Losing too much weight

[carmella_marie]

So I have only been on PCOS LE diet for a week and I already lost 2 lbs. I CANNOT lose any more weight or I risk not ovulating, but I am not sure what to eat... It's my understanding you don't want to eat too many grains on PCOS diet, so that's out, same with sugar, so I can't just load up on sweets either. Here is what I have been eating (I have NOT been counting cals/fat/pro, but just using the chart in the "swaying under special circumstances Part 3" where atomic has the list that says "Pick 2-3 per day of these" etc):

"Breakfast": coffee with 1/2 cup whole milk
Lunch: carrots, tomatoes, cucumber with hummus and a 1/2 peanut butter sandwich on whole grain bread
Dinner: veg like asparagus or zucchini or broccoli with butter, brown rice or brown rice pasta with tomato sauce, a very small serving of chicken every other night, or beans and cheese with salsa the opposite nights
Bedtime: apple or banana or 2 cups watermelon, with a few tablespoons whipped cream

I was planning on starting cardio today but if I already dropped 2 lbs I'm afraid I will lose even more if I start cardio and don't up cals.

[ksmom]

When I was swaying I lost way too much weight and got down to 86 lbs. (BMI 16). Atomic advised me to reduce exercise to 4 days a week and up calories. I would suggest trying that.

[carmella_marie]

Ya, I know I need to increase cals, I am just not sure what to eat! I am thinking carbs, but want to avoid grains, so I guess that leaves me with like potatoes?

[Beau82]

Potato chips, avocado, nuts?
I'm jealous, too much fat is my problem, lol.

[Beau82]

Eggs are good for the PCOS diet too! Atomic told me 4-6/week.

[Erin514]

Could you not eat more grains as long as they're not refined, simple carbs? Like quinoa, buckwheat, spelt, etc. Also fruit and veggies. I need a lot of cals because I can't lose any weight, either, and I fill a lot of it with fruit and veg.

[carmella_marie]

I'm really scared to add avocado and nuts, as they are so healthy and full of fat. I really don't need fat, I just need more calories overall. I am trying to keep fat and protein low and carbs higher as higher carbs seems to be key to swaying girl.

Most veg don't have a lot of carbs, besides starchy things like potatoes. Fruit could work, but fruit seems so healthy lol.

I know for PCOS you're supposed to eat whole grains and not empty refined carbs like white flour and sugar, Im just not sure how much is too much. I am also more of a paleo-stye eater when not swaying, and all those grains are so bland and yuck to me--bread, pasta, rice, etc. But I think it'll be the best way to up cals through carbs. I'm thinking I'll add a potato a day or an extra slice of bread or cup or brown rice.

[Beau82]

But the PCOS diet is different from LE in that more of your calories should come from protein and fat and less from carbs. So you want lower carbs. Did you do LE with your last sway?

[atomic sagebrush]

Ok. When you're losing too much weight on a PCO type diet, you have to bend the rules a little bit. The reasoning is, as you exercise, lose weight and correct diet for IR issues, your body starts getting better at dealing with carbs, and as a result, you don't have to be as strict any more, you can start increasing carb intake and even empty carbs to compensate for your improved ability to tolerate them.

SOOO you would then start picking higher amounts of the "eat x number of times a day" OR (my very very great preference) switch to atomic fertility diet and track. The "easy version" of PCOS Diet is really just for people who can't figure it out otherwise. It is my preference for you guys to be tracking cals, pro, and fat to be sure you're getting enough. On PCOS LE/AFD this means 50-60 g protein and 50-60 g fat, before you even have to worry about the carbs. If you're not getting the full amount of cals from those two things, then address that first and then you'll know what kinds of carbs to use to fill in the blanks.

I seriously doubt you can even be getting 1500 cals. Remember, most of the veg you're eating are freebies and they're quite filling, so we need to come up with possibly some other options like cheese, yogurt, nuts to be possibly getting fat and protein without feeling totally stuffed.

[atomic sagebrush]

I'm really scared to add avocado and nuts, as they are so healthy and full of fat. I really don't need fat, I just need more calories overall. I am trying to keep fat and protein low and carbs higher as higher carbs seems to be key to swaying girl.

Most veg don't have a lot of carbs, besides starchy things like potatoes. Fruit could work, but fruit seems so healthy lol.

I know for PCOS you're supposed to eat whole grains and not empty refined carbs like white flour and sugar, Im just not sure how much is too much. I am also more of a paleo-stye eater when not swaying, and all those grains are so bland and yuck to me--bread, pasta, rice, etc. But I think it'll be the best way to up cals through carbs. I'm thinking I'll add a potato a day or an extra slice of bread or cup or brown rice.

Yeah but that's how it works, though. You get a higher % of your calories

PCOS-type diet was NEVER meant to be a "keep pro and fat low and also cut carbs" - that is starvation. You have to be getting enough food intake from SOMEWHERE so we up protein and fat, and focus on BETTER sources of carbs.

Potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, fruit, are all valid ways to add cals on PCO-type diets. Additionally, things like full fat dairy, nuts, avocado and just more fat in general, like in sauces and stuff, will also really help.

Weight loss needs to be your guideline though. If it's flying off, you need to eat more carbs even if it means bending the rules of the diet to some extent.

In the PCOS thread there is a mindnumbing explanation of how the calorie breakdown works differently so I will just refer you to that again.

[carmella_marie]

I'm not trying to cut carbs, I am trying to keep fat and protein low and UP carbs, but I am just not a carb-fan so I don't naturally eat a lot of them, so it's hard to shift my eating habits to focus on eating things like pasta, bread, potatoes, corn.

I will look at your PCOS thread again!

[atomic sagebrush]

Ok got it, that is just what some people do when they go onto PCO-type diets with LE. They say "ok PCOS means carbs are bad" but DO NOT up protein and fat at the same time (and many peopel aren't eating enough of those on standard LE). So then that ends up a starvation diet, if that makes sense...if you cut carbs, protein, and fat, there ain't nothing else. :)

What about things like nuts and beans that are one stop shopping?? carbs and protein and in the case of nuts, some fat as well??

[carmella_marie]

Im adding in fat-free refried beans with sour cream and a baked potato with salsa daily and that has stopped the weight loss!

[atomic sagebrush]

I ate exactly those things constantly when I got my DD!! Good luck!