Anyways, one of them the other day posted about getting really too into calorie counting and measuring and weighing and all that shitness that we're told we should do when we try to lose weight. And she was totally melting down. Which, yes. I'd say that is a totally normal and healthy response to an activity that is crazy-making.
Here's what I posted in response. I've read it a few times, and I think I actually came up with some pretty good advice. I find advice-giving hard these days because I'm starting to forget what it was like to be obese and all the attendant fun that went with it. So, I'm kinda all proud of myself that I was able to part the veil of time and actually suss out something that she'll hopefully find helpful and not just rant-y.
Here goes:
"I can't count calories. I lose my mind. I've never really been able to do it and I still can't. And I was still able to lose my weight and keep it off and even adjust my intake to meet very different demands. Most people can't really count calories for very long without it ending up getting a little weird. So, in that respect, you're normal.
What I had to do was reset my hormone signalling. What's really awesome (sarcasm alert!)? Most of us with PCOS have f'd up satiety hormone signalling. Here's a few tips to get you started. I'm guessing it's going to take a lot of time for you to sort this out and it isn't something that an easy post can just fix for you. I just wanted you to know you're not alone.
And your situation isn't hopeless.
Anyways, reaching way back into my memory, here's a few thing that helped me at the very beginning. Once I got these down, then I was able to further refine and figure things out.
1. Eat protein every time you eat. Preferably something that once had eyes and a soul or came from something that had eyes and a soul.
2. Eat vegetables every time you eat. Mmm vegetables. Corn, iceburg lettuce and peas are not veggies.
3. Eat starchy carbs. Root vegetables are preferable because they're packed with nutrients that are nicely bioavailable for you. But, eat them when your body needs them. And that's usually after you've worked out.
4. Eat when you are hungry. Hungry is not bored. Hungry is not sad. Hungry is hungry. And if you're hungry, eat!
5. Enjoy the hell out of your food. Don't eat anything that you really, legitimately don't like to eat just because it's "good for you". There's lots of food that's good for you that I'm sure you also enjoy. Eat those foods instead.
6. That said, food is not a party in Vegas. If it comes in a brightly coloured box or bag and has big shouty text on it screaming at you that it's food? Likely not food. Processed stuff does super fun things to your brain and body, making it hard to enjoy real food. And also making it really tricky for you to feel full or satieted. Try to pick food that you know is food even if it doesn't have a label on it.
7. Don't watch commercials on TV. For reals. This is huge.
8. If you struggle with mindless eating at a certain time of day, every day, choose that time to do your workout. It gives you something to do and it reprograms this behaviour. Then have a good, proper meal after (protein, veggies and a starchy carb).
9. When you're eating, just eat. Ten bucks says the vast majority of your meals are eaten in front of the computer or the TV. We need to register that we've eaten. And to do that, we need to just eat when we're eating.
10. Sleep. Go to bed at the same time every night. Get up at the same time every morning. If you're tired, go to bed early. Sounds weird, but sleep is the biggest thing you can do to regulate insulin.
Eating should be eating. It shouldn't be math. Hope some of these ideas or approaches help you a little bit.
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