Insulin Resistance Diet

[ElbowPrincess]

Is there anyone else doing this? I didnt know where to put this thread, as even though its lower carb, its not ketogenic. Hope it's ok to have here! Ive tried really low carb (less than 30g a day) and I just couldnt sustain it :( even though I love all the science behind it. So I am giving this a go instead.

Here's the book

Basically, its a diet for those who have insulin resistance. If you can answer yes to 3 or more of the following, you probably have it ....

If you are in the obese BMI catagory or above
If you store weigth mainly around the tummy area
You have PCOS
Your tummy measures 35 inches or more (40 inches for men)
Depression
Hypoglycemia
Brain fog
Skin tags in the neck area, underarms & chest
Dark skin patches in the arm pits, between thighs, neck etc
Carb, especially sugar, cravings
Sleepiness after a meal
Poor sleep at night

So, how the diet works - you balance your carbs with protein. No more than 30g of carbs per meal (15g for snacks) paired with at LEAST 15g of protein. You can eat as much protein as you like though, thats just the minimum to balance the carbs. 3 meals a day, 2 snacks (plus extra veg/proetin snacks whenever, if you are hungry). Carbs must be 2 hours apart. A typical day would probably look like this ...

Breakfast - 30g Carbs, 15g (or more) protein, as much veg as you like.

Snack - 15g carbs, 7g protein, as much veg as you like.

Lunch - 30 g C, 15g P, veg

Snack - 15g C, 7g P, veg

Dinner - 30g C, 15g P, unlimited veg.

So a max of 120g of carbs in any day, spaced 2 hours apart.

Now, this is where it differs from the usual low carb diet .... dairy, pulses, legumes and nuts count as protein not carbs. So a glass of milk will balance out a slice of wholegrain toast. Beans (no added sugar) would balance out a small baked potato. Fruit are carbs (apart from apples, pears, cherries, grapefruit, those ase classed as already balanced), potato & corn are carbs plus all your pasta, rice, bread etc.

Still with me? Ive no idea if this diet will work, this thread is just to document my progress and see what happens. Would love others to join in too!

Sid how frustrating! Are you still eating similar to how you were when you posted this : Tue 19-Nov-13 16:59:25 ? If so, that sounds fine, but I'd expect you not to have regained that same bloody 2lbs !

Milly I've noticed general improvements with peri-menopause symptoms, but the most drastic has been the absence of the night sweats. I was waking up twice every night with it and haven't had any at all for the last 3 weeks.

Sid just another thought. I'm sure the book says to try cutting the countable carbs to 15g per meal if you're struggling to lose weight.
Also, you may be very carb sensitive and may need to consider counting your chickpeas and other pulses into your 30/15g allocation.

Hmm, good thoughts. I am eating lots of root vegetables which are carby but not countable. Not pulses as much at the moment though. I tend to have either porridge or one slice of multiseed toast in the morning, a staffs oatcake at lunchtime and then often only non-countable carbs at dinner with my square of chocolate afterwards. Snacks are oatcakes or protein only. ( Obviously I'm eating protein alongside all that.) Maybe I should cut out the wheat and see what happens? I've reduced fat already.

I am more toned around the waist I think. Yes, I need to lose four stones, so you'd think the exercise alone might make a difference frankly.

Oh, and I lost a stone and a half over about six months doing fairly relaxed low-GIing last year, so my body is capable. Maybe it is the breastfeeding.

fingers crossed you figure it out could be bf from what you are saying. Otherwise what about increasing good fat (oily fish, avacado, nuts) but reducing carbs by including all starchy cabs as countable ?

Sid what you're eating sounds fine. This must be so frustrating for you, but I'm in agreement that it could be the bf.
If you feel ok about cutting out wheat, then try it. I've read the Wheat Belly book and it's a persuasive argument.

A minor triumph today, even if no lighter. My fasting blood sugar was 5.4, down from 6.2. I want to get it into the 4s, which is where the weightloss needs to come in, but I feel much better for getting it back towards a healthy figure.

How's everyone doing?

Sid that's brilliant re your blood reading. I'm not really an expert on blood glucose readings (understatement!) so if I'm wrong in what I'm about to say I hope someone will correct me. But it's my understanding that lower glucose will help with insulin resistance too, and that's when our body finds it easier to lose weight.
Anyway, well done.

I'm still doing well, not restricting my choice of food, although I am of course restricting the amount of some carbs per the diet. Not hungry, very happy with the food I'm eating, no uncontrollable food cravings, and much more balanced moods.

Anyone else?

I seem to be the only one still here now, which is a pity, but I'll keep posting now and then just to update.

So I've been following this now for about 7 weeks.
My skin is looking much better, look about 5 years younger when I look in the mirror first thing in the morning! My skin was looking red and blotchy and that's cleared up now.
My moods are stable, I feel happier and my energy is better than it has been since my mid 30's.
Peri menopausal symptoms are mostly gone, periods are still irregular but nothing's going to change that.

I've gone down two sizes in my trousers which I'm thrilled about. I haven't weighed again since the end of November, am just weighing monthly, but I can tell I've lost a bit more weight. It's definitely coming off the tummy area.
Most importantly, I'm eating some lovely food, I don't feel deprived, and I'm not binge eating.

Well done herdy! seems like you have had a lightbulb and things are really clicking into place . I might try afresh in jan but will be steering away from wheat. Happy christmas!

That's fantastic!

After two months I have lost about 6lbs, but am definitely thinner. I feel much better although I'd like to be losing more, given how much I have to lose. I am going to cut the carbs down more after Christmas.

I have ordered the book - well I have tried everything else and the description fits me pretty well. I have 7 of the symptoms. I will let you know how I get on!

Hi jinty, I hope you decide to join us when you've had chance to read the book. I too have tried everything else in the past.
Once you've got the hang of your carb portion sizes I think this is very easy to do and I don't weigh and measure my food at all.

Thank you. The book has arrived so I will start reading it tomorrow and probably aim to start next Monday.

I have read the book and plan to start today! I found the American measures a bit difficult to picture but we do have cup measures and I'm sure I will get the hang of It. Also lots of the suggested foods and take-always are not available which is a pain but hopefully all will be well.

take-aways

I always ignore those bits anyway!

All the weight I'd lost reappeared in three days over Christmas but I think I've read that carb weight brings water with it so looks more than it is. Half of it has gone again.

I tried to keep to the rules as much as I could but did have some lapses. Back on in earnest now. I haven't stopped exercising which has helped.

I have had three meals today - no snacks - and I'm not the least bit hungry. I did wash some cherries for a snack but ds3 ate them and I couldn't be bothered getting more.

Marking my place. This looks exactly what i'm looking for

no idea why I stopped doing this :(
but back on it today!

Herdy, you have done amazing - all those changes! Well done :)

Hi Elbow, I've read your thread and I've just ordered the Schwarzbein book...I'm very interested in the idea of non countable carbs

More generally I'm interested in how carbohydrates affect metabolism and to what degree it is necessary to restrictt them for optimal health

Good luck with getting back on it :o

Feel good being back on this already :)

I've found it's already become second nature to eat like this. But I'm restricting carbs more because the weight loss just isn't happening. I feel that keeping to the basic principle means that I'm eating more healthily at every meal, but I'm usually having at least one carb-free meal a day.

Having said that, I have also embraced the splurging concept!