Best way to lose weight: PCOS

[Sleepthief84]

Hi all,

I really need to lose some weight. Around 3 stone. I've always struggled to maintain a healthy weight. I have PCOS and had a baby a year and a half ago. I was probably a stone overweight when I fell pregnant. Was pretty much back to normal (that size) around 3 months after birth but have since packed it on - SAHM, too much carb heavy quick 'grab it' food during the first year incredibly stressful year of DDs life (severe, medicated reflux baby who never slept and had various issues).

The only way I lost weight in the past was to strictly eat only 1100 calories a day and go to the gym 3/4 times a week. I can't work out at the moment due to an injury that means I can't walk more than 10/15 minutes and can no longer afford gym membership anyway (or have the time to go that much!). I am having my thyroid tested in the next week as GP thinks that could be an underlying issue.

We are planning to start trying for another baby in the new year and I want to be in good health and as close to my ideal weight as I can be before falling pregnant so I've got six months. Anyone got any ideas? I've been doing slimfast but I'm really struggling wth energy running around all day after a lovely toddler.

[Sleepthief84]

I should add that the things I'm already tacking are:

Drinking more water - I've lived on coffee with 1 sugar for the last i don't know how long. Since baby arrived. Bad habit. I don't need that much caffeine, I didn't have barely any when pregnant. So I've started to limit it to a cup a day, have tea with no sugar instead and having lots of water. Helps my godawful skin too

Portion sizes - I've definitely stayed in the pregnancy portion rut. I do not need to eat the same size portions at dinner time as my 6ft, very physically active OH

Snacking - I've cut this with the slimfast but I was picking at crisps and toast a lot (quick carbs!)

[MsRinky]

Lower carb (lots of veg, limited fruit and pulses, no white carbs) combined with fasting is the only thing that shifts weight when you have PCOS in my experience.

[ShuttyTown]

Low GI diet is the only thing that ever worked for me with my PCOS. Oh and a high dose of Metformin

[Sleepthief84]

Did you see a difference when taking the Metformin? I took it for 12 weeks when TTC DD, then stopped as soon as I fell pregnant as advised by GP (I fell quickly which was unexpected, was told it could take years) I've never known if it was the Metformin that helped or if I was just lucky. I didn't know it could help with weight loss in PCOS.

[WorkingBling]

If I'm taking my metformin, "normal" things that help others help me. Without it, I don't lose weight unless I live on plain lettuce leaves.

Definitely lower carb. And if you can, cut carbs out at night completely. I've done that and it helps. The weight loss is SLOW, but steady (I'm losing about 1kg a month so really really slow. But I'm hoping it's sustainable). One thing I struggle with is that with PCOS it feels like one small treat (a biscuit or chocolate) pretty much negates all the good you do over a whole week. Which is incredibly frustrating.

Also, any exercise you can do helps. On weeks that I do light exercise a few times a week (walking the dog, swimming for 20 minutes etc), I see more meaningful weight loss. So even though you can't go to the gym for anything major, try do some brisk walking every day (ideally after a meal to help you process the food).

But overall, Metformin is really important and I would get your doctor to put you back on.

[Sleepthief84]

I will speak to the Dr about it. I'm going in for blood tests and to check for an under active thyroid and diabetes next week (seems unlikely that I have diabetes and I was checked for GD when pregnant and was fine) but best to rule it out. I never even considered thyroid issues until I went in to have DD and a Dr pointed out that that I've got a family history of it so I should get checked. I have got myself in crap eating habits over the last year so tackling that is the first step too I suppose, comfort eating must stop!

[WorkingBling]

Sleep - the crap eating habits are hard to break. I find lower carb and no carb at night a good way to manage this. It doesn't help with the cakes and chocolate! But it does help with day to day food. I'm not worrying so much about whether I've fried my lamb chop or how much dressing I put on my salad. And it's a relatively easy change to make. Good luck either way.

[Sleepthief84]

Thank you. I've told OH that I'm watching my weight so I've not bought any crisps or chocolate this week (i would normally buy them for his packed lunch) he's pleased as he wants to get healthier too so has been taking fruit with his sandwiches instead - though he's perfectly fit and healthy he's probably just happy that I'm doing something about my weight it can't be nice for him as I'm so self conscious and look a state. He hasn't mentioned it but he can't miss it. If I don't have junk in the house I can't pick. Going to look at cutting my carbs at dinner (breakfast and lunch have been slimfast) it will be tough because my diet has been very carb heavy the last two years. I craved carbs when I was pregnant and I've not kicked the habit! I don't intend to stay on slimfast long term, it's not very healthy (and it's rank!) but I just need an initial run of weight loss I think to get me motivated.