Can we talk pcos and diets for a moment...

mcgeeva

Has anyone with pcos had any successful diets? I’m just curious because I always had pcos but as far as weight, it was never and issue until later on in life. Now I’m at the point I’ve donr spin three days a week and weight lifted two other days and not a single pound lost in 2 months. I asked my general doctor for suggestions and all I get is... you need more cardio, no apples or anything wth sugar in the morning. Everyone’s suggestions get so damn complicated. Clearly ovasitrol doesn’t do crap but any other suggestions? I know it’s late but hoping to at least attempt to get in shape/loose some weight before I finish ivf. Thanks ladies..

mandurz

I have the same issue most of the time. Biggest enemy with PCOS are things that elevate your blood sugar too quickly. So processed sugars and grains. Whole grain is a better choice for us. Fruits need to be limited because they are full of natural sugars...still eat them but limit the amount each serving. Veggies are your best bet and high protein foods. My RE has suggested doing this diet called "whole 30" for 30 days. Basically you cut out all processed sugars, all grains, and all dairy. Let me tell you...it's not easy. In my situation he is looking more for reducing foods that cause inflammation rather than focusing on weight. He said I may loose weight but that's not the primary focus. 
I think you will be in a good state if you want to just focus on natural sugar sources (fruit, 100% fruit juice, and honey), whole grains, and a balance of protein to your carb intake.

mcgeeva

I will have to look that up. Do you think doing a high protein shake would be okay with this? I am awful at this stuff. I am trying to eat more salads and even bought sprout bread - whatever the heck that is. Wish there was an easier way. 

mandurz

Well if you are talking about doing high protein shake with the whole 30...then no, unless you drink it without dairy. Before starting this I used to drink the carnation high protein shake myself as a way to make sure I was getting enough protein. 
Any diet specific for PCOS from what I have learned is going to get either really restrictive or be complicated. After I get through the remaining 26 days of this awful diet I will let you know how I feel. The first few days have been hard, but that is my own fault. I have such a sweet tooth that the sugar withdrawal is the worst part of this. The food isn't bad, it just gets complicated when trying to find 100% grass fed, or eggs that are from free range hens, complicated and expensive.

mcgeeva

I drink it with 1/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk and water. Lol please do! Oh please the grass fed or free range is a bit much. I get no hormones but also need to be realistic with the cost in the middle of this stuff. 

sbjbrn

Hey ladies.  Was wondering this as well.  I have been trying to find a "diet" that works.  So scared of gaining any more weight going into my IVF cycles, so I wan't to lose a few pounds before then.

@mandurz I've heard of the "Whole 30" diet on several forums.  Will have to look into it.

mcgeeva

@sbjbrn that is exactly how I feel. Clearly spin didn’t work for me so now trying to really watch what I eat and do beach body to lose some weight during this ivf cycle.

sbjbrn

@mcgeeva  Husband and I started working on the Keto diet.  So far not bad.  The sugar cravings are real though

mcgeeva

sbjbrn  I always wonder how hard it is to keep up or even the preparation since clearly I wouldn't be giving my kids the same things. Do you find you have to do all your prep early in the week?

m6agua

*lurking*

I have done several Whole30's and just finished up my January one, so I wanted to speak up. You do not have to do 100% grass fed, free range, etc. That is just a recommendation. You can make it as easy or as complicated as you want and as cheap or as expensive as you want. I always just buy the meats that are on sale at my local grocery store and I keep my meals super simple. Frozen veggies, protein and maybe a potato or squash. My first was very affordable, but now I pay more to get some convenience items because it is worth it to me. A protien shake would not be in the spirit of the Whole30 because it is more about eating your foods rather than drinking them.

The point of it is to heal your gut with all these whole foods that are not inflammatory. Then at the end reintroduce very systematically to figure out what works for you and what doesn't.

bubblyducks24

I stay drinking water and almond milk every day just like @mcgeeva, definitely part of my diet.

meganttc3

I have never found a diet that works for me. I am a night shift nurse and I just can not find a diet that is convenient for my busy life style and that can help my late night munchies when I'm having a show night at work. 

mcgeeva

meganttc3  I would be munching too if I had to stay up late!

meganttc3

We have vending machines on every floor and it is so hard not to visit them at night.

tinchencs

My lesson I learned was to be strict with your diet. I cut out meat only eat fish. It's fresher and has less hormones. Also do not eat anything dairy. Only vegan butter or coconut milk (read that almond milk delays your ovulation) and don't eat carbs. No bread or pasta and when I do its brown rice. I eat a lot of vegetables and salads. I have some great and simple recepieces who can be cooked after work, love to share them. Also stay away from sugar drinks such as sodas. 
It sucks sometimes especially when I go out to dinner or craving a pizza but it pays off. I feel better, not as tired and my skin got better too. And yeah that little thing like  lost some weight. 

mcgeeva

tinchencs  Holy cow that's hard core! I would find that so hard to do since I would have to cook everything separate for myself. We had fish last night but couldn't eat all the time. I do love cheese and it's hard to for my to do salads all the time. Crohns and IBS run in our family so as much as I love it too many days in a row of salad nearly kills me. I wish I could be that strict but I don't know if I ever could. I don't drink soda but we always have seltzers.  My downfall is definitely carbs. I'm Italian so lots of pastas, breads etc

marioana99

@mcgeeva you might want to look into the ketogenic diet. There are a few studies that prove that it works for PCOS by  regulating hormones and helping with ovulation, besides the weight loss. A few good resources for it are the https://www.ketogenicforums.com/ and https://www.dietdoctor.com/.
It is restrictive (you cut carbs from your diet) but after a few weeks on it the sugar cravings go away and you feel great.