---

When I was 17, I had a lovely figure at 64kg. Although, of course, at the time I thought I was fat. The joys of being a self-conscious teen. I look back now and realise how naive I was and how little I knew about the obesity and weight loss battles that were yet to come. I know that we all have our journeys, and at the time, our reality is absolute. Our reality. I don’t think I could have convinced myself otherwise.

The following year, I moved out of home for the first time. Down to the “big smoke” for my first year of, what turned out to be eight years, of University study. I didn’t necessarily love Uni, but I did love knowledge. I’ve always had a passion for learning and hope to carry that with me until the day I pass from this world into the next. It gives me inspiration and joy, passion and focus and my path in this lifetime.

My Mum and Dad have always been health-focused, and we have always eaten healthily. Lots of vegetables. Mum lovingly cooked for her vegetarian daughter and read about what would help me stay well. They were always conscious about their waistlines. There were some challenges. It took me many years to become a ‘good vegetarian’. I must say, I’ve never had a passion for food. I don’t crave certain foods or meals. Pragmatically speaking, I want a ‘not hungry tummy’ so I can move on with the next thing.

That first year away from home, I moved in with my Auntie, Uncle and cousins. And while I love them and am very grateful for their support and hospitality, they ate differently from what I was used to. White bread, Golden Syrup dumplings, carbs with added carbs. It takes some preparation to feed a vegetarian well, particularly one who didn’t have an interest in food or cooking. Needless to say, I put on 20kg in that first year and my self-esteem took a battering.

Since then, I have lost significant amounts of weight four times. The first two times, I had moved back home. But once I moved away, I couldn’t maintain it. I worked full-time and studied full-time for several years. I would go to work early, then drive 45 minutes to a one-hour lecture, only to return to work and work late. It was really hard for me to eat well and exercise, and I was often exhausted.

Life was hectic and demanding. I missed home, my family and my friends. I felt ugly.

And I still didn’t really know why I’d gained so much weight and why it was so hard to shift!

Once my University ended, a significant psychological weight shifted from my tired shoulders. After that, I continued to study and research. I continued to look for answers. I was determined to work this PCOS weight loss thing out!

And I did.

There is so much that can contribute to PCOS-related weight gain, and there may be many contributing factors to successful PCOS weight loss. I’ve spent a considerable amount of time developing programs and resources to help you reach a healthy weight. Both here and at www.PCOSNaturalTreatments.com. Take a look around. But if there was ONE piece of critical advice I could give you. One thing that can help you lose weight permanently and reset many of your hormonal imbalances is this…

Quit refined sugar.

A significant difficulty surrounding successful and permanent PCOS weight loss comes down to inflammation and insulin resistance. Sugar causes both. Leave your sugar intake to what you receive from your natural, whole foods like fruits and vegetables. Stop adding it to your food and become aware of the amount of sugar in the foods you consume.