PCOS - Polycystic ovary syndrome healthy diet and weight loss advice

[Jpa21419]

Hi everyone
I have PCOS and just wanted to give you all a different kind of story.
I lost quite a bit of weight and went from a 22 to a 14 following slimming world and doing regular exercise. I got with my husband and we spoke about having children and straight away I made it no secret that it was either going to take forever or never happen.
I was told that we had to actively try for 1 year before they offered us any fertility help, I never took and medication for my pcos because I wanted to try and lose the weight etc and deal with that when we wanted children.
so the time comes when we decide we would start trying.
I fell pregnant in the first month of trying, I had an early scan because they wanted to check that there was no cysts that could affect the pregnancy and they told me that there was a huge black shadow and I would possible be having a bleed and lose the baby but go back in two weeks..
went back and the large black shadow they saw ended up being....
ANOTHER BABY!!!
Please stay positive and believe that anything can happen.

Oh, and I’m back to being 18 stone and a size 20 but I’ll take that any day after having my miracles

 

[Johnson1901]

I do low carb and high fat along with intermittent fasting and have lost 5 nearly 6 stone safely along with exercise and lost 80 inches off my body. I’ve gone from size 22/24 to 4/6 on top and 8/10 on bottom. I’m 5ft.
My periods are working fine and My pcos is under control now.

I must point out I’m 38 and it’s taken 3 years to get to this point
I got diagnosed at 19 and I’ve yo yo dieted all my life and done every diet known to man.
I do have children but have fought the hospital tooth and nail all the way for help.
All I ever got was lose weight and come back in 6 months.
My story is a long and boring one but if I can do it, I know a lot of you posting on here can.

 

[theghosttown]

*following this*

I have PCOS and I have 5 stone to lose in order for my gynae to give me clomid. My symptoms are infertility, excessive weight gain, mood swings and oily skin.

I have been researching diets excessively in order to try and find the most compatible option for my lifestyle. The difficulty with PCOS is it is a life long condition therefore the best bit of advice I could give you would be to not look for specific diets, rather look into a lifestyle overhaul.

I have personally decided to go low carb as this doesn't feel like a diet as such, obviously there is a lot of stuff I will need to cut out but it is no where near as rigid as some diets out there. I liked the look of keto but to be honest I don't think it is a sustainable and you have to be very, very, very consistent. I am trying to limit my intake of carbs down to 50g a day. Its quite an intimidating lifestyle to go into because a lot of lower fat alternatives are super high in carbs - semi skimmed milk for example would be worse for you in coffee than having double cream. Margerine is considered the devil whereas butter is there to be enjoyed. Obviously society leads us to believe full fat = BAD, low fat = GOOD, when actually that reality is totally different.

My advice would be to look at Low GI or Low Carb. I think Low GI looks as though it would be really hard to grow accustomed to whereas low carb seems to fit easier into my lifestyle. Research your fruit and veg and get into a rhythm. One thing I would say is it is really important to try and cut ALL bread, pasta, rice, potatoes and starchy veg out. The temptation is to replace everything with whole wheat or sweet potatoes etc and the reality of it is the carb content is virtually the same. As you lose the weight you can start to moderately re introduce carbs back in.

Also I cannot stress enough how important exercise is for your mental health. I struggle with the motivation to get my arse to the gym but actually once I have managed a work out I wonder why I hadn't done it to begin with.

 

[Supercurious]

Hi everyone,

I’m not sure if this is any help to anyone or if anyone has any good positive results from the Moringa supplement. I have been drinking a little green smoothie from M&S which contains it and I wondered what it’s for. Apparently it is known to reduce blood sugar levels and particularly good for lowering cholesterol - an all rounder for anyone with diabetes (or PCOS) Just wanted to post here in case it can be of any use to anyone wanting to try something new

 

[Suzesnooze]

My friend has PCOS and the best diet that has worked for her is the Michael Mosley book that involves fasting for 12 hrs (I think). It has been her most successful weight loss. She also did the GI diet that worked but not as well.

Not sure which book it is. It might be his Fast 800 one. Good luck.

 

[Noname12345]

Does anyone have any tips for healthy diets and/or weight loss whilst living with PCOS?

I saw a dietitian years ago and I remember her talking about the importance of low GI stuff but honestly it's a minefield and id like to hear individual experiences

Vegan diet is great for pcos. But definitely dairy free.

 

[Yoyolady]

The only thing that has helped me to control the weight creeping up is to cut out dairy, gluten and refined sugar. Is sounds deathly dull but once you’re got used to it you feel great and really helps with all PCOS symptoms.

 

[RedPanda]

Honestly I find all the different recommendations out there overwhelming. I read an interesting book called The Obesity Code which explains a bit about the role of insulin in conditions like PCOS and diabetes but there wasn't a 'plan' as such, just a list of foods to avoid. I've been looking into the OurPath plan, has anyone tried it? I'm wary of 'weight-loss organisations' but apparently in some areas they are working with the NHS (not mine though, I'd have to pay). I feel like I need the structure and accountability of a 'plan' but also support with the psychological aspects of diet and my relationship with food.

Best wishes to anyone out there with the same struggle though, PCOS is a b*itch.

 

[theghosttown]

I do low carb and high fat along with intermittent fasting and have lost 5 nearly 6 stone safely along with exercise and lost 80 inches off my body. I’ve gone from size 22/24 to 4/6 on top and 8/10 on bottom. I’m 5ft.
My periods are working fine and My pcos is under control now.

I must point out I’m 38 and it’s taken 3 years to get to this point
I got diagnosed at 19 and I’ve yo yo dieted all my life and done every diet known to man.
I do have children but have fought the hospital tooth and nail all the way for help.
All I ever got was lose weight and come back in 6 months.
My story is a long and boring one but if I can do it, I know a lot of you posting on here can.

Wow congratulations!! You should be so so proud of yourself x

 

[Yoyolady]

Thanks for this. I am thinking of going gluten free - I can only try. Of course this contradicts the whole eat brown bread, pasta etc instead of white. Would you recommend eating gluten free pasta etc over the brown stuff? It’s a mind boggle isn’t it!



Thanks so much for the reply. I’ll keep digging away at the research and playing the trial and error game, hopefully find a balance in time.

No I’m not eating any pasta or bread replacements as both really over processed so will make courgetti and have with a different veggie sauces. Sweet potatoes are your best friend on this diet!!

 

[Supercurious]

Does anyone get random spells once in a blue moon of extreme exhaustion? Right now I’m so tired. Which makes me want sooo desperately to eat crap food and be lazy (which I’m forcing myself not to do). Honestly stood against the shower wall at 7.30pm the other night with my eyes shut and could literally have fallen asleep there.

 

[KfBr]

Hi ladies!
Giving this thread a follow as I am also a pcos sufferer
I agree with all that has been said. We are currently trying for a baby and have been since January.
I lost 3.5 stone 2 years ago and had regular periods but unsure if I was ovulating every month. Since then I have put the weight back on due to life being very hectic!!
I am now back on the weight loss and trying to not think about a baby too much.
Doctors have advised me to lose weight as it helps massively to try and keep a healthy weight but, it is also a mission on its own getting the weight off due to pcos Obviously, tracking ovulation is like pissing in the wind for me so I’m just at the fingers crossed and see what happens stage!
Looking forward to seeing what people have to say! Have been looking out for a thread like this for a while.

 

[KfBr]

Hey All! I’ve just been diagnosed with PCOS (took about 11 years of torture and more recent hair growth on face to get there but glad we did in the end). I’m not overweight, I’m actually 5ft 7 and 9 st 5. But in the last year between two appointments have gained 16 lbs which is worrying me. I exercise 5 days a week, 2 day a of which are super hard core hit training, the other days just interval. My diet isn’t bad, I definitely don’t eat loads and loads. Now my point is, having gained so much in such a little period of time, what in your experience should I do? Hoping to be prescribed metaformin (although not taking this lightly as I know it can be quite a tough thing to be on) to try hault the weight gain before it gets out of control. At a total loss on how to prevent this despite being active and eating well.

I wish I could answer this question for you but I can’t
Honestly the whole weight this is horrid and I’ve not found anything that’s worked well for me.
They do say to cut out carbs but that’s so hard to do.
I try to avoid the foods that I know won’t help and I have a list of them all from google. I’ve done lots of research to try and find the best diet plan but I don’t think any work Well not for me anyway.
Everyone is so different and have different symptoms and severities; it’s just about finding your own balance and what works for your body.

 

[Ken Adams]

I wish I could answer this question for you but I can’t
Honestly the whole weight this is horrid and I’ve not found anything that’s worked well for me.
They do say to cut out carbs but that’s so hard to do.
I try to avoid the foods that I know won’t help and I have a list of them all from google. I’ve done lots of research to try and find the best diet plan but I don’t think any work Well not for me anyway.
Everyone is so different and have different symptoms and severities; it’s just about finding your own balance and what works for your body.

Its so frustrating

 

[KfBr]

Does anyone get random spells once in a blue moon of extreme exhaustion? Right now I’m so tired. Which makes me want sooo desperately to eat crap food and be lazy (which I’m forcing myself not to do). Honestly stood against the shower wall at 7.30pm the other night with my eyes shut and could literally have fallen asleep there.

Yep all the time!!
I suffer with another condition too but I can 1000% relate to feeling like this!
So annoying

 

[Apple In My Pie]

They typically do both. Bloods to check your hormone levels and an ultrasound scan to check your ovaries. My only advice would be to drink plenty before you go so you're well hydrated and your veins should be easier to access but tell the person taking your blood about your fear! Hopefully they'll make you feel more at ease and it will be over before you know it.

I had both done and I am also petrified of needles and blood tests
But, it is over so quickly.
Just make sure you eat and drink before you go and take something sugary with you in case you feel faint.
Whenever I do for bloods, I always tell the nurse and they are super with me.
Don’t be scared, just think of the outcome. These things need answers and you never know, you could be fine and everything come back normal!!

Just a little heads up, if they check your hormone levels, ask for a print out and do some research into normal/abnormal levels. They told me a few years ago I was fine when I clearly wasn’t. I only got diagnosed last year after fighting for 10 years then I had to go private and my gynaecologist broke the news to me!

Good luck

Thank you both - very reassuring

 

[Ken Adams]

Thank you for reply I will as never can get into drs and I did ask the receptionist to ask dr. But she asked the nurse and asked a totally different question on my behalf


Thank you for reply

No problem, the pharmacy is often overlooked but such a useful resource and they're the medication experts

 

[theghosttown]

Just posted this in the other pcos thread but thought it might be worth posting in here. I’ve just bought a 3 months supply of inafolic alpha. Can post about my thoughts on here if anyone would be interested. I took metformin but hated it so my gynae told me to take inofolic as it is far better. The alpha version is new so thought I would make a real effort to give it a whirl. I’ve had an increase in symptoms off the back of a 1.5 stone weight loss which is very fucking frustrating!!! Noticed my cycles going up to 35 days and a lot of hair loss when washing my hair...grrr!! Hopefully this will help!

 

[theghosttown]

I followed a plan while preparing for IVF that is also recommended for PCOS. Often with PCOS the body is unable to regulate blood sugars and can be insulin resistant. Therefore you need to avoid foods that are high in refined carbs and sugars. So basically any white breads / pasta etc. And obviously really sugary sweets and cakes. You’re going to want to eat higher fibre carbs, and get plenty of fibre in your diet in general. Anti inflammatory foods are good too.

I took a supplement called Inositol which can help to balance blood sugars and also reduce the effects of PCOS. You can buy it online, I got mine from Zita West.

I've just got mine today, have you seen any benefits?x

 

[Supercurious]

Hey All! I’ve just been diagnosed with PCOS (took about 11 years of torture and more recent hair growth on face to get there but glad we did in the end). I’m not overweight, I’m actually 5ft 7 and 9 st 5. But in the last year between two appointments have gained 16 lbs which is worrying me. I exercise 5 days a week, 2 day a of which are super hard core hit training, the other days just interval. My diet isn’t bad, I definitely don’t eat loads and loads. Now my point is, having gained so much in such a little period of time, what in your experience should I do? Hoping to be prescribed metaformin (although not taking this lightly as I know it can be quite a tough thing to be on) to try hault the weight gain before it gets out of control. At a total loss on how to prevent this despite being active and eating well.