Insulin Resistance and Obesity

This is my personal opinion...if you are morbidly obese, you are more than likely insulin resistant.  Especially if you are inactive. 

http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/insulinresistance/

I just read this article because Heather said her doc said she wasn't pre diabetic.  Most docs do not test for insulin resistance even though it is a part of metabolic syndrome.  I think overweight people owe it to themselves to have a basic understanding of IR and how it affects their body and energy levels.  Unfortunately, we can't expect to abuse our bodies with junk food, and then not be surprised when they break down!

This is how far nutritionist have come...on the Biggest Loser, they are starting to consider keeping blood sugars level. 

Mary  

I will read this later, but overall, I concur, Dr. Mary!!!!!

Certainly not ALL fat peeps are insulin reistant.  The only types that probably are not are those who gained quickly after years of normal weight.

I've come to realize that no matter what my docs say, my body is reistant to dropping weight.  period. I got nothing to prove to nobody - i know what i eat and how I move and I should not be gaining.  That has to be attributed to one thing:  metabolic issues that have not been identified yet. Doctors don't have the tools yet.

Now, the real argument may start when we talk about when that happened. I feel some folks are born that way, for most of us, the fatal error was to get fat. Some of course are in between.

As you say, when I think of how i ate in my 20's (oreos+ canned frosting years fachry-eye), it's a wonder I am not 400#. Our bodies do have mechanisims to fight against most of our lower judgment calls, but when we push the envelope, it's going to react.  That is a scientific fact.

Dr. Mary, LOL.  I just like to get down to the root causes of things so I know how to fix them.  Twenty years ago, I took my neighbor to the doctor and he gave her pills for high blood pressure.  I asked, what caused her to have high blood pressure.  He said he didn't know, that doctors are trained to treat symptons, not what causes them.  So instead of telling her to lose thirty pounds, get off the sodium, and start exercising, he was perfectly willing to just put her on meds and send her on her way.

I think that's WRONG on so many levels!  That's why I like to investigate these things for masself.  And your right about when metabolic syndrome starts.  Some folks are born that way, and some just get fat and become that way.  It's a steady progression leading to type 2 diabetes. 

Insulin resistance is a condition in which the body’s cells do not use insulin properly. Insulin helps cells use blood glucose for energy.

Insulin resistance increases the risk of developing pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Pre-diabetes is a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes.

Causes of insulin resistance and pre-diabetes include genetic factors, excess weight, and lack of physical activity.

Being physically active, making wise food choices, and reaching and maintaining a healthy weight can help prevent or reverse insulin resistance and pre-diabetes.


I may want to mention this and then run like hell, but being over fifty just might have a li'l sumpn' to do with your stall more than you realize.  

Mary

well, yeah...now being old on top of it all iscertainly not helping anything!!!!!

But my bod started up like this in my late 30's. If wishes were fishes I'd like to do those years over and try low carb just to see if that would have helped.

Excellant article, Mary. I am still a little unclear what the difference between insulin resistance and pre-diabetes is. I think they co-exist. If you have one, you probably have the other or will if you do not make major lifestyle changes. Does that sound righ? I know I have metabolic syndrome and am pre-diabetic and hypoglycemic.....and I haven't been overweight all my life, only the last 10 years or so.

Atkins is my lifestyle change of choice. I am almost ready. I have set a date to start my Induction - March 25th is it. I hope you will be here when it happens as I am pretty sure it won't be easy! I've read the book and my mind is made up that this is going to be my new life. I just want to get the kitchen a little more done (I found my scale, but am still missing measuring cups! I might have to buy new ones.) And do one teensy road trip to visit my mom. Makes no sense to do that while I am in Induction for the first time. Trying to learn how to eat on the road can wait until the next trip in May.

Any way I just wanted to say thankyou for the article and say wish me luck!
Jan

Hey Jan, I can't wait for you to get started on Atkins!  Fair warning though, the first three days are notso much fun.  Anytime you detox your body off of all of that sugar and refined, processed crap...you will pretty much feel like crap.  Water will help to flush out all of your misery.

Insulin resistance comes first, then prediabetes, and then type 2 diabetes which is caused by not doing anything about your weight and activity levels.  You'll get a handle on it, you found your scale didn't ya?  When it came to getting used to portion sizes, it didn't take me long before I had it memorized.

I pray you lose all of the weight your heart desires!

Mary

My sister in law became diabetic about five years ago and went on a diet lost 60 pounds started walking every day and going to the gym three days a week and now diesn't take insulin or have any blood sugar issues.  I think it can be reversed through lifestyle - at least with some people.  Before my WLS, my blood sugar was 97 and a nutritionist told me I was prediabetic even though my doc said no.  Last week my fasting blood sugar was 59 and my doc said that the low reading was not a problem because I had no other symptoms (of bad stuff, I guess) .  I think exeercise plays a big role in blood sugar levels - along with food choices.  Thanks Mary for this article.  Babs

Your SIL is the exact opposite of my sister.  She was prediabetic and did nothing for years.  She keeps gaining weight and now she's finding out how hard it is to lose with diabetes.  She and my mother did nothing to keep their health.  Me, I'm fighting with everything within me! 

Sounds like you've won the battle,

Mary

Have any of you heard of or read Dr. Barry Sears' book on Toxic Fat? I'm studying this for an educational talk I'll be giving. I think it relates. His description of the fat "leaking" is pretty upsetting and a real eye-opener about the need to deal effectively with visceral fat.

Yes, insulin is involved in this as well.

In other news, I made the most awesome shake today, with extra fiber and calcium and goodness, reached over to help the baby and spilled the darn thing all down my dishwasher. I almost cried. It was a French Vanilla shake with IsaFruits and citrus 'Want More Energy' in it, so it tasted like strawberry cheesecake. Darn it all.

I drank the 4 oz that survived the fall, and made a chocolate shake instead. That was good, but... *sigh*

"Leaking" fat???  Whatchoo talkin' bout Ruthie?

Mary