Insulin Resistant

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sb41288
sb41288 Posts: 23 Member
edited October 2014 in Food and Nutrition
So I'm slightly insulin resistant and I've only just found this out a week ago. So far I have completely cut out all carbohydrates that weren't beans or really small portions of brown rice and less than half of a sweet potato. I really need help understanding what I can eat and how much of it I can eat.

Anyone else suffering with IR can help shed light on a balanced diet? I have upped my protein and usually only crabs when I eat protein. No fruits at all, out of fear of spikes in insulin, but an abundance of non-starchy veggies.

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  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,009 Member
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    NIH, the Mayo Clinic, and reputable medical research universities/hospitals are all good places to look for information. A book that helped me understand pre-diabetes and insulin resistance is "The Prediabetes Diet Plan" by Hillary Wright. However, I lowered by A1C results to normal through exercise and weight loss, without following the plan in the book or otherwise restricting carbs (other than as a consequence of reducing calories and focusing on getting enough protein). I generally have around 200 g of carbs a day when eating in the neighborhood of 1900 gross calories (that is, total calories, before subtracting exercise calories). YMMV.
  • deansdad101
    deansdad101 Posts: 644 Member
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    sb41288 wrote: »
    So I'm slightly insulin resistant and I've only just found this out a week ago. So far I have completely cut out all carbohydrates that weren't beans or really small portions of brown rice and less than half of a sweet potato. I really need help understanding what I can eat and how much of it I can eat.

    Anyone else suffering with IR can help shed light on a balanced diet? I have upped my protein and usually only crabs when I eat protein. No fruits at all, out of fear of spikes in insulin, but an abundance of non-starchy veggies.
    SB;

    The good news is that if "..slightly IR..." your chances of stopping it in its tracks (or even totally reversing) are VERY good.

    The bad news is that if you don't take the appropriate measures now the chances of it progressing to full blown T2D are just as good.

    The very first and most important measure is to focus on weight reduction since even relatively small losses have a profound positive effect on blood sugar levels so you are on the right track.

    The second most important measure is to manage your diet, reduce carbs (as you know).

    That process has a learning curve (both in how you cut your carb intake AND in how you arrive at a healthy, balanced, level of macro nutrients while at the same time providing the energy your body requires.

    Many others have gone before you and there is a plethora of scientific information available to assist you.

    My suggestion would be to start here:
    tinyurl.com/qdo2obm

    Folks in that group are more than willing to help, happy to provide references that will point you to the science, and many in the exact same "boat" you find yourself.
  • sb41288
    sb41288 Posts: 23 Member
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    Thank you for your replys! :)
  • Booksandbeaches
    Booksandbeaches Posts: 1,791 Member
    edited October 2014
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    I used to once be pre-diabetic but now I have excellent blood sugar levels with just diet and exercise. My last A1C was a dream come true. I think now I can have it even at 4.8.

    I absolutely turned my IR around, but it's something I'll have to watch for the rest of my life. Eating carb heavy meals is a thing of the past, but I don't mind. My husband has the same blood sugar levels I do but he does it eating carbs and sweets. He doesn't have to watch his carb intake like I do. Anyway, you can turn your IR around. Good thing you caught this early before it became full-blown Type II diabetes.

    I pretty much eat protein of all kinds, nuts, cheese, salad greens, and non-starchy vegetables like zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli. Fruit I eat sparingly unless it's berries. Don't be afraid of fat and protein. They're more satiating than starchy carbs. I pretty much avoid potatoes, rice, pasta and noodles unless I absolutely plan to do a heavy exercise session that day. And exercise. I match my carb intake to how much exercise I plan to do that day. So if I have say 1/4th slice of a cheesecake, I jog that day.

    Invest in a blood glucose monitor. Usually you can get those for free then pay for the strips. Test yourself say two hours after a meal and you'll figure out what foods spike your blood sugar.

  • melcowenfitness
    melcowenfitness Posts: 221 Member
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    There are 3 keys to reducing insulin resistance and keeping your blood sugars in check:
    1. Good meal planning: try to eat fresh, whole foods as much as possible: fruits (still need to limit to 1-2 servings/day because of natural sugars), non-starchy veggies (anything except for corn, peas, winter squashes), and whole grains. Avoid processed foods like white bread, white rice, etc. The more you can stay on the periphery of the grocery store, the healthier you will eat. Lean proteins and healthy fats are also important to good cell health.
    2. Exercise: exercising 150 minutes/week will help with weight loss and in reducing insulin resistance. Include cardio, strength training, and flexibility. All 3 are key components to a good workout regimen.
    3. Stress management: when you are under stress, your body releases stress hormones that increase your resistance to insulin. Do things every day that you enjoy doing and that reduce your stress. Reading books, meditating, praying, deep breathing, etc.

    It may be difficult to make these changes at first, but start small and build on what you learn. The more you learn and practice, the easier it becomes.
  • sb41288
    sb41288 Posts: 23 Member
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    wow guys, this is great advice thank you all so much!
  • socalkay
    socalkay Posts: 746 Member
    edited October 2014
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    Also, try reading up on Glycemic Index. It helped me understand how some carbohydrates contribute to insulin resistance more than others. It is not a diet but a way to rate carbohydrates to help in making healthier choices easier.

    "Foods with a high GI are those which are rapidly digested and absorbed and result in marked fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Low-GI foods, by virtue of their slow digestion and absorption, produce gradual rises in blood sugar and insulin levels, and have proven benefits for health. Low GI diets have been shown to improve both glucose and lipid levels in people with diabetes (type 1 and type 2). They have benefits for weight control because they help control appetite and delay hunger. Low GI diets also reduce insulin levels and insulin resistance."

    http://www.glycemicindex.com/about.php

    http://www.gisymbol.com/about/frequently-asked-questions/

    http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=faq&dbid=32

    http://www.diabetesnet.com/food-diabetes/glycemic-index
  • kahays
    kahays Posts: 17 Member
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    Hi sb! I am in a similar boat. I have PCOS and associated insulin resistance. I am taking a stab at low carb eating (much easier than when I tried this in college and couldn't afford decent food!). In a few weeks I will start some step up doses of Metformin. The low carb thing hasn't been too bad so far (it has only been a few days), but I haven't had any crazy sugar cravings and I seem to be less groggy in the mornings. I will add you and we can tackle this together!
  • TJP_
    TJP_ Posts: 49 Member
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    There are quite a few articles about positive effects of intermittent fasting on insulin resistance/sensitivity, google should throw up some good stuff.
  • Foamroller
    Foamroller Posts: 1,041 Member
    edited October 2014
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    After I started an IF protocol, 5:2, my blood sugar spikes are better AND I'm loosing weight after a long "plateau".

    I do low carb-ish and try to eat mostly non-refined carbs like vegs and fruits. I have sugary treats but I portion control it quite strictly.

    I'm not saying everyone should do intermittent fasting. I'm only saying it helped me a lot.

    Edit in: Eating at CICO. It might be obvious, but portion control as in calories in, calories out is probably the best overall key to both insulin resistance and weight loss. I'm not trying to demonize any food group or macro.

    But for those of us who have tried to be in kcal deficit with accurate logging and still won't loose weight, we need to try find alternative theories to why our bodies don't respond to traditional CICO.

    We're all different, no one size fits all. You need to pick a starting point and trial error from there to find what works for YOUR body.

    Good luck:)

    Here's some useful information that helped me understanding what might be wrong with my metabolism:

    Peter Attia at TED Talks: What if we're wrong about diabetes?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMhLBPPtlrY

    Jason Fung: The Hormonal Theory of Obesity
    4/6: The Fast Solution
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pG89j432w-Y

    6/6: Dietary Villains - Fat Phobia
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QetsIU-3k7Y

    An article in british newspaper The Guardian referring to diet and diabetes 2 research at Newcastle University:
    http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/may/12/type-2-diabetes-diet-cure

    http://thefastdiet.co.uk/michael-answers-frequently-asked-questions/
    http://www.eoddiet.com/faq/
    leangains.com

    Here's a link to tons of experience on recipes and meal plans:
    https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/forum/food/recipes-and-meal-plans/

    We also have a little 5:2 group here at MFP, if you're interested.
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/100058-5-2-fasting

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