20th Feb 2018
Are you sure you don’t have PCOS?
I once read somewhere… “If & only are as harmless as words can be. But, when they are placed together, they possess the power to haunt you for the rest of
24 Aug 2015
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This is my own story of battling weight & PCOS. It feels great sharing it with females, some of whom are probably going through the same challenges as I did.
As a child, I was never skinny. I grew up being slightly overweight with a broad frame. Things suddenly started going very wrong once I hit my twenties. My periods became irregular & I started gaining weight. I did not notice it at first as ironically I was pursuing my master's in nutrition & super busy with studies.
When in just a year my weight ballooned to 64 kg from 56 kg, I realized something was wrong. After a few medical tests, I discovered I was suffering from PCOS & that along with poor eating habits, this was responsible for my weight gain.
I started studying it in detail & was convinced that weight loss & maintaining my weight to ideal levels was the only solution to having a healthy hormonal profile.
Also, being a dietitian myself, it was important to be well within my ideal weight limits.
The next barrier to excess weight & PCOS was when I was planning to have a child.
Infertility due to PCOS was very common.
I was very upset to hear I was suffering from infertility & that it would be tough to become a mom. It was very depressing to hear about fertility treatments & the side effects of the same made me very scared & depressed.
I did my research on diet plans for women with PCOS & started eating correctly, eating in the right portions & not giving in to junk food. I started losing weight & bounced back to 58 kg. I was very happy to conceive naturally (rare with PCOS) & had a very good pregnancy. During the 9 months, however, I put on 23 kg & was horrified to see myself at 78 kg after the birth of my child.
It was like a light switch went on. I immediately swung into action & actively chose & ate foods that were nourishing & not fattening & greasy. Moreover, since, I had been operated on for a slipped disc, heavy workouts were never an option for me. So, I would make time to go for short, but regular walks. post-pregnancy weight loss wasn’t easy, but with the right food & techniques, it all worked out.
After my child was 1 year old, I was 66 kg, & my PCOS symptoms disappeared. My cycles were very regular. I went a little more aggressive & continued with a more conscious effort to lose weight. This was not easy as I was taking care of the baby, working & taking care of my weight.
At times, I gave in to cravings & ate wrong but when calm, I would ask myself, was the big bar of chocolate worth it? To satisfy cravings, I would taste morsels of junk food but make meals of healthy food. After another year I was at 58 kg & today I am at 56 kg!
Going through weight gain. PCOS & post-pregnancy weight has been incredible learning for me as a nutritionist. My own experience has helped me with my modules on balance nutrition on eat-in portions, restaurant-guided weight loss plans for PCOS started withes, alcohol guides & what I call "The Celebrate Life Maintenance Guide".
I eat outside, have erratic meal times some days & also cheat a bit, but due to the maintenance, I know when to stop.
My biggest takeaway over the last few decades? No one can eat special diet foods all their life, a more practical & doable approach works best.
