http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18678372

I saw this abstract for a study on PCOS/IR and lower BMR (basal metabolic rate, the amount of calories your body needs to maintain weight without any exercise or action). I thought it was interesting, and wanted to share it. Forgive me if it's been shared on here before.

here's a snipet of the conclusion: "RESULT(S):

Adjusted BMR was 1,868 +/- 41 kcal/day in the control group, 1,445.57 +/- 76 in all PCOS women, 1,590 +/- 130 in PCOS women without IR and 1,116 +/- 106 in PCOS women with IR. Adjusted BMR showed a statistically significant difference between women with PCOS and control subjects, with lowest values in the group of PCOS women with IR, even after adjusting all groups for age and BMI."

1116 Calories vs. 1868? Yikes!

I haven't been diagnosed with PCOS or Insulin Resistance--but I've gained 40 lbs in the last four years (and three out of the four years I've been REALLY trying to put on the breaks for weight gain--to little avail. It can be really frustrating.) I also have some other symptoms of IR, tend to gain weight in my belly, bloat, feel sick from sugar, etc.

Anyway, I thought I'd share this study because it's results are pretty extreme.

Yup -- I am NOT surprised.

I was getting pretty fed up with my endoc because I was doing everything right by estimates and lost 30 lbs on paper over a year and nothing in real life.

I KNOW my metabolism is not where estimates put it.

Lifting weights takes on a whole other meaning for PCOS people. Gotta have that muscle to bump it up.

A.

Well, I feel both validated and disheartened. But it sure makes sense to me! The online BMR calculators tell me I can maintain my current weight at 2400+ calories, but personal experience tells me that I can achieve maintenance at just 1650. So subtracting 500 calories a day from that...yes, I've seen a greater rate of weight loss at 1150 calories, but it's so hard for me to maintain!

I also find it personally ironic that the study was on Greek women...'cause I'm one of them!

Thanks for sharing this!

it would certainly explain why, at 750cal/day, i'm only losing 2, 2-1/2lbs a week and why i gained weight at 1500 cal/day.

Interesting study and I hadn't seen it before.

But it also makes sense. I need to keep my calories low to lose weight, I can't out-exercise higher amounts like other people can. Like astrophe, I've lost my body weight and then some over the last two years -- ON PAPER.

No wonder calorie counting & Weight Watchers did not work for me. I seriously need to eat under 1000 calories to lose any kind of weight.