Hello everybody I've been struggling with pcos for about 6 years now I've gained so much weight I recently reached my highest weight at 267. I started weight watchers and was following the plan and was working out for five days a week for an hour and half I only lost 8 pounds. I know it's going to be as low process but how I've been working out just don't add up with what I lost. My doctor tried to put me on metformin but it makes me feel weak and nauseated so I quit taking that. I really need to get this under control but I'm trying to get some suggestions from so people who may have pcos.

I have PCOS and I find that I do better on a low carb diet then any other type of dieting.

I have PCOS and have lost about 20 pounds in 2 months through calorie counting and eating a moderate amount of carbs (between 100 and 130 g daily). I also exercise at least 30 minutes every day not to lose weight but for the health benefits. I'm on Metformin but lost weight even before I started taking it.

I've had PCOS for many years, and like other dieters have mentioned found the best success with a higher protein/lower carb diet. But I keep it within a specific calorie count for the day (1220-1500). After being a WW member off and on for the past 10 years, I recently started counting calories and practicing more "balanced" eating, and the weight is really starting to come off faster now.

It's just my opinion, but I feel like WW lets me "cheat" too much! By focusing on calories I have to be way more choosy about what I eat so I'm not starving at the end of the day.

Anyway, I know I'm kind of rambling on, but as an example of higher protein/lower carb I eat things like:

1 slice whole grain toast covered in 1/4-1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese.
1 hardboiled egg with a fresh pear
1 apple with peanut butter

Hope that helps!

Yes yes yes! This is my own experience anyway. I hope this can work for you too.

I was diagnosed with PCOS around 20 years ago and have maintained a low weight for almost that long by counting calories. (Size 10 or 12, down from a size 22 at age 22). I also am careful to eat the right amounts of different foods though. Think nutrition, not just calories.

Other things that are great are using cinnamon, cumin and lemon juice. (To increase sensitivity to insulin and lower the gl of foods). Try to cut out any hormone disrupters (chemicals) like sodium laureth sulphates too. These are in most soaps, shampoos and toothpastes.

There is a very good book called the PCOS diet book by Dr Harris that you might want to check out. I didn't lose weight on this diet but learned what food were best for this condition and combined that with a low calorie diet. Low GL (in most ways the same as low carb) and regular protein is very important. Dr Holford's Optimum nutrition bible is a good reference book too.

I also eat mostly low GL foods (from the advice in this book) in low calorie doses and got terrific results! I had blood tests a few years ago and the doctor couldn't believe that I ever had PCOS. You could set your watch by my cycle too.

I have a little book called the gl counter. It lists the gl, calories and protein content of everything and is pocket sized. It's super to use.

Be careful to eat enough protein and vitamins when on a low cal diet. I was eating too little protein and my hair went to bits.

Can you see a dietician to help you figure this out? Can your doctor recommend one? It's easy for all of us to say what works for us but even with the same condition we are all different and you may need things in your diet that we don't. A couple of conversations with a dietician along with regular blood tests should be enough to see if a diet is working for you. And the weighing scales of course.

Good luck and keep trying!

I have been told I have PCOS and metformin did nothing for me (other than constant sickness and making me miss out on way too many college memories). WW also unfortunately never seemed to work well for me either... although I haven't tried it since they got the new points.

I have been calorie counting and trying to pay attention to sugar/carbs through one of the iphone apps. I don't really RESTRICT them so much as wait to eat a meal until the next day and sub it for something with a little less sugar. Unless I just really want it, then I eat it. I'm a nutritionists worst nightmare, I won't eat things that don't taste good just because its "healthier". So far I've lost at a steady rate doing this... pretty sure that I'm going to have to limit my carbs more at some point to keep up the momentum.

Oh, and for what its worth, doing things to lower my stress has been a huge one for getting ANYTHING to work for me. I do a little yoga, but I don't work out much. Forcing myself to work out was stressing my body, upping my cortisol, and sabotaging my weight loss. It's different for everyone though.

I don't have PCOS, but have some hormone issues that made weight loss unsuccessful with just calorie counting. For most people I think low carb will be successful for weight loss, because it allows you to lower your calories significantly without feeling too deprived. If you use a ketogenic diet, it also seems to induce fat loss over muscle loss. At least that is my personal experience. For PCOS it would make sense to go low carb due to the hormonal implications. I personally follow something between Medifast and IP since I do not want to count calories. I loose slowly, but steadily.

As to exercise. My experience has been that it makes me feel much better. It helps to gain muscle and to significantly reduce fat, but it does not show on the scale. On a low carb diet I would focus on toning and strength, rather than high impact cardio.