[maxsmom77]

Well after a month of eating 1200-1400 calories a day, keeping my fat at 30% of my calories or less and eating a slightly restricted amount of carbs. I have lost 4.2lbs. The most I've lost in a month for over a year. I was VERY encouraged by this. Sam ate this same diet with me and he lost 11lbs. I chalk it up to 3 things, he's a man, it's his first diet and he DOESN'T have PCOS...LOL.

Honesty speaking here: I hesitate to be too excited as the last 6 months or more has been up 4lbs, down 3lbs, up 4lbs, down 1lb and then up 3lbs and down 4.2lbs. Basically it's been up or down. This is what I wrote in an email to a friend this morning:

I worry

I find I worry about what next months weigh-in will be. My weekly weigh-ins at home, seem to be of no use to me, but you know the scale is a powerful tool that beckons to you. I find because I worry, I wonder. Wonder if I'll see the up down, up down trend AGAIN. I worry that I'll always be fat. So then I eat. Sure I eat CLOSE to my goal, but always a bit over, because secretly I fear, it won't work this month, so why bother. OK I said it.

--Real thoughts from a real person

Now don't get me wrong. I'm only on Day 2 of Month 2, eating this way. I go back to my Endo in a week and half, so we'll see what he says. I know I can completely tolerate the Avandia and didn't tolerate the Glucophage AT ALL. My cycles are FINALLY getting back to normal, after the fiasco with the Yasmin. Even though I say I've gone over (like 25 calories yesterday and 10 the day before that). I'm not eating out of control or anything.

So that's it for the update. How is everyone else doing?

Yvonne

[Jenniffer]

Hey Yvonne..wondering how your doing. Been some time since we heard from you. Hope the success followed you into your second month.

[maxsmom77]

Jenniffer,

Well, I quit the Xenical. Couldn't justify paying $116 a month for something that did nothing. I joined a FANTASTIC PCOS low-carb email list and am having a GREAT time with them and am learning so much.

I read the Protein Power book and loved the idea. I guess I'm sort-of doing that diet, but have written a few rules of my own. LOL

I started at 100cbs a day for a week and lost 4lbs. But NO candy. Only thing sweet I ate was SF Jello with a tad bit of cool whip. Then I went down to 80cbs a day with NO problem, but introduced a few "snackies" although I stayed below 80 a day. Lost 2lbs that week. Then I ate about 70-80cbs a day, but had WAY to many snacks. I didn't lose anything on week 3. I thought I could fool my body into thinking those "treats" would be OK, although I stayed within my carbs would be alright, but they are not.

I have discovered Carbolite candy, that tastes EXACTLY like regular chocolate (comes in PB, Choco-Mint, Dark, Milk, Crunch) and it has Splenda and Malitrol. I only eat a few squares a day, but surprisingly it satisfys the choco/sweet craving. I even go days where I permit myself 4 squares but only eat 2 cause, 2 is enough. I try to limit my carbs to "good" foods, like whole grains and fruit/veggies.

I'm on week 4 and stayed the same, we'll see how it goes this week. I think I maintain on 60-80 cbs and lose at between 50-60. It really hasn't been too bad at all. I just have found other snacks, cheese squares, deli meat, hardboiled eggs with mayo, honey roasted peants (can't go crazy on those) and I have a homemade LC PB cookie that is pretty good.

How are you doing? I'm taking Avandia and blood sugar appears to be normal, FINALLY. Glucophage, killed my stomach and I took myself off of it. Doc agreed with me.

What diet are you doing right now? Just curious. I wanted SO bad to stay on WW, cause it's easy to follow, but just wasn't working with my insulin stuff!!

BTW, your new picture looks GREAT!!! I'd love to hear from you!

Yvonne

[Jenniffer]

Goodmorning Yvonne. So happy you responded so soon! Was curious of how you were doing, and it seems like your doing really well!
Congrats on the losses and successes. We all know how difficult it is.
I've never seen the Carbolite candy. I don't think I have anyways. They sell it at Supermarkets? I am always a bit hesitant into buying those because of the taste and price. But since you seem to really like it, I will have to try it. I'll let you know what I think. Is it pricey?

I am basically eating like a cave man with alot of water and walking. I began the Metformin a week ago and have been really OP for about 12 days now. I am on a streak and feeling good. I am down 7.5 lbs since I began again. The Metformin is having it's side effects but actually not as bad as they were when I first started a year ago. Feeling better everyday, so hopefully this will work for me.

WW is a really good plan. But I too can't lose eating "anything I want and just watching portions". A potato, cookie or bowl of pasta will do the same thing to my body..send me craving and gaining. Just not worth it anymore. Will have them, just very seldom and with protien.

Glad your doing well and you found support your enjoying. Support is the key to all of this.

[maxsmom77]

Jenniffer,

I actually bought the Carbolite at Trader Jo's, but I'm going to request that my small town pharmacy carry it. They're pretty good about that stuff and they carry an assortment of "diabetic" candy anyways. Just now, they can carry something that actually tastes GOOD! It's really amazing. My favorite is the Crunch, although Nestle Crunch was never my favorite in "real life". Go Figure! BTW, it's about $1.39 a bar and it's a good sized bar. But one bar lasts me a week. So it's worth it to me.

That is GREAT about your weight loss. I wish mine were going as well. I can't understand how my blood sugar can read normal now and not lose easier, I guess I figured that was what was holding it up? Who knows???

Thanks for responding back and I'm glad you're doing so well!!

Yvonne

[Jennifer 3FC]

Hi Yvonne, glad to see you had a drop last month! I have not, I've gained actually, but that is to be expected with no exercise
(I had tendonitis). I guess I will be hanging out here doing nothing in particular this month....just regular low carb of my own weird mixture.

I go back to the endo on July 1st and the nutritionist will go over my blood work with me and put me on a plan. I can't tell you how excited I am to have somebody tell me how to eat!

About that chocolate, if you want some variety of flavors, try Ross Chocolate Bars. Www.lowcarbchocolates.com is where I buy mine. The mint chocolate is soooo good. So is the white chocolate!

[maxsmom77]

Jennifer,

I'd be afraid to go to an Nutritionist. I've heard they don't believe in Low-carbing and automatically want to put you on TRADITIONAL pyramid food plan. Low-fat, low-calories = low/no weight loss for me. Actually I gain that way.

Reminds me of this one woman on my PCOS list told me about her experience last week at a nutritionist. Told her the same thing and she had a hard time not laughing. I guess she's a chemist by profession and the stuff she said was weird.

But then again, I know there are people out there who do know what they're talking about and you know enough to know what to do too!

Now me, I'm the opposite, I HATE someone telling me what to eat and what not to eat. I like guidelines and then eat what I chose within them. I love to cook, and on whims, I may want something different. Poor Sam, has to eat what "I" feel like that night. LOL

Well, I'm off to "work", online that is. We've started an eBay business and MAN is it work, but it's finally starting to pay off. Sam bought me a van yesterday, because we buy at estate sales and auctions and our cavalier was TOO small. LOL Poor Kassie was smashed in the back seat full of depression glass and antique books and things.

Yvonne

Thanks for the heads up on the low-carb chocolate!

[Jennifer 3FC]

I think normally nutritionists are that way, but this one only sees PCOS patients and diabetics. She hopefully will go the low carb route! I am trying to move my appointment up sooner so Rob, Cody and I can take a little vacation at the first of the month...also I am anxious to see what the results are!

[maxsmom77]

FANTASTIC!!! That does sound good then!! I'm sure she'll know what she's talking about!!

Good luck and keep us posted!

Yvonne

[Jenniffer]

Hi guys. I am SO happy to hear about the chocolate and the low carb bars. Sounds very reasonable. I just want to find something I like for those times I want something sweet. I'll be shopping this weekend for that and the book.

The good thing about the nutritionist is that her clients have PCOS. She must know about the low carb connection. She can't very well sit there and advise a high carb, low fat traditional diet. I am she knows her stuff id she was reccomended by the endo. Wish you luck!!

yvonne..Congrats on the new van!!

[Jennifer 3FC]

I don't know if I posted this on another thread or not, but I didn't get to see the nutritionist. I don't know why, after I got the ultrasound and he went over the bloodwork he brought me to the desk to schedule a follow up visit... I will ask next month! I probably shouldn't be so passive about it, but I will give myself this one last chance to make a change myself and if it hasn't happened by the time I go back then I will ask to see her. Apparently the only ones that 'have' to see her are the diabetics. Well, if I don't get my weight off I will be one for sure!

Jenniffer, your caveman diet sounds interesting. Your own thing, or something I can read about? I am considering Protein Power.
I have a load of books to finish reading still!

[maxsmom77]

Had to laugh, because at first I was getting you two Jenniffers/Jennifers mixed up.

Jenniffer: Took my daughter to Oklahoma (800 miles) to stay with my dad and his wife for 3 wks. Sam and I just got back (nice to ride in the roomy van) and while I was there, I discovered the Carbolite bars in Caramel and Caramel Nouget! OMG They are FABULOUS!!! Someone mentioned on a PCOS list I'm on that there is also another new bar called "Pure Delight". It supposed to be even better than the Carbolite bars. Now I'll have to find some and test them out. LOL

Jennifer Tell me why you got an ultrasound again, I don't remember.

Can I recommend HIGHLY Protein Power. I've found that I'm even still HIGHLY resistant, even regular low-carbing doesn't work if I don't follow it exactly. But I LOVE Protein Power. It fits into my lifestyle I can still how fruit and a teeny bit of corn, if I work it into my day!!

I lost 4lbs in 6 days, then I had to go to Oklahoma and although I did the best I could I gained it back in the 4 days I was there. PCOS sucks huh! I didn't eat crazy, but my dad's wife is newly on WW (and fired up about it) and everything was full of grains and fruits and low-fat. See what that does to me.

I've been back for 3 days and am already back down 2lbs, since going back to Protein Power. Let's just say, I finally feel that getting somewhere!!

Good luck and keep us posted!

Yvonne

[Jennifer 3FC]

Hi Yvonne, I got the ultrasound to check my ovaries. He wanted to see if they were polycystic. They are. Right is poly, and the left is just one big one! He wants to see it again to see if it changes.

About those candy bars...I haven't heard of the carmel! I will have to look for it. The Pure Delight is good. I think the Ross bars are also good.

[maxsmom77]

OK, you want to hear the kicker!! Do you know that you can have PCOS WITHOUT Poly-ovaries!!! It's only a side-affect of the disease. I mean, maybe you know all of this, but not all women with PCOS have poly-ovaries. They thought it was the MAIN thing that caused all the problems. But the IR (insulin resistance) is the MAIN problem. That's why some men, get the same symptoms. They're calling it Syndrome X for men, cause we know they don't have ovaries. LOL

I've seen the Ross bars. I'll have to try one. I was actually waiting to her someone's opinion of them.

Yvonne

[Jennifer 3FC]

I love them all! Ok, I don't like the cherry really because I don't like chocolate covered cherries, which they taste exactly like. They are all good! I like the almond chocolate the best. No almond chunks, just almond flavor.