PCOS weight loss advice needed

HoldBackTheDawn
HoldBackTheDawn Posts: 7 Member
edited December 17 in Introduce Yourself
Hello
My name is Lina
I have insulin resistance and PCOS.
I need to lose 40lbs.
I really struggle finding the magic bullet
Would love advice and support from women with this condition - it seems my body just doesn’t like to shed weight
Please NO low carb/keto. I understand the science of keto and I’ve done it many times but it simply does not work for me even on 1200calories .I feel awful on it and it seems to make me gain weight even on 1200 calories. I’ve read that it can actually cause stress hormones to increase in some with PCOS and make symptoms worse . I also can’t work out on keto and never adapt
I’ve also done OMAD but find it too difficult and try to do 18:6 instead but not sure if this is effective enough
Basically restricting calories not carbs and 18:6 fasting makes me FEEL excellent but I am not sure what’s a reasonable amount of weight to lose per week so sometimes I lose hope when the scale doesn’t move for a few days
Any advice welcome

Replies

  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    If you need to lose 40 lbs to get to a healthy weight, 1 lb per week is a realistic goal. You might be able to try for 1.5 lbs if you'd like to start out a little more aggressive. Please keep in mind that weight loss isn't linear - sometimes you'll lose more, sometimes less, sometimes you might even gain.

    You can't lose hope after just a few days. Women can have water weight shifts up and down of several lbs from one day to the next. You need to look at the overall trend over more like 6-8 weeks.

    Check out the Most Helpful Posts threads pinned to the top of each forum for lots of great info. Good luck!
  • ink_fish
    ink_fish Posts: 5 Member
    Hey there, I also have PCOS and didn't do well on keto.

    Are you medicated at all? Birth control or something for the insulin resistance? I've done well historically on Metformin (although it makes you feel like junk) and am now trying Trulicity.

    Generally I practice 'slow-carb' to help with the insulin resistance, aka going for low-carb options when possible, but I don't kill myself to get there. Berries are better but apples and bananas are fine. A sandwich once in a while, also totally fine, and so on and so forth. I've found personally this is the sustainable route - I won't abandon it and return to unhealthy habits. I also practice IF 16:8, where my window is noon-8pm, but I don't do this religiously on weekends. That helps a lot with the desk-snacking at my job which makes a huge difference.

    That being said I've lost and gained 50lbs in the last two years so I definitely understand the struggle. I've had months where the scale bounced around the same two-three pounds until it finally shifted permanently downward.
    I'm just starting over again now if you want to friend me, this stuff is not easy. A few pounds up and down over a few weeks is nothing to be concerned about, just pay attention to the overall trend and be patient with your body. PCOS blows, and since hormones can affect everything (different for everyone, of course!), losing weight with PCOS is absolutely an exercise in self-forgiveness.

    I was also strength training the last time I lost significant weight, which was great because I also lost a lot of inches and felt better overall, but it's tough because you'll see water weight reflected a lot more often and it can be a real blow when the scale tips up more often. Understanding those fluctuations can be extremely helpful to staying on-course.

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