Since April, I have lost 20 pounds. It comes off slowly but it DOES come off. You just have to be very patient. Like, HS, I am perfectly happy at the size I am right now. But, I started working out and eating right as a way to help my body run at it's most efficient state. I realized that I had lost touch with my body and it was paying me back with fatigue and all sorts of goodies for the years I had neglected and abused it.
I eat a sensible diet and try to keep it around 2000 calories a day and under 70 fat grams (for my size, 252 lbs--- this is about the amount I need). I am a vegetarian and have been for 7 years. I try to eat 6 small meals a day. I do eat carbs, but I balance them with healthy doses of protein. Basically, I try to arrange my plate the way my Mom did, at least two veggies and a main dish. I try to keep my plates colorful and exciting by using different types of veggies. I still eat unhealthy food (last night I had pizza) but I stop when I am full and eat plenty of fiber and healthy foods which makes me less hungry for the high-fat foods I love.
This is a lifestyle change--and that how I have approached it. I find that if I don't deny myself food, there is nothing to QUIT DOING later when I get frustrated at the slow weight loss. In other words, If I were on a low carb diet and spent most of my days denying myself bread, the second I got frustrated, I would probably eat an entire garlic loaf and go right back to eating the old way I always did.
I never deny myself a craving. If I want a cookie or some ice cream, I eat it--full fat and all. But I don't eat an entire bag of oreos like I might have done before. I also try to stick to a "serving size" portion. (But if I want more, I eat it). If you give yourself what you want, you will be less likely to withhold and gorge later.
I also write down everything I eat in a book so that I am accountable for my food. I am less likely to eat 6 slices of pizza when I know I have to write them all down.
I also work out. But I don't go crazy with it. Moderate workouts several times a week are fine. I don't beat myself if I miss a few workouts. I usually do 30 mins on treadmill and two sets of 10 reps on the weight circuit 3 times a week. If I can't get to the gym, I just try to be more active at home or try to find fun weekend activities that involve movement.
Last week, I went rollerskating at a rink with my friends. Now, we are all WAY too old to be hanging around at the skating rink with a bunch of Tweens on a Saturday night. But we ended up havin a blast and making new friends. It was fun and good for our bodies.
What really facilitated the change for me was that I stopped telling myself that I was fat and lazy and started telling myself that I was "sporty" instead.
I tried to remember when I was 6 and played soccer and loved every minute of it. This helped me to get in touch with my Inner Athlete and now I think of myself this way instead of as the Cake-Eating-TV-Watcher that I had been telling myself I was before..
What diets were you successful with PCOS
