I haven't seen your previous posts... My H is your height, but has lost around 22lbs, and is now at around 194lbs.... are you looking to lose weight, or just maintain good health?

My daughter is 'big' (she has also called herself fat, but is keen to do the LCHF to lose weight) but is also extremely healthy, with all tests normal and sound.
So what is your aim?

First of all, I would discount what your Doctor tells you on the opinion of your heart rate, because it seems clear to you that she's basing her advice on a certain amount of personal frustration.

I suspect that when she tested your heart rate you hadn't exerted any great amount of energy, or had just finished a 10k run in 5 minutes - ! So in other words, her opinion was based on an already resting heart rate.

I would, in your shoes, consider discussing the matter with someone at a gym, or contact a dietician, to see what they say.... Don't base your concerns on the comments of one person alone, however qualified.
Especially if she was 'snippy', which is a dead give-away, isn't it?

I think it's a reliable Mantra for you @food_lover16 ... and yes, it's a great site, once I managed to get the hang of it. I am what's loosely known as a techno-doofus.....

@MzLazyBones - First check out this thread and the link in it. It is how I found my current doctor after firing both my PCP and endo.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10478334/online-list-of-low-carb-doctors#latest

Second, define "low" resting HR. I am in maintenance now with a resting heart rate (according to my FitBit) of between 49 and 55, although it drops into the 40's every night at some point. I think the lowest I have seen is 43. I say that because, as a 6'1" 185 lb 46 yo man who is active, I am still able to consume/burn well over 3000 calories a day, so the low HR doesn't seem to affect me that way.

The way I understand it is the heart rate is lower because it is pumping more efficiently. Basically, it is working more like the super soaker than the little squirter water gun. The muscle is stronger and therefore able to pump the same volume of blood in fewer contractions. I don't see how that would negatively impact your TDEE.

As for the pre-diabetes part, be careful. I very much doubt your doc is testing properly to really know any risk here. He is probably only testing blood glucose. Prior to that being elevated, your fasting insulin will increase. Very few docs will test this. This happens first and can take decades for your cells to become insulin resistant enough to cause the elevated blood glucose to move you to pre-diabetes then to T2.

If you find a doctor on this list in the referenced link, s/he will almost certainly be familiar with and in favor of checking your insulin to see if you do actually have any risk. Dr. Joseph Kraft did an amazing study of over 15,000 patients showing how the elevated insulin is actually the first sign of pre-diabetes even while BG remains "normal."

MzLazyBones wrote: »

Just checked the list, none even in my country. There's one in Sweden and one in Germany, both several hours away (one way) by train.

Sorry. Didn't know what country you were in. Good luck.

Just to play devils advocate a little. Not because I disagree at all just to throw out a perspective that's probably driving your doctors assumptions that you'll end up testing negatively eventually.
The 2015 statistics from the CDC show that 1 out of 3 people are pre diabetic and 9 out of 10 of them don't know it. These are the people with normal fasting blood sugars and A1C's because even though their cells are in the early stages of insulin resistance, the pancreas is able to keep up with the increased demand. At this point, all tests show nothing negative but weight begins to pile on especially in the abdomen.
So having good blood work doesn't actually clear you of being hyperinsulinemic. They never bother to actually test fasting insulin which is what could actually catch it early on.



I always though a low resting heart rate was a good sign also. But I do know that one reason people abuse Adderall is for weight loss. And it raises your heart rate.
Even now that I've dropped my dosage to half what I used to take, I rarely see a heart rate below 80. It takes hardly any effort at all for me to reach what's considered the aerobic heart rate level for my age. Just a brisk walk can maintain 140 easily. I don't actually know if that's one reason it is often used for weight loss or if it's the appetite suppression that often comes with it. For most people taking it long term, the appetite suppression is only temporary though.

Anyway, just food for thought.

I'm sorry that you are dealing with such a snippy doctor, and I can understand why you are frustrated. Have you ever had your thyroid levels checked? A low heart rate is a very common symptom of hypothyroidism as are weight gain and difficulty losing weight. Your low heart rate and relatively low weekly weight loss (given your current weight) could point to a thyroid problem. These were among my first symptoms. Low energy level is another symptom, which you don't have. Other symptoms include needing extra sleep, dry skin, loss of hair in the outer third of the eyebrows and thinning hair on the head, and many more. You may want to discuss getting comprehensive thyroid testing with your current or preferably a new doctor.

My whole family has lower RHR - my normal has always been 60 avg which is fairly slow for a woman and a BP of 110/60. Get the full on thyroid panel and fasting insulin tests once you get a new physician. That will let you know if you need to be concerned about the RHR.