Walking and PCOS Weight Reduction

I have PCOS and was just recently diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes.

I believe he considers me more of a pre-diabetic as my numbers are low and my A1C is normal, but he doesn't want me to become diabetic.

My doctor asked that I begin walking daily. I walk two miles a day (30 Minutes) 5 - 6 days a week. I also went to a diabetic class.

I began losing a bit of weight and I have gone down in sizes, but I'm at a standstill. No more weight has been coming off. I write down everything I eat and count carbs, but still no more weight has dropped.

What can I do?

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Hello and thank you for your question.

Here are some guidelines for those training with diabetes:

1. Always undergo complete medical evaluations before starting your exercise program.

2. You should be encouraged to monitor your blood sugar levels before, during and after exercise just so you know what is going.

3. Unless limited by complications of the disease, diabetics can engage in the same types of activities as non-diabetics.

4. The intensity of exercise for diabetics should be very similar to what is prescribed for healthy adults (55% to 85% of Maximum Heart Rate).

5. Diabetics should be instructed to always carry a form of fast-acting carbohydrate (e.g., juice, soft drinks, candy, glucose tablets, etc.) in case of a hypoglycemic emergency.

6. Diabetics should be encouraged to exercise with a partner who is aware of the signs, symptoms and treatment of hypoglycemia.

7. Diabetics should be instructed to check their feet carefully before and after exercise (for swelling), because of their increased susceptibility to infection.

8. Strength training at a low/moderate intensity level (a range of 12 to 20 repetitions per set) can be incorporated into the total fitness program for diabetics.

I would suggest that you started with a weights/resistance training program. If you are wanting to train at home or at a gym you can find specific PCOS training programs for both the gym and at home in my book.

It sounds like to me that you need to raise your amount of lean body mass before your body starts losing any more fat.

You can check previous questions for more information about Lean Body Mass (LBM), but in short, the more LBM you have, the more calories you burn. Training with weights/resistance is a great way if not the best way of increasing your LBM.

BE PREPARED though as your muscle weighs 3 times MORE than fat so it is A GOOD THING if when you start training with weights/resistance you gain A LITTLE bit of weight!!!

I hope that this helps you and have great fun with your training!

Gemma

Personal Trainer
Author of the PCOez Fitness ebook.

Note from editor:

Since you have PCOS and are pre-diabetic, it's possible you have an issue with insulin resistance. In this case, it's quite important that you make sure the carbohydrates you consume have a low glycemic load. You can find out more about low glycemic foods in The Natural Diet Solution for PCOS and Infertility.

A supplement you might find useful is d-pinitol, a formula designed to help women with polycystic ovary syndrome to improve their hormonal function, including insulin function.