Hey all!
My name is Holly, diagnosed with PCOS at 12. I am now 21, and i weigh the most i ever have. I am currently 222 LBS, and five feet tall. Being diagnosed at 12 i never took it seriously, i have had consistent weight gain but never thought it was "that" bad, in denial, never let people take pictures of me because i then had to look at what i was doing to myself. Well, I went to the Doctor on Wednesday (50 dollars for 10 minutes ) and was told that if i were to continue on this path i would end up with diabetes in no time. Basically, i cried all the way home, which was a very long 40 minute drive, and decided i have got to change. Question is where do i start? I have got all my prescriptions refilled (Metformin HCL- 850 MG once daily and Levothyroxine 88 MCG) I cant afford the labs to check what the actual dose needed is, so the doctor kinda just winged it.

I am a vegetarian. I eat only whole wheat products. Perhaps i have not been doing this right as i keep gaining. I plan on cutting down on carbs, calories, anything to help. Does anyone have any advise? I feel so ashamed that i have let myself fall so far when i knew what the situation was so early on in my life.

Thanks!

The problem that a lot of vegetarians have is the carbs. Sure, eating pasta and donuts, breads and cupcakes do not have any meat - but they sure are a lot worse for you then meat. It is very easy to gain being a vegetarian.

As you said, I would really focus in on lowing the carb count since in a lot of cases, thats were most calories come from in many people's diets. As you said, the best thing to do is to really focus in on the calories and the carbs. Stick to that for at least a month and if that isn't working for you, try something new. You CAN do it. I found the best way to stick to it is to come here and chat with people, comment on posts ect.. It really does help keep your mind in the game.

Once you have your eating under control, or at least heading in the right direction - then I would start adding in exercise. However, getting your diet under control is the most important thing right now and that is where your mind should be focused.

I would suggest starting to eat more protein. If possible add fish and white meat like chicken which are good protein sources. The protein will keep you fuller longer and prevent damage to your muscles if you lower your calorie intake.

I understand starting to eat meat is hard, I was a vegetarian for 12 years myself. It just makes things really difficult to lose weight healthilyin my experience.

But if you are determined to stay vegetarian then tofu, legumes and quinoa are good things to try for protein.

Good Luck! keep us updated, we are here for you!

Hi Holly,
I tried to follow a vegetarian diet for years and now I just consider myself a picky eater.
I still don't eat poultry and beef, pork....but I do eat eggs, dairy and seafood.

One of my biggest obstacles was portion control. For lunch and supper I need to make sure half my plate is veggies.
I have a book (Mayo Clinic) that shows me serving sizes of protein an carbs and boy, was I shocked!

Rice 1/3 cup..hardly worth making! Tofu, 1/4 of the block...I don't think I ever measured it before!

Now, with you starting Metformin, you might have side effects that bring you down. Don't give up. Do research. Make a plan that fits your lifestyle and eating habits. Check in on 3FC daily for inspiration.

It took me about a month of testing out my body before I started to lose weight and realised I was on the right path.

PCOS can be hateful.

Good luck!

Lot's of great advice so far.

IMHO: The first step I would take would be to track your intake of calories. Use fitday.com or myfitnesspal to find out just how much you are eating and what kind calories they are (protein, carbs, fats etc...) You can't really fix anything until you know what the problem is.

I track every calorie that goes in my mouth.

Thanks everyone! Some really great advice. I will be doing more research and writing out a meal plan to get this thing started. I really appreciate all your help!

I agree with the advice to first get a good look at WHAT you're currently eating, and how much (calorie wise). Preferably using a tracking device that will tell you how many grams of carbs/fat/protein you're consuming.

Yes, it's temping to vegetarians to eat donuts, chips, fries, etc because there's not meat in them... But you know what? It's just as tempting for non-vegetarians to do the same things. We're not different in that regard. If you find your food log filled with these things, I'm sure you'll see where your first efforts at changing things needs to be

I might first start with the basics (which is what I'm trying to work on myself, as a vegetarian who doesn't eat enough vegetables every day!) - are you getting all of your servings of fruits and veggies? Are you getting a good dose of protein? And before you start ruling out all kinds of carbs, make sure you've got a good grasp as to where your complete protein source is for the day. Meat is a complete protein by itself, but since we don't eat meat, we need to put together a combo of foods to give us the amino acids our body can't make. For example, I eat a whole wheat bagel w/peanut butter most days to get this out of the way.

You're at a crossroads of change, you can totally do this!!!

Yes, Definitely need to get some protein in my diet.
I also noticed that I grab whatever is there and go. (I don't get but a 15 minutes lunch break at work unless i am not on the clock, and i am always rushing out my front door) So often times i will grab literally whatever is available. Which you can imagine is not the healthy choice. Again, thank you, i will look into the protein options for veggies and get that put into my meal plan!
:]

Welcome and good luck on your journey!!