Fat-adapted? PCOS has me confused

(Tara) #1

I have read some articles about how to tell if you are fat adapted. I have PCOS and insulin resistance. I lost weight initially, and am on about a 1 month stall currently. My body is going up and down the same 2ish pounds. I feel good though, so that helps me stay committed. And with the exception of 4th of July weekend, I have been able to stay consistent on eating around 20g carbs and watching my caloric intake.

When looking at the articles, they usually have a list of 5 to 8 indicators you are fat adapted. And I usually can say yes to like 4/6 indicators. But I still crave carbs if I am around them. Especially if I am feeling big emotions (So like at a bday party, I just stared at a cookie or when work gets super stressful). And while I have more energy, I do not feel like I just have TONS of energy.

How do you KNOW when you are fat adapted? Does any one with PCOS have anectodal evidence of when they felt fat adapted. I think i read like 6 weeks, but I’ve been in this for 3+ months and I seriously doubt I am fat adapated. I would welcome any stories or explanations or theories! Thanks in advance!

(Diane) #2

I was diagnosed as having PCOS about 14 years ago. I have other serious health issues that have kept me from working for the past year and a half (fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, among others). I started eating ketogenically in September 2017. Some of my symptoms began improving dramatically within several weeks (mental fog, severe depression), others have shown some subtle, slow improvement over time (I can reliably do my own grocery shopping, collect my mail, and take care of personal hygiene). This might not sound like much, but I spent about 9 months with almost no improvement before I started Keto, so it is dramatic for me. I relate this to give you a context for how sick (metabolically deranged) I was. Although I was gradually improving over time, I figure I became significantly fat adapted about 5 months in, after my first extended fast. That was when I stopped keeping a list of foods I might want to eat at my next free/cheat meal. I found that bread and French fries just didn’t have the compelling allure they used to and my relationship to food had dramatically shifted at that point.

Hope this helps! Keep calm and Keto on!

#3

Do you use a lot of non caloric sweeteners, or flour substitutes? If so, you could try cutting those out for a while. For me, those things while still Keto, trigger the old cravings. They are like a drug for me, and no matter how healthy, I just need more.

(Tara) #4

Continuing the discussion from Fat-adapted? PCOS has me confused:

Thank you so much for sharing your story! That helps me to set reasonable expectations and feel less alone.

Sweeteners are a problem for me. I have a diet soda almost daily. Looking at that is a great suggestion.

(Diane) #5

Please keep us updated as to how you’re doing. You’re definitely not alone here.