[cathexis2008]

Hello out there!

I am new here and have been browsing the threads reading about PCOS and other IR related threads. To be honest, I'm a bit discouraged at how hard losing weight has been for me, and then to read how others, after hours of exercise and dieting, still barely manage to lose weight, has made it all the more discouraging. I have seen how some have lost quite a bit of weight but how long did it take? I guess I just need a pep talk or something. What's the average that a PCOS loses in a month if they exercise and diet? Is LC the only way to go to see results? Why is it so hard to lose inches even after exercising and dieting? What should I do to get the best results the fastest? I wish there was a donation button... I'd donate my extra if I could....

Do I get rid of the scales? Seems like every time I go to diet and exercise and spend a few days of going to bed hungry and making the effort to workout, I get on the scales and ...nothing. It's really discouraging. I thought about getting rid of it for awhile. The lack of results, unfortunatlely, send me back into the fridge or cupboards looking for something to "make myself feel better."

So, here's my big whine. Sorry Ladies, I didn't mean for it to sound this way but just would love to know that fat doesn't have to be my companion forever....

[Get n healthy]

Geeze, i know EXACTLY how you feel. I do that same thing! It is so frustrating. I read on here where some people who weigh a lot less than me are losing 10 pounds a month...and you know the thinner you are the harder it is to lose weight....so with that line of thinking the weight should be just flying off of me. But for me, its more like 5 a month...on a good month. I did my best when i was on Byetta for my IR and pcos, but i lost my health insurance and byetta was $250 a month wo health insurance, so bye-bye byetta. But i sure dont lose well on my own. So i hear ya sister. I am intested to see what others say their average is with pcos.

[philadelphiab]

I have been on ww for 5 mos and lost 31 lbs. I have a LOT to lose so I figure it is moving fairly quick. When I started it was like 2 1/2 mos to lose 17 lbs...clothes still fit and no one noticed. All of the sudden I got to 20 + lbs lost and clothes too big and people notice. Now every lb I lose seems huge because I am adding on to that first 20 lbs. 2 lbs does not seem like a lot but 22 sounds better. Don't give up...time passes whether you lose an ounce or not so you might as well be an ounce lighter.

Hope this helps.

[rockstar87]

Ugh. God. I was at the point where I was running an hour a day and eating 1000 calories and not losing a pound. I just got so desperate! I think the key with PCOS is that a) you have to be smart about what you're doing... I know friends who would restrict calories and eat junk but stuck within their calorie range and could still lose weight...you absolutely cannot do that with PCOS. Do your research and play around with what works for you. I can't do extreme low carb...I've tried. Now I do moderately low carb, eat only whole grains (ie: sprouted grain bread), and count calories. This is the most I've ever lost since I was 15 and it's the longest I've continued losing. I started working out 5hrs a week (4 of which was circuit training) and now I've added more cardio and am between 8 and 10hrs/week.
b) you have to be patient. It takes longer, no doubt. I've lost 18lbs since February. Initially I lost 0.5-0.75 of a pound a week and had to constantly remind myself that as long as the scale was going down, I was happy. Now I average between 0.8 - 1.0lbs per week and I've even had a couple losses of 1.5lbs in a week. That's also why it's critical to do something you can do permanently. It will take longer for you than someone without PCOS so find a plan you can stick with both in diet and exercise.
c) realize it does get easier the more weight you lose. Weight loss is key to managing your symptoms and you'll find that the weight loss does get a little more "normal" as you make more progress. These last 3 months I've had a period every 3 weeks...I went from every 2 months to every 6 weeks to every 3. I haven't had periods this regular...ever! I was diagnosed at 18 and am 21 now and this is the most normal I've ever been!

You'll be fine...hang in there!

[Lifeguard]

I understand what you mean. It is totally discouraging - especially at first when you are first accepting it.

I have found that it is hard to get started - takes several weeks before I start to see a loss & then I'll see sporadic jumps down. Definitely no predictable trend. I lost 30lbs in about 4 months then maintained that for a year. Then upped my exercise Dramatically & saw NO loss for 8 weeks. Then I lost 40lbs in 4 months (by in my head I see it as 6 months 'cause if it wasn't for the work I'd done in the first 2 I wouldn't have had as dramatic results in the next 4).

Every body is different but I have definitely found exercise is the key. Try to find something you can be passionate about.