PCOS hit me right at puberty. I gained weight without cause, my period came and went as it pleased, acne plagued me, and I seemed to have more hair on my face than any of my friends. My teens were an exhausting haze of extreme dieting, working out until I collapsed, trying different medications, and starting the cycle over when nothing worked. My doctors assumed I was lying on my food journals and drinking a bunch of Mountain Dew at night. 

My diagnosis came in my late teens. I was told I would always be overweight, but I needed to desperately try to be thin. My self-confidence was low to say the least. I was told PCOS was my fault because I had gained weight, even though I was eating 900 calories and spending an hour on the treadmill each day. Shame consumed me. 

I tried to ignore my PCOS in college and beyond, but my symptoms persisted with a vengeance and got worse every year. I tried something new every month or so, but nothing was helping me. Every medication recommended made my symptoms worse or gave me new ones that weren’t tolerable.

In 2020, I went to my doctor pleading for answers. She said, "Well, if you won’t go back on birth control, I can't help you." I truly felt alone but couldn’t accept defeat.

I dug into all the information I could find. My partner gifted me a protocol through Clare Goodwin, The PCOS Nutritionist. I was hooked. I changed so much about how I lived and felt a lot better. I was able to hike more, sleep deeply, make informed nutrition decisions, and manage my supplements. I was also able to give back meaningfully as a member of PCOS Challenge's Patient Advisory Board. 

Even though I had helpful information (finally), and an opportunity to work in advocacy, I still felt pretty alone. I felt isolated in my rigorous self-care routine when my friends could seemingly eat whatever they wanted, skip out on sleep, and bed rot for days without their bodies retaliating. It wasn't fair. I needed individualized support from someone who really understood.

I do believe that if we see a gap in the world, others are experiencing it too. I had the curiosity and resources, so I kept learning all I could about PCOS and branched out into hormone function as a whole. Soon, friends began coming to me for advice about their health. I was the "PCOS expert" at every party (soooo fun, I know). With this came more responsibility. 

Throughout 2024, I pursued and obtained a certification in Nutritional Health Coaching with the American Academy of Functional Medicine. What I learned empowered me to not only better care for my friends and future clients, but also further my own self-care journey. 

If I had access to someone like me 10 years ago, I know my body wouldn’t have had to suffer so much. All the conventional weight loss advice ended up aggravating my PCOS. A specialized program with education, free of shame, would have done wonders for my confidence and peace of mind. I hope I can pass along helpful information, but most importantly, the SUPPORT it requires to manage a chronic condition. Let’s collaborate to find systems that work for you!

Always rooting for you,

Olivia (Liv) Winkowitsch, FNC