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I needed a few days away from being in front of the computer, and now I'm back. I got the results back from my blood work. My thyroid test came back "normal" but close the the numbers that would make it abnormal. Close enough, in fact, that my doctor decided to put me on a low dose of thyroid medicine.
But beyond that, he said that while my weight loss has made me no longer "pre-diabetic", I am STILL Insulin Resistant.
Now I just need to read up on that and see what it means, though according to my doctor's 5 second explanation, "Carbs are not your friend. They get stored immediately as fat because your body cannot process them like a normal person."
Great. This would explain how I gained a ton of weight from just a few days of eating "normally" and why I feel so sluggish and almost hung over after eating anything with carbs.
The problem I have with a low-carb lifestyle, however, is that eventually, I may want to eat a potato or a bowl of cereal, and then what - balloon up like the Goodyear Blimp? I have to educate myself on exactly what all this means, but the bottom line is, this explains why simply eating low calories wasn't/isn't cutting it for me on weight loss. If the carbs are not turning into usable blood sugar and just getting stored, then I'm doomed to a life of frustration if I keep eating like this.
Carbs are everywhere. Campbell's Tomato Soup -- who knew? I will become an expert and start reading books and articles and see what this Insulin Resistance means in terms of my weight loss plan. I really don't like Atkins or South Beach, so I hope it doesn't mean that, but we shall see.
Thanks to all for the support. At least now I have some answers and somewhere to start.
P.S. The blood work shows that I'm not menopausal, either. Thank God for small favors. One thing at a time!
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 Comments
Note he said 'still' insulin resistant. That means that it will change. The problem is that when we're overweight we tend to be insulin resistant by default. As you lean out you will be able to have a few carbs... even a lot of them. You already know the carb/glycogen/water connection, so you're on you're way. Get your protein. Get some good fats in your diet. You'll figure it out.
18 Aug 14 by member: northernmusician
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Good thing is that you have an explanation and from that you can make a plan. Thankfully there is lots of support and options avail on a low carb WOE
18 Aug 14 by member: wholefoodnut
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The way you approach a topic and research it, I have no doubt you'll put together a plan that will work for you. Fingers Crossed.
18 Aug 14 by member: ClassicRocker
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How do they determine insulin resistance? I'm glad you got some answers. Now you can work with what you now know about yourself to improve your health. I read that if you eat a carb, you should combine it with a protein/fat to slow the absorption process, so that might help you. Also, higher-quality carbs, if you choose to have a carb, might help, because they have more fiber which also slows absorption. Good luck to you! Keep us posted.
18 Aug 14 by member: ChristyLA
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There are a lot of places to look for information - Fat Head (movie), Jimmy Moore's website (he has blog, podcast, etc.), books (I've read several, including Gary Taubes' books), Dana Carpender's Hold the Toast...just to get started. Pretty much all of them agree that when you eat most carbs, you might as well be eating sugar and that your body will store it before it wants to burn it. All the best to whatever you find that you need to do. (if you want a good chuckle, youtube "LCHF is the sh*t")
18 Aug 14 by member: DarleneW101
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Having the same medical problem, I suggest you do some research on the Glycemic Index. Using research where they actually test food on humans (in lieu of test tubes) they have determined that not all carbs are created equal. Some of this is a no brainer (fiber is technically a carb). But some findings are not - like the fact that our bodies will absorb whole wheat four at the same rate as white sugar?!?!?. Sometimes it all comes down to making better choices. For instance if you are craving a baked potato, you can scoop out the center and fill the potato skin with meat, cheese, etc. YUMMY! All the vitamins are in the skin anyway.
18 Aug 14 by member: BuffyBear
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Wow, great info, all. Glad to see I have some company. I have stumbled upon the Glycemic Index and wow, what an eye opener. I must admit, from the small amount of research I've done, I truly resent the lame way they "diagnose" insulin resistance without the blood test. They said one indication is that it's the amount of belly fat you have, or a waist size great than 35" for women and 40" for men. What a load of crap. Even when I weighed 145, my waist was 34" and I was THRILLED. The blood test for Insulin Resistance is something called an LP-IR score. and anything under 45 is normal. Mine was 53 and flagged as high.
18 Aug 14 by member: mrsmole
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P.S> Just learned that I don't have to go crazy with low-carb, I just need to learn and memorize the glycemic index, per Buffy Bear. Turns out Sourdough and Pumpernickel bread are half as "bad" as white bread for blood sugar, since I refuse to eat Ezekial bread, which is the best of all. More as I absorb it. NM is clueing me into coconut oil, though I have yet to learn why. Something about the fat chains are supposed to be good for me. Film at 11.
18 Aug 14 by member: mrsmole
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Like you I have the same diagnosis of being insulin resistant. I can no longer eat, processed flours, and/or foods that contain fructose, corn syrup, etc. I just turned the page on my past life and am now living for the future, as I have eaten all of those things, enjoyed them and can now move forward without them. Try keeping your carb intake to about 50g a day, and your next blood test should improve greatly. Wishing you luck.
18 Aug 14 by member: toppy24564
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Stay on the outer perimeter of the supermarket isle, you will be alright.
18 Aug 14 by member: toppy24564
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the perimeter of the store is where they keep the bakery! good luck to you mrs. mole.
18 Aug 14 by member: Gnewfry
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Depends on the store. Mine is produce on one side and dairy on the other.
18 Aug 14 by member: ClassicRocker
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Sadly, fruit isn't that great, either. In spite of the fiber in the fruits I like best (pineapple, watermelon), the sugar content is still high. The best fruit for my condition is apparently apples.
18 Aug 14 by member: mrsmole
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I have been maintaining for almost a year. I have a potato once in a while. I still haven't had a bowl of cereal, but I do buy Sara Lee 45 calorie multi-grain bread and have toast for breakfast. I don't do it every day and I allow for the carbs(13 in 2 slices)
18 Aug 14 by member: diehard3
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have you looked into using bitter melon for you insulin problem? or crepe myrtle? check them out natural and easy to find.
18 Aug 14 by member: jovanna407
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What's funniest about this is that I've already done the hardest part about all of this - I've given up refined sugar, desserts of all kinds, and alcohol. Jeez, I pity the person who has yet to conquer those three. No wonder people die from this - there is so much to give up, there are probably people who say, "I'd rather enjoy life and not live as long." Haha.
18 Aug 14 by member: mrsmole
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See Gnewfry, there is no real safe place from refined sugar. :)
18 Aug 14 by member: toppy24564
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Do you like strawberries and blue berries?
18 Aug 14 by member: toppy24564
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I was just educating myself about insulin resistance. I suspect that may be my problem. Once I find a doctor I am going to ask for further tests. I have a fasting blood sugar of 5.9 which is not technically pre-diabetic but is heading that way. My doctor says it is fine but the internet disagrees. It is an interesting challenge. How do we lose the weight to cure the insulin resistance when we are insulin resistant? Yikes. It seems increasing exercise is part of if. And ya, more protein, vegetables and fruit. You can just do what you can do and accept it going much slower than for some people. You are right though, there is added sugar and salt in EVERYTHING. Sheesh. Looked at the labels on canned tomatoes, tomato paste and tomato sauce....salt, sugar, salt....homemade spaghetti sauce isn't even safe. I've started reading a bunch of whole food, real food blogs for ideas on tasty ways to eat.
Yay for the not menopausal! It sounds like you have a good doctor who takes your concerns seriously. That's good!
18 Aug 14 by member: ChrisSpark
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Despite my nursing background, I confess I can't add much more than BuffyBear did. I took a 2-day seminar on Diabetes a few years ago and was astounded at how much there was to know about the glycemic index. Thankfully, I am not diabetic or insulin-resistant, but I still like to try to pair all carbs with protein, especially for snacks. Good luck figuring this all out. Since you are not pre-diabetic, just do the best you can for your overall health, but remind yourself that the main issue with eating carbs is that you will be slower to lose weight. It won't be about the same scary repercussions that diabetics face. Yes, overall it will be better to eat as if you are diabetic and have it down in case you ever convert, but it isn't a death sentence. I know you still want to lose 20 more pounds, and you WILL get there. But, this learning curve does not have to be like cramming for a test. Keep making one change at a time. As you said, you've already conquered to "big 3."
18 Aug 14 by member: gilliansings
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