#pcos challenge

[haygourmet]

Day 10 (but first breakfast) of the 30 day PCOS challenge. Low carb, high protein. Also I’m hungover from Purim last night, whoops.

http://www.smartfertilitychoices.com/free-30-day-pcos-diet-challenge/

[jpn-pcos]

Health…. Since coming back from My long China trip (6 weeks traveling throughout the country) I learned That health is a privilege not a certainty. As I traveled throughout china I see that most people don’t have good health. I see the food the people ate and I felt disgusted to the core. The saltiness, the oil, the spiciness, the lack of quality foods. Most foods were food scrap parts of animals or preserved vegetables. It was just not healthy. The sweets were too sweet, the salty were too salty. It was unbearable. And very difficult for me to accept. The rate of heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, kidney failure was High in those region of china; and for good reason. Just look at their food choices. But you can’t fully blame them. They don’t really have money to eat better in certain regions. And for other regions its just been accepted as the normal food choice. Then exercise and walking was non-existent. I was so surprised to see people taking the subway everywhere even when it’s just a two block 5-10 min walk. The Chinese complained it was too far. It was surreal to me. Unbelievable!

So now with a little more wisdom then before I went. And with a new found appreciation for health, fitness, food. I have started to have an epiphany that health is a privilege. One that the USA has so fully ignored. One that people in the USA can get for free while people in other countries don’t have the money or resources to obtain.

So what am I saying - well, I wanna introduce three things to you which through lots of research and friends’ recommendation I have found. I now see health, food, exercise and fitness as a lifestyle. One that I try to sustain in my own life. But first let me introduce my three “free” things I found to help me sustain this lifestyle -

A) Lose it! app As a Dietitian/Nutritionist, I can tell you, This is by far one of the best weight management, food calorie, support system friendly apps I have ever encountered. What I love about this app is that it makes you accountable for what you put into and out of your body. So let’s say you want that dessert or junk food, you can have it but it will cost ya. Is that food worth 30 min to 1 hr in the gym for. If the answer is yes, go for it. If no, you might reconsider. The app lets u scan food barcodes, take food photos to aid in logging your food intake and it also lets you log your exercise/fitness/walks. It accounts for how much weight you want to lose. Tracks your progress and gives you an estimate time you might reach your goal. It is truly an amazing app. If you don’t have it already, I recommend you search for it in the app store and download it. You won’t be sorry!

B) Shape-up NYC I don’t know about other states but in NYC, via the parks services/government, we are offer free fitness classes throughout the 5 boroughs. Classes like Zumba, Dance Cardio, yoga, Pilates, etc. A recent find I found after much research. But so glad I found it so I could quit paying for the gym and instead workout for FREE. Yup you saw that right, FREE

C) Peloton Walk-in spin classes My friends introduce me to this place. A gem in itself. Peloton is a spin class studio, store front and smoothie bar. But what attracts me so much about this place is the 30 min walk-in spin classes are all FREE. There are lockers and shower facilities that has every essential you need to freshen up after sweating up a storm. The instructors are amazing and the best part, you will get an intense workout where you feel you are dying/breaking but the moment it is over, you feel fabulous and awesome you push yourself through it. You will feel sore after each spin class. But the body adjusts after a while. They only have one studio in NYC for live classes thou. The rest of their classes are stream via Peloton extensive network via their bikes. Most people in the network owns a bike and workout at home. But for me, I know myself, even if I own the bike and have membership I might not workout on the bike. I am the type that need the live instructor, the live class and live motivation to push myself. So the walk-in free 30 min classes works for me.

[jpn-pcos]

The Healing Process Begins... Or does it? So I went back to my TCM/herbalist and this is the second week I am on my new herbal medicine therapy. So far the advice my TCM gave me is to avoid the seven emotional feelings/habits listed above and to avoid a bunch of foods such as beef, pineapple, dairy, seafoods, crab/oysters/clams especially, and other foods so that my complex cyst do not burst. It's harder to do then I thought because being Chinese and moving back home with my parents and family makes it very difficult to avoid the above seven emotion/ habits. In particular the avoid confrontation, aggravation, provoke/irritation, pressure/stress part. Then the insomnia/lack of sleep, tired/fatigue/exhaust part is hard habit to break too. I am going nuts here. I can't wait to get married and move out. No offense to my parents/family but I just like to be a loner, on my terms, in my way. I don't like people nosey into my business unless I personally choose to share. And between you and me if you been following me you know I try to make my life an open book. But at the same time there are certain aspects, not much, but there are some things I like to keep bottle in and just not share until I am ready to or want to. Provoke feelings are the worst and my family do that too much. Gets me all aggravated, upset, sad and leads to many tears. It's just bad all around. But enough about that. Doctor tells me I need to be more carefree, happy, stress free, play more, sleep more and then my illnesses will slowly start to heal. She is right! I do feel better when I am happier. But sometimes it's so hard to keep up a true smile when everything is in the shit hole. Excuse my language but that's how I feel. Will try my best and continue the therapy. In other news, my western ob/gyn doctor keeps on telling me I should be on birth control pills (ortho tri-cyclen) and that, that would be the only way to control cysts and to stop its growth. I refuse to believe that is the only way. I refuse to take them. I refuse to be on Metformin or any other drugs said to be for controlling PCOS symptoms. Being a Dietitian Nutritionists and being on the side of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Preventive medicine, I refuse to believe that drugs with high side effects is the only answer. There are many answers to a question. I will find the one that fits me. Sorry doc, I think you are great but I want kids someday and I refuse to put my body under more strain then it is already on. So let's keep our fingers cross and see if the herbal tea medicine can fix the right ovary as how it fixed the left. But currently on my cycle, and between you and me the cramps, Dysmenorrhea, and Menorrhagia is the fuckin worst.

[thiefofwomanhood-blog]

30 Day PCOS Challenge

Day 2 – Aside from PCOS, have you been diagnosed with Endometriosis or Adenomyosis?

Don't believe so... so no.

[cheshkitten]

30 day PCOS challenge

Day 26 - Name one song that puts you in a good mood.

I really can't help it, every time I hear Levels, I get into a good mood. I want to hate it because it's so overplayed but I can't help it. XD

Day 27 - When you started your journey, what was the first positive change you noticed?

Knowing what was going on helped me feel better about was happening.

Day 28 - List three short-term goals and three long-term goals.

Short: Eat better, sleep more regularly, get into a better daily routine

Long: Get back to 122-125lbs, exercise more, get a better paying job

Day 29 - What are you looking forward to most of all once you reach your goal?

Just feeling better in general.

Day 30 - Looking back on the past thirty days, what are you most proud of?

Having fun with friends, being more social.

[cheshkitten]

30 day PCOS challenge

Day 22 - What are three of your favorite healthy foods?

Tofuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu. Tofu, tofu. Actually I really love kale and spinach too. Basically any veggies.

Day 23 - Name three quotes you live by.

I really don't live by quotes

Day 24 - What are three motivations that keep you going towards your goal?

I guess I'm just intrinsically motivated, or I'm good at keeping a routine. So I don't really need to motivate myself consciously.

Day 25 - Do you get annoyed when people make remarks about certain issues you have with PCOS? How do you handle it?

People: "Oh the mood swings can't be that bad"

Me: "FUCK YOU"

Also, I've tried explaining the cognitive changes I go through while on Spiro/ my androgen blockers to my friends/family. My psych nerd friends totally get it, but everyone else just goes "wat". Best I can describe it (in short) is switching from masculine-mindedness to feminine-mindedness randomly. Course, it's all hormonal, depends on how much/ if I ate with the Spiro like I should, what time it is when I take it, etc. At least the agency issues with my secondary sex features has gone away; that was very disconcerting (and I frankly don't give a fuck if you think that's cissist, because I have never identified as anything other than a semi-masculine/tomboy FEMALE)

[cheshkitten]

30 day PCOS challenge

Day 18 - Should schools educate students about PCOS in health class?

I think so, considering that it does affect 5-10% of the population. I spent my entire undergrad career studying disorders that affected less than 1% of the population, so definitely it should be taught; even just because of the statistical impact.

Day 19 - Do you have family members that have PCOS?

My mom THINKS that my dad's mom had PCOS. She says that she complained of some of the same symptoms that I do.

Day 20 - What is one new food you have tried and loved, what is another that you disliked?

I really like tempeh, but my boyfriend hates it LOL. I don't think I dislike anything, actually. I've never been picky (so long as it's within my dietary restrictions)

Day 21 - What has been the most difficult since being diagnosed with PCOS? How have you overcome it?

Managing my mood swings has been a little difficult. Adjusting to medications has been rocky, as far as what it does to my general mood. Sometimes the medication makes me feel very normal, sometimes it makes me have moodswings, and sometimes it feels like its TOO effective, and I'm losing some of my masculine traits that I like. I'm going to give it some more time, and see how my body does more long-term.

[cheshkitten]

30 day PCOS challenge

Day 14 - Are you unsatisfied with your doctor? If yes, why?

Kinda? He was just kinda like, oh yep there's your cysts, its PCOS now take these pills and you'll be good in 3 month. ...What do you mean by that exactly? Didn't really brief me on much at all.

Day 15 - What is one surprising fact you have learned about PCOS?

Nothing really.

Day 16 - Is there anything you’d like to say to someone that has PCOS and needs support?

Don't be afraid to ask other people questions about what they're going through. Remember to create a support group. And if in doubt, get multiple opinions from different doctors. Cheat on your doctor as much as possible, in fact.

Day 17 - Write yourself a letter of encouragement.

No.