So You've Been Told That You're Insulin Resistant...Now What??
You’ve just been told that you’re insulin resistant or prediabetic. You’re feeling overwhelmed, confused and unsure of what to do next. Sound familiar?
A few years ago I was right where you are now, so I know firsthand how it feels, so my hope with this post is to offer you some practical information as well as hope as you navigate this journey - even if it feels like doom and gloom now - it doesn’t have to - there can be a light at the end of the tunnel.
What is Insulin Resistance?
First let's start with - what is insulin resistance - because if you’re anything like me, I didn’t have a clue what it meant - I’d heard the term before but that's about it - my only knowledge of insulin was that it was something people with diabetes needed.
Understanding Insulin Resistance and Prediabetes
Imagine your body as a car, and insulin is the key that unlocks the door to your cells. When you eat carbs - whether it's an apple, a bagel or a snickers bar - your body breaks them down into glucose, which is like fuel for your cells. Insulin is the key that helps this fuel get into the cells.
When your body becomes resistant to insulin, it's like the key no longer fits the lock. Glucose can't get into the cells, so it builds up in your bloodstream. Your body's response to this is to release more insulin to get your blood sugar back down - so now you have high blood sugar and high insulin. This can lead to a variety of health problems, including weight gain, fatigue, and increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
How Insulin Resistance Affects Fat Loss/Gain
High blood sugar is toxic to your body so any excess in your bloodstream gets shuttled to the liver to be converted to triglycerides so it can be stored as fat.
This becomes a double whammy because insulin is a storage hormone. If insulin is high, your body is in storage mode - you can’t be in ‘storage mode’ and ‘burning mode’ at the same time. This means when insulin is high you’re gonna store more fat and the fat that you already has is gonna stay locked up so your body has a hard time using it for energy - this results in difficulty losing weight as well as increased hunger and cravings since your body can’t tap into your body fat to get the energy it needs (like it should be able to), it has to rely on a steady stream of food to get it.
The Connection Between Insulin Resistance and Prediabetes
Insulin resistance and prediabetes are like 2 different spots along a spectrum. You can have “normal” fasting blood glucose or A1c and still be insulin resistant. That's because the high insulin levels are keeping your blood glucose in normal range…for now.
But eventually as you become more and more insulin resistant and insulin just can’t keep your glucose level down that's when you start seeing your fasting blood glucose start and A1c rise - resulting in a diagnosis of prediabetes and eventually Type 2 diabetes.
Common Symptoms of Insulin Resistance:
Fatigue
Weight gain, especially around the middle
Difficulty losing weight
Energy crashes
Skin tags
Frequent hunger
Get hangry instead of just hungry
Get anxious, shaky or lightheaded if you get hungry and can’t eat right away
Sugar/carb cravings
Dark patches of skin (acanthosis nigricans)
Difficulty getting to/or staying asleep
Brain fog/difficulty concentrating
Anxiety
Depression
Irritability/moodiness/impatience
Why You Want To Take Action Now
The Risks of Ignoring Insulin Resistance
Ignoring insulin resistance can lead to serious health complications, including:
Type 2 Diabetes: Because insulin resistance is a precursor to type 2 diabetes, if left untreated you can develop type 2 diabetes
Heart Disease: High blood sugar levels can damage blood vessels and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Stroke: Insulin resistance can contribute to high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for stroke.
Kidney Disease: High blood sugar can damage the kidneys, leading to kidney disease.
Nerve Damage: High blood sugar can damage nerves, causing numbness, tingling, and pain.
Eye Damage: High blood sugar can damage the blood vessels in the eyes, leading to vision problems.
But There Is Good News!
Like I said it doesn’t have to be all gloom and doom, because insulin resistance CAN be reversed So let's get to the part you came here for - what to do about this!
The key to reversing insulin resistance is lowering your insulin levels. One of the simplest ways to do that is to manage your blood sugar. So let's start there.
Tips For Managing Blood Sugar
Control Carbs - Carbs are not the devil, but many of us eat more carbs than our bodies need or can use - or maybe better put - we’re eating too many of the wrong types of carbs - usually in the form of ultra processed foods - and we’re eating them too often.
When you are insulin resistant or prediabetic your body no longer handles carbs very well so that is why it's important to keep them in check.
You don’t have to give up all carbs but you do want to be smart about the types, when, and how you eat them. Following a typical Standard American Diet it's really easy to eat upwards of 300g of carbs/day (take a look at the graph below to see where that can lead you). So even lowering your carbs to 100g/day can make a big difference.
When you focus on real whole food carbs from things like: non-starchy veggies, low-sugar fruits like berries, nuts, seeds and dairy - it makes it a lot easier to keep carbs in check.
Don’t Eat Naked Carbs - by that I mean is when you do eat carbs pair them with some protein or fat to help slow the impact on your blood sugar. This also has the added benefit of keeping you fuller longer - because when you eat carbs by themselves they aren’t very satiating and then you find yourself hungry again 20 minutes later. But by eating carbs with protein and or fat you’re upping the satiety levels so it’ll keep you fuller longer.
Go For A Walk After You Eat - This is a great way to lower your blood sugar after a meal. Even just 10-15 minutes can make a big difference. Again this is another tip that does double duty - because when you do this you’re adding more movement to your day too - bonus points if you can go for a walk outside then it's doing triple duty by getting you some fresh air and vitamin D as well.
Avoid Snacking & Grazing - If you’re like me, you’ve probably heard that eating every couple of hours helps to keep your “metabolism firing”. I did that meal-snack-meal-snack thing for years while also struggling with my weight and my blood sugar that whole time as well. Because what that actually does is keep your blood sugar and insulin levels high all the time.
Each time you eat your blood sugar and insulin rise. Then just as they start to come back down to baseline you eat again and back up they go. If you’re eating every couple hours your blood sugar and insulin are essentially elevated all day long - that's the opposite of what you want.
So instead have meals that keep you full for several hours rather than snacking and grazing. You can do that by making sure you get plenty of protein - make that the focus of your meal - just for reference I aim for at least 30g of protein at every meal. Add some good healthy fats to cook your protein and to add flavor. Then add some not starchy veggies or low sugar fruits like berries to add some fiber and variety. That combo of protein, fat and fiber is so helpful for keeping you satisfied longer.
Give Yourself A Bedtime - When we talk about blood sugar control we often talk about food - but getting enough sleep is a very close second.
When you don’t get enough sleep it wreaks havoc on your blood sugar, because lack of sleep is a huge stressor on your body. It also impacts your hormones that dictate your hunger, cravings, and satiety.
Have you ever noticed that after a bad night's sleep you have more hunger and cravings the next day - that's not your imagination - that's the impact on your blood sugar and hormones. It can be a slippery slope because you just want to feel better and get some energy so you can get through the day so you’re also more likely to give into those cravings.
Try to get at least 7-9 hours of sleep a night if you can. I know sleep is something that can often feel like something you don’t have a lot of control over because of… well…stress and life…but do the best you can.
Build Muscle - This isn’t about burning calories - the more muscle mass you have the more glycogen (storage form of glucose) storage you have - among many other metabolic benefits. Think of your muscles as glucose sponges.
“It’s Not A Diet, It’s A Lifestyle”
I’ve never been a big fan of this phrase mainly because it's often said in kind of a snotty tone. But when it comes to reversing insulin resistance it does really have to be a lifestyle change. Because while you can reverse insulin resistance, if you want to keep it that way you can’t just go back to your old ways once you get there - so it's important to do this in a way that feels doable for you for the long term.
That doesn’t mean perfection is required, consistency is key. But you do need to go into this with the thought in mind that this is not just a temporary diet or quick fix. And it's more than ok to start slow by making small changes to what you’re already doing. Those small things can add up to big changes.
Celebrate All Your Wins (Big And Small)
Don't underestimate the power of small victories. Celebrate your successes, no matter how small they may seem. Whether it's making a healthy meal choice, going for a walk, or simply getting a good night's sleep, acknowledge each of those things because each one is a step toward improved health and feeling better
Remember, progress takes time. Be patient with yourself and don't get discouraged by setbacks. By taking small steps each day, you can make big progress towards your goal.
If you would like more support as you navigate this journey, please come join us in our new FREE Facebook group here.