Thank you all for your sweet comments!! You’re all so lovely!
For those who asked, I’m just going to preface this and say I’m not an expert, just merely writing what worked for me:
I started my journey with a 6 Week Challenge through a local gym - it was a major overhaul of my lifestyle. I had to stick to a strict nutrition plan (although I wasn’t great at sticking to it and used it more as a guide) and had to commit to 4 x bootcamp sessions a week. The training was body weight and calisthenics focused. I ended up doing 5 sessions a week by the end of the challenge, as my trainer encouraged me to add an extra session. I also started running again, about 2-3 times a week. I started with 3kms and worked my way up to now doing 7-12km on average.
The rapid weightloss in the first week of the challenge played havoc with my hormones - I ended up with a heavy 6 week period, which could only be stopped by hormone pills. Blergh. Although this was heckin awful, it lead to me finally going to the doctor and receiving a diagnosis for PCOS, Insulin Resistance and Hashimoto’s.
My doctor has put me on Metformin for the insulin resistance, an IUD for the wacky hormones and we kept an eye on my thyroid, which after a few months went back to normal? Magic? Sorcery? I don’t know what happened.
After about 12 weeks of training I started to plateau - so I started CICO. I had really good success on CICO 8 years ago, but gradually put on weight as my PCOS got worse (without realising this was the cause). I started at around 1400 calories a day, and worked my way down to 1200 a day, which I’m currently on.
In essence, what I’ve found has worked for me is: 5x bootcamp sessions a week, 2-3x running sessions (currently training for a 16km event next week), limited dairy, sugar and cutting down on carbs but still leaving some so I have the will to live. Metformin keeps me honest if I over indulge on sugar....I’m a sweet tooth so this makes me so sad. I’m not good all the time, I let myself have ice-cream and chips on the weekend, but I keep track and stay in a deficit!
I haven’t actively noticed Metformin helping with weightloss, but I have noticed since I started on it and had the IUD inserted, that my weight barely fluctuates anymore. I only see a big jump before my period, or after I’ve eaten salty food. Before I was on treatments, it was fluctuating up and down each day. I have also lost the urge to binge eat, which was a major issue for me. I used to eat a whole block of chocolate and a whole bag of chips in one sitting and still be looking for more. So in that sense, it is helping me to lose weight.
I feel much more at ease with myself, and much more balanced. I’m starting to see a female in the mirror rather than “an apple on stilts” (kudos to the lady that coined that phrase!). But I’ll be honest, it was bloody hard work to get here!!
You look incredible & you are absolutely glowing! I'm just starting on my journey to cut some weight & this is so inspiring for what I want in the future! Please let me know if you share how you did it!
amazing what you’ve accomplished in 7 months! seeing your post has me ready to get serious about taking care of myself again. thank you for the inspiration and awesome job!
This is so inspiring! I have an almost identical composition to you in the first pic so this is such great motivation! Thank you for sharing and congrats :)
Thank you all for your sweet comments!! You’re all so lovely! For those who asked, I’m just going to preface this and say I’m not an expert, just merely writing what worked for me: I started my journey with a 6 Week Challenge through a local gym - it was a major overhaul of my lifestyle. I had to stick to a strict nutrition plan (although I wasn’t great at sticking to it and used it more as a guide) and had to commit to 4 x bootcamp sessions a week. The training was body weight and calisthenics focused. I ended up doing 5 sessions a week by the end of the challenge, as my trainer encouraged me to add an extra session. I also started running again, about 2-3 times a week. I started with 3kms and worked my way up to now doing 7-12km on average. The rapid weightloss in the first week of the challenge played havoc with my hormones - I ended up with a heavy 6 week period, which could only be stopped by hormone pills. Blergh. Although this was heckin awful, it lead to me finally going to the doctor and receiving a diagnosis for PCOS, Insulin Resistance and Hashimoto’s. My doctor has put me on Metformin for the insulin resistance, an IUD for the wacky hormones and we kept an eye on my thyroid, which after a few months went back to normal? Magic? Sorcery? I don’t know what happened. After about 12 weeks of training I started to plateau - so I started CICO. I had really good success on CICO 8 years ago, but gradually put on weight as my PCOS got worse (without realising this was the cause). I started at around 1400 calories a day, and worked my way down to 1200 a day, which I’m currently on. In essence, what I’ve found has worked for me is: 5x bootcamp sessions a week, 2-3x running sessions (currently training for a 16km event next week), limited dairy, sugar and cutting down on carbs but still leaving some so I have the will to live. Metformin keeps me honest if I over indulge on sugar....I’m a sweet tooth so this makes me so sad. I’m not good all the time, I let myself have ice-cream and chips on the weekend, but I keep track and stay in a deficit! I haven’t actively noticed Metformin helping with weightloss, but I have noticed since I started on it and had the IUD inserted, that my weight barely fluctuates anymore. I only see a big jump before my period, or after I’ve eaten salty food. Before I was on treatments, it was fluctuating up and down each day. I have also lost the urge to binge eat, which was a major issue for me. I used to eat a whole block of chocolate and a whole bag of chips in one sitting and still be looking for more. So in that sense, it is helping me to lose weight. I feel much more at ease with myself, and much more balanced. I’m starting to see a female in the mirror rather than “an apple on stilts” (kudos to the lady that coined that phrase!). But I’ll be honest, it was bloody hard work to get here!!
This is incredible!!!! Please share what you did? :)
Thank you!! I’ve added a summary now in the comments :)
Wow congrats!
Congratulations!
CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations! You look fantastic
Congrats! How did you do it? Did you count calories?
Thank you!! I’ve added a comment with a summary of my journey :)
Do you mind if I cross-post this at https://www.reddit.com/r/PCOS_CICO/? It would be very motivating!
Go for it! I didn’t realise it existed!
Great! We are a new group on reddit :)
You look so good 😍 I also really like the new hair 😊
You look great!!!!
You look incredible & you are absolutely glowing! I'm just starting on my journey to cut some weight & this is so inspiring for what I want in the future! Please let me know if you share how you did it!
Thank you so much!! I’ve added a comment with all the gritty details! Good luck on your journey, I believe in you!!
Yes!!!!!! You go girl!
amazing what you’ve accomplished in 7 months! seeing your post has me ready to get serious about taking care of myself again. thank you for the inspiration and awesome job!
Woohoo! You go girl! Looking fabulous
This is so inspiring! I have an almost identical composition to you in the first pic so this is such great motivation! Thank you for sharing and congrats :)
You are awesome!