Woman reveals how she shed 200lbs “without cutting carbs, dairy or sugar”

“I didn’t recognize myself at my highest weight, and I still don’t recognize myself now,” Samantha Van Kauwenberg told Newsweek, after struggling with her weight for several years.

The mom-of-three used food as a coping mechanism to deal with stress, but she knew something had to change when her weight peaked at 387 pounds in May 2020. Van Kauwenberg, 27, would often try quick fixes to shed some pounds as she hated her body, but having polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) made weight loss seem impossible.

“I felt trapped in my body, I was using food as a coping mechanism for stress and depression. My food choices reflected my mental state,” she said.

PCOS causes a higher production of androgens, which are male hormones. It’s understood to cause enlarged ovaries or small cysts on the ovaries. The hormonal imbalance can affect a woman’s menstrual cycle, making PCOS one of the leading causes of infertility among women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

PCOS is thought to affect between 6 and 12 percent of U.S. women of reproductive age, and while it’s not known what causes it, the symptoms can include missed periods, enlarged ovaries, excess body hair, acne, oily skin, and weight gain. Johns Hopkins Medicine also says that many women with PCOS are also insulin resistant, and are at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Since managing to turn her life around and shed 200 pounds, Van Kauwenberg, from Georgia, has been sharing her insights on TikTok (@samanthavankauwenberg) while also connecting with other women. She hopes to provide a bright light for those who feel helpless due to the condition, and to show that losing weight healthily is certainly possible.

Her recent transformation continues to inspire other social media users who are grateful for her positive outlook and optimism in the face of PCOS. A video shared on September 13, showing how she lost 200 pounds “without cutting carbs, dairy, or sugar” went viral and quickly racked up more than 1.8 million views and over 170,000 likes on TikTok.

In the past, Van Kauwenberg felt obliged to follow what she refers to as “toxic diet culture,” rather than fueling her body and nourishing it properly. But the more fad diets and short-term fixes she tried, the worse her PCOS symptoms became.

“I realized that I felt trapped in my life because of my lack of self-worth. I’ve made huge changes to my lifestyle and environment to better myself since. Finding me has been a difficult, but worthwhile journey, she said. “I still struggle not to restrict too much or deprive my body. I know now though that extreme lifestyles will cause increased cortisol in PCOS and that will worsen my symptoms and make weight loss more difficult.”

‘Losing Weight Has Reduced All of My PCOS Symptoms’

Upon reaching her heaviest weight of 387 pounds, Van Kauwenberg’s realized that punishing her body and restricting her diet wasn’t working, so she needed to help her body heal instead.

In the past, she’d tried skipping meals, high intensity workouts, or cutting out carbohydrates, and none of it worked. She was stuck in a cycle of wanting to lose weight, but dieting and rigorous exercise exacerbated her PCOS symptoms even more.

So, she found ways to work out gently and to nourish her body adequately, without overhauling her lifestyle with restrictions. Since then, she has more than halved her weight and her PCOS has become more manageable too.

“In implementing a calorie deficit, carbs, dairy, and sugar will all be limited. I focus on nourishing my body with the vitamins and minerals that it needs, as well as allowing myself to eat foods that I enjoy. All foods can exist in a healthy lifestyle, just in smaller portions,” Van Kauwenberg told Newsweek. “I have been able to manage my symptoms of PCOS and lose weight by avoiding inflammatory foods and following a healthy calorie deficit. Losing weight has reduced all of my PCOS symptoms.”

Van Kauwenberg credits her incredible weight loss to a sustainable calorie deficit, rather than fad diets or restrictive routines, moderate daily exercise, such as a walk, yoga or a bike ride, vitamin supplements, reduced caffeine intake, and stress management.

Being consistent was also key, as she was aware it wouldn’t happen instantly. Van Kauwenberg started noticing a difference within the first two months, and she’d managed to lose 60 pounds after three months. She admits that she “felt empowered” when she turned her life around as she finally felt in control of her health again.

“Stop hating your body and start showing it love. Your body needs sleep, water, vitamins and nutrients. Weight loss is an important part of the journey, but it’s not the whole journey,” she said.

PCOS can make it easier to gain a few pounds, while making it even harder to shed them afterwards, which Dr. Allyson Augusta Shrikhande says is a result of the metabolic and hormonal effects.

Dr. Shrikhande, a board-certified physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist, and co-founder and chief medical officer of Pelvic Rehabilitation Medicine, encourages women not to be perturbed by their PCOS, as they can lose the excess weight if they focus on healthy changes.

“As excess body fat can make the symptoms of PCOS worse, early lifestyle intervention as soon as PCOS is diagnosed is key,” Dr. Shrikhande told Newsweek. “Stay positive and know that you can improve your insulin resistance and PCOS symptoms with a focus on modifiable lifestyle factors such as, diet, exercise, smoking, and stress. All your efforts are not only good for your PCOS symptoms, but they are good for your heart, your brain, your digestive system and your energy levels.”

Dr. Shrikhande encourages anyone who is concerned that they might have PCOS to speak with their health care provider. Getting a diagnosis doesn’t have to be detrimental, as she notes that, for women with PCOS, “understanding their bodies is the first step to managing their symptoms.”

‘Weight Loss Is Possible, Even With PCOS’

Since facing her turning point in 2020, Van Kauwenberg has been very open about the realities of losing weight with PCOS, and the difficulties that it entails.

“I’m hoping to inspire women and give them hope that weight loss is possible, even with PCOS. Unlearning toxic diet culture is difficult, but it’s necessary, she said. “I’m sharing my journey and the tips that I’ve learned through trial and error. I try to be an encouraging friend and advocate for women struggling with PCOS.”

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