Hello,
Just after some advise / inspiration from people who have been successful in weight loss! I'm looking to loose a stone to get into the healthy BMI range as hoping that will help with the PCOS i have been recently diagnosed with.
I tend to struggle loosing with my desk job..! Find juggling the right diet with the right amount of exercise without burning out difficult. Any advise appreciated! 😊
Hello Kicksy1990 and welcome to the Weight Loss Forum 😊 Getting the balance right can be a little tricky but your health is the reward so it is well worth the effort. 😊
Here are a few suggestions on how to get the most out of the forum. Please note if you are using the new HU App many of these features are not available so I suggest you use the full website version.
The first place to look is at the Pinned posts section to the right of your screen (bottom if you're using a mobile), read the Welcome Newbie thread first and move through to the challenges, where we hope you'll find at least one that will appeal to you ☺
Move down to the Topics, to find a variety of threads, collated into specific topics for ease of access and we ask that you also 'file' your own threads, so that others won't miss your important news ☺
Have a look at the NHS 12 week plan, as many people have had success with it. Also use the BMI checker to find your target calories, it's important to eat enough. This was a major turning point for me, realising I could eat anything I wanted as long as the calories are accounted for ☺
Don't forget to take your starting measurements and a 'before' picture, as they can be very motivating on days that the scales refuse to co-operate ☺
The forum also have group weigh-ins every day, as well as a new Daily Diary, if you wish to take part. The posts can always be found in the Events section on the 'home' page ☺
You'll notice a grey box next to people's names, these are achievement badges, and as a new member you have a 'Newbie' badge. We've found that to get the best out of this community, we need to be active on the forum, as it's where we exchange information, get motivation and inspiration and make friends. We hope that you'll join us here, regularly, too. If you have any questions please just ask ☺
Best wishes
Anna
Hi and welcome, Kicksy 
You may find this community a useful support too
healthunlocked.com/verity-pcos
Thanks very much for that link!
Welcome and good luck! I hope you find the forum useful 🤞
Hello Kicksy1990 and welcome to the forum.
With such a seemingly debilitating and frustrating condition, I'm sure that you're aware how the consumption of sugar exacerbates its symptoms.
That said, with consumption of the right foods and the correct type of exercise, it's certainly a condition that can be managed, allowing body fat to reduce.
I can wholly forgive you for thinking how a male could help with such a condition, but PCOS is something that my wife has struggled with for the best part of a decade. However, when she chooses to apply herself, by eating correctly and exercising regularly (some of which includes HIIT), regular and sustained weight loss is enjoyed.
As already mentioned, with such a condition, reducing sugar in your diet to an eventual minimum remains paramount to improving chances of successfully managing the symptoms, since its reduction not only reduces the amount of insulin required, the reduced secretion of insulin also lowers production of androgens (testosterone).
Through reduced consumption of sugar and a more measured release of insulin, the body's sensitivity to the hormone begins to improve, allowing medication (such as Metformin) to work as it should; the regular inclusion of exercise also assists in improving insulin sensitivity, as it depletes glycogen (key to the long-term management of weight).
However, in order to allow the existing excess to be utilised as an energy source, a modest calorie deficit of up to 500Kcal needs to be maintained from TDEE or maximum allowance. If you haven't already done so, use the NHS BMI calculator to calculate energy requirements, based upon age, weight, height and level of activity. Assuming you exercise regularly, daily allowance will no doubt be rather generous, allowing a daily 500Kcal deficit to be maintained.
Alternatively, if you'd like to calculate energy requirements using the formula that I use (Miflin St. Jeor method), let me know and I'll happily provide the equation (don't worry, it's not complicated).
On the subject of regular activity, a mixture of resistance and cardio exercise not only increases metabolism and muscle density (improving resting calorie expenditure), the combination of both ensures greater all-round fitness. However, it's important to participate in something that you enjoy.
Given that you've mentioned burn-out through exercise, I'm possibly right to assume that you're a fairly well seasoned exerciser, already possessing a decent level of fitness. As such, regular HIIT activity (such as spinning or similar) will help to significantly improve insulin sensitivity, as it severely depletes glycogen from within the muscles, hence why short bursts can only be performed for up to 60s.
For those able to perform HIIT, the activity has many positive effects, due to the physiological changes that it encourages within the body. From a weight management perspective, it increases energy expenditure both during and afterwards by oxidising fat (research EPOC), while significantly increasing sensitivity to insulin (for up to 72 hours, depending upon its level of intensity). However, to allow for sufficient recovery, reducing the risk of burn-out, HIIT ought to be performed no more than 3 times a week.
On to nutrition. When she chooses to apply herself, my wife does lose weight through consumption of foods that are high in fibre, in addition to undertaking regular exercise (which includes HIIT) and keeping protein intake relatively high.
As such, when considering carbohydrates, aim to avoid the consumption of cakes, sweets and pastries, in addition to white varieties of bread, pasta, rice and potatoes. Instead, seek to include quinoa, oats, lentils and beans (kidney/pinto,etc), while also opting for non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli, kale, spinach, peppers, lettuce and cauliflower, alongside fruit, such as apples, grapes, cherries and plums.
It wouldn’t hurt to consult the Glycemic Index, to obtain a greater idea of the kind of foods that are low upon the GI scale, since a low GI diet is far more beneficial to your cause. Those foods with a GI of 60 or above should only be enjoyed occasionally.
Although considered healthy by many, a baked potato measures in at 82 on the GI scale (food for thought).
Fat can and should still be eaten. Ensure that it’s obtained from fish, avocados, nuts and seeds, in addition to virgin olive oil, for example, while aiming to limit consumption of fatty/processed sources of meat.
Although, it’s considered a MCT, coconut oil is still a saturated fat, so it ought to be consumed in moderation. However, as I’m sure you’re aware, it’s fantastic for maintaining the health and condition of hair, skin and nails, so begin/continue to apply it.
As for protein, provided that it’s obtained from lean meat, fish, eggs and whey powder, it’s difficult to go wrong. Just ensure that it constitutes 30-35% of total calorie intake, ensuring that existing muscle mass is maintained as weight is lost.
Although, I may have provided you with much to consider, don’t overwhelm yourself by attempting to change everything overnight. In the initial interim, simply focus upon maintaining a daily calorie deficit, gradually reducing the amount of simple/refined carbohydrate consumed and ensuring that regular exercise continues to be undertaken. As you discover what works best for you, the rest will hopefully fall into place along the way.
Hi MrNiceGuy,
Thank you so much for taking the time out to write such a detailed and informative response! That's amazing!
I love spinning although I've not been for a few weeks, so I will defiantly take that back up 😊
In regards to the calorie in take, I would very much appreciate your calculation so I have something to go off.
Again, thank you very much for all that advise!
You're welcome. When I have time this evening, I'll provide you with the equation.
As promised, here's the Miflin St. Jeor method of calculating BMR. The formula is as follows:
Women: 9.6 x weight (in KG) + 6.25 x height (in cm) - 5 x age - 161 = BMR
Having obtained BMR, multiply it by one of the following to ascertain TDEE.
Sedentary = 1.2, Lightly Active = 1.375, Moderate Activity = 1.55, Heavily Active = 1.75, Athlete = 2.
Upon obtaining both BMR and TDEE, seek to introduce a daily deficit (of up to 500Kcal) from TDEE, ensuring that the deficit introduced doesn't exceed the difference between the two figures.
Additionally, with each 7-10lb reduction in weight, BMR and TDEE should be re-calculated, in order to reduce the risk of plateau
If you usually participate in spin classes more than once a week, multiply BMR by 1.55, particularly if you also visit the gym to complete normal workouts.
Perfect thank you so much!
Not a problem.
To provide a clearer idea of how/why figures need to be re-calculated as weight is lost, work out BMR/TDEE at current weight and then at a stone less. You should find that up to 150 fewer Kcal is required each day to satisfy BMR.
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