[astrophe]

Happy new year!

Who is here this month? Let's round up! (Old Dec 2012 is here)
How are you?
How was last month?
How is your PCOS management last month?
What are you going to work on in January?

A.

[astrophe]

Who is here this month? Me!

How are you? Better and continuing to improve.

How was last month?

Lots of stuff going on with family and friends and our crazy bathroom remodel.


How is your PCOS management last month?

Labs came back improved, and I'm trying to be more present here now that things are calmer.

I gained over the holidays -- both from the holidays and from the stress eating with the crazy divorce action around here. My friend is still waiting for her court date, but is in a calmer state of mind now about it all so that helps.

What are you going to work on in January?

Just being more present. I'm never too sure what's going on.

But I have been wheat free for 3 days! A small NSV for me. It's is HARD.

A.

[PrettyMom09]

Who is here this month? Me!

How are you? I'm grateful for being here and grateful for finally being able to focus on healthy habits again.

How was last month?

The last few months of the year were very tough for me since I was dealing with the breast cancer diagnosis. I have recovered from the mastectomy, and I'm now doing radiation treatments. I have gained a couple of pounds, but on the grand scheme of things, I'm not too worried about that. I will have two more reconstructive surgeries this year, so I need to get as healthy as possible for that.


How is your PCOS management last month?

The spiro helped lower my testosterone just a little, so I will continue to take it.

What are you going to work on in January?

I will continue to improve by health by making better food choices and making time to exercise.

[avalonmoon]

Who is here this month?
I'm here some, less than before but I'm dropping by when I can.
Let's round up! How are you?
I'm okay .. struggling with abot 7 pounds to safely be in onederland. I'm currently 205.8.
How was last month? Frustrating, my hubby had vacation and was so restless he ruined my NYE. Then he apologised for causing such meyem and made me weak to his charm lol. What a rollercoaster ride.

How is your PCOS management last month? My tom was late by a week .. I think the stress maybe.

What are you going to work on in January? Losing these obstinate last pounds in the 200s ..

Hope eveeryone is doing well. =)

[astrophe]

to January, PrettyMom09 and Avalonmoon!

MY CHECK IN:

I ate dinner out. And stayed wheat free AND brought home half of everything. Half my scallops, potato, veg, half my GF brownie. Will save it for lunch tomorrow.

And I came in with room to spare on my food log so I have space for a bedtime fruit snack later tonight or tea with lemon or similar.

I'm having some wheat withdrawal -- slight headache and a bit of brain woozy but I'm bearing thru it. My nose is already clearing up and I can breathe through both nostrils and ear pressure eased up so get out of here mucus/congestion! Scram!

One day at a time... baby steps...

A.

[Rana]

Who is here this month?

I'm here, I'm back!

I was so lonely in December, I didn't know if anyone would be back in January!

How are you?

Annoyed at myself. I gained like 5 pounds back (will change my ticker in a minute) and I just want to growl.

It was a little of this and a little of that... not really thinking or watching out... or even if I was aware of it, it was always "Oh, it's just one time..."

I should know better!

How was last month?

Tiring. I love the end of the year, start of a new year, but 2012 was definitively a year of a lot of ups and a lot of downs... The highs were really good, but the lows were kinda low too.

How is your PCOS management last month?

Good. Got my period, its lightening up a little, I think. Or maybe it's wishful thinking?

I miss the periods I used to get on BCP -- light and fast!

What are you going to work on in January?

Well, first and foremost, to go back to the style of eating that works for me, which is whole foods, no wheat, no dairy, lots of fruits and vegetables and proteins.

I am doing my own version of Paleo/Primal, which I know works for my body. I wanted to do a Whole30, but I decided to change my mind on that one. I haven't eaten the Standard American Diet (SAD) in a long time, and I know what I have sensitivities to (wheat, dairy, sugar!) what sits well with me -- leafy vegetables, root vegetables, and fruits like berries and apples.

I also have to take the time out in my life to cook at home. This is hard because it's always been my Achilles heel. I don't like to cook... I don't get pleasure from measuring and combining and slaving over a hot stove. I'm more the type to enjoy your lovingly made dinner for me!

But I have to do it. Sigh.

[PrettyMom09]

Hello Rana, Astrophe and Avalon!! We can do this! I'm so glad to be back on this board and glad to be able to work on my health. I plan to do some form of exercise when I get home from work today. I haven't exercised in a while, so I'm excited to get started. I hope you guys have an awesome week!!

[CassieJo]

New to this web support.......hear a lot about how helpful this is...so I thought I would give it a try. I am interested in hearing about the Metformin and how much it plays a part in weight loss.

[PhatPhoenix]

Who is here this month?
I'm back. From about 5 years ago!
How are you?
Hopefully, finally sorting myself out. Although I'm 51, doctor has done bloods and says I am miles off the menopaise yet so guess I have a few more years of PCOS fun ahead of me!
How was last month?
I wasn't trying to get healthy, last month. Am back now, though. Oddly, for a week before xmas I had a strange stomach virus and then ever since then a cold that has been hard to shake. So I felt I needed to start eating healthily again.
How is your PCOS management last month?
It went out of the window, when I fell off track with the healthy lifestyle I once had...
What are you going to work on in January?
Getting psyched up, focussed and starting to get healthy again.

[Fatness]

Hello all! I am new to this form! I also have pcos. It has gotten better once I been losing weight! I came on my period and been on for 5 months. I really feel more like a woman now! What I hate the most about pcos, is the excess hair grow. I don't know if you ladies have that problem.. But my God.. Face hair is killing me.. It grows faster then the hair on my head! Lol

I wax 2 times a week and its killing. I don't wear make-up, so I don't cover it up.. If you have this problem please give me some help that does not cost me. A lot of money! Broke college student here.

[Rana]

Hi All of you!

My boyfriend is a bad influence on me tempting me with lunches that are not on-plan with Paleo.

Anyway, the one thing that I did do that I was proud of these past few days was that I threw out some pastries that my mother gave me. She had saved them expressly because I used to love them when I was a child and when she came across them, she wanted me to have them -- three pieces.

I ate a small one and then threw the rest away. It was hard to throw out perfectly good food, but I had my taste and I had to remember that even though it was a pastry, it was not as great as I remembered it and I knew that I didn't really need it.

So, I threw the rest away, even if my head was screaming no.

[Cemommster]

How are you? I am good, it's been awhile, but I am back.
How was last month? Very busy.
How is your PCOS management last month? Well, besides the enormous amount of facial hair, it's been good. lol
What are you going to work on in January? I am going to be selfish and work on me. Without a happy and healthy Mom, the family falls apart.

[astrophe]

Rana: In times of stress, like that whole crazy time in fall 2011 with committing dad to hospital against his will for evaluation -- I just put us all on BistroMD. Maybe that could work for you since you do not like to cook? And WTG on getting rid of pastries you do not need.

I'm grateful for your presence -- I know I wasn't posting but I was reading! Seeing SOMEONE I "know" (i know we haven't met in real life) out there kicking PCOS butt was helpful to me!

Prettymom09: What did the workout end up being?

CassieJo: Welcome! Metformin XR (extended release) for me? It helped regulate my cycles to 60 days so I could get pregnant with my kid in 2002. It took a year to conceive.

I've been off and on it since. I think my endoc doesn't know what to do with me. So I'm checking with changing to an RE right now.

For weight loss it stopped weight CREEP, but didn't do much for me for weight LOSS. I was grateful to stop weight creep. But diet changes helped get the IR in check -- my labs were so good my endoc told me if you didn't know
I was PCOS/IR you could not tell from labs that I do and have good control. But then the metformin does nothing for me, and sometimes pushes my blood sugar too LOW. So while it's helpful in the lower testosterone sense... I don't like the low blood sugar wiggies. I didn't need it for IR any more. For weight loss my endoc said to try it again but I don't think it's part of my plan for the time being so I've stopped it again. Too many wiggies. Rather find other means.

I'm hoping losing wheat will help. For my cloggy nose and to chill on cravings.


PhatPhoenix: Welcome! Menopause or not, PCOS has no cure. It's managed or not managed. Which type are you? Seen the poll?

Fatness: Welcome! Yep -- chin hairs, whee! I get waxed and shave in between times.

Cemommster: Welcome! Totally relate -- being the heartbeat of the home as the SAHM person here is sometimes hard. But with no mom the world falls apart here!

MY CHECK IN:

I have made it 7 days wheat free, though baked a wheat free -gluten free king's day bread for epiphany that made me feel nasty. So maybe I also have a yeast sensitivity? I'm fine now but it laid me out with the sleepies and a headache!

Today I scheduled a day off to myself. We celebrate the 12 days of christmas and epiphany on Jan 6 closes that out.

Hubby back at work after taking almost 2 weeks off. Kid back at school after 2 weeks off for winter break. People at home is fun, and I enjoy them but in terms of work for the SAHM? It is MORE work for me! So I am glad for the SILENCE at home. No crazy errands, no remodel bathroom guys here, no family underfoot -- just me. And laundry running for the house but planning things for ME and my health today on my laptop. Yay!

I'm hoping to get a menu plan typed up and on the fridge that is things we like to eat but wheat free. The kid's lunch will be a challenge there somewhat since she loves her sandwiches. I'll have to pop out for GF bread or something later.

I'm down again -- I assume holiday bloat is leaving me. 265.4 lbs. Will update ticker but I remain unattached to the number til end of Jan when all the holiday hoo ha is def past and any sodium retention clears out.

THEN I actually looked for my annual. In 2012... I KEPT OFF 13.6 lbs.

There was some up and down jiggling. While I wish it was more and life things kept getting in my way making me worry if I could keep it on the down... I'm on the DOWN SIDE FOR THE YEAR! Take THAT pcos! HA! HA!

I'm feeling good.

Alright. New years. Tracking for 2013 set up begins... Same or better dude... gimme an annual DOWN for 2014!

A.

[astrophe]

8 days down. Here's goes with day 9 of wheat free... horrible headache. I'm a bit worried about fending off cravings.

A.

[Rana]

Astrophe, you CAN do it!

Don't think about the cravings and when you do, there are tons of alternatives that you can have.

I am almost wheat free -- in the sense that I eat it maybe 2 a month, at most. I don't eat it except in very specific circumstances when I really want it. The problem, I have now found out, is that it causes inflammation in my joints when I do eat it (the next day). I never noticed this until recently, when I was eating it. I'm glad I now know, because there is RA in my family and I want to make sure I don't continue to eat things that make the RA appear for me. (Wheat/gluten have been attributed to RA, hence my concern.)