Serious about keto but struggling with PCOS, no loss yet


(margot) #1

Hoping this kind community can help with some advice or encouragement.

I’m 34 years old, 5’4" and 139 lbs today. I’m having an inconsistent experience with keto and would like some advice on what I can do to drop 15lbs.

I have eaten low carb for a long time knowing that it can help with PCOS symptoms, but I had a tough year and got off track, and decided to take more control of my health to lose some weight and get my period back, with a view to start a family in the next year or so.

I started strict keto on 4th January and my weight has been up and down daily - some days it’s 134, others 138 and today the highest I’ve had in years at 139. Help!

Throughout most of my adult life I’ve been around 125-130lbs. Two years ago I left a stressful job (I was at 135lbs then) and did a three day juice cleanse and continued low carb after that for a couple of months, and things improved a lot. I felt amazing, I lost weight and kept it off for a long time with healthy eating and regular running, hovering around 122-4lbs getting down to 116lbs at my lowest when I was very busy and barely eating, which I know is not healthy.

The weight crept back up when I had to travel for months on end lsat year for work in remote areas with little fresh food or sleep, and did not have options to choose what I ate.

I feel terrible at this weight and desperate to get back into shape so I can feel good and enjoy skiing like I used to. It makes me sad to be so heavy and slow now, and I’d like to make the most of the rest of this season as skiing is what makes me the happiest. I also have a job in the entertainment industry and feel a lot of pressure to look good, so I admit this is part of my “why”. Most of all I’d like to get my hormones back on track.

I have PCOS and struggle with various symptoms. I have been on BC several times over the past years and lost weight on some, gained on others, felt like crap emotionally on all of them. So I stopped 18 months ago and have not had a period since then. I’ve been on and off Metformin as well for long periods, but it doesn’t do much for me either way. Every doctor I’ve seen has shrugged off my problems, only offering other types of BC or suggesting I wait until I can’t conceive and and look into IVF then. It’s demoralising. I decided to try and get back on track through keto after reading some success stories.

I have been doing 16:8 IF (fasting 20:30 - 12:30) and counting macros meticulously. I am a pescatarian, drink very little alcohol and I limit dairy to goat or sheep cheese, 1-2 oz per day. Overall my calories are around 1200 and I stay under 20 net carbs consistently, under 20 over most days. I haven’t noticed any difference. When I started keto I had the real flu already, so hard to know if I had keto flu. I feel better now but hard to say whether it’s because of keto or shaking off the viral flu.

I’d like some advice on what I can change to try and get the weight moving, or at least not going up. I know it’s not all about the scale but I haven’t noticed a difference in how my clothes fit.

A typical day looks like:

7am 3 days per week dynamic yoga or cardio boxing
9:30am coffee with 1 Tbsp MCT
2:30pm lunch - 2 egg frittata with zucchini, spinach, 1oz full fat goat cheddar, side salad with olive oil
4:30pm small snack usually of a few pecans or 1oz sheep or goat cheese
7:30pm dinner - salmon fillet with roasted cauliflower or zucchini noodles, butter, or shrimp tacos with romaine lettuce shell and avocado. 1-2 times per week, I’ll have a hot chocolate made with unsweetened almond milk (no additives) and dark cacao powder.

Plus I commute to work by bike 10 miles per day.

I take Inoslitol, B-vitamins, folic acid, choline, biotin, probiotics, ashwagandha, evening primrose oil, vitamin D and magnesium daily.

Any ideas on why the scales aren’t budging? I’ve always drunk around 2 litres of water per day and don’t have much caffeine, so I don’t know if I need to drink more or less, do more or less exercise. My current macros are 84g F / 20g C / 67g P.

Thank you in advance for your advice!


(jilliangordona) #2

Hi! I will give this a more in depth answer after work, but at first glance it looks like you aren’t eating enough to me


(margot) #3

Thank you so much! Any advice is appreciated, I know people have very different experiences with keto, and it’s really helpful to learn from others.

That could be it I guess! Although I don’t feel like I’m eating any less than I did before over the past few years (when things have been stable), mostly different types of food? I don’t find myself hungry often.


(jilliangordona) #4

I would try and include more fats and get that fat macro up. Do you avoid dairy from cows? Just guessing based on your typical meals.

I have PCOS as well and have struggled with dropping weight. The only weight loss I have had was when I started supplementing vitamin D, began taking metformin, and had my IUD taken out… so its difficult to say which of those things caused the loss. I haven’t budged again since November.

Do you take measurements? That can also show progress when the scale does not. I have lost inches where I have not lost pounds.


(margot) #5

Thanks! I will try increasing the fats. I do avoid cow dairy as I find it has a negative effect on my skin. I was in denial for a long time but it’s pretty immediate – I eat cow dairy and the next day, boom, I have acne. Doesn’t seem to happen with sheep or goat dairy.

Sorry to hear about your struggles with PCOS and congrats on the loss in spite of this.

What dosage of Vitamin D are you on, out of interest? I will try to be more consistent with it, and the Metformin. I am not on any birth control now but I know this has a huge effect too.

I do take measurements and haven’t seen any difference yet, but I hope it will happen and don’t mind if the scale doesn’t move if my clothes fit better.

Ultimately I do feel a bit less sluggish and “clearer” so in that respect I think it’s worth persevering.

Do you find your weight goes up after exercising?


(jilliangordona) #6

Yes it does, I was working out pretty hard this week and my weight has creeped up, and I am thinking it is mostly from inflammation in the muscles and such. I am fasting until tomorrow evening to see if I can get some reduction there.

I take 5000mg of Vitamin D3. I am going to a functional medicine doctor soon to try and get some hormone levels checked, my libido is also nil, which many ketoers report to the contrary. Something must be up.


(margot) #7

Maybe I’m having the same issues, I’ve been doing a lot of intense boxing these last couple of weeks.

Good luck with the fast, hope it helps the inflammation. Curious to know how it goes and very interested to know about your functional medicine experience. I have been thinking about the same thing to check for IR and thyroid issues.

As for the libido – when did you have your IUD removed? I find any sudden or external changes affecting hormones wreak havoc with my libido. Can’t say it’s changed since starting keto but it was lower than low on birth control.


(jilliangordona) #8

I do boxing as well! I do it left often when my body feels stressed.

I have had libido issues since before the IUD was removed, and I was hoping its removal would solve the issue but to no avail. I had no issues two years ago, when my fiance and I met, and it was not just because it was a new relationship haha. Around a year ago I just seemed to lose desire to do any funny business, so strange.


(margot) #9

I’m sure it’ll come back! I know the feeling…


(Andrew) #10

Up and down 4 lbs is too many carbs. That’s all water weight from adding and subtracting glycogen. I would have to guess nuts. If you like it – it has too many carbs :slight_smile: You are probably at too much protein. My BG is 10-20 pts higher if I eat 70g of protein and I am 235 lbs.

More fat. Butter sandwiches etc.

139 isn’t super heavy, it’s not going to fall off like if you have an extra 100 lbs.

You aren’t off by much.


(margot) #11

Oh wow OK. Thanks for the advice! I guess I can reduce carbs further. I measure everything carefully and stay under 20 net carbs meticulously although most days I am around 16-18 total carbs. This includes the nuts! Maybe I should to reduce to 10g total? And reduce protein too?

Tell me about the butter sandwiches - what should I use for a bread substitute? Bearing in mind I don’t eat meat…


(Dan Dan) #13

“May the Force (fat adaption) be with you”

IF/EF Keto WOE is Self-Discovery :wink:

Good luck and much success in your journey in IF/EF Keto WOE :grin:


(Andrew) #14

2 slices of cheese and butter in the middle.


(Bea ) #15

Protein needs be same with ur weigh in KG. R u 67 kg? That tip s given to me by a nutritionist. And Fat around 55-75 gr. Net carbs 20 gr


(margot) #16

Thanks for your reply!

Interesting. No, my weight is 62kg. I’ll try lowering protein to there and see if it helps. If I lower fat also into that range (currently in the 80s), I’ll be eating below 1000 calories / day. I’ve been advised that doing such low calorie intake consistently is harmful to the metabolism. Have you heard this too? Would you raise if exercising? I work out 60 minutes 3-4 times per week and cycle every day.

I’ve been strict keto at 1200 calories for six weeks now and haven’t lost a pound. I cut out dairy and all sweeteners two weeks ago and it hasn’t made a difference. I’ve been taking measurements and aside from feeling a little less bloated nothing has changed there as well. I’m not thinking about giving up, I’m just very frustrated!

Any further advice is much appreciated! Thanks.


(Dan Dan) #17

ok time to go hardcore and fast :muscle:

lots of good IF/EF posts :grin:

KCKO (Keep Calm Keto On)

“May the Force (fat adaption) be with you”

IF/EF Keto WOE is Self-Discovery :wink:

Good luck and much success in your journey in IF/EF Keto WOE :grin:


(margot) #18

Thank you Dan! I do 16:8 most days, sometimes longer, but I’ve never done more than 36 hours in a row. Time to try that! The group sounds like really good motivation to see an EF through. Thanks again.


(Miss E) #19

Is it possible you’ve put on muscle and that your body is happy with the current weight you are? For your height, if you have more lean muscle that the average bear (which you may from the amount and types of exercise you do) then 139 could be perfectly healthy. Have you measured your fat percentage?