So I'm looking to lose weight and find myself a better, healthier lifestyle. I'm currently 350 lbs and have PCOS, which makes it harder for me to lose weight. The big thing with me right now is finding the motivation to get up and go exercise. I have a gym membership but I don't have the energy or drive to go. Any ideas or suggestions?

There's three questions in particular that I have for you all: 01. Are there any good diet pills or diet gummies that don't cost a fortune, are geared toward women, and actually work? 02. Do any of you have PCOS? If so, have you tried hormone replacement therapy? Did it help you lose weight? 03. Are pre-packaged store-bought kale chips just as good for you as homemade ones?

**Sarcastic or insulting comments will get you blocked. I'm only looking for positivity here. kthx

I don't have PCOS so I can only answer questions 1 and 3.

1. Unfortunately diet pills don't work. They're usually just filled with a bunch of junk and caffeine which will give you energy, but do nothing to curb your appetite or actually help you lose weight.
2. I would recommend homemade ones over store bought one, as store bought ones may contain excessive sodium or preservatives. I would honestly recommend eating as many homemade things as possible, as you can control exactly what goes into your food that way.

Here are some other tips that may help:

• Replace any soda or fruit juices you may drink with water. (Fruit juices may seem like a healthier choice than soda, but they contain just as much sugar as soda, especially ones that are partially or fully from concentrate). If you hate drinking water, try squeezing some lemon juice or making fruit infused water (aka slice up some fruits that you like and put it in a big jug of water in the fridge. A few hours and you're good to go).
• Definitely don't think that you have to starve yourself or give up foods you love to lose weight. I allow myself to eat as much fruit and vegetables and lean protein (chicken, steak, fish) as I like. I have a major weakness for carbs like white bread/pasta and fried foods, and I don't ban myself from eating them. It's completely fine to have a cheat meal or treat yourself to junk food once or twice a week. My favourite cheat meals are homemade pizza, burger+fries, or Chipotle. As my boyfriend says, 1000 calories in cookies is volumetrically MUCH smaller than 1000 calories in fruits and vegetables.
• If you're hungry between meals, don't snack on any processed foods, even if they're granola/protein bars and marketed as healthy. They're usually full of sugar. Have some fruit or veg, nuts, peanut butter, or homemade granola instead.
• Start exercising gradually - you don't have to go to the gym, you can start off by taking walks around your neighborhood. Start off with 10-15 minutes (or more, if you want) and increase it by a few minutes every day. There are also many body weight exercises that you can do at home. I can list some for you if you want, just ping me :) When you do eventually work up the motivation to go to the gym, don't be scared of doing weights! A lot of women are scared that heavy weights will make them bulk up fast and look manly, but that's only in extreme cases. (e.g. spending 6 hours a day training to be a bodybuilder).

Most importantly, don't be discouraged if the weight doesn't start dropping off immediately, especially if you are exercising regularly. Muscle is denser than fat so it may be possible for you initially to stay the same weight or gain a few pounds while you swap fat for muscle.

1 - No. The stuff that actually works is illegal in most places, and is pretty cardiotoxic as a rule. If you buy cheap diet pills, you're probably getting some RCs to make you feel a bit speedy plus a shitload of caffeine. They won't work and you will feel shit.

2 - Yes. I didn't get HRT because it's not given here prior to menopause, but I did get Dianette which is the combined Pill with anti-androgen added. It was not helpful in losing weight but it did help clear my skin and restored my hair growth to normal, so overall it was worth it.

3 - Pass.