low carb diet was best PCOSers? True?

**4evryng** · 08-09-2009 10:43 PM

Optimus---what kind of low carb diet do you do? On my low carb diet you could not have any bread...wheat bread is high in carbs also, so is low fat yogurt, milk and apples! Your almost sounds more like low fat than low carb! I am just trying to get an idea of different peoples plans. I was just wanting more clarification on yours. My deffinition of low carb is meat, cheese and eggs and some vegetables and very few fruits! Mayo and real salad dressings and real butter and oil! It almost seems like everything low carb is high fat so it makes me feel gross! I do drink caffine free diet drinks! YAY for loosing the 30 lbs!!!

******My low carb diet was very high fat-but it still worked great-could it be healthy for me!

KAT::::::This time I have lost 20 lbs in about 3 months but I lost about 35 lbs in 3 months on low carb but I just can't bring myself to do it this time. This time I have just been watching what I eat and how much of it. I switched to whole grains and cut out my sweets and colas! Most days at work I eat a smart one/lean cusine for lunch! I have cheated just about every weekend a little over the past three months so I guess I should be proud I lost anything LOL!!! I have also cut down my portion sizes alot!!!

How much water weight can someone have to loose????

Hoping for better--I think if you lost 40 lbs you lost some fat it all is just not water!!!! YAY for the 40 lbs that is great!

**SassyCin** · 08-10-2009 12:01 AM

Wow its really motivating to hear your success stories. Two years ago I lost 15 pounds on the south beach diet but have found it very difficult to phase 1 because it does not permit any carbs for the intial two weeks. I have tried several other times and last at most 5 days and will lose 5 pounds but cant keep it off because i go back to eat carbs and cant fight the urges. I've even tried phase 2 but i feel i need to be strict in order for me to be disciplined. Any recommendations???

**KatCarney** · 08-10-2009 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by 4evryng

[COLOR=green]How much water weight can someone have to loose????

Hoping for better--I think if you lost 40 lbs you lost some fat it all is just not water!!!! YAY for the 40 lbs that is great!

Correct, it's not 'all' water, some of it could be lean mass, in addition to fat - especially if you're not doing any strength training to maintain your lean mass.

Having said that, remember that WATER makes up 60% of your total body mass.

Here are some articles:

http://www.soulcysters.net/article-w...nt-out-218959/

ARTICLE: Not Losing Fat at 20% Deficit, What Should I do?
http://www.fitcysters.com/forum/topi...sing-fat-at-20

**alexandra** · 08-11-2009 10:38 AM

I tried to low carb and was too washed out to keep going..but Scarsdale diet version of low carb worked. It included 2 slices of whole grain protein bread and fruit and lean meats and veggies and you ate until you were full...for me it worked better than Atkins...

**ZainabD** · 08-12-2009 07:21 AM

sassysin - south beach phase 1 is really hard,..but stick to it...i started the diet in march so far i have lost a lot of weight and the dr's are now telling me i no longer have pcos...(this may also be linked to other things but i believe it is because i have changed my eatin habits and exercise on a regular basis) i have slipped a little but as soon as i go back to phase 1 i start losing again..it is not for everyone as it is very hard to stick to no carbs but the results are so worth it...i now no longer follow the diet (apart from phase 1 when needs be) but just watch what i eat and have cut my portion size down..i also try not to eat after 8.. i have a long way to go but i realised its not the kind of diet you follow but the kind of food you eat..

**Aymen** · 08-12-2009 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by ZainabD

the dr's are now telling me i no longer have pcos... i realised its not the kind of diet you follow but the kind of food you eat..

PCOS is something you have and can't get rid of.

Sounds like you've gotten rid of the symptoms and have everything under control though, which is one of the HARDEST things to do!

I totally agree, it's not the diet you follow but the kind of foods you eat. We're all so different, we have to find what works for us and stick to it!

**KatCarney** · 08-12-2009 05:15 PM

Originally Posted by Aymen

I totally agree, it's not the diet you follow but the kind of foods you eat.

The 'foods you eat' make up the 'diet you're following'.

Everyone follows some 'kind' of diet: low salt, vegetarian, low-fat etc...

When it comes to weight loss, it doesn't matter what 'kind' of diet, or the 'kind' of foods you eat (as long as they're healthy). When it comes to weight loss, the 'diet' you choose (or the kinds of food you eat) must be calorie restricted.

When you throw PCOS into the mix, calorie restriction, if sometimes enough to restore ovulation: http://www.soulcysters.net/quick-lin...search-269423/

**Aymen** · 08-12-2009 05:21 PM

What I meant by "diet" is Atkins, South Beach, Jenny Craig etc. but you're totally right about the food you eat making the "diet" you're following.

Thank you for the link! I also printed out the Dysglycemia Diet you posted in another thread.

**kristen09** · 08-12-2009 05:22 PM

My endo told me months ago to give up most, and have 1 cheat day every 2 weeks. I was to eat proteins, veggies, soups, some nuts, and a few varieties of fruit i.e. plums, apples. No dairy at all. Well, I gave it a try, and have failed miserably. I then decided to modify this to what I had done about 9 years ago in college, the carb addict's diet, which is protein and veggies all day, but 1 reward meal a day, which was 1/3 veggies, 1/3 protein, and 1/3 carbs. Well, back then, I lost 24 pounds the first month, and within the next 6-7 months lost another 41 pounds, and kept that off for almost a year. Now, I have lost 0 in 2 months of doing this. He said my thyroid is fine, so that's not the problem. I mean, I know I'm a bit older than I was in college, but still, 32 isn't that old that it should affect my metabolism like that!! I'm so frustrated I have found myself giving up these last 2 weeks. I see him again in 2 weeks and I know he's going to yell at me for not losing any weight, but I don't know what to do, I did the low fat thing and didn't lose weight, either. This sucks, I don't know what to do, I'm at my wit's end. I can't stay 245 for the rest of my life (I'm only 5'1"), and I don't want surgery. Ugh. I'm having a bad time lately, and this is just one more problem to deal with.

**KatCarney** · 08-12-2009 05:38 PM

Originally Posted by kristen09

I did the low fat thing and didn't lose weight, either. This sucks, I don't know what to do, I'm at my wit's end. I can't stay 245 for the rest of my life....

Understood! (I used to be 240, so I can totally relate to 'nothing working')

Are you trying to lose via diet alone? I know I'm going to sound like a broken record here, but when I added exercise 5 to 6 days a week to the mix, that's when the weight started to come of...

I would encourage you to check out the book Where Did All The Fat Go? by Dr Rob Huizenga. He created the weight loss program for the ranch and AT HOME participants for The Biggest Loser (all seasons).

That's the book we're using in the current PCOS Bootcamp. It's not really 'diet' based - it's fitness based. All of us are shrinking, and we're only in the 3rd week. He 'big' selling point: working out twice a day.

Back when I weighed 240 (10 years ago), I read Oprah's Make the Connection book. She wrote that Bob Greene made her workout twice a day. When I read that, I knew that's what I had to do. At first it was just a few minutes in the morning, and a few minutes in the evening (every evening), but within 2 months, I was doing a full hour.

Get Dr H's book. We are LOVING it in PCOS Bootcamp!

**Optimus** · 08-13-2009 11:18 PM

Hi 4everyng!

My diet is low carb and low to no fat. I eat lots and lots of vegetables. I've played around with different types of diets and this one is the best for my body. I can eat any vegetable with unlimited quantities. Exceptions are potatoes, squash, and anything like those. I eat a lot of broccoli, spinach, chinese broccoli, bok choy, celery, etc. Everything is also fresh. I don't really eat frozen veggies, but if you have too it's better than nothing. I either steam, saute with a tsp olive oil, or eat raw. Then I season with lots of herbs either fresh or Mrs Dash. The food tastes good when you know how to prepare it according to your taste. I'll have a small orange or small apple. No melons because of their high sugar content. Oh, blueberries and other berries are great. I try to limit fruit like mangoes, peaches, because of the sugar. Citrus fruits are the best for me. I'll have a like 10 almonds and an orange for a snack. I'll eat other nuts like walnuts, flax seeds, and pine nuts. I drink soymilk and eat tofu. I limit the amounts of dairy products such as yogurt and cheeses. But I'll still have a glass of skim milk here or there. I drink about 1/2 gallon of water a day and 2 or 3 cups of green tea per day. I eat all sorts of seafood, lean beef, chicken, eggs, and turkey. I definitely do not eat any junk food. No sweets. But I do crave ice cream or chocolate and will have a bite. But if I eat anymore, my stomach hurts. I'll eat brown rice, steel cut oatmeal, and whole grain breads every other day or spread it out. I LOVE carbs, but if I eat them everyday even if it's super healthy...it's not good. I start feeling blah.

My meals today:

Breakfast: sauteed mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, onions, and one egg scarmbled or any way you like it. I usually make this the night before and just microwave in the morning before going to work.

Two/ three hours later is snack time: celery, cherry tomatoes, and some almonds

Lunch: Chicken salad...1/2 chicken breast and salad greens with celery, flax, and sunflower seeds. Some times I do not use any dressing. Other times I make an olive oil/lemon juice dressing. I eat as much as I want until I feel happy. Then I'll drink water or tea.

snack again: orange and walnuts

dinner: bowl of homemade veggie soup, an open face turkey burger on multigrain bun, and roasted veggies.

snack: blueberries

Oh it took me a while to get to use to everything, but now my body craves these foods. I've adapted and think they taste great. Don't get me wrong, I'll still crave oreos and chips, but I just say no. I know I wrote a lot, but I hope the details help explain it a bit better. =)

**Sookie** · 08-14-2009 08:36 AM

Wow Optimus thanks for sharing! I know that is what I need to eat as well. I hope in time I can get my body craving those things.

**dreamingazure** · 08-14-2009 05:49 PM

I'm going to jump in on this thread lol I'm a Super Plus Cyster at a current weight of 355. I've done just about every diet plan that is out there...REALLY. You name it and I've done it at some point in my life. Did my first "life style" program at the tender age of 9.

Some of the key things that I have learned over the last 20+ years:

PCOS twists EVERYTHING.
Doctors aren't God, don't know everything, and can't feel what's going on in my body.

And most importantly:
Just because something works for one person, it doesn't work for another.

Personally, low cal dieting makes me put on weight. If my calorie intake goes below about 1600 a day, I start feeling HORRIBLE, and start gaining weight. I had one doctor call this "starvation mode" My body thinks I'm starving, so it starts turning ever spare calorie into fat and storing it up.

My sister is a Type 2 diabetic cyster, and her nutritionalist has her on a low carb type plan. I'm trying to be supportive, so I have been doing it with her, and amazingly, it's working for us. We are counting carb servings, not grams, and get to eat 6 times a day. We don't have to cut out all sugar, just have to make sure it falls within our carb allowance for the day.

Without adding any extra exercise to my routine, I've lost about 8 lbs in the last month. We are getting ready join a fat friendly gym, and I'm hoping that will help boost the loss. I'm also hoping that my new doctor, when I find one, will also put me on Metformin, and I think that will help too

**Optimus** · 08-15-2009 05:01 PM

Originally Posted by Sookie

Wow Optimus thanks for sharing! I know that is what I need to eat as well. I hope in time I can get my body craving those things.

Hi Sookie! yeah, it was hard at first and I incorporated everything little by little over a 2 month span. Then once I started getting use to the healthy foods, I would get sick if I ate fast food. Even though I would crave fries or a burger ya know? I know the food I listed sounds horrible, but it really does give you so many options to play around and be creative. It's not bland and boring if you can come up with fun delicious recipes.

I've cheated and been on and off this diet or tried other ones. Then I gain weight back and I'm sure everyone knows how that goes. But in the end, this is the only one that works the best. Plus, I have to exercise are least an hour 3 days a week. I'll do cardio and then the weight really does seem to melt off. It gets frustrating when you want to indulge in a huge ice cream sundae like when out with friends, but oh well. It pays off to stick to your guns and not eat it. =)

**middleschoolteach** · 08-16-2009 01:30 PM

[QUOTE=KatCarney;1890000355]

Are you trying to lose via diet alone? I know I'm going to sound like a broken record here, but when I added exercise 5 to 6 days a week to the mix, that's when the weight started to come of...

QUOTE]

I agree with Kat on this one. Right before I had my second child, a friend managed to drag me to a strength training class. The next day, I could barely walk up my stairs of my house, and I was only using 3 lb weights. Using the insulin resistance diet and adding strength training to my 30 min per day/6X per week cardio walking workouts helped me lose 12 lbs in three months which helped me get pregnant with my daughter. Now, I am using 8 and 10 lb weights three days per week for one hour per day. I love strength training!

Once DD was born, I went back to strength class and started adding to my cardio routine. I lost 50 lbs in about a year and a half, and it will be one year in NOvember since I have lost that weight. I find that by exercising, I can afford to "cheat" every once in a while and not feel horrible about it.

So, I totally agree--exercise is key!!!!!

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