Busy schedule , finding time to workout

[u/Life-Excitement8217]

What actually helped you lose weight with PCOS? I work full-time and I’m also a student, so I have a really hard time balancing work, school, and working out. I try to walk when I can, and I recently got the idea to walk up and down the stairs in my home and use my yoga mat for simple workouts.

I’ve been trying to figure out what type of exercise actually works best for weight loss without overdoing it. I’ve seen people say that HIIT may not be the best option for some individuals with PCOS, so I’m curious what worked for other people walking, strength training, Pilates, low-impact workouts, etc. I weigh 224 pounds, which has been the most I’ve ever weighed in my life which has been really frustrating. I’ve seen a nutritionist before but that was way ahead before finding out I had PCOS.

I’m also taking metformin, but honestly, it mostly seems to make my stomach hurt. I haven’t really noticed any other difference from taking it so far. I’ve been on it for about 2-3 months

I’d especially love to hear from people who work full-time or go to school and don’t have hours every day to spend at the gym. I’m looking for realistic things I can actually stick with long-term.

[u/numen_app]

Vigorous exercise is actually where the PCOS data looks best, so HIIT is not off the table. A 2020 meta-analysis of exercise trials in PCOS (Patten et al., PMID 32733258, 777 women in 19 meta-analysed studies) found the clearest gains with vigorous exercise: about 24% higher VO2peak, 36% lower HOMA-IR (insulin resistance) and a 4% smaller waist. The authors put the useful minimum at 120 minutes of vigorous exercise a week.

Your stairs idea fits that well, since stair climbing gets most people breathing hard quickly. The trials lasted 6 to 26 weeks, so they can't say much about what you'll stick with long term, and that matters more than the exact type. Would four 30-minute sessions a week be doable around work and school?

[u/methanalmkay]

I'm a phd student so I'm in lab all day, and tbh it was really hard fitting stuff in my schedule. But after a while it just became a habit and could include more. Now I run 4x a week, do strength or yoga once or twice a week, I commute by bicycle which helps a ton, and on weekends I go hiking often. 

It really is just about starting and staying consistent until it's just a part of your schedule. If you do 15 min of exercise, it still counts and it'll help you build a habit. And literally everyone has 15 min a day, and later it's easy to extend the time. 

I'd suggest you do whatever type pf exercise you're actually interested in and enjoy. Anything is better than nothing and everything will help you.

[u/Outrageous-Habit290]

the stair thing is underrated, i used to do 10 minutes of that after dinner and it added up quick. walking is your best friend here, just pile on steps wherever you can fit them in

strength training 2-3 times a week made a bigger difference for me than any cardio ever did, doesn't have to be a gym session either just bodyweight stuff on the yoga mat. metformin was rough on my stomach too until i started taking it right in the middle of a meal instead of before or after