kmbrooks15 Member

Thyroid issues on top of PCOS would definitely be problematic for weight loss! Congrats on getting it all straightened out. I have PCOS, too, and am slowly working on losing the weight. I take 1000 mg of Metformin daily. It definitely helps.

There's a common thread in these replies: see your doctor. Not a good idea to get medical advice on an internet forum--we're not doctors, and any reputable doctor wouldn't try to diagnose you over a forum but would want to see you in the office. Take all these results with you; most doctors would probably have an easier…

I'm an emotional eater, too. Call a friend or go for a workout of whatever kind you like. The workout will let you burn off some stress and frustration. Hang in there. You did the right thing by reaching out here on the forums. You can do this!

Figure out your triggers. For me, sweets are a trigger. One Oreo can quickly turn into half the bag. So I avoid the things that I know will trigger me to overeat. At my sister's birthday party, I asked my mom to cut me the smallest slice she could and bring it to me in another room so I wouldn't be tempted. If I want a…

^^THIS 1200 calories and 6 hours of sleep would make me want to throat punch someone.

It's not too late to do some strength training. It doesn't have to be weight lifting. Pilates, yoga, biking, swimming--any of these would help build some lean muscle. Keep at it until you find one you like. And I agree with CealR--consider seeing a therapist. You've accomplished so much, and all you can focus on is the…

I'd ask her how much experience she has treating PCOS. It's a common cause of infertility (many think the LEADING cause), but not all doctors are experienced with it. I had seen several doctors and none had ever diagnosed me, even though I had all the symptoms. We moved to a new state and I got in with a new gyno, who…

So just start. That's what I had to do. I just decided one night, "ok, this starts first thing in the morning when I wake up". I just had to bite the bullet and do it. I told myself, "No more excuses", and just plunged in. I'm a master at finding excuses not to exercise, not to eat right, etc. I just had to force myself to…

Get "The PCOS Diet" by Hillary Wright. She lays out a great meal plan and also gives the best explanation of insulin and insulin resistance I've ever seen. She talks about low-carb not really being necessary, but that carbs should be spread out throughout the day to avoid blood sugar spikes. That's what causes the hormonal…

8-12 pounds per month is probably a bit fast. You should aim for 1-2 pounds per week. Initially you'll have a pretty significant loss, then it will slow down to a pound or two per week.

I was using the weight machines at my gym and got bored. So I started taking BodyPump classes and I love it. Now if you want to lift heavy, BodyPump isn't for you (they're about high reps/low weight). You might look into the book New Rules of Lifting for Women.

Bacon is not as bad for you as it's made out to be, so enjoy it. :) Bacon makes everything better...

Someone at church gave me a gift card to Outback Steakhouse about two days after I started back to eating right and exercising. I told my daughter that when I lost my first 20 pounds we'd go. I'm 1.9 pounds away!

I need the motivation of the gym. It's a sacrifice for me to pay for the gym, so it makes me feel that I need to use it to justify the expense. And at home, the couch and TV are there just beckoning for me to make myself comfortable. They're a "great" excuse to skip the workout. My hat goes off to people who are motivated…

Use whole grain carbs. They don't spike blood sugar levels like white carbs. I have PCOS and have to watch carbs carefully. I use multi-grain bread and pastas made from veggies.

That's what I was wondering, too. Added sugar or ALL sugar? I don't think you can avoid ALL sugar--fruits and even some vegetables have natural sugar in them. So does milk. But added sugar can be easily avoided if you cook at home.

I agree. And if you have a carb issue (such as insulin resistance or diabetes), use whole grain bread. I have PCOS and have to watch carbs, so I make my sandwiches with a multigrain bread. Took a little getting used to (I LOVE white carbs and sweets--UGH!), but now I love it. It actually has more flavor than white bread.…

Read "The PCOS Diet" by Hillary Wright. Best explanation of insulin resistance and how to eat for PCOS that I've ever read. And she has experience treating MANY women with PCOS, so she knows what works and what doesn't. Just after reading the first couple of chapters I learned so much about how insulin works. I'm not…

I'm a meat eater! I think it can all be healthy if you do it right. But it has to be about balance. I would happy if I could live off of steak and mashed potatoes. But that's not going to help me lose weight or be healthy, so probably a bad idea. But chicken, pork, fish, beef--all of it can be good for you. If someone else…

You can have that burger and not even worry about your daily macros. Just enjoy it. That's a very reasonable amount of calories for a burger. If you're concerned about carbs (you only need to be if you have insulin issues), then just eat half the bun. But just enjoy it as a treat! :) A once-in-a-while treat is perfectly…

I find I'll lose steadily for a bit (about .2-.4 pounds a day) for a few days, then hit a stall, then it picks back up again. And remember, the scale number isn't everything. I've lost 18 pounds as of today, but everyone tells me it looks like I've lost more than that. I've been doing strength training and am just starting…

Get the book "The PCOS Diet" by Hillary Wright. Great stuff. I have PCOS, too. The biggest thing is that you need to cut sugar. What you want, in essence, is to keep your blood sugar level throughout the day (Wright discusses all this in her book--best of explanation of insulin resistance I've seen). Insulin acts like a…

I had a pair of jeans that my teenaged daughter begged me not to wear again due to "saggy mom butt". I asked her what she meant, and she said that they were so baggy on me that they looked awful. :)

What calorie limit are you trying to sustain? Sometimes weight loss can stall if you're not eating enough (sounds weird, I know!).

So you messed up. Pick yourself up and start fresh. We've all been there, and the only real answer is to just move forward from here. Start logging again and get back on track.

Are you suggesting that a bag of Cheetos has the same nutritional value as baked chicken and vegetables? That's what I'm referring to. Calories matter for weight loss, but if you're going to get into actual health, that's a different story. You can hit your macros, too, by eating junk, but you're going to miss out on…

It's comparing apples and oranges. Those contestants lose weight rapidly in an environment where their diet is tightly controlled and probably very calorie restricted, and they are exercising for excessive amounts and intensities. That's vastly different from gradual weight loss through reasonable diet and exercise, which…

Ha Ha. I meant that 1500 calories of junk/processed/fast food vs. 1500 calories of vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, etc., doesn't matter for weight loss. But it does matter for overall health. You're obviously not going to get the nutritional benefit from the first group that you would for the second.

When I say 1500 calories of crap, I mean nothing but junk food or processed foods. You could eat 1500 calories of that stuff and still lose weight, but it's not going to bring the benefits that 1500 calories of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean protein are going to bring you.