r/PCOSloseit

Simple post, but I started Zepbound in January. I’ve lost 65 lbs and my BMI went from 30.4 (obese) to 20.9 (normal). This past week it hit me, I haven’t plucked or shaved my one thick, black chin hair and my one cheek hair in a long time. I did a check with outdoor lighting, flashlights, husband, etc.

This win is almost as big as the weight. I don’t know if it will be permanent, but the last time I noticed it was over a month ago. Didn’t know this was even possible.

I NEED ADVICE DESPERATELY ‼️

- 27 female (55-60 KGS)
- exercise almost everyday and have a strict healthy diet (if I didn’t I would be over weight) I genuinely think if I ate a normal portion like my friends I would be 80 kilos..
- drink a lot on the weekends socially and smoke weed (every night and have been for 10 years, which has never been an issue in the past)

MY main issue is my EXTREEME FATIGUE, I comes in pockets throughout the day, almost impossible to work, I can literally barely keep my eyes open; a type of fatigue I don’t think a regular person has ever experienced, I almost crashed my car once (lesson learnt)

I am on 100mg of Sertraline and birth control. I have had all my bloods tested and they came back fine.

What can I do to fix the fatigue???? I see this metaforim word thrown around ALOT, and I’m curious what that does?
Is there something I could be doing differently.

Help 🙏🙏🙏

I'll try to keep it short and simple because I know it can be hard to absorb info, especially when you want something straight to the point

1. Focus on fat loss, not weight loss (Fat and Muscle both make up for your overall weight). The goal is to lose fat while maintaining or building muscle.

2. Reduce carbs, but don’t eliminate them. Keep portions moderate—for example, rice or similar carbs around the size of your fist.

3. Make protein the biggest part of your meals. Aim for more protein than carbs, and eat the protein first so you feel fuller sooner. Can't have meat because you're maybe a vegetarian, have a protein shake and you don't need to just have one per day, have more! Don't rely heavily on other protein substitutes that have a lot of fat too, otherwise it may backfire.

4. Prioritize protein throughout the day. It helps preserve/build muscle and takes more energy to digest than carbs or fats, making you lose fat. Carbs instead gets easily digested and is easier to add fat to your body. IF YOU EAT MEAT, trust me, have chicken breast—it's the leanest, healthiest and high protein food you could have!

5. Strength train regularly. Lifting weights helps maintain and build muscle while losing fat. Cardio is useful too, especially for heart health and endurance but strength training is better for PCOS. NO, it does not make you look like a bodybuilder. No offence, but to think you can grow muscle as quick or even as easily as a bodybuilder is hilarious to them (plus many take steroids so don't have an unrealistic view about building muscle — everyone's different). It's extremely difficult to build that much muscle the way they do. And you will always have control on how much to grow the muscles on your body.

6. Drink plenty of water. Keep it simple and make hydration a daily habit.

7. Have sugar in moderation instead of banning it. Small portions can make the plan easier to stick to—for example, a few pieces of chocolate or an occasional dessert.

8. Don’t rely only on the scale. Strength training can add muscle, so your weight may stay the same or even increase while your body composition improves.

9. If you feel tired because of PCOS or for any other reason like anemia (bcuz I'm anemic as well and my BP tends to be in the 90s in the morning), have caffeine or an energy drink (preferably sugar-free and never on an empty stomach). Trust me, some caffeine won't harm you and instead it will give you the energy you feel like you have been lacking.

10. CONSISTENCY. You have to do all of this consistently. Your body needs all of this being done like a pattern. And it needs weeks and patience. Don't give up.

EDIT: Someone attacked me and accused me of using AI. I did not produce this info with AI. These were put together based on personal experience that has been conducted over many years. Just because you see things like "—" being used or simply a list being made, it does not mean AI made it. Keep in mind, AI uses human data and patterns. Were humans not making lists and using "—" before AI existed??? And I only use AI to organize my thoughts, not create them and in this case I did not use AI. I made a google doc for my thoughts and shortened them by myself as I know that many people can't read long paragraphs. Either take the overall advice or leave it. All those tips above are from years of trial and error, research online and talking to those who actually put in effort instead of being keyboard warriors and attacking those for helping others. Ridiculous.

Hi everyone! I’m 24F, 5’5” and around 253 lbs. My biggest struggle has always been my midsection/belly fat, which I’ve had since I was a preteen, even before I knew I had insulin resistance.

My doctor told me my overall bloodwork was “wonderful” aside from several vitamin/mineral deficiencies (A, B2, C, D, iron and phosphorus). I’ve also had menstrual changes since March 2025. My periods are now lighter, sometimes shorter, and occasionally late. I still get them, but this is definitely different from how my cycle used to be.

My prolactin was also slightly elevated at one point, but when it was rechecked, it had returned to normal.

Because of the insulin resistance + weight + menstrual irregularities, I’ve started wondering whether PCOS could also be a possibility. I haven’t been diagnosed with it.

I finally got serious about making lifestyle changes on July 14. I’ve been prioritizing protein and fiber, cutting out added sugar, reducing my carb intake, and trying to walk more. It’s now August 16, and honestly, I don’t see much of a difference yet, especially around my stomach. I know it’s only been about a month and that these things take time, but it’s still discouraging. I also don’t own a scale, so I have no idea whether I’ve actually lost weight.

I’m considering switching PCPs because my current doctor is always rushed and I don’t feel like I can really discuss my concerns with her. I’m thinking about asking a new doctor whether metformin might be appropriate for me.

For those who have dealt with insulin resistance, PCOS, or something similar:

• Were you able to lose weight through lifestyle changes alone?
• Did metformin make a noticeable difference for you?
• Did you experience any negatives or side effects?
• Is there anything you wish you had known when you started?

My mom thinks I should do everything naturally and that I’m too young for medication, but I’m wondering if medication could help alongside diet and exercise. I know metformin isn’t a magic weight-loss pill, and I’m not looking for an easy way out. I just want to know whether it could potentially make my lifestyle changes more effective.

I really want to work toward my health and body goals without resorting to extreme calorie restriction or unnecessarily cutting out entire food groups.

Any advice or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated! ❤️

I’m planning to come off Yasmin pill and just wondered how many people taking spiro for hormonal acne are / are not on the pill along side it? Would be really helpful to get an idea of people who don’t need the pill along side spiro!

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I purchased the Glucose goddess books and I generally eat healthy, but is the only way I’m going to lose weight by doing the god damn glucose goddess method? It feels like a rigid way of living and I’m starting to feel hopeless. I’m 5’4 and weigh about 158 lbs. I hold fat in my belly as well as under my chin. I even had chin lipo last year and it didn’t really do much at all, which was disappointing as it was a very expensive NY doctor 🤮

I do strength training 3x weekly and it’s made me feel amazing, however no weight loss because it’s all weights, but I feel stronger and feel great. I walk a lot too and have grown to love it (it’s easy to get in your steps living in NY).

Trying to introduce cardio but it’s really hard to make the time. Did GLP for a year and lost less than 10 lbs. I know people who dropped 30 lbs easy. It’s wild to me. I’m going to see an endocrinologist soon (any recs in NY?) but at least being diagnosed with these two things gives me some sort of clarity and direction.

Anyone out there have a similar story and successfully lost weight? Thanks so much <3

What are the most effective exercises for weight loss with adrenal pcos? I had lean pcos for a long time but gained 15 pounds last year and can’t seem to get it off. My cortisol is also very high. Anyone else with adrenal pcos have specific kinds of exercise that worked best?

Hi, and first of all, I’m sorry this is going to be such a long post, but I can’t keep swallowing this anymore.

I was already bullied in kindergarten because I could read at that age and because I was more of the quiet type. It continued throughout my entire time at school, no matter how often I changed classes, until eventually someone at work tried to beat me to death.

When I was 16, I was living in a childrens home, and had a fever of 106.7°F. One of the caregivers called the family doctor in a panic, and apparently all he said was that they should keep giving me activated charcoal tablets. Nothing else.

When I was 21, I was trying to have a child and it just wasn’t happening. My gynecologist simply told me to keep a damn period calendar. He knew I had cysts, and he also knew that I had developed problems with my periods after stopping birth control, because for more than a year I only got my period once every three months and kept going back to him because of it.

Eventually I got sick of it and went to another gynecologist because I wanted my hormones tested. At the time, I was 5'8" and weighed about 185 lbs. All he told me was that I should lose weight first, and then they could test my hormones.

I gave up.

I knew something wasn’t right with me, because I had always been physically stronger, even stronger than the boys in my class. I rode my bike and walked more than 18 miles a day combined. I ate one warm meal a day and otherwise nothing. I had been used to having neither breakfast nor dinner for a long time. And despite all of that, I slowly kept gaining more and more weight.

When I started bleeding one day and it simply wouldn’t stop, I was 27 and weighed about 214 lbs. That was when I was finally told I had PCOS.

Even the endocrinologist should have known better, but blamed everything on my weight. When I asked the new gynecologist whether the PCOS could be treated, all she said was, “Yes, once you’ve lost weight.”

Even though PCOS itself can contribute to weight gain.

I gave up.

The only doctor who was actually good was the one who realized, when I was 17, that my bones and joints were already damaged and nobody knew why. It turned out I had a severe vitamin D deficiency and had probably had it for a very long time. And despite that, I still rode my bike and walked that much every day because I enjoyed it.

Now I’m over 30, I weigh even more, and my bones and joints are damaged. And if I had to sum up my life, I could say that an unbelievable number of doctors, as well as people at school and at work, seemed to think that I didn’t deserve to live, to exist, or to be happy.

My life is lost.

But if my life has had even one purpose, then I hope someone sees this post, recognizes herself in it, and finds the strength to keep fighting at the point where I gave up.

If a doctor tells you to “just lose weight,” don’t simply accept that as the end of the conversation. Find another doctor if you have to.

Don’t let other people tell you that it is your fault if you can’t have children or if you have PCOS. Find a doctor who takes you seriously and is willing to help you.

I was alone. Nobody helped me understand what was wrong with me. Eventually they finally figured it out, but then nobody wanted to treat it.

If this helps even one woman keep fighting, then my life wasn’t completely useless.

And maybe someone can also tell me what I can do so I don’t keep thinking about how people and doctors treated me like I was worthless for so many years.

Asking because I have IBS and a bunch of gut issues and my doctor mentioned the possibility of metformin today and my thoughts are mixed because my suspected PMOS is so manageable I feel like all the metformin would do is help me lose weight but make my gut worse.

For reference, my hormone labs always come back normal but an ultrasound i had three years ago suggested PMOS but the doctor then said no followup needed as long as I stay away from being insulin resistant (what the heck). I was insulin resistant once my first year of marriage last year but reversed it through diet and exercise. I still have weight to lose now and have all the issues around my period but no cysts or other side effects like insulin resistance. Is metformin good for other things in pcos or is it just for the weight aspect?​

I have been diagnosed with insulin resistance, and we are currently going through the process of trying to see if I have PCOS/PMOS. I am currently on the lowest dose of Monjauro for the tracking of my insulin resistance and seeing if it helps, what did you do to lose the weight? All advice is welcomed - I’ve gained 50 pounds in a year and I am getting married and want to feel myself and beautiful!

My experience with weight loss, PCOS and insulin resistance
Hi everyone! First of all, I’m sorry for my English. I’m not fluent, so some of my translations may be incorrect.
I wanted to share my experience and ask for some advice from people who may have gone through something similar.

Over the course of about 4 years, I progressively gained around 23 kg without any obvious explanation. I had always maintained pretty much the same lifestyle and diet. Then, from May to December 2025, I gained around 8 kg, which really scared me because it happened so quickly that I lost the ability to fit into many of my clothes.
At the beginning of this year, I started changing my diet and exercising. I was walking and doing strength training 5 times a week. I did this consistently for exactly 3 months, but I couldn’t lose even 1 kg.

So I saw an endocrinologist. After blood tests and an evaluation, I was diagnosed with PCOS and insulin resistance. I also developed dark patches of skin on different parts of my body.

I made further changes to my diet, significantly reduced my sugar and overall carbohydrate intake, and currently do strength training 3 times a week. I take 1,000 mg of metformin per day (I’ve been taking it for about a month), and I’m also taking Contrave to help control my appetite, as well as vitamin supplements because some of my levels were low.

Even though I’m doing what I’m supposed to, I still feel completely stuck. I’m not losing weight, I don’t see any noticeable changes in my body, and it feels exactly like before I discovered what was going on.

If I go off my plan for even one meal, I sometimes see 1–2 kg more on the scale afterward.

I’d really like to hear about your experiences: How long did it take for your medications to start making a noticeable difference in your weight loss?

I know it’s still early to expect major results, but it’s frustrating not to see even 1 kg less after months of trying.
Did anything in particular help you finally break through a plateau or “unstick” your weight loss?

I need to lose around 13 kg by November because I’m getting married, so I’m feeling quite anxious about the timeline.

I also have questions about my metformin dose. I’ve read that some people with insulin resistance may need at least 1,500 mg per day, but I don’t know whether 1,000 mg is enough in my case.

There are so many questions and doubts, and I’d really appreciate hearing from people who have been through something similar. ❤️

Hey everyone, my(f27) Endocrinologist has been recommending Zepbound to help manage my PCOS/PMOS. I’m somewhat new to triathlon training (about 1 year) and I’m wondering if anyone has taken a glp while training? I currently average 10 hours of training a week with 2 strength training days. Our goal isn’t to loose a crazy amount of weight as I’m already pretty in shape (185lbs, 5’5). We mainly just want to manage my insulin resistance as metformin and lifestyle changes have not helped me. Ive also heard weight loss can make you faster? Is that true?

How have glps impacted your training?

Hi I'm looking for multivitamin/ supplements that are recommended for people with PCOS, I already take inositol but I'm wondering if there's a recommendation for a good multivitamin for PCOS for fatigue and wt issue? Also I have so much hair thinning any supplements that work for you? Would appreciate knowing!