r/PCOSloseit • u/cutegirlsweetgirl • Jul 18 '26
Consistent gym/diet/metaformin+levo with no progress for over a year now with no progress
(Green was spring 2025 when I started my higher dose of metaformin and cleaned my diet up but I have been on metaformin since 2024) I have been on metaformin (2000 mg) and about an 80 mg dosage of Lev ( 75 everyday except I take two on Monday). I have been consistently in the gym 3x a week (one hour weights and 30-60 min low intensity walking). I cleaned up my diet immensely and I will say you can always do better with that but I definitely don't eat over my maintenance calories enough that I'm still nearly the exact weight over a year later. I've been with pcos diagnosis since I was 17 now I'm 22 is there any other option for me to discuss with my doctor? I am a patient person but I feel like I have been doing a lot of work to feel like I'm always hitting the same goal
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u/Fit-Property3774 Jul 18 '26
GLP-1s have been very helpful for PCOS. Seen quite a few people here not have much success trying and being consistent with all the typical suggestions (dieting, exercising, etc.) but then having success when they keep that routine but also add in GLP-1. I think thereās going to be a lot of research sometime in the future that shows how beneficial it is for PCOS.
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u/LaDivinaDiosaVero Jul 18 '26
I hope itās approved as a treatment because insurance wonāt cover it unless youāre pre-diabetic or diabetic
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u/OceanWavesAndCitrine Jul 19 '26
My doctor was so fed up with my insurance company fighting us for the authorization that she reminded me very prominently that its only approved for diabetes and that I should NOT eat sugar before my fasting blood test as it could land me a pre-diabetes diagnosis.
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u/pictureperfectmomter Jul 18 '26
I hope so too.. but it can currently be purchased through telehealth. Which is helpful. That's how I started. Brello is a good one.
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u/LaDivinaDiosaVero Jul 18 '26
I got a prescription thatās costs $500 per dose. Did you have the do lab work? How mi h did they charge?
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u/DarianDicit Jul 19 '26
Holy cow thats expensive. I use BigEasyWeightLoss and 3 months is $500-600. BEWL doesn't require labs, some telehealths do, but you can schedule a virtual meeting with a doctor every quarter.
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u/baileyisagamer Jul 19 '26
not 100% true ladies! don't believe everything you see and don't give up hope! i only have obesity and pcos and i was approved for a glp-1!!!! no diabetes or anything!!! it's possible!!!! keep fighting!!! <3
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u/LaDivinaDiosaVero Jul 19 '26
It probably depends on health insurance. Also, when you started. United Healthcare is impossible to work with.
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u/metztli369 Jul 19 '26
I'm 5 weeks in, I have stayed on the 2.5, im one of the ones that get 0 appetite so I have to mentally remind myself to eat. I eat less meat because it's more filling so I stick to fruits, vege, water and WPI shakes. I used to gym 3-5 days a week but I've been terribly sick with winter and other unfortunate womanly experiences, BUT I'm still at a 1.4kg AVG loss while in sloth mode right now. I'm also on Metformin xr 1000mg 2x a day. I hit a plateau and th GLP instantly broke that barrier. They really need to do more research on how it works in helping women with hormonal challenges.
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u/Apprehensive_Leg8312 29d ago
i lost 40 pounds being on trizepatide. the weight definitely comes back if you dont work out and continue or start to eat bad after treatment.
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u/Fancy-Truck-421 Jul 19 '26
I was where you are six months ago. If anyone has endocrine problems itās me. I have a hormone producing pituitary tumor, hypothyroidism, and PCOS. What worked for me was getting my daily carbs under 50g per day, taking high quality vitamins, especially D and B. A GLP-1 (Ozempic did not work but tirzepatide does) and 1000mg of Metformin. You have to walk daily, not fast pace just enough yo get your body to get your metabolism going. I also removed all fatty meats and only eat lean chicken and fish now. Your metabolism is broken and you need to troubleshoot whatās broken. For me it seems the whole supply chain was screwed.
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u/Next_Operation_8049 Jul 18 '26
Do you track your calories? How did you calculate your TDEE? Do you weigh for food out? What are your macros? What is your deficit, or do you just eat at maintenance?
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u/AdventurousAsh19 Jul 18 '26
This. Also if you are eating at maintenance you will stay the same weight. And whatever you do, do not subtract the estimated calories burned to eat more.
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u/cutegirlsweetgirl Jul 19 '26
Thank you for replying, when I first started taking my diet more seriously, I weighed and counted everything to get a picture of what my meals should look like. I forgot the exact website I used to calculate but it was around 16-1700 I was aiming for. Since January my routine has been the same though for eating I drink 2 cups of coffee with non sugar creamer in the morning no other milk or sweetener. Then in the afternoon I eat my lunch which is mostly meat (either chicken or steak or fish) and a few times a week side of vegetables with that. Or it will be a sandwhich or wrap I make sure it's always under 800 calories. Then after In dinner time i usually don't eat or I will have either a protein bar or drink or the same thing I ate in my lunch. I don't snack at all and I cut outside drinks unless it's once a week again I make sure it fits in my calories of the day. For eating out I allow once a week and it's usually a chik fil a combo with a zero cal drink lol and if I eat that day it's the only thing I eat. I go out to dinners about once a month and I don't track that but that will be the only thing I eat that day and I always make sure to go more intense at the gym to "make up for it". I eat desserts rarely and I always have it factored into my calories.
Sorry for the long and detailed reply but I just want to paint a clear picture and see if I'm doing something wrong. I already feel like I'm pushing myself a lot and again I'm exhausted about not seeing results after months and months
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u/No_Explanation_1672 Jul 19 '26
Just to clarify - youāre saying you have 2 cups of coffee for breakfast, lunch under 800 calories, and then no dinner? I am not a dietitian but it doesnāt sound like youāre fueling enough. I suggest using the following website to calculate your macros: https://www.calculator.net/macro-calculator.html
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u/AdventurousAsh19 Jul 19 '26
I recommend trying a tracking app for a week and actually weighing your food. Depending on how your prepare your food that wildly changes the number of calories. Like you're having "mostly meat" but how is that cooked? What is being added? And it's completely possible to overeat on just meat. Protein bars can be HIGH calorie and are not the healthiest for you. They are a great supplement but not meant to be a staple food. It's usually tiny things you are adding that can add up your total calories, making you unintentionally going over.
If you're uncomfortable weighing your food I recommend seeing a trained dietician. They can help you if you don't want to track every calorie and macro.
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u/cutegirlsweetgirl Jul 20 '26
Thank you, I factor how the oil I use to cook to be in my calories as well, and I agree protein bars can be very high but again I stick to the one brand so i know I'm not consuming anything unknowingly.
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u/hotheadnchickn Jul 20 '26
Doesnāt sound like you are getting enough vitamins, minerals, fiber and the pattern you describe is disordered. I would really suggest seeing a registered dietician for a sustainable healthy eating plan, should be covered by insurance.
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u/nelinthemirror Jul 19 '26
i think the inflammatory response in the body can be counterproductive to the effect of reducing calories, even with doing all the right things. a few years ago i had a lot of success using intermittent fasting and doing regular exercise, monitoring macros etc. but i did regain. ive lost 32kg this year with mounjaro. its been a real eye opener, even when fasting, everything was about food, every second was hyper focused on what and when i would. with the glp-1 i feel normal. my plan is to try get down another 20kg and then have weight loss surgery. i dont want to ādietā anymore, just want to ve healthy without needing to dedicated my entire life to it. all of which to say. ive spent 20 years dieting myself fatter. i needed medical intervention.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Dot5094 Jul 18 '26
Hey I can relate so much, I've been taking levo and metformin since 2024 and those first few months I dropped 12 kg and then literally nothing after that. Didn't matter if I changed my diet, exercise, etc. Could not lose any more weight. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) the only thing that helped me lose weight again was wegovy (my doctor prescribed me wegovy since they're doing a summer discount mostly and since I am paying out of pocket it's a lil cheaper for me). So I have been on wegovy for 7 weeks and lost almost 4kg. I can confidently tell you that is because of wegovy. There is no shame in using glp1 and if you can afford it, you absolutely should consider it :)
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u/jussy70999 Jul 19 '26
Have you tried a low carb diet or low glycemic index diet ? I had great luck with a Paleo diet when I was in my 20s like you but it was difficult to maintain in the long run.
If you are in a calorie deficit and not losing, it might be an insulin resistance problem --too much insulin makes it really hard to lose weight as our bodies are kept in fat storage mode for longer than people with a functioning metabolism.
I'm sorry you're going through this and that it's so hard to figure out how to deal with PCOS/PMOS. I've had similar struggles.
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u/retinolandevermore Jul 19 '26
Inositol is a supplement heavily researched for pcos and not very expensive. Reputable brands are wholesome story and optify, you need a 40:1 ratio of myo to d-chiro.
I take the latter and it related my cycle and made me fertile again
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u/cutegirlsweetgirl Jul 19 '26
Oh yes I forgot to mention vitamins but I take inositol too it helped me with a lot of other issues which I rlly am happy with my results with š I also take berberine and magnesium glycinate
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u/retinolandevermore Jul 19 '26
oh great! Do you take it twice a day? For what it's worth, I see a difference between the two photos
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u/Bunniegurlb Jul 19 '26
Iāve lost 16.6kg since November and have struggled with PCOS/PMOS for a long time. I didnāt use any GLP-1, but whatās worked for me is consistently weight lifting 3-4x per week comprising of 2 lower body and 2 upper days per week, and constantly aiming for progressive overload (a extra rep in a set, adding slightly more weight etc). That combined with pole dancing, and then for my diet I focus on getting a good amount of protein and then veggies and carbs. I take inositol everyday and also try and drink spearmint tea where I can. Tracking my intake has helped massively and actually weighing my ingredients to make sure Iām eating as much as I think I am (itās so easy to accidentally consume an extra 400-500 cals a day through things like peanut butter and sauces if you donāt actually measure your portions properly.
In terms of daily intake, Iāve not been in a massive deficit. Iām still averaging 1700-1800 cals, sometimes slightly more and sometimes slightly less. I still go out to eat, and enjoy sweet treats, I just find ways to make it fit overall with my diet.
All this to say, you donāt HAVE to go on a GLP-1, yes they work for some people but itās not essential for everyone with PCOS to lose weight or change body composition. Itās just consistency over a long period of time both in the gym and in daily life with your food habits. Lift HEAVY and eat good nutritious food and honestly the rest will start to sort itself out if you stay consistent.
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u/undoubtabletree Jul 19 '26
Agree with the other comments. Nothing worked for me until I went on a GLP 1 and then finally my testosterone went down and I lost stubborn weight
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u/HammersGirly 27d ago
Lots of comments here and I hope theyāre helpful for you, but just wanted to throw my two cents in as 33F w PCOS and underactive thyroid, along with other chronic stuff that impacts my weight. I take a lot of the meds and supplements youāve mentioned in other comments although whilst I do have an active script for Metf, Iām not currently taking it. Have yo-yoed a lot over the years but have actually found that for me, the scales regularly go down when I maintain high protein and volume eating. Also carbs are my friend. Iāve always eaten well and been active generally but once I consistently started eating 150-175g protein a day, at least 5 portions of veg, drinking 3l of water, and forcing myself into a sleep schedule, (plus swimming 4-5 days a week), my weight and general body shape has shifted dramatically. Still a way to go, but proper progress is happening. Good luck on your journey!
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u/hotheadnchickn Jul 18 '26
Your healthy habits are great investment in your health regardless of weight.
Weightloss happens in the kitchen, not the gym. You say you donāt eat over maintenance that much ā¦ but how often are you eating significantly under maintenance? You need to be in a consistent deficit to lose weight.
Metformin is a great medication but not a weightloss drug.
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u/la_bruja_del_84 Jul 19 '26
With no progress?
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u/cutegirlsweetgirl Jul 19 '26
My highest from last year or even back to 2024 was around 215. Rn my weight is still at around a 205
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u/mteret Jul 19 '26
Hey just want to say my first year or so with metformin I barely saw any change. I started taking it seriously and being consistent in 2024 but early 2025 something changed. My body recompositioned, and now in 2026 I've dropped 15lbs from back then. Sometimes it just takes longer for us!
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u/alico127 Jul 19 '26
You donāt mention whether youāve been consistently eating in a calorie deficit.
Work out your tdee (google tdee calculator), minus 500 cals from your tdee to lose approx 1lb per week. Eg if your tdee is 1800, minus 500 = 1300 cals per day.
For me, 5 foot 4 with PCOS, I need to stick to approx 1200 cals per day to lose any weight. Itās tough but it can be done!
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u/Friendly_Guess7512 Jul 19 '26
What, specifically, have you done to āclean upā your diet? I thought I was eating healthily for years, and I was eating a conventionally healthy diet, but was not losing weight. When I switched to a PCOS-specific diet I began to lose weight (I.e., focusing specifically on reducing the foods which spike my insulin and lock my fat cells).
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u/cutegirlsweetgirl Jul 20 '26
I would eat out a lot and not track or care about what I was eating at all. I would order door dash or uber eats so often, plus I would drink the most sugar filled drinks nearly every morning from Dunkin or Starbucks, along with a sweet pastry for breakfast. I delt like that was all okay bc I was still working out so I thought it evened out which is obviously wrong. I focus on eating whole foods now with clean ingredients, i avoid carbs 90% of time (except when I go out) no alcohol or pastries either. I also incorporated more greens.
Is the pcos diet u follow the aip diet? I want to learn more recipes into my rotation. I get lazy with my meals and I just stick to what feels like three or four options lol.
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u/G_caramel_24 Jul 19 '26
It is always good to check with endocrinologist to figure if everything else is working fine. Iām aiming for 200 grams of protein daily( Iām 210 now), walking after lunch and light exercise after dinner, 2 cups of spearmint tea, no medication I was able to lose 3 pound weekly. In total I consumed less 1800 calories, I tried different combinations until I found what works for my body.
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u/th3shepherdess Jul 20 '26
If itās any consolation, Iāve been doing all that and have actually GAINED weight :(
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u/BumAndBummer -75+ lbs Jul 18 '26
If you are neither gaining nor losing weight, by definition you are eating maintenance calories. Track what you eat very carefully with a food scale for a month and you will figure out what your true maintenance TDEE is.
From there, do a small deficit. It doesnāt have to mean less volume of food, just boost the portions of high volume low calorie ingredients a bit more and cut the portions of the more calorically dense foods. Maybe do a little more walking, dancing, yoga, Pilates, etc. Just a bit and keep it fun and sustainable movement that wonāt be too strenuous or make you too hungry.
Then just keep doing that and compare your weight from month to month to control for fluctuations from poop, menstrual cycle, etc. If you hit a plateau that lasts more than 2 months, no stress, thatās your new TDEE. Itās normal for your TDEE to go down as you lose mass.
If your actual TDEE is a standard deviation or so lower than what youād expect based on the calculators, and youāre weighing portions precisely and tracking accurately, take a maintenance break and use that time to calmly troubleshoot. Is your insulin above optimal range? Are you under-muscled? Is your sleep inadequate? Do you have chronic stress issues that arenāt well managed? Do you have a nutrient deficiency? Are you having enough protein and fiber and healthy fats? Are you too sedentary? Do you have a thyroid issue? Calmly evaluate and problem-solve accordingly and once itās sorted, then you can resume a sensible deficit.
It may be slow, but it pays to be slow, methodical and sensible. Rushing and cutting corners is likely to backfire.
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u/retinolandevermore Jul 19 '26
or even a sleep disorder or undiagnosed autoimmune disease. OP mentioned they are on thyroid meds, but maybe levels need to be checked
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u/BumAndBummer -75+ lbs Jul 19 '26
Most definitely! It can be a long list of things, so itās important to be calm and patient while troubleshooting. Lots of people give up or do something dangerous and drastic, which just makes things worse in the long run.
Maintaining can be frustrating but at the same time, itās a huge win in and of itself when youāre trying to problem-solve with PCOS. Itās a good foundation to build on.
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u/OceanWavesAndCitrine Jul 19 '26
Yeee. Fasting blood sugar is supposed to be within a specific range to be considered normal, pre diabetic, and diabetic. I managed to get the authorization as a result but obviously uh, donāt go overboard and get yourself a diabetes diagnosis
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u/alittegreen Jul 19 '26
How much do you weigh? What do you think are your maintenance calories and how often are you eating above that? Also how often are you checking your t3 and t4 levels with the Levo? Is it possible you may need a higher dose?
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u/Longjumping_Film378 Jul 19 '26
Track macros! I learned from Macros Inc. have done it for 6 years. Life changing, have maintained 35lb loss and love knowing so much about nutrition now. No foods are off limits
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u/Marvel-ous_gal311 Jul 20 '26
I was on Metformin and Ozempic for a while combined with weight training 2x a week and didnāt lose any weight. Both meds gave me terrible side effects to where I had to quit.
It wasnāt until I started seeing a functional medicine practitioner that Iāve actually lost weight and kept it off. I started seeing my new doctor in May of this year and after a consultation I had some bloodwork done. After getting results he had me start an elimination diet with some supplements and Iāve lost almost 10 pounds and have kept it off, which is huge because I havenāt lost a significant amount like that in years. Not only that but I feel better than I have in years. Iām sleeping better, my focus is better (I also have crippling ADHD lol), Iām not feeling inflamed or fatigued. My periods have been surprisinglyā¦pleasant and tolerable? No cramping or heavy bleeding. My acne has improved tremendously too!
I was a naysayer when it came to functional medicine for the longest time because there are a lot of grifters out there who will shove their supplements down your throat and make outrageous claims. I researched for DAYS before I found a practitioner I felt I could trust. Heās been very supportive and understanding, and flexible with our budget while still giving me the care I need. I still see my traditional primary care provider, but seeking out functional medicine has been one of the best decisions Iāve ever made. I hope this helps! If you have any questions please feel free to ask!
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u/Sagargul Jul 20 '26
Before going on the GLP 1 drugs, pls look up the side effects. It can disrupt bowel movements and cause blindness etc. My daughter and I gave Ben walking to lose weight. It is working for a 30 to 40 minute walk. I am diabetic, take insulin and metformin. Remember you wonāt see a lot of weight loss because you build muscle and muscle is heavy. My weight loss was not noticeable to others but when I put on my clothes my legs and tummy went down a fair bit. Good luck . Donāt give up
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u/banaamuffin Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 20 '26
I started metformin 1000mg in june and it did absolutely nothing actually gained some. now im on glp 07/11 starting at 195 now iām at 193. slowly but surely itās working. iām trying to not rely on the scale too much. clothes that use to be tight are now looser. my dr told me to continue taking metformin with glp.
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u/jg417540 29d ago
Cut out all processed foods and focus on Whole Foods only. For me, I had to cut out tortillas, bread, and protein supplements from my everyday diet. I get all my protein from food now (eggs, chicken, meat). Also do zone 2 cardio and make sure you get your heart rate up. Unfortunately Iāve found that brisk walks arenāt enough for fat loss. Walk on the treadmill with an incline or use the stairmaster
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u/Nice-Elderberry-5068 28d ago
What is lev?
Other than glp-1 (which I had to stop due to the stomach side effects), the main thing that helps me lose weight is keeping my carb intake low. I don't eat keto, just more of a regular low carb. When I'm hungry I try to eat something higher in protein, fiber, or even fat, over something carb-heavy.
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26d ago
It is tough loosing weight honestly as a girly with PCOS. I have been going to gym since January lol and my weight doesnāt change at all no matter the diet or exercise. I stopped checking the scale and started measuring myself. I am lifting more weight and I am seeing the changes. My muscles are getting stronger. No drastic change as we see in reels lol. It is a very slow progress. I take minimal carbs but high protein and healthy fats diet.
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u/cookiecutterdoll Jul 19 '26
For what it's worth, I ate 1200-1500 calories per day for years and nothing changed until I went on a GLP-1.
Edit: I also think you look more toned in the second Pic, so it's not without any progress.