What to eat/how much for insulin resistance?

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mrsgigandet
mrsgigandet Posts: 53 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I was recently diagnosed with insulin resistance and it has thrown a huge wrench into my eating. I LOVE carbs, especially in the forms of fruit, pasta, and bread. But I know I can't just pig out on these anymore, and I feel really lost. My "lunch" today consisted of pickles, celery with cream cheese, and a cheese stick because it seems like all my favorites are full of carbs. I could eat a PB&J every day and now I'm even afraid to eat that.

What are some low-carb things I can eat that are still filling? Is it ok if I have a PB&J on whole wheat for lunch? My problem is, a lot of the touted "low carb" foods - fish and meat, for instance, are not things I enjoy. I won't eat fish at all and I try to only eat meat at dinnertime. Also, how many carbs should I take in every day? My doctor was a bit of a quack and of no help at all on this one. Thanks for any help.

Replies

  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    You didn't say what your goals are, or current weight.

    If you don't like meat or fish then you're looking at a vegetarian reduced carb approach which will tend to have nuts as protein/fat sources, lots of vegetables, low carb berries etc. A cheese omelette perhaps, bacon and egg for breakfast if you can manage bacon, etc etc.
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
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    My understanding is that you can still eat some carbohydrates, but you need to pair them with protein. Is that incorrect?
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    My understanding is that you can still eat some carbohydrates, but you need to pair them with protein. Is that incorrect?
    you can still eat carbohydrates yes, pairing them with protein or other food combination ideas aren't necessary though obviously in most cases we always eat a combination of fats, proteins and carbs ie foods !
  • TimeWarp9
    TimeWarp9 Posts: 91
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    Check for carbs that have a lower glycemic index and incorporate those into your diet. A google search will help there. Also, there is a brand of pasta - Dreamfields - that has a fairly low GI.
  • 3foldchord
    3foldchord Posts: 2,918 Member
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    If a medical,professional DXed you, then you need to get refered to a medical nutritionist and ask how many carbs and in what forms are needed for your health.

    And refusing to not eat fish/much meat might be a choice you have to rethink.
  • mrsgigandet
    mrsgigandet Posts: 53 Member
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    Yarwell- Sorry, I should have mentioned that. My current weight (as of this morning!) is 194 lbs. I would like to get down to 170 lbs. and see where that gets me. I’m very tall and muscular, and I want to be strong, not necessarily skinny. Regarding the carbs paired with protein, I have been eating fruits like apples with a cheese stick or peanut butter - so that should be good, correct? I’m really lost as what to do about my favorite fruit, a banana, which I have every morning without fail in a smoothie. Apparently they are very high in carbs :-/

    TimeWarp9- I have heard about the glycemic index but I wasn’t sure how to use it, but I will give it another look. Thank you. I will also check out that brand of pasta for an occasional treat :)

    3foldchord- I’m definitely wanting to meet with a nutritionist, the hard part is finding one that is covered by my health insurance. I really don’t know what to do about meat. I absolutely WON’T eat fish, I’ve kept aquariums my entire life and I cannot stand the thought of eating fish, it literally makes me sick to my stomach. I enjoy white chicken and turkey meat, but I’ve always heard that meat is bad for you and you should limit it as much as possible. That’s why I’ve always tried limiting it to dinner :-/ I guess I will try to start incorporating more poultry into lunches. This has really just turned my world upside down.
  • 3foldchord
    3foldchord Posts: 2,918 Member
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    Limit red meat, chicken and turkey is fine.
  • mrsgigandet
    mrsgigandet Posts: 53 Member
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    Okay, thank you :) Like I said it's hard to combat 22 years of being told that you shouldn't eat meat more than once per day. I will get some sandwich meat to start taking to lunch with me with my cheese and veggies.
  • MSam1205
    MSam1205 Posts: 439 Member
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    I just asked my dr for a referal to a nutritionist, I'd suggest doing the same if you can. Also suggest googling the American Diabetes Assoc, and other Diabetes organization. They have great guidelines for eating for Insulin resistance and diabetes. Lastly, on fitbie there is a "Dtour" Meal plan I've been thinking of trying. Lays out clearly what you can and should eat for a healthy diet.

    Theres a lot of info out there, you just need to be able to adapt it to your lifestyle and likes. I've been dealing with diabetes for almost 2 years, and have been able to minimize the amount of bread, pasta, and other carbs I consume. Doesn't mean I don't fall off the wagon on occasion (trip to Olive Garden :grumble: ) It just takes time, and effort and if you trip a bit, get back to it.

    Feel free to add me as a friend if you want!
  • mrsgigandet
    mrsgigandet Posts: 53 Member
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    Thank you guys for the help... I am just crushed, my breakfast staple for YEARS has been a peanut butter banana smoothie with protein powder... but the banana alone has 50+ carbs, and it is my favorite fruit :( I never dreamed all the healthy things I enjoyed would be so bad for me. It sounds silly, but it really is quite depressing to me because those foods are the ones I love.
  • stephenson2012
    stephenson2012 Posts: 94 Member
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    You don't have to give up everything you love - just limit it. What about a half of a banana in your smoothie? If you don't want meat at lunch, how about tofu. I would recommend the American Diabetes website. My mom was a diabetic. I found great information there and other websites to use when she stayed with me. I am trying to watch my carbs also because of the family history of diabetes. I love fruit also. Just make smart choices.
  • castlerobber
    castlerobber Posts: 528 Member
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    What are some low-carb things I can eat that are still filling? Is it ok if I have a PB&J on whole wheat for lunch? My problem is, a lot of the touted "low carb" foods - fish and meat, for instance, are not things I enjoy. I won't eat fish at all and I try to only eat meat at dinnertime. Also, how many carbs should I take in every day? My doctor was a bit of a quack and of no help at all on this one. Thanks for any help.

    There's nothing wrong with eating meat more than once a day, even red meat, and there's nothing wrong with saturated fat. The carbs are what your body can't handle. @2nd2none1 has some good suggestions.

    What can you eat? Full-fat meat, poultry, eggs, cheese. Full-fat yogurt with no added sugar. Salads with full-fat, low-carb dressing. Non-starchy vegetables. Small amounts of low-sugar fruit such as berries and cherries. Nuts and seeds in moderation.

    Definitely add exercise if you don't exercise already. Brisk walking or jogging, cycling, strength training, whatever you enjoy and will do consistently. Exercise helps improve insulin sensitivity.

    There's a book by Gary Taubes called "Why We Get Fat and What to Do About It" that explains a lot of the principles behind the development and reversal of insulin resistance and diabetes. The South Beach books also discuss those topics.

    Hope this helps.
  • JasonDetwiler
    JasonDetwiler Posts: 364 Member
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    I was recently diagnosed with insulin resistance and it has thrown a huge wrench into my eating. I LOVE carbs, especially in the forms of fruit, pasta, and bread. But I know I can't just pig out on these anymore, and I feel really lost. My "lunch" today consisted of pickles, celery with cream cheese, and a cheese stick because it seems like all my favorites are full of carbs. I could eat a PB&J every day and now I'm even afraid to eat that.

    What are some low-carb things I can eat that are still filling? Is it ok if I have a PB&J on whole wheat for lunch? My problem is, a lot of the touted "low carb" foods - fish and meat, for instance, are not things I enjoy. I won't eat fish at all and I try to only eat meat at dinnertime. Also, how many carbs should I take in every day? My doctor was a bit of a quack and of no help at all on this one. Thanks for any help.

    I recommend you read the Carb Backloading book by John Kiefer. Even if you don't want to follow the program, the information is presented very well and would be very beneficial for you to understand how the body responds, especially for a diabetic.

    Castlerobber has a very good post in this thread, so I won't repeat everything he said.
  • niamhclem21
    niamhclem21 Posts: 21 Member
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    Fresh Rye or Spelt bread are better than wholemeal. Unsweetened peanut butter is fine but jelly is full of sugar or sweeteners which isnt great for insulin resistance. Chicken, oatcakes, lean beef, lamb, chickpeas and lentils are all good sources for a low-carb diet. Sometimes for lunch i have oatcakes with hummus or with cheese and a cold cut. You could have oatcakes and peanut butter. There are loads of different kinds of nut butters available. Lentil dhal is nice just have it with a small portion of wholegrain basmati rice. Anyway these are a few things off the top of my head but if you want more recipes just give me a shout

    x
  • mrsgigandet
    mrsgigandet Posts: 53 Member
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    Thanks so much everyone. I hope I don’t sound like a Debbie downer, I really do appreciate all the help. It’s just pretty overwhelming. I will definitely try to just half the banana in my smoothie and see where that gets me, because I can’t imagine starting my morning off any other way. I will also try the American Diabetes website.

    Castlerobber- I do exercise, I walk 10,000 steps every day, run on the elliptical twice a week (looking to do more soon), do some exercises with an exercise ball and hand weights, as well as some simple things like squats and lunges every night. I am definitely going to just try to start small with these eating changes. I’m used to eating lots of whole grains and fruit every day and I just don’t think I can give them up cold turkey for things I’m not so fond of at the moment. I will also check out the books you both mentioned… thank you.

    Niamhclem21- Do you know if there is any sort of jelly out there that doesn’t have all the sugar and sweeteners? I will definitely give oatcakes a try.
  • niamhclem21
    niamhclem21 Posts: 21 Member
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    I dont im sorry i live in Scotland and we dont tend to have the whole peanut butter and jelly thing! Jelly by it's very nature though would be sweet so i dont know what you could swap it for. It may have to be an occasional treat rather than a staple (sorry). A really good book is James Duigan "Clean and Lean Cookbook". This may give you some more ideas and help you get in the way of it. Oatcakes are great just be sure to get unsweetened ones,

    x
    EDIT
    Bean chilli is also a good one if you want to limit meat x
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    I never dreamed all the healthy things I enjoyed would be so bad for me

    At least now you know they weren't healthy at all.

    I would avoid any Diabetes association advice until they are at least 5 years free of sponsorship from Kellogg's et al.
  • castlerobber
    castlerobber Posts: 528 Member
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    Castlerobber- I do exercise, I walk 10,000 steps every day, run on the elliptical twice a week (looking to do more soon), do some exercises with an exercise ball and hand weights, as well as some simple things like squats and lunges every night. I am definitely going to just try to start small with these eating changes. I’m used to eating lots of whole grains and fruit every day and I just don’t think I can give them up cold turkey for things I’m not so fond of at the moment. I will also check out the books you both mentioned… thank you.

    Cutting out all the grains and sugar at once can be hard. I did it several years ago, for a couple of weeks, and the body definitely goes through an adjustment period. Not to mention how hard it can be to break old eating habits. If you can "digest" all the information we've dumped on you here and make a plan to reduce the carbs gradually over several weeks, that will work fine. Logging your food on MFP will help. Good luck to you!

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