Good Morning All

I broke down last night and had spaghetti for dinner, this morning I woke up feeling like I had much more energy than earlier this week. Does low carb = no energy? I hope not, I can't live with this feeling of exhaustion if I have to eat low carb. How do you other ladies with PCOS manage it?

I start South Beach on Sunday (going to a concert Saturday that will involve eating out + beer so not going to attempt SBD till Sunday), so am currently trying to work and cram last minute reading of the book. It's like school exams all over again.

TGIF all!

I do eat some carbs. I eat things like whole wheat breads & pasta, brown rice, quinoa. I have tried doing low carb, but always feel kinda lousy on it.

Good morning! I hope we all have a great August! Remember, exercise is one of the number one ways that we can battle Insulin Resistance and lose weight!

Lynne, I felt washed out when I was on Phase 1 of SBD, but it went away. Hang in there, Phase 2 comes soon and so does brown rice. If you break down, at least have whole wheat carbs so you won't get the blood sugar crash. If you are having a problem hanging in with Phase 1, you can move to Phase 2. Phase 1 helps you drop water weight for a mental boost, and basically breaks you down so you're grateful for a cup of rice later on. It is perfectly fine to go to Phase 2. Whatever keeps you closest to plan is the right choice.

August goals - stay POP every day, cardio 7x a week, weights 3x a week.

Hey Ladies

I need a little help understanding something.

I chose to do South Beach Diet because it is low carb, even though it claims not to be, without totally giving up all of the good veggies and grains, like some other low carb diets will have you do.

I started Phase 1 on Sunday and have been doing great with the eating. Yesterday I went to see my nutritionist to talk to her about the IR/PCOS and how I should go low carb, I asked her whether she thought SBD was a good idea and she said that she thought it was, but that I should skip Phase 1 and start at Phase 2, due to Phase 1 being too restrictive.

I'm a little confused here. What I have read about insulin resistance is that I should avoid carbs because of how my body processes them (turns them straight to sugar/fat instead of energy), yet here is a nutritionist and one with an excellent reputation at that, telling me I should eat them.

I'm not sure what to do! I thought I had a plan, now I don't!

Any advice on helping me understand insulin resistance?

Hi Lynne, I sent you a PM about this, but I'll say it here for everybody in case we have some other newbs that are asking the same question.

A long, long time ago, the preferred method of weight loss for PCOS, as prescribed by doctors, was a very low calorie diet. Then that transformed to low carb,which changed to good carb, which got a sprinkling of just exercise and count calories. So there is a lot of difference in opinion out there. We're all different and we all respond differently to diets. I would suggest you try what your nutritionist says (if you like that advice), and if that doesn't work, change your plan. (That's what she'd do too, I'd say) No use in making it harder than it has to be!

Phase 1 was developed to be a mental boost and cover page story. "Lose 10 pounds in 2 Weeks" sells more, and gives the dieter confidence and reward for sticking with it. It doesn't last like that forever, so Phase 2 will just be a little slower, but possibly easier to stick with. Good luck - I'm sure you will do great!

Sassy Chick - what kinds of veggies do you like and not like?

My favorite way to eat carrots are either roasted with coarse ground pepper and a little salt, or steamed until just tender, and spritzed with butter spray and fresh lemon juice. YUM.

Broccoli and squash, steamed with butter spray and fresh lemon juice.

Eggplant - I like to chop it and roast it, and then mash it in a skillet with Muir Glen fire roasted tomatoes, sauteed onions, and curry powder.

Fresh green beans ( I like the petite ones from Sams) - steam them until crisp tender, then throw in hot skillet with butter spray and a handful of chopped garlic.

Coarsely chop squash, zucchini, mushrooms and and onions, saute until crips tender, add in a few handfuls of spinach and stir until wilted. Pour over a bowl of hot Jade Rice and drizzle with some good balsamic vinegar.

And that is a list of my faves. I LOVE vegetables.

Hey Sassy, nice reminder about blood screenings. I just had a blood screening done at the mall. The hospital has an 'annex' there for seminars, classes and health screens. Every month they do it for one day, and we pay $15 to have cholesterol and blood sugar tested. Last month I had the best results that I've had for many years, so it's nice to see. My HDL is still low, though. Working on it!

Ooooh, great job on the A1C drop!!! That's fantastic!

How is everybody else doing this hot and steamy August? I've been on plan almost every meal for this month, and I'm exercising regularly. It feels really good to be on the straight and narrow again. It gets easier.

Oh yeah - Sassy, I'll look up some good recipes for you!

Hi Jen and thanks. I was so proud of myself!! Now its the BIG challenge, getting off the "Dew" (Mt. Dew)..........I didn't buy anymore when I want to the store, so whatever is in the fridge (not much) is it for me.........I bought some of those flavored things that you can put into your bottle of water. One of them has Ginseng in it, so hopefully that will keep me going when I am working!! lol. The caffeine headaches have already began and I have just cut down, boy I am not looking forward to next week at work!!! Luckily I have plenty of Excedrin Migraine!! I'm gonna need it! lol.

My inlaws are giving us their old treadmill and rowing machine, which they are not "old", they are practically brand new, my dh says. We just have to find room, or should I say make room for them, then its no more excuses for me to exercise, that is for sure!!! lol. Then with exercise, this weight should start melting off and my blood sugars should be excellent, at least according to my dr, he said with exercise I should pretty much kick this in the butt!!! He was very very proud of my blood test results. Next time I want them to be even better!!!

Hey ladies. Looking for a group to join. I also have PCOS, and losing weight is SO HARD for me (not that it is easy for anyone!!). I have done WW so many times in the past. I lose about 15lbs, it takes me 6-8 months to lose that, in that time I am so frustrated and tired of trying and not seeing results that I end up giving up. I have been to see a nutritionist, she was kind of helpful, showing me how to add more veggies, protein and fiber into my diet. This has taken away my mid afternoon "crashes". She sort of wrote me off though, telling me that my moneyw ould be better spent with a personal trainer! I was put off by this... so I have been on my own since then, this was Dec 07. I started working out, 4-5 days a week. I do cardio and light weights. I have been losing inches, but not pounds. I started WW again at home, lost aobut 5 lbs, but it is getting really hard again. Hoping to grab ideas from other PCOSers and kick this weight loss thing in the rear!
So, where do I start? South Beach phase 2?? Low carb sounds like it is the way to go for us, huh?
Thanks for listening!!
Jenny

Hi everyone,

I have a couple of ideas/questions to bounce around here, but I don't feel like making a new thread particularly...

1. Next week I have my 1st appt with my doctor, basically just a check-in, after starting Metformin about a month ago. Are there any really important things you think I should be asking at this point? She is generally really good, but do I need to ask for a new set of blood tests if she doesn't already suggest them? I want to be prepared for my visit because my gyn is the chief of the dept. and it takes FOREVER to get actual face-to-face appointments with her. Want to make the most of the time.

2. OK, so I want to make the most of Metformin while I'm on it, which means I'm exercising and eating low-GI foods (for the most part...it's hard to stay away from dark chocolate a few times a week). What I've gathered is that the good supplements to take are: a daily vitamin including B-12, cinnamon, fish oil,....anything else?? I want to stick to the basics because I'm generally pretty skeptical of homeopathy (unless there's a lot of good hard evidence to support).

What else...oh yea I need to vent. I am BREAKING OUT. BLAAAHHH!! In the worst spot, too. Right on my upper lip under my nose. I used to have horrible skin as a teenager, even while on BCPs, went on Accutane and cleared it up beautifully. Now that I'm on Yaz I rarely get a pimple - once every few months. I tend to get a little obsessive. If this were five years ago I wouldn't have thought twice about it -- oh well, just another one to add to the count -- but now it's just ruining everything! I get scared that my hormones are changing on this Metformin and that my skin is going to go to crap again...that would be horrible. Anyway. I've overreacting, but this is the perfect place to do it... ;-)

Have a great weekend!

- L

Jenny and ~L!!!

Dunno what to tell ya, Jenny about SB, as I'm not on it, but there is a SB thread here in the group. I looked it up for ya Jenny, here is the SB Thread

~L -- I can't think of anything to ask her right now, maybe some of the other chicks will have some questions for you to ask her.

Good Luck!