Fighting PCOS Naturally

I've decided to try a forced schedule again. I'm not going as strict as I tried last time. This time, if I'm not running late to work, everything must be done before I allow myself to leave the house. It means that I'll have to go to bed earlier so I can wake up earlier, but I need to do that anyway. AM: Oil-pulling Brush teeth Take meds and supplements Drink glass of warm lemon water and apple cider vinegar Make smoothie 15+ min of yoga or barre3 Shower PM: Make Dinner or eat leftovers pack lunch for next day 30+ minutes yoga or barre3 spend 10+ minutes outside with Spike Take meds by 9:30pm brush teeth In bed by 10:30pm I think it might be difficult in the beginning because I love my sleep, but I have to push through it and follow Nike's slogan - JUST DO IT. That's been my problem all along. I will tell myself I need to do something, but stay on the couch instead. I've got to start listening to myself and following through instead o...

Things are going to be different for this 11th Challenge. It is decided that this next challenge is going to be for FREE. However, that means that there will be no cash prizes. However, Soul Cyster Creations is offering 50% OFF one item from their store. (If anyone else wants to donate something they can just PM Soul Cysters Weight Loss Challenge ) Since it is FREE, we are going to let those who were in the last challenge stay in and we are opening up 5 spots to old contestants and 10 spots to NEW contestants. This way you can see what we do and just get some good motivation going for your weight loss. Please answer the below questions to be considered. Please send them in a message via the SCWLC  page.  1) Why are you wanting to join the SCWLC? 2) When did you find out you had PCOS? 3) What is your current BMI (send height and weight as well so we can verify) This is because we do not want anyone joining that does not need to be losing weight. 4) What is your motivat...

A few months ago I decided to pay for some other Cyster's entry fees for the Soul Cyster's Weight Loss Challenge. I think it's time to do it again! This time the giveaway will only be available for the weekend... I'm not giving you any time to second guess your decision about joining. Unless it makes you join! The participants of the challenge have access to a private facebook group to chat with other members, and we encourage everyone to use it to give and receive support. The challenge is open to anyone with PCOS whose BMI is within or above the normal range. To go along with the shorter length of time, the cost has been reduced to $6. All of the entry fees (minus paypal fees) are split between our winners. So for $6 dollars, we provide you with exercise suggestions, a group of women who want to succeed as much as you do, and cash prizes! Sounds fun, right? It is :) And to prove it, I'm going to pay 2 lucky people's entry fees. Have I enticed you enough ye...

I've participated in the Soul Cyster Weight Loss Challenge on multiple occasions. I've even won once. And I'm ready to get back in it. So much so that I'm also volunteering to help run it. I'm responsible for creating some of the fitness challenges. I'm really excited about this for a few reasons. First, the format of the challenge has changed. Previously it has been a 3 month challenge, and it goes great for the first month, but activity starts to decline in months two and three. In order to keep everyone going and excited, it's being changed to last just 6 weeks. Instead of weigh-ins every two weeks, there will only be 3 weigh-ins total. The starting weight, mid-weight and end weight. The fitness challenges are going to build on themselves, progressively getting harder. There will be a lot of different options in regards to exercise, including yoga, cardio and circuit training. The participants of the challenge have access to a private facebook group t...

I need to talk about weight a little. I got on the scale today because I knew I had gained weight. There's no way I hadn't, considering the number of donuts consumed in the last month or two. When the really good ones are only 50 cents a piece and you have no self control, it's hard not to be surprised. My lowest weight in the last year was 225. I'm back up to 242, and I almost started crying. But yesterday I put on one of my favorite shirts, straight out of the dryer, and realized it has never fit me so loosely. Hubs said he's been trying to tell me I've lost inches. Apparently when we got together, he could barely touch his fingers together during a hug - I know how that feels because I couldn't feel my fingers when I hugged my ex. He said that now he can almost interlace his fingers during a hug. It made me feel really good. So, screw the scale. I'm going to focus on measurements instead. My new best friend Kat is doing that too. She already threw h...

I haven't updated a lot since I made my new year's resolution. So far, I'm not doing as well as I had hoped, but I'm doing better than nothing. Last week I did 2 yoga sessions, one 1/2 mile lap around the park, and 100 crunches. I succeeded in working out 3 days. Yay! Since it is getting warmer, I'm planning to do the lap around the park more often. Hubs and I used to go often last year, but stopped when it got too cold. Now we have to get back in the swing of things, and I think we can. I was upset at my weigh-in last night, because I had gone up a pound. But I'm going to try to focus my goals on what I'm doing, not what I'm weighing. This week's goal is to work out at least 3 days, and at least 30 min sessions. No restrictions, no excuses - just success.

I know that sounds por.no-ish, but I don't care. I want to be hot and sexy by the end of the year, and I'd love to be a mom. So if we combine those, you get a MILF. (Mother I'd like to F***, for those of you that are wondering) I want to lose at least 50 pounds, which averages out to 1 pound a week. I don't see why that would be too hard. My exercise/workout plans - Couch to 5K program with my husband. It's designed to get you RUNNING a 5K in 9 weeks. I'm hoping that this will be good for me and the hubby. He hasn't really been able to run since he got shot 6 yrs ago. I figured if we went slow, this would be like rehab for him, and he will be able to run again (or at least walk easier.) Yoga EVERY DAY. Leanne, a fabulous food blogger at HealthfulPursuit.com , did a 30-day challenge, where she did yoga every day, no matter how she felt. And she realized that the days that she didn't want to go were the days she really needed it the most. And when I ...

Today is the first day of my new schedule. And so far, I've already been failing. But I've got the rest of the day to go, and I think I can be more successful this evening. My first round at the new planner is complete. It has several sections: 1) Weekly At A Glance - Has a block for each day of the week, and notes at the bottom. This is for major events and appts. 2) Daily Schedule - Simple sheet with time blocks from 9am to 11pm, in 30 min increments. This is the section to add more detail to my day. 3) Morning and Evening Schedule - This has all the stuff I have to do on a daily basis, such as brushing my teeth, taking a shower, taking my pills, eating, etc. Has a time allotted column for every task, and a y/n completion column. 4) Food Journal - Checkboxes for water intake and supplements. Space to write each meal, breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Each meal has a checklist of the types of food I ate, veggies, fruit, grains, protein, fats. Notes section at bottom....

One of my goals this month was to start doing yoga at home so I'm prepared to use my free week next month. If you walked into my house, you'd think I was a regular yogi - plenty of yoga clothes, 2 mats (because the first one wasn't as pretty as the second one), resistance bands, etc. But in all reality, I haven't done yoga in almost a year. In fact, I stopped looking at the closet door so I didn't get mad that my mat had been in the same place for so long. The floor was vacuumed moments before this pic was taken.  If you look closely you'll see that it's already covered in  hair again. So Monday I texted the hubby and said "Do not allow me to do anything when I get home until after I do yoga." Then I had to quickly modify it with this comment, "Okay, except for vacuum the living room floor so I don't gag on dog hair while I'm doing it." (I still, to this day, don't understand why I decided to bring home a white do...

For the last 8-9 months, I've been participating in the Soul Cyster's Weight Loss Challenge, ran by Christina at Mrs. O's Life . I did great in the first one, and won 3rd place. This time, I totally failed. I'm just hoping I get lucky enough to show a 0.1 pound loss this weekend when I submit my final weigh-in. The next challenge starts on Monday. I really want to participate again, but don't have the money this time. Since tomorrow is my last day at work, paying for anything other than food, rent and utilities is pretty much out of the question right now. Thankfully Christina decided to do a giveaway for SCWLC entries. She's giving away to entries to the challenge, so I'm doing everything I can to have a better chance of winning! Do you have PCOS and need to lose weight too? The entry fee is $20, and it starts Monday. I'm going to assume that late entries are allowed, since we did that for the current challenge. The giveaway for 2 free entries lasts t...

Let me preface this by saying I am not a doctor. What I say is solely based on personal experience and tons of research. If you try something I suggest and it doesn't work, don't hold it against me, please. Our bodies are individually unique, and what works for some doesn't work for others. (Oh, and I think I'm also supposed to say that you should consult your physician before starting a new diet or exercise regimen.) The first thing you should know when trying to lose weight is whether or not you have Insulin Resistance (IR). There are a few tests that can be run by your doctor. One is the fasting glucose test, which checks your blood sugar levels after a long fast - typically overnight. Another one is the Glucose Tolerance Test, where they give you some yucky liquid to drink, then test your blood sugar at 1 and 2 hours post drinking. HOWEVER - not all women with Insulin Resistance can be diagnosed through these tests. We're just weird like that. A good sign of ...