Insulin Resistance and Carbs

fastfoodietofitcutie

I have a lot of weight to lose so I should be able to lose weight pretty easily. It's very difficult for me to lose weight even if I weigh and measure all my food and am in a calorie deficit. I have insulin resistance but am not diabetic nor have PCOS. I really love my carbs and fruit and have been avoiding low carb because I want this to be a lifestyle change and don't think I can go low carb forever. Do you have to go low carb with insulin resistance? I'm eating 1700 calories right now and trying to stay under 150g carbs but it seems that isn't low enough.

deannalfisher

can you open up your diary?

the RD I work with has had people with IR/PCOS do well with carbs if they are more of the starch variety vs sugar (potatos vs. fruit for example) - and they have people who do upwards of 3-400g carbs a day

kommodevaran

An overweight person should be able to lose weight fast, but an overweight person also has habits that are very different from what he or she needs to do to lose and maintain. If you weigh everything, measuring becomes redundant, and you need to use valid (not "seems legit") entries, and log everything. You will probably lose weight at 1700 calories if your stick to it, but it takes time and sticking to. I can't see how macro split should do anything except for satiety - and if you struggle to stay under 150 grams of carbs, it doesn't sound like low carb is going to work for you.

I'm curious as to what you mean by "I really love my carbs" - love of food is often used as a euphemism for overeating and carbs as a euphemism for junk food. You can eat too much at times and lose/maintain, but you can't consistently eat too much and have good health; junk food is made to just taste good and to be easy to eat, it contributes little nutritionally, but is still calorie dense. Try to find the balance - you have to eat enough, but not too much - maybe your personal strategy should be to identify and stick to food that you find appealing, foods that satisfy your appetite, not just trigger it. We all have to step on the brakes now and then. But it's also our responsibility to find ways of eating and moving that doesn't feel like torture.

silverblaze55

Hi, I also have insulin resistance (and pcos). I hear you, I love my carbs too and I dreaded giving them up. I'm assuming you've been properly diagnosed?

What you have to know is that not all carbs are equal. Sugar and wheat flour break down into glucose very quickly. The spike in glucose causes a spike in insulin (which is abnormally higher for us than in ppl without IR), and the excess insulin causes symptoms like fatigue and brain fog. Insulin also promotes weight gain/retention. (I get very fatigued and brain-foggy 24-36hrs after eating carbs/sugar.)
Carbs that break down slower - oatmeal, quinoa, vegetables, high fiber stuff - don't cause the spike.
I'm not 100% clear on starches, but my doctor said no potatoes (like, white and baker's potatoes. yams are okay). Also, the last time I ate rice, and was informed after the fact that it hadn't been rinsed to remove extra starch, I could barely get out of bed for two days.

So, it's not necessarily low carb, just the right kind of carbs. And it depends on how severe your resistance is. I can eat oatmeal and quinoa all day long, but one serving of pasta makes me feel horrid.

What I'm saying is, with insulin resistance you may just feel better when you cut out sugar and those carbs that break down rapidly. Idk about you, but when I feel better it's way easier to stay on track with good eating habits and exercising.
I don't know if you specifically will need to do low carb/good carbs to lose weight. My advice would be to try it (commit to it) for a few weeks and see how you feel and if it helps your weight loss.

I have a cousin who also has IR. She started taking Metformin and lost weight without changing what she was eating. I'm also on metformin and that didn't happen for me, but it may be an option for you?
Sry about the word vomit here. Insulin resistance is a drag, and I've gathered lots of bits of info on it over the years, from my doctor and my experiences. Feel free to add me or message me if you have questions.

ETA: My diary is open if you want to look at some of the stuff I eat.

lemurcat12

I agree with deannalfisher that it might allow for better advice if you open your diary.

If you are at 150 g, and want to try lowering carbs, I think you could easily go down to 100 g (and maybe try a slightly lower calorie goal, like 1500), without having to commit to permanently eating at 100 g. Carbs are the easiest macro to increase and decrease IME (folllowed by fat) since you will probably want your protein number to stay about the same no matter how many calories you are eating. So 100 g at a deficit could easily translate to 150+ at maintenance.

For an illustration, if at a a deficit someone ate about 100 g carbs, 100 g protein, and around 80 g fat (that's 1520 calories). If the same person's maintenance was 2000, she would go to maintenance keeping protein at 100 g, fat at 80 g, and have room for 220 g of carbs.

Unlike a keto or LCHF diet, 100 g of carbs should allow for some fruit, lots of vegetables, and some starches (legumes and potatoes or whatnot) too, if portions are controlled. But that's why opening the diary might help. I agree that you don't want to eat in a way that you wouldn't find enjoyable or comfortable.

People with IR often find that lowering carbs helps with hunger control too. But higher carbs should not explain why you are not losing, so there may be diary things we can help with.

sksk1026

I'm insulin resistant too, prediabetic and on metformin. I cut my carbs to under 150g as often as possible. If I eat more carbs than that I have near uncontrollable cravings and I can' t stop thinking about food! I boosted the fat I consume to make up for the lower carbs so I eat real cheese and cook with butter and half-and-half. It helps to find a low carb breakfast and lunch you love and eat them repeatedly. I save the bulk of my carbs for dinner e.g. a potato. I still splurge on sugary treats but I have them as post dinner treats and go to bed if the cravings kick in! I also buy them in small quantities e.g. a tiny bag of jellybeans or an ice cream bar.