Low Carb Swaps For Insulin Resistance

Have you recently been told that you’re insulin resistant or prediabetic? Are you feeling overwhelmed and confused about what to eat? If so, you’re not alone - a few years ago I was right where you are now.

These are some healthy swaps I made that can help you manage your blood sugar while still enjoying what you eat.

Before we get started I do want to offer some hope - I know it can be scary to be told that you’re insulin resistant or prediabetic. You might be wondering what this means for your health? Does this mean you’re destined to be diabetic? Does this mean weight loss is going to be impossible? Will I always feel like this?

I can say now learning that I was insulin resistant was a blessing in disguise. For years I had struggled with my energy - basically I had none - I felt like crap all the time and couldn’t pull myself out of it - no amount of sleep, or supplements, or whatever the latest greatest super food of the week was helped.

Losing weight felt impossible no matter what I tried. I was hungry all the time and had crazy cravings that willpower barely kept in check - which made dieting miserable. I was moody, had horrible periods, had blood sugar issues, constant allergies, joint pain…I felt like I was a mess.

I blamed it on getting older - I was almost 40 afterall - that must be it….

I had no idea all those things were related to being insulin resistant - I don’t think that term was even on my radar at the time.. 

So once I found out that's what was going on with me I made a plan to fix it…I was amazed at how quickly I started to feel better. I started having more energy - it wasn’t such a struggle to get through the day. I wasn’t so quick-tempered and impatient. I could go longer and longer without feeling so hungry or having to rely on willpower…

Those allergies that my doctor called “seasonal” - even though they never went away even when the seasons changed - were gone. The joint pain was gone, horrible periods got more manageable, and finally the weight started coming off!

Had I never found out I was insulin resistant I would probably still be struggling, trying every diet out there, still loading and regaining the same weight over and over again…and very likely a type 2 diabetic now…

See what I mean by a blessing in disguise?

I tell you this just to give you hope - that you can reverse it and you can start feeling better and it doesn’t have to be miserable.

In fact this is the first “diet” I’ve ever done where I was never hungry, had less cravings and actually enjoyed the food I was eating.

That's one thing about a low carb diet is that we get to eat a lot of really yummy foods that are taboo on other low fat, low calories, CICO type diets.

Ok let's look at some simple swaps (both food and mindset) that you can make to help make things easier:

Instead of: breads, wraps, and tortillas

Use: Lettuce wraps (the good stuff with all the flavor is stuff between the bread), Egglife wraps, Chaffles, skip the wraps altogether and have a sub-in-a-tub, taco salad, burrito in a bowl, egg-roll in a bowl - these option still give you all the flavors you’re looking for without the extra carbs.

Instead of: Pasta

Use:  Spiralized veggies such as zucchini, spaghetti squash, in some cases you can use Egglife wraps sliced in various sizes/shapes and used to replace pasta in recipes like lasagna or spaghetti. Shirataki noodles are also a popular option (just be sure to check the ingredients and follow the prep instructions on the package).

Again it's usually what we put on top of the pasta that has all the flavors so you can even just steam or roast some low carb veggies and have that with your meat sauce to replace spaghetti.

Instead of: Pizza

Use:  There are so many pizza replacements out there now - you can have pizza in a bowl which is basically all the cheese and topping from a pizza but baked in a dish instead. There are options like cauliflower crust (Outer Aisle even has a premade one if you don’t want to make it yourself.  You can make fathead dough or if you want to go really low carb while also upping your protein you can make a “meatza” or chicken crust which is just made from thinly spread out and baked meat or ground chicken as your crust.

There really are endless options here - yes, they take a little more effort than just calling Dominoes - but you’ll feel better with these lower carb options.

Breakfast:

• Instead of: Pancakes, waffles, cereal, sugary yogurt

• Try: Eggs with bacon (or sausage, steak, leftovers from dinner etc), Greek yogurt with berries, chia seed pudding

Lunch:

• Instead of: Sandwiches on bread, pasta salads, rice bowls

• Try: Sub-in-tub, lettuce wrapped sandwiches, taco or burrito bowl or you could keep it super simple and go with: salad with protein, your favorite protein  (meat, grilled chicken or fish) with roasted vegetables

Dinner:

• Instead of: Pasta, rice, potatoes, pizza

• Try: Meat and vegetable stir-fry, grilled salmon with roasted vegetables, low-carb casseroles, bunless burger

Tips for Successful Low-Carb Swapping:

• Keep it simple: Especially in the beginning - build your plate around protein, add some fat for cooking and to add flavor, then add a low carb veggie or 2 to add fiber - this is also a great way to add fat as well - sautee your veggies in bacon fat, make a yummy olive or avocado oil dressing for your salad, add some garlic butter to your steamed veggies  - you get the idea.

• Read Food Labels Carefully: Look for sugars, grains, added starches and seed oils in processed foods. Look for options that don’t have an ingredients list that's a mile long - a good starting point is 5 ingredients or less - and the ingredients are all recognizable (you don’t have to google them to see what they are) - think ingredients you’d find in your own kitchen or that you’d use if making them yourself

• Experiment with Different Recipes: Find low-carb versions of your favorite dishes. One thing about following a low carb diet these days is you probably won’t have a hard time finding a lower carb version of pretty much anything you could want. Justa word of warning: always double check carb counts yourself - we’ve seen many recipes that claim to be low carb - but when you do the math they’re far from it.

• Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day. This does not mean guzzling a gallon of water at 3pm to meet your “water goal” or any other crazy things we try to do - sip normally and often throughout the day and don’t forget to keep your electrolytes up - true hydration doesn’t come from just drinking a bunch of water - you need those electrolytes as well. There are several good brands out there now like LMNT or Redmonds ReLyte (many more popular commercial brands ironically don’t contain a lot of electrolytes so be sure to check labels). You can also make your own very cheap.

Remember, the goal isn't to eliminate carbs entirely, but to be smart about your choices. By making simple swaps and focusing on nutrient-dense foods, you can take control of your blood sugar, improve your energy levels, and achieve your weight loss goals. So, why not give it a try? Your future self will thank you.

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