Low GI- does it work?

faery_lights

faery_lights

Going Places
I recently finished reading 'Managing PCOS for Dummies' by Gaynor Bussell. It advocated a low GI diet fairly hardcore.

Before I go running into a new lifestyle, I was wondering if any other PCOS sufferer had tried and if it had really worked for them?

The science in the book seems sound, but every diet has 'science' behind it to make it sound convicing!

Opinions would be appreciated!
 
Hello,

I was diagnosed with PCOS in 2003 so I had a long time to try different diets.
I can honestly tell you that the best diet against PCOS is no sugars or wheats, not many milk products or meat, and a lot of vegetables, fruits.
It's the only way to restrict the PCOS as far as possible with all of its side effects.
You are not only losing weight, your skin is getting better and your cycle is usually stabilising after a while.
The Gl diet is just one of many forms of the Low Carb diet really. But in my opinion they want you to eat too many cereals and sugars.
I know it's hard to go totally without those things because the whole european diet is full of cereals and sugars, but it doesn't do the PCOS
any good because our bodies react so extremely on those things. So best thing is to go totally without it.
That's my experience with it anyway.
Shelly x
 
To be honest, i tried low GI and still struggled to lose weight just as much as I do now, since my only symptom is no periods, i honestly don't see any effects with any change in diet (except slowly losing weight).
 
Low Gi is better than low fat and high carb BUT for me (diagnosed 20 years) the best eating plan is low carb - for those ttc I conceived twice while low carbing (sadly resulted in mc) and they have been my only conception's (so far). It also stabilised my blood sugars, moods and pretty much all my other symptoms.
 
Best diet I ever followed was when I was pregnant and had gestational diabetes. It was pretty much the diabetic diet and I lost stones while I was pregnant, I was 3 stone lighter after giving birth than before i got pregnant. It was seriously strict but because I was worried about the baby I stuck to it. It was great going to the diabetic nurse to be weighed in each couple of weeks and she would be waiting to give out about weight gain but I was losing constantly but bump and baby were all growing fine. Had the baby and of course I didn't stick to it and put on 5 stone in the last 3 years. I did try the "fat around the middle diet" which is for women and is based on hormones and includes PCOS and is very like a low GI diet. It did work but I have just too much to lose to keep going. When I get closer to my goal I will go back on it as a way of life and to manage my PCOS and weight.

I have lowcarbed before and I lose weight and feel great but I always end up sabotaging it and going on a binge for weeks or months. Low carb is supposed to be great for PCOS I dont know if I could stick to it for the rest of my life though. I had surgery for 3 large cysts in 2007 and went on the cambridge diet to shift some weight. I was supposed to go back to my Gyno and Endo 6 months after the surgery to start clomid and metformin but I got pregnant. I think it was down to losing on cambridge and having had surgery where he did a bit of a "tidy up" should I say. I am now on Slim and Save to lose a lot of weight so we can start trying for another baby. My period has disappeared the last 42 days and I am hoping the weightloss with clomid will help get everything back on track.
 
I have pcos also and have learnt the hard way that losing weight too quickly means I put it all back on and more. Every time I lost weight before I needed a quick fix but this time I am losing weight for a baby and don't want to put it all back on when I get pregnant. So I am doing weight watchers but trying to limit carbs at the same time.
 
I'm doing Low GL for PCOS. I've also done low carb, but found it too restrictive. IMHO low carb is probably best for PCOS, but I just found it too restrictive to stick to long term. Low GL feels more sustainable in the long term for me.
 
I've found slimming world most effective but with a low gi twist - ie using wholewheat pasta and brown rice etc. Cutting down on the refined carbs such as white bread helps to level out your blood sugar, and filling up on fruits and veggies you will use less carbs any way without feeling like you are cutting them out. I also watch my calories. Consuming 2000 calories a day doesn't help me lose weight but between 1000-1500 does. I don't believe in VLCD after learning about the diets at uni I can't see how they are ever healthy but each to their own and I think in some ways you need to try out what is best for you. What works for one won't necessarily work for another :)
 
Perhaps try introducing it gradually and see how it goes? It doesn't have to be radical, see which foods you currently eat fit into low GI and gradually ditch the others.

I've read up on GI in the past and I tend to go for low GI foods as some of it has stuck in my mind. I'm following the Rosemary Conley plan at the moment, it does mention low GI but doesn't really go into details. It's portion control and low fat so I end up eating a lot less bread/potato/pasta anyway because they're higher in calories than salad/veg. I'm currently having 1400 cals a day and I've lost a stone since end of May. I haven't noticed a change in PCOS symptoms but then I am on the pill....
 
Hey! Thanks. I'm actually following Low GI guidelines generally. I'm not super strict about it but I'm making a concious effort that when I have carbs to make them Low GI carbs :) I'm also having the odd Low Carb day too, so that if I do eat High GI things it doesn't affect it too much. It seems to be working so far. I guess I've lost about 7lbs since starting that approach :)
 
Congrats on ur loss!!! 7lb is awesome :)

Low GI worked for a while for me but it was slow. Now low carbs and eliminating foods hugh in amylose, while controlling calorie intake has proven to be the answer. The truth is that if I didn't have this cursed problem I would be dropping 5lb a week, but as it is I am managing 2lb and I workout intensely daily for an hour and half and follow my diet very strictly.

I hope if you can see my stats that there is hope and it is possible to lose weight with pcos, you're just going to have to work hard to earn it because its slow going.

Stay strong xxx
 
Hi, I did a low GI diet years ago to improve my PCOS, I was doing IVF and wanted to reduce symptoms whilst improving my chances. I did lose a fair bit of weight and I did get pregnant (although ectopic not related to PCOS). So yes low GI did work for me.
I've had a hysterectomy recently but still have my ovaries, so still have the problems unfortunately with weight and hair.

Is worth a try :)
 
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