Insulin resistance

asine1
asine1 Posts: 1
edited September 27 in Health and Weight Loss
I have to start out with when I was younger I weighed around 125 lbs but after I got out of high school I gained about 30 lbs and wasn't really eating more or changing anything other than not as much exercise. I then got married and I've went from that wonderful 125 to 188. The biggest disappointment for me is that I can't seem to get pregnant and my doctor said I probably won't until I loose weight. My doctor finally diagnosed me with insulin resistance and started me on metformin but I haven't really seen to many changes. I am graduating college in December and I would really like to loose weight not only to look good for that but so that maybe we could get more good news. Is there anyone else out there that has had insulin resistance/metabolic syndrome who has overcame it and lost the weight? Was there anything that kick started the weight loss? I started at a gym and I was going very regularly, though not losing any weight, but then I got mono and had to quit for a little while and I am just starting to get my motivation back.

Replies

  • kailyamie
    kailyamie Posts: 130
    My Mom and I both have PCOS... her cardiologist recommended that she eat a diet as if she were a severe diabetic.... so she researched what a diabetic's diet would be, and followed it, and she has lost 30 pounds. So it's working for her. I might give it a shot, but it's hard for me to avoid the carbs... I have 3 kids and a picky husband! I'm trying though. PCOS is horrible. :( So sorry you have to deal with it too :(
  • XFitMojoMom
    XFitMojoMom Posts: 3,255 Member
    I have it, on Glumetza. I wasn't diagnosed with PCOS because I have children, however I did have gestational diabetes.

    LC diet is highly recommended for this health issue. Sorry to say, we also have to work double hard at the gym to see any kind of results. It will take A LOT of discipline, but you can lose weight.
  • icerose137
    icerose137 Posts: 318 Member
    Part of the problem you are facing is that instead of your body storing fat at a blood sugar of say 130, it's now storing it at 110 or lower. So it's almost constantly in fat storage mode. I echo the other poster who recommended an extreme diabetic diet.
  • astovey
    astovey Posts: 578 Member
    I also was diagnosed with PCOS witch includes insulin resistance and problems conceiving (and many other horrible things). I watch sugars especially added sugar. As long as you stick with a healthy diet and exercise you WILL loose weight. Too many people just give up before they see results.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,331 Member
    I don't have insulin resistance, but I would agree that treating it like full blown diabetes would be a good idea. Avoid all simple sugars, baked goods and the like and focus on veggies and meat. I would even avoid fruit at this point since it is high in sugar and you want to limit sugar as much as you can. Check out the diabetes association web site for more directions on how to eat.
  • marathonmom72
    marathonmom72 Posts: 191 Member
    I HIGHLY recommend the book Healthy for Life by Dr. Ray Strand! It helped me a lot when I was beginning to sort all of this out and just starting to lose weight. I found it very helpful, and lost around 50 pounds following his suggestions for diet and other natural supplements.
  • HerBravado
    HerBravado Posts: 392 Member
    I have insulin resistance as a result of PCOS. (: I'm losing right now.
    My biggest issue was sugar & carbs. I went wayy over them, & as a result, gained/couldn't lose.
    Whatever 'diet' you choose, monitor those two extremely close.
    I'm on Metformin now, though I only take it a few times a week because my blood sugar's under control through exercise.
    It's hard in the beginning, but once you get the hang of it it'll be like second nature.
    Exercise about three times a week...I usually push for five.
    It'll begin to drop soon enough.
    Monitor the blood sugar levels, too. I found that the higher my sugar was, the more often I wasn't seeing results.
    (: I wish you luck on your journey.
  • Altiv
    Altiv Posts: 174 Member
    I have insulin resistance diagnosed since seven years ago, when I was fifteen; with metformin, at that time, I managed to lose 20 pounds and now with diet another 15 (now I'm also with Avandia). For me the key was to keep my carb intake at 180 max (average is 140) and 45-60 min of exercise 5 times a week, doing this made my insulin drop from 200 (my historical max was 600+) to 45 and then to 125 (when I finished dieting) this also banished my PCOS ;)

    For me it took a month of carefully watching my diet and exercising to start loosing weight, then I lost two pounds per week for 3-4 months.

    Hope this helps!
  • weallhaveastory
    weallhaveastory Posts: 54
    BUMP
  • humblemonkey
    humblemonkey Posts: 576 Member
    I have insulin resistance from PCOS...was on Metformin but I couldnt take being sick from it every day!! So I went off it until we TTC again next year... I have been doing a lot of research because I too have a really difficult time losing weight....apparently gluten free diets have been shown to really do the trick (as well as reducing simple carbs, which is obvious)... I am having a hard time doing that though!!
  • humblemonkey
    humblemonkey Posts: 576 Member
    I have insulin resistance from PCOS...was on Metformin but I couldnt take being sick from it every day!! So I went off it until we TTC again next year... I have been doing a lot of research because I too have a really difficult time losing weight....apparently gluten free diets have been shown to really do the trick (as well as reducing simple carbs, which is obvious)... I am having a hard time doing that though!!
  • NikiCBaby
    NikiCBaby Posts: 20
    I'd try to switch to a more paleo/primal diet.

    Check out www.marksdailyapple.com

    I have a very similar issue and I've been losing since the switch.
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
    I topped out at 290 a couple years ago and was in the exact same boat as you - needing to lose weight to get pregnant, but can't because of insulin resistance.

    How long have you been on the metformin? It might take a little while to kick in. Also, were you on birth control before trying to conceive (or considering doing so)? If so, what and for how long? I found that Depo Provera really screwed with my system, but I was only on it for a year, so reversing its effects were pretty quick (I've since switch to Mirena), but if you've been on something that has been screwing with your system for a long time, it might take a little longer to reverse it.

    One thing that might help is to go to a nutritionist and get advice about what you're currently eating (and how much) and what you can change.
  • Shanzstar
    Shanzstar Posts: 197
    My doctor put me on a low carb diet. I tried atkins because i was almost 200lbs and nothing else helped me. I lost 40lbs and I will always eat a lower carb diet for the rest of my life. i do follow the belly fat diet. I think its excellent. you should read the atkins book it seriously spoke to me and it makes a lot of sense. I know it has a bad rap but worth looking into. good luck! I should add that I lost 14lbs right away. It just melted off with hardly any exercise.
  • ESVABelle
    ESVABelle Posts: 1,264 Member
    So uhhh, I'm a type 1 diabetic. I know all about insulin and the diabetic diet. Losing weight with this kind of issue sucks (insert multiple vulgar expletives here). I've been hard-core healthy for about 5 weeks now, I've only lost 5lbs - but I'm not complaining because I've lost inches. It's a battle every day. You have to know what you're putting in and what you're burning off.

    I hope you're good at math, it just became your life, LoL. The good news is, it gets so easy it comes natural so it's not even a big deal after awhile. I wish you the best of luck. If you need anything, I'm open to answer any questions you may have!
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