tahira.naqvi

Hi everyone,

So I have Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and i had a baby 4 years ago. it is really difficult to lose weight. I am trying to eat healthy, like having small meals 5 times a day (breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner) but it just isnt working. I am actually gaining weight instead of losing! what the heck am i doing wrong?!?!??? it is so incredibly frustrating that sometimes i just binge because i hate myself so much. its weird, not sure why i binge when getting fat is what im avoiding... but i do. ugh. i hate myself. I can't believe even after 4 years after having my baby girl, i still cant lose weight? everyone i know that had kids are back to their fabulous selves again, except me. *sigh*

Spookycheeseofdoom

Hello, to a fellow PCOS sufferer. I was very frustrated when I was first diagnosed, because all my gyne told me was that weight loss would help control my symptoms. He didn't tell me anything more helpful than that, and so for 8 years after my diagnosis I didn't know that the simply "Eat less, move more" formula wasn't *quite* right for me.

Through my SIL, who also has it, I found out that part of the endocrine imbalance that comes with PCOS is problems metabolizing carbohydrates. My own research in medical texts and grilling some doctors I work with has borne this out. Essentially, women with PCOS don't use carbs for energy. We turn them straight to fat, and never get the energy from them. So we stay hungry and tired, leading us to eat more.

I am not a doctor, and I don't know you, but anecdotally I can tell you that the only time my SIL and I can lose weight is on a low carb diet. I do especially well with some variation on a primal (not quite as restrictive as paleo) diet. If you want to try low carb, I definitely recommend the Atkins program to start with because it's so simple, maybe then transitioning to something less restrictive like South Beach. If you are interested in primal, I like to read Mark's Daily Apple.

LydiaA2013

It was suggested that I possibly have PCOS though my doctors are not sure and many of the symptoms seem to be being kept in check with birth control. That said, I suffer from a lot of fatigue and I find that I lose weight best when I cut out all the refined carbs (white carbs and sugars) and increase my lean protein and of course eat some healthy fats. I also eat whole grains and complex carbs including fruit, I just don't make that the majority of my diet. Weightlifting really helped me too. I really like the New Rules of Lifting for Women. I have to eat a little less than what they say to but its a great program. Even if the workout routines become too intense for you to keep up with it will at least educate you and get you on the right track. Its the program I have had the best success with and it keeps me satisfied so I don't feel hungry and want to binge. Stop beating yourself up, it just sounds like you don't have all the information you need yet.