I am thin and not IR. I am now on 850mg Glucophage twice a day to regulate my AF as TTC. Is low carb necessary if we?re not trying to reduce weight and not IR? My ob/gyn thinks exercise is enough. I?ve read the carbohydrate addicts diet and I think its mainly written for those who are trying to lose weight. I know it?s good for health anyway, but I find it really difficult to carry out, so am wondering if am mentally torturing myself unnecesarily!
So, just wondering how many people here actually are on a low carb diet and to what extent do those of you who low carb carry it out? I?ve cut out the chocolates, sweets and cookies but am still taking the complex carbohydrates like bread, rice, noodles, potatoes and pasta. I just feel hungry if I don?t have some sort of carb for lunch or dinner and will continue munching non-stop throughout the day. And unless I pack my own lunch, I don?t know what to eat during office hours! So I always end up eating sandwiches, rice, pasta, noodles etc. Is that OK? Everytime I eat I feel so guilty! Like I am destroying my eggs or something....
My doc tell me that low carbing is necessary for anyone with PCOS, even if we're not overweight. So, the benefits are not only for weight reduction, but also to regulate insulin levels, which will ultimately regulate hormone levels, etc... It also seems that all PCOSers have an underlying IR condition, even if it doesn't show up on testing.
I knowwhat you mean wiht the pasta and bread though!! so hard to give up!!
Hi--I've just started trying to low carb in the last two weeks, after I learned that I am (slightly) IR. It's tough, but I've cut out all sweets, pasta, potatoes, etc. I have found that "no sugar added" ice cream is actually pretty good, and I'm hoping that in moderation that will help satisfy my sweet cravings. I've lost three pounds, though, which I don't want to do, so I'm trying to add more cheese, nuts, etc.
Caroline
Metformin 1000mg
TTC#1
moving on to Follistim next month
What exactly do you define as low-carb? Baci, how many carbs/day did your doctor recommend. There is a huge variation in the amount of carbs in low-carb diets so it is informative (to me at least) if we clarify that. I think the food pyramid guidlines recommends like 300g of carbs. I eat around 150-200g so that is a lot less than recommended for the general public but it isn't low-carb. I still eat bread but I make sure it is as unprocessed as possible and that it is whole grain. I eat pasta and rice (try to swich to brown rice), cereal still but a lot less than I did before. Sabrina
__________________ Thin, oily skin, excess hair, mild acne.
DX Idiopathic Hirsutism
Have regular cycles, apparently have very low fasting insulin (below normal), low free testosterone (though total testosterone higher than recommended-in that wonderfully accurate normal range but high for a female), DHEAS was the highest androgen. No polycystic appearing ovaries. ????
I eat mostly vegetable and fruit carbs and try to watch my intake and balance my carbs with protein. I feel the best this way. I think I have finally adjusted to this way of life after 17 months, although I sure miss "real" sugar! (Sometimes, I fall off the wagon!) I have really had many adjustments to make to my diet. You know, come to think of it, never knowing how food will affect me, I don't think I like it anymore! (I am eating guys!)
Blessings!
Candace
Age 35
2 children 7 and 6
Married 15 years to a great guy!
Glucophage XR 2000 mgs (17 months)
Yasmin BCP (11 cycles)
Diagnosed with PCOS @ 21 and rediagnosed last year at 34 when my symptoms went crazy!
Chromium Picolinate 200 mgs
__________________ Candace
Age 38
2 children 10 and 9 with treatment
Married 18 years
Glucophage XR 2000 mgs 3 years (Switched to Generic Metformin XR on Dec. 23 rd)
Yasmin BCP 3 years
Diagnosed at age 21 rediagnosed at 34 due to all symptoms.
Normal weight, feeling great! 5'0 113 lbs
Curves for Women 3 X a week
Hey Sabrina,
Just to answer your quetion, my doc recommended the Schwarzbein Principle, which I guess some people would is low carbing and others would say is moderate carbing. The amount of carbs in Schwarzbein depends on your activity level, (which makes sense from a glucose standpoint to me) but basically about 60 per day if you are really IR, and it goes up from there. Schwarzbein also focuses on eating "real" foods, if that makes any sense, so no protein bars, and she's really against aspartame. Big on veggies (doesn't count them in the carb count actually) and eating small meals throughout the day.
I was following the Zone, but I am weak. If I don't allow myself foods I love occasionally, I will eat chocolate or other bad things 2 days straight. Anyway, I do follow one rule faithfully - eat the protein first. It helps to block absorption of all the carbs. I've read that in books other than the Zone too. Another benefit I read (by Dr. Perricone), eating protein first to block carbs may also help reduce wrinkles. Nothing to do with PCOS, but helps me feel better!
Originally posted by Baci: Hey Sabrina,
Just to answer your quetion, my doc recommended the Schwarzbein Principle, which I guess some people would is low carbing and others would say is moderate carbing. The amount of carbs in Schwarzbein depends on your activity level, (which makes sense from a glucose standpoint to me) but basically about 60 per day if you are really IR, and it goes up from there. Schwarzbein also focuses on eating "real" foods, if that makes any sense, so no protein bars, and she's really against aspartame. Big on veggies (doesn't count them in the carb count actually) and eating small meals throughout the day.
Hey thanks Baci! I'll have to look into the Schwarzbein principle. I was doing a zone like thing but haven't been very good about it lately. I'll have to get with it again.
Hi Shetana! I know what you are saying about being "weak." I eat something I shouldn't (dessert) like everyday. It's hard, but I feel like I would go out of control if I didn't get my one bad thing/day.
Sabrina
__________________ Thin, oily skin, excess hair, mild acne.
DX Idiopathic Hirsutism
Have regular cycles, apparently have very low fasting insulin (below normal), low free testosterone (though total testosterone higher than recommended-in that wonderfully accurate normal range but high for a female), DHEAS was the highest androgen. No polycystic appearing ovaries. ????
My dh and I are on a diabetic diet (he is a type II diabetic). No more than 60g carbs per meal and 30g for snacks. We have pretty much gotten rid of most sugar products. We use Splenda instead. No caffeine. I LOVE cereal and have gone from the 15+ grams in the sugared ones to 5g or less. We have pretty much stopped eating potatos, white rice (we now eat wild or brown in limited amounts), pasta, and bread (only sugar free). We eat lots of salads. At first I thought I was starving to death. Literally. I was hungry all the time. But now three months later I feel sooo much better. No more carb cravings! My dh has lost over 30 pounds and I've lost about five on the same diet. He had it to loose, and I don't. I also work out two to three times a week at a local gym for an hour each time as well.
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Tina 34
Mommy to Bekah
My IVF Miracle
12-29-99
I can't believe she's two!
ttc#2 on Met 1000mg
__________________ Tina 34
Mommy to Bekah
My IVF Miracle
12-29-99
I can't believe she's two!
ttc#2 on Met 1275 mg
I think it might be hard low carbing as a vegetartian. I used to be one for about five years or more, until I got pregnant with my dd and craved meat like none other. So many foods are starchy. Corn, peas, beans (soy), etc. If you cut back on those and rice, pasta, potatos, etc. What are you going to eat? I'm not saying it can't be done, just that it might be awfully hard. Maybe you could look for some books at the library or bookstore.
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Tina 34
Mommy to Bekah
My IVF Miracle
12-29-99
I can't believe she's two!
ttc#2 on Met 1000mg
__________________ Tina 34
Mommy to Bekah
My IVF Miracle
12-29-99
I can't believe she's two!
ttc#2 on Met 1275 mg
The follow up to the carbohydrate addicts book, 'A life Span Program' (or something like that) has a section on recipes for both vegetarians and non vegetarians.
Diet Poll For Thin Cysters 
