Calculating Your Caloric Needs

Since the majority of women with PCOS are overweight, calories are very important. For weight control, remember.all calories, whether from fat, protein or carbohydrate, in excess of your body's needs, will turn to fat. In order to lose weight, you must stay within your calorie goal.

Suggested caloric intakes for weight maintenance:

• Multiply your current weight by an activity factor between 10 and 20. Use a higher number (15 to 20) if you are younger, moderately overweight or of ideal weight and moderate to very active. The less active and more overweight you are, the lower the number should be (between 10 and 14).

Suggested caloric intakes for weight loss:

• To lose one pound a week, subtract 500 from your maintenance caloric level.
• To lose two pounds a week, subtract 1000 calories from the maintenance level.

Example: A 30-year-old female whose height is 5' 5", weight is 145 pounds, and who exercises three times a week for 45 minutes would multiply her weight by 15. Therefore, her maintenance caloric needs are approximately 2,175 calories a day. To lose one pound a week (subtract 500 calories), she would consume 1,675 calories a day. To lose one and one-half pounds a week (subtract 750 calories), she would consume 1,425 calories. It is not recommended that anyone eat less than 1,200 calories on a regular basis as this may slow the metabolism as well as be nutritionally inadequate.

Dietary Recommendations for PCOS

The following recommendations can help you plan your diet. The bottom line is that you need to find a diet that works for you and is one that you can live with.

• Try to select whole-grain starches over refined or processed starches and whole fruit over fruit juice. The higher fiber foods will cause a slower rise in blood glucose. For example, select bran cereal (10 grams of fiber per half cup) over cornflakes (1 gram fiber per half cup) or an apple (four grams of fiber for a medium apple) over apple juice (zero grams fiber for six ounces).
• If possible, combine some fat and protein with the carbohydrate (starch or fruit). This will slow the rise of blood sugar from the carbohydrate. For example, eat toast with two teaspoons of peanut butter rather than toast with jam.
• Legumes and most vegetables are loaded with nutrients and fiber and will cause a slow rise of blood sugar.
• Do not take your carbohydrate levels so low that you induce ketosis. Ketosis is an unhealthy condition whereby your body uses fat for energy. You can test for this by purchasing ketone test strips at a pharmacy. Eating fewer than 40 grams of carbohydrate a day may induce ketosis.
• Space the carbohydrates out during the day. This will cause less of a rise in blood sugar and insulin peak as compared to eating all carbohydrates at one meal. (Note: The Carbohydrate Addicts Diet recommends eating all the carbs at one meal. If this diet helps control food cravings and is promoting weight loss.keep it up!)
• Avoid those carbohydrates that trigger more hunger or cravings (e.g., pasta triggers craving for some people).
• Suggested vitamin/mineral supplements:

  • calcium 1,000 to 1,500 milligrams (take two to three 500-milligram pills a day and be sure to space them out, as you can only absorb 500 milligrams at a time)
  • multivitamin with minerals (make sure it contains folic acid (400 micrograms) if you're trying to get pregnant)

• Drink at least eight cups of noncaffeinated fluid as a low-carbohydrate intake can cause dehydration.
• For heart health, limit foods high in saturated and trans fats (e.g., fatty red meat, whole-milk dairy products, butter and stick margarine, chicken skin, fried foods, rich desserts, etc.) Select mainly monounsaturated fats (e.g., olive oil, canola oil, nuts) and omega-3 fats (fatty fish such as salmon and bluefish, flaxseed, nuts), as these fats are heart healthy.
• Exercise on a regular basis. The benefits of aerobic exercise include:
  • burning calories and aiding in weight control
  • lowering blood pressure
  • raising HDL cholesterol
  • may improve insulin resistance (this is proven in type 2 diabetics)
• Benefits of resistance training include:
  • builds lean mass, which will speed metabolism
  • helps prevent osteoporosis
  • may improve insulin resistance (this is proven in type 2 diabetics)
• If you are on a very low carbohydrate diet, check with your MD regarding a potassium supplement.
• If constipation is a problem, try a natural fiber supplement such as sugar free Fiber-All or Metamucil. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids as well.

Counting carbohydrate grams

For women who are interested in counting grams of carbohydrate, you can figure out your suggested carbohydrate intake by doing the following: