I was officially diagnosed with PCOS today. My dr. told me to join weight watchers. However, I don't want to spend the arm and a leg that they charge. I'd like to join TOPS, but I'm not sure about a diet. I've considered South Beach, but the doctor's advice about weight watchers has me wondering. I could really use some advice.

Thanks,
Christine

Christine,

Although I was diagnosed two years ago and didn't become serious about taking control of PCOS until two weeks ago. I visited a dietician and was given a meal plan. I believe that the best diet a PCOSer can do is low-carb. That doesn't necessarily mean not eating carbs just eat a small amount of whole grain carbs. I would suggest The Insulin Resistant Diet. Diets similar to this are design specifically for us and they work. I have lost four pounds in two weeks. I hope this helped.

Hi Christine,

I too tried the low-carb diets but get kidney stones very easily from too much protein. I also tried the low-fat diet, but that didn't work. I tried a diet called Vitaline...it is for PCOS. I did lose 10 punds the first week and 3 pounds the second week. It was a very strict diet and very expensive so I did not continue.
I hope you find the one the works best for you.

Weight loss is key to managing PCOS, but it's hard to lose weight with PCOS. Bit of a vicious cycle. Weight watchers is recommended by many doctors simply because it's well balanced. Any diet will probably help, as long as there is weight loss. Good luck.

Thanks for all your advice.

I did some exploring on this site and it seems like the weight watchers core is very similar to south beach. (Correct me if I'm wrong here. ) So I'm going to do south beach and go to TOPS meetings. That seems to be pretty much the same as being on the weight watchers core program. (Without forking over $48 per month plus the joining fee. )

I plan on starting tomorrow. Let's hope for the best.

Christine

It is harder to lose weight when you have PCOS. I was diagnosed 20 years ago and I wish I had known about low carb stuff then. Did the doctor give you any medication HoosierMom?

I lost weight years ago with calorie counting but I was also on a load of meds for adrenal dysfunction (in the UK) and they really helped. I have no health insurance in the USA so can only afford to take metformin and my bp meds but the combination of low carbing and metformin really works for me. I lost a lot of weight a couple of years ago but then got stressed out and didn't take my meds and ate badly and put it all back on and more. This time I am determined to carry on and lose the weight again.

Everyone is different and one diet might help one person but not the next one. You have to find what works for you.

Good luck! PCOS is a *****, but I know I can be a bigger *****! So can you!

The doc gave me Yasmin so I would start having normal periods again. (I don't remember the last time I had a true period. That's going to be weird getting used to again.) Other than that, he seems to want to take the all-natural approach to beating this. Plain ol' diet and exercise should take care of all my problems (in his opinion). Then, once I lose the weight, if I still can't get pregnant we'll see where to go from there.

Don't hate me, but I don't really have too much trouble losing weight. I'm not gaining anymore. I just need to make the effort to lose. All the motivation in the world is useless if you don't get off your butt and do something. That's my problem.

So anyway, I'm hoping I won't need any extra meds for the weight loss.

Christine

Metformin is not for weight loss hon, altho it does help! It's to combat Insulin Resistance (which a lot of women with PCOS have) to stop it turning into full blown Type 2 diabetes - or gestational diabetes when you are pregnant.

You are right tho, diet and exercise should be tried first, that's what a doc would recommend if someone was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes after all.

I spent 20 years doing diet and exercise as docs didn't want or know how to help with PCOS years ago unless you were trying to conceive. I lost weight but even on thyroid meds it went back on even if I still ate healthily. At 40 years old I have to be a bit more aware of the health aspects rather than the infertility and cosmetic problems (altho cosmetic is very important to me still!). I don't want to get diabetes, have a stroke or heart disease basically!

Like I said in my previous post - find what works for you, even if it is thru a bit of trial and error, that's how I found out that a low carb lifestyle works for me!

I've heard a lot of people have had good luck with south beach + exercise. Out of all the commerical diets out there my nutritionist mentioned that south beach was healthier/more realistic one for IR/PCOS.

It also helps to avoid any products with hydrogenated fats and corn syrup. Read the food lables, you'd be shocked how many "health food wheat breads" have that crap in it!

I would love to go to TOPS if we had one in our area. WW is to expensive. As for a diet I would go with Carb Addicts Diet or one of WW diets. Thats just me of course. barb

For those of you who want to do WW, but don't have the cash to fork over, you can search the internet to get all of your information that is needed. I know there's even a calculation on how to figure out points of your food. There's a lot of info out there if you're able to take the time and do a search.

Met never helped me with losing any weight. However, it helped me from being exhausted and I'm thankful for that.

I can't do the low-carb thing. I feel absolutely sick and disgusting on it (and it's not just from me detoxing from the sugars). For me, to drop weight, I have to keep at my exercising--a lot, and really watch what I eat. For me, it's eating clean, watching the calories, and serious exercising.

Also, anyone considering spending $$ on prepared foods like WW, etc, etc. That $$ may be better spent seeing a nutritionist who will be able to design a diet plan just for you/your body/your medical concerns. The amount in the long run would probably be LESS.