

    I have high androgen levels and acne which are caused by high insulin levels. Why do I feel tired after eating carbs but I feel fine after eating a low carb meal? I think you don’t understand my point. Yes it’s about calories but calories are not 100% of the equation otherwise the human body wouldn’t have hormones and we would be like robots. I know I need to be in a calorie deficit stop repeating what I already know. But since I definitely have PCOS I probably have IR. I’m not just overweight without hormonal issues. That’s a whole other story. Stop acting like you know my body more than me.

    I only want to hear from people with PCOS so please don’t bother replying.

    It could be that some don't realize that PCOS is a type of IR, hence the mix up.

    I don't have PCOS, but I do have IR in the form of prediabetes. I find that following a very LCHF diet works best for me (under about 20g carbs) but others find they do great with just low carb (under 100-150g) rather than ketogenic levels. Those withIR do tend to lose a bit easier on a LCHF diet, with an unprocessed HCLF working for others.

    I really like Dr Bernstein's Diabetes Solution book. It is all about lowering insulin through diet - good for IR. Fung's Obesity Code is also good for reducing insulin levels.

    The Low Carber Daily MFP group may be a good spot to find more lchf help.

    Good luck!

    Thank you
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,134 Member
    It's possible you aren't burning as many calories as your predicted TDEE number. I think that's common with PCOS and other conditions.
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 935 Member
    zyxst wrote: »
    It's possible you aren't burning as many calories as your predicted TDEE number. I think that's common with PCOS and other conditions.

    Yeah now I’m thinking the TDEE method is not for me and I’ll drop down to 1500 calories which is still a decent amount of food. I’m definitely not burning 2250 calories a day. More like 1900/2000 calories a day with exercise. And I’ll do lower carb to help with the cravings and to lower insulin levels.
  • laur357
    laur357 Posts: 896 Member
    I have PCOS. I have no discernible issues with blood sugar. I generally eat around 130-150g carbs, and I don't have problems losing weight if I eat more as long as I'm truly in a consistent calorie deficit (I've lost 70 pounds). When discussing the types of food I eat with my endocrinologist, she told me hasn't seen much of a difference in her PCOS patients' weight loss success based on carb intake, but talk to your own doctor about what is right for you.


    I know we place a lot of emphasis on carbohydrates, but it's also worth mentioning that insulin sensitivity improves greatly with regular exercise. Getting moderate to intense exercise a few times a week can be very beneficial for blood sugar regulation, and even regular walking can help.
  • kroe4
    kroe4 Posts: 111 Member
    Fellow PCOS girl here. I was wondering if you take anything for your PCOS? Birth control/metformin etc. I have found that birth control really mellows my hormones and has aided in my weight loss. I match my carbs with my proteins and usually stay around 80-100 of each per day. My max calories are usually 1400 and normally around 1200-1300. I've been at it since March 1 and I'm down about 44 lbs.
  • teranga79
    teranga79 Posts: 202 Member
    Metformin definitely helped my weight loss (wouldn't recommend it - I basically didn't leave the bathroom!)
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 935 Member
    laur357 wrote: »
    I have PCOS. I have no discernible issues with blood sugar. I generally eat around 130-150g carbs, and I don't have problems losing weight if I eat more as long as I'm truly in a consistent calorie deficit (I've lost 70 pounds). When discussing the types of food I eat with my endocrinologist, she told me hasn't seen much of a difference in her PCOS patients' weight loss success based on carb intake, but talk to your own doctor about what is right for you.


    I know we place a lot of emphasis on carbohydrates, but it's also worth mentioning that insulin sensitivity improves greatly with regular exercise. Getting moderate to intense exercise a few times a week can be very beneficial for blood sugar regulation, and even regular walking can help.

    Yes exercise is wonderful, it's what has helped me to lose 10 lbs since December as well as the diet. I find that when I don't exercise I feel depressed but sometimes I'm so depressed I don't exercise. But then the next day I make sure to exercise otherwise I'll just go into a deep state of depression. I recently started walking for 40-60 minutes every morning and that has made a difference too as I felt too sedentary since I work from home. I'm trying to keep my NEAT up as much as possible. I also strength train and do hiit workouts. Hmm so 100-150g seems to be a reasonable goal for carbs.
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 935 Member
    teranga79 wrote: »
    Metformin definitely helped my weight loss (wouldn't recommend it - I basically didn't leave the bathroom!)

    My doctor has told me I don't need metformin since I only have 24-30lbs to lose. She told me to just lose the weight and the PCOS symptoms will improve so that's what I'm doing. Also my parents took metformin and it gave my mum some horrible side effects which scared me. I don't think I need it to lose weight but thanks anyway. I think I just need to lower my calories and stay lower carb to control the cravings.
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 935 Member
    kroe4 wrote: »
    Fellow PCOS girl here. I was wondering if you take anything for your PCOS? Birth control/metformin etc. I have found that birth control really mellows my hormones and has aided in my weight loss. I match my carbs with my proteins and usually stay around 80-100 of each per day. My max calories are usually 1400 and normally around 1200-1300. I've been at it since March 1 and I'm down about 44 lbs.

    What was your starting weight?
  • cathipa
    cathipa Posts: 2,992 Member
    I have PCOS and have been typically consuming under 150g (average 125g) for just over a year now and I can say it has helped. I recently added myo inositol (vitamin B8) and have found it has also helped with regulation of symptoms. Look it up online. I know my n=1 doesn't mean anything, but there is plenty of literature (legitimate) to back it up.
  • shampbj
    shampbj Posts: 33 Member
    I have PCOS and I have found that not necessarily low carb, but avoiding processed carbs works for me. I try to do limited amounts of whole grains balanced with fat and protein. If I listened to my body, my body would tell me to eat a giant pot full of white pasta chased with cookies and cake. My body is an idiot. It is hard at first, but after cutting out the processed white flour and sugar, I find it much easier to cope with cravings--because I just don't have them. I eat balanced meals with an occasional splurge. I give my body what it needs, not what it thinks it wants. I don't think that sugar is the devil or anything, and it's certainly possible to lose weight eating lots of sugar for some people, but with PCOS, I really find it so much easier to stick to a diet if I limit processed carbs. I've lost nearly 30 pounds slowly and steadily (5'3"; SW 180) and am about 15 away from my goal weight.
  • kroe4
    kroe4 Posts: 111 Member
    edited May 2018

    xxzenabxx wrote: »
    kroe4 wrote: »
    Fellow PCOS girl here. I was wondering if you take anything for your PCOS? Birth control/metformin etc. I have found that birth control really mellows my hormones and has aided in my weight loss. I match my carbs with my proteins and usually stay around 80-100 of each per day. My max calories are usually 1400 and normally around 1200-1300. I've been at it since March 1 and I'm down about 44 lbs.

    What was your starting weight?

    327, I'm 5'9. My goal is around 160-180. I'm 283 currently.
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 935 Member
    shampbj wrote: »
    I have PCOS and I have found that not necessarily low carb, but avoiding processed carbs works for me. I try to do limited amounts of whole grains balanced with fat and protein. If I listened to my body, my body would tell me to eat a giant pot full of white pasta chased with cookies and cake. My body is an idiot. It is hard at first, but after cutting out the processed white flour and sugar, I find it much easier to cope with cravings--because I just don't have them. I eat balanced meals with an occasional splurge. I give my body what it needs, not what it thinks it wants. I don't think that sugar is the devil or anything, and it's certainly possible to lose weight eating lots of sugar for some people, but with PCOS, I really find it so much easier to stick to a diet if I limit processed carbs. I've lost nearly 30 pounds slowly and steadily (5'3"; SW 180) and am about 15 away from my goal weight.

    Sugar makes me so moody and crave all sorts of junk food later on then i overeat. When I don’t eat sugar then all my cravings do go. PCOS cravings are the worst. It’s like a monster. Well mine are anyway. Today I’m eating 1300 calories along with yoga and a light strength upper body workout. Tomorrow I will eat 1700 and do HIIT. I find that oatmeal is fine and it doesn’t make me have horrible cravings so yep that’s why I’m only eating lower carb. Congrats on losing 30lbs!
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 935 Member
    cathipa wrote: »
    I have PCOS and have been typically consuming under 150g (average 125g) for just over a year now and I can say it has helped. I recently added myo inositol (vitamin B8) and have found it has also helped with regulation of symptoms. Look it up online. I know my n=1 doesn't mean anything, but there is plenty of literature (legitimate) to back it up.

    Okay I was actually considering buying it now I’m even more convinced.
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 935 Member
    kroe4 wrote: »
    xxzenabxx wrote: »
    kroe4 wrote: »
    Fellow PCOS girl here. I was wondering if you take anything for your PCOS? Birth control/metformin etc. I have found that birth control really mellows my hormones and has aided in my weight loss. I match my carbs with my proteins and usually stay around 80-100 of each per day. My max calories are usually 1400 and normally around 1200-1300. I've been at it since March 1 and I'm down about 44 lbs.

    What was your starting weight?

    327, I'm 5'9. My goal is around 160-180. I'm 283 currently.

    Wow you’re doing really well! So inspiring