I am sorry, Amber
I guess, as cheesy as it sounds, you can only start looking forward from here on. I would definitely see a doctor about the PCOS, I know it has helped me tremendously on my weight loss journey. The metformin, while it sucks to take at first, has helped me a lot with feeling shaky and then eating (the wrong things) which only send my blood sugar on a crazy doomed roller coaster.
One day at a time, and I think by wanting a weight scale for Christmas, you have faced one of the hardest parts - facing reality in cold harsh numbers. We are all on a weight loss journey here together (and have lots of members with pcos issues) so
I think together we ought to do it this year... One pound at a time!
I am glad to hear that Josh has been comforting and a good support for you!!!
(((HUGS)))
I think maybe we should have a 2013 weight loss thread... mainly for support of each other for those of us wanting to reach weight loss goals this year... i want to try to shoot for 50lbs this year I think, but I want to talk to a dr about it first and try to meet up with a personal trainer first as well before I make that goal concrete. It wouldn't get me to my final weight goal, but it's roughly a little over 4 lbs a month which is reachable. If I can shoot for higher I'll shoot for higher.
(((((HUGS)))) I definitely can sympathize; it's always been a fight for me and I don't have PCOS or anything like that to complicate it. Yeah, it's hard.
Definitely try the gluten free. It's not the answer for everyone, and even for those of us it helps it's not always the whole answer -- I've learned I should not eat things like white potatoes or even most gluten free pastas and breads. You'll find what your tolerances are; it's trial and error, kind of like adding things back to a diet when you're looking for allergens.
I'm learning to add things back, too, by using different flours and combining them. You can make KILLER scones with oats and almond meal, or a touch of quinoa flour. They're delicious and they don't give me the shakes or seem to affect my weight the way stuff made with rice or even all-purpose flour does.
A little experimenting and you'll figure it out. One of the first things I noticed (after that awful detox period
) was that all that fluff and puffiness was GONE.
My friend, Dina, has had terrible health issues and her weight was spiraling out of control. The docs have poo-pooed gluten free, but she did it anyway and even without actively trying to lose weight she looks 1000X better and she's able to function again.
Romy's been a big help with suggestions on gluten free.
If you've got a good food processor, or better, a VitaMix, you can make a lot of your own flour from different things without it being so expensive. Quinoa flour makes great pastas and pizza crust, but it's expensive. I got two pounds of quinoa grain at Sams for $4.50.
You can do this, and you've got so many people who love you and we're all behind you --
and we'll be here as that behind shrinks
HAHA sadly... the behind is the only thing not overweight lol. I have no butt hahaha.
I know when I originally went gluten free with Josh for a while I had more energy and I did lose a little. I think for the energy reason alone gluten free might not be such a bad idea. We eat gluten free for the most part at home anyways because of Josh, but on work days I'll grab a sandwich sometimes since Subway is right by my work and if we go out to eat I definitely don't tend to eat gluten free anymore.
What are your symptoms that make you think you have PCOS?
No periods... I mayyyyy have a period once in a blue moon, but I couldn't tell you the last time I had one. It started off really minor... I'd be a little late... think I may be pregnant, take tests that are negative and then eventually start. Now I don't even bother to test because I know I'm not pregnant, but I haven't had a period in months.
My sister has PCOS and my mom did too (she eventually had a hysterectomy). I think one of my 1st cousins also has PCOS.
Weight gain... and lots of it. Again this started slow at first. I used to be in pretty good shape and ran a LOT. Then over the past few years I would gain, then lose, then gain until this past year I literally blew up. I eat fairly healthy and my job is super active. I'm also active with the dogs outside of work so the weight gain is confusing. I would expect at the very least I would have stayed the same weight, but to gain a bunch??? I'm not talking a couple pounds either. I easily went from 175 to 214 in a year of this.
Hair loss... a LOT of it. My hair doesn't look like it because it's so thick but I lose so much hair every time I shower. I literally pull out handfuls.
Growing hair on my face and neck... not sure if this is necessarily a PCOS symptom, but my sister had this same issue prior to her being diagnosed... I've also been finding more skin tags recently which could be a result of too much insulin. Too much insulin I believe does fall under PCOS symptoms.
Infertility signs... to be honest... I've been married for over 2 years and we've never used protection... no pregnancies.
Oh and when I DO occasionally have a period I bleed really heavy to the point where I can't even hardly leave my house because I'd be in the bathroom every 10 min.
I'm sorry you are going through this. I struggled with my weight for years and eventually was able to get it under control. I completely understand the frustration of not being able to lose weight no matter what you try. I now have to eat gluten free for medical issues. I have gluten intolerance and it makes my epilepsy worse. One thing I will caution on eating gluten free, is that a lot of products replace the gluten with more sugar and other similar ingredients. Make sure to read labels, and if you don't think you have a gluten intolerance, sometimes products with gluten are actually all around healthier. If you feel the gluten is causing a problem, see a allergist and/or a gastroenterologist. A lot of doctors that do not specialize in such things are trained in the old school method of gluten problems = can't keep weight on, which specialists now know is not true. I'd be more than happy to share some of the gluten-free recipes and products I have found that are pretty decent and healthy (I hate cooking so they are all pretty quick and easy too)
The replacing gluten with more sugars I know about. I'm still learning what's safe and what's not in that department, but my husband has celiac disease and was diagnosed a little over a year ago so I've been learning a lot on the gluten free topic. He also can't have a lot of fat because his stomach doesn't handle it well and he has to tread lightly when it comes to dairy even though he doesn't always tread lightly. The man loves milk and I have to get on him if I see him drinking a lot.
Vibes that its just like ... A simple holiday weight thing & not something more serious, I think every woman has been there, I got out of shape & gained about 10 lbs when I hurt my shoulder months back (got kicked point blank, couldn't excersise) so I know how weight issues feel ESP when none of your clothes fit anymore
.
Not only that but ppl's comments & **** also don't help.
I wish I could say it was
.... unfortunately it started before the holidays and it's a LOT of weight and not just a few pounds here and there. But... I'm going to kick it in the butt.
If you have foot issues/pain, I would highly recommend that you look into cycling as an alternative form of exercise. It is SO much easier on your body and I think a lot more fun
Of course, I'm a cyclist so I'm biased, but it's an amazing sport.
I have a treadmill which was given to me that I'm planning to use... I use to own a bike and enjoy cycling so I definitely wouldn't mind doing it again. I'd have to find what bike trails out here are good to go on... I will no cycle on roads (a lot of people do here) because it scares the crap out of me.
Lot of ladies with PCOS having success with very low carb diets. Diet may be more important than the exercise.. especially with PCOS.
http://www.reddit.com/r/xxketo/
Sweet thank you so much for the link.
Does PCOS effect your metabolism/thyroid too?
Also working out, tho most ppl do it to lose weight, you can Al's do it to have more energy & feel better
that's why I did it now I ride a horse the equivalent of 5 miles a day (once around the mile track for every horse we take.. Post of it is at a posting trot, which is veeeery good for the butt/leg/thigh muscles LOL) but when I'm not riding I do work out mostly because it makes me feel good emotionally.
I have no idea if it affects your thyroid, but I wouldn't be surprised. I know it does tend to go hand in hand with weight gain so I'd assume it definitely affects metabolism. I want to ride horses again so bad. I honestly don't want to get back up onto a horse until I lose some of this weight. I use to ride ALL the time.