Metabolic Syndrome? - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

femgineer · 02-05-2010, 07:33 PM

Hi, folks!

I posted a few weeks ago about getting motivated again and not losing any weight. I went through four weeks of religiously logging my intake, staying within my allowed "points" (I was doing WW & loosely following SB), and exercising like mad (at least 1-hr of heavy exercise per day 5Xweek). I didn't lose a single pound!! Talk about frustrating!!

So I broke down and made an appointment with a weight loss Dr. and nutritionist. I was told that I have "metabolic syndrome" and put on a high (lean) protein diet with slightly fewer calories than I had before. I got a brief explanation of what "metabolic syndrome" is, but I'm curious to know if anyone else has received this diagnosis and if there are any tips or things to know about working within the prescribed diet.

Thanks a bunch! I'm hoping to lose at least a FEW pounds in February...

lizard58 · 02-05-2010, 08:15 PM

I do not have this disorder.
I just wanted to congratulate you because now you can progress on your weight loss journey. And good luck!

Joycelyn · 02-05-2010, 09:59 PM

check out the book The Insulin Resistance Diet on amazon. It deals specifically with this problem, and 140 excellent reviews! Also check out their website. You can down download a free audio that gives a generic overview of the program...I think it's called "Better Than Jenny Craig". It explains what metabolic syndrome (also known as Insulin Resistance) is.

kaplods · 02-05-2010, 10:08 PM

I've been diagnosed, and also had a glucose tolerance test that confirmed the insulin resistance aspect.

I'm on metformin, and my doctor recommended a low carb diet, but warned me not to go too low. When I asked him what too low was, he admitted that he didn't know.

I've learned that most doctors get very little nutritional training in medical school. So, I've done a lot of reading on insulin resistance and Metabolic Syndrome, also known as Syndrome X.

I'm still having trouble restricting carbs as much as I should. Tonight hubby made a baked rice dish, and I ate too much of it. I didn't do badly calorie-wise, but when I eat foods that high in carbohydrates I have to be extremely serving conscious, because while I'll lose weight consistently on 1800 calories of low-carb, I often won't lose weight on 1800 or even 1500 calories of high carb. It doesn't make sense, even to me, which is why I think I'm so prone to testing and retesting the theory.

I recommend a food journal, because it will help you see patterns, you will actually see in black and white whether or not you lose better when you restrict carbs (and how much better). Calories count, but with Metabolic Syndrome, sometimes carbs count more.

I suspect that the body is more efficient at using carbohydrates as fuel than at using fat and protein. I think more calories are "wasted" when eating low-carb. It's just a theory of course, there are other possible reasons. For example, when I'm eating low-carb, it seems that my body temperature is slightly higher, this would make some sense as a lower body temperature requires fewer calories to maintain than a higher one.

You do have to be careful not to reduce fats or carbohydrates too far. You need a little fat in your diet, especially if you're restricting carbohydrates too far. My personal belief is that the "Atkins flu" can be a sign that you're reducing carbs too far, rather than a result of "carb withdrawal" in the sense it is usually described - but that's a personal opinion.

For me a high-protein, low carb exchange plan is my ideal plan. It works the best. Even though I tend to follow it rather sloppily at times (but that's my problem not the plan's).

I slightly modified a plan I found on the hillbilly housewife site:

http://healthy.hillbillyhousewife.com/foodplans.htm

JenB · 02-05-2010, 11:39 PM

Hi there,

I just wanted to add that there are a variety of medications used to treat metabolic syndrome (including insulin sensitizers, anti-hypertensives, etc) but the ultimate treatment is weight loss. And the truth is it's weight loss by any means (calories in just have to be less than calories out). A low carb/high protein diet will help with your blood sugar control (and some of the consequences of insulin resistance), but there's nothing special about that diet that will lead to weight loss. The most important thing is finding a food plan that you can stick to and that meets your calorie requirements.

I wish you all the best!

Sskar · 02-06-2010, 12:45 AM

Here are a couple of links from the National Institutes of Health: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/...ms_whatis.html

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/m...csyndrome.html

They have multiple links within them (including a good video) that should give you more than enough information on the subject and/or leads for other sources.

Torister · 02-06-2010, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaplods

I'm still having trouble restricting carbs as much as I should. Tonight hubby made a baked rice dish, and I ate too much of it. I didn't do badly calorie-wise, but when I eat foods that high in carbohydrates I have to be extremely serving conscious, because while I'll lose weight consistently on 1800 calories of low-carb, I often won't lose weight on 1800 or even 1500 calories of high carb. It doesn't make sense, even to me, which is why I think I'm so prone to testing and retesting the theory.

Their is a definite caloric advantage to low carb....about 300 calories. So, I can still lose weight eating 300 more calories on a low carb diet than I could on a lower amount of calories of low fat/higher carb.

There are many low carb plans out there and some allow more carbs than others. Atkins encourages you to slowly add carbs by adding higher carb foods such as nuts and higher carb veggies and fruits as you go along with your ongoing weightloss. I am keeping mine low (20 grams or less per day of veggies), but I do on special occasions add higher carb things like berries as long as I have a fat with them like heavy whipping cream.

I wish I had the articles that I have read as to *why* low carb is good for people with metabolic resistance, but I know it is. I lose slowly...as I am older and my hypothyroidism works against me, but I really like eating this way.

Good luck!

femgineer · 02-06-2010, 08:45 AM

Thank you all for so much information!

That's what I love about this site - help, support and references.

Thanks, again!

milliondollarbbw · 02-06-2010, 05:26 PM

I beg to differ about the comments regarding that the carb/protein ratio doesn't matter.

While it is true that the amount of calories one intakes is key, there also needs to be the understanding that if a person eats 1200 calories of primarily carbs, and potentially not low-gi carbs, they may be a lot hungrier and have more shifts in their blood sugar than if they had a higher or better ratio of protein to carbohydrates.

Each person is different---some people do very well on a high carbohydrate diet--they tend to be the type who can be vegetarian and have great lab results and energy levels and just feel great. then there are those who could try the same high carb diet and have significant bloating, lethargy, sapped energy, and even possible weight gain.

there are alot of information about metabolic resistance and I do find that monitoring the amount of fast or easily digested carbs in comparison to eating lean protein, whole fruits and veggies, and keeping your blood sugar level even is really key to losing weight.

again, it would probably be best to talk to a nutritionist who has more of a holistic or not necessarily only western approach.

Here are some links

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/met...ndrome/DS00522

http://community.atkins.com/ugc/blog...c%20resistance

I don't follow atkins, but I think there is some good advice on their site.

Torister · 02-07-2010, 02:49 PM

I absolutely agree that each person is an individual and their body will respond differently to the identical diet. I should have included that in my post. My bad! While I follow Atkins, there are lots of low carb plans that might suit someone better than Atkins...South Beach and Protein Power are just two off the top of my head. I found the best fit for me is Atkins. YMMV...

milliondollarbbw · 02-07-2010, 02:58 PM

Hi Torister---I apologize if my post was offensive. I meant that some people believe that it is really just calories in versus calories out---and while that may be true (I have lost weight while feeling starved at 1100 calories, and I have lost weight while feeling full at 1100 calories---the main difference was how I watched my carbs).

JenB · 02-07-2010, 03:11 PM

I'm sorry if it was my post that triggered all this! I agree with you milliondollarbbw. While I do believe weight loss boils down to calories in vs calories out, I also agree that the composition of those calories is really going to vary for everyone. Some people need high protein/low carb to feel full on 1200 calories while others will feel full on a vegetarian/higher carb plan. People with insulin resistance (and thus higher blood sugars on average) may find that too many carbs exacerbate their glucose levels and lead to lethargy, headaches, etc. What I meant to say is that the bottom line treatment for metabolic syndrome is weight loss and I think everyone needs to experiment with their diets to figure out what composition is best for them.

Again I apologize for any hard feelings!

Torister · 02-07-2010, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milliondollarbbw

Hi Torister---I apologize if my post was offensive. I meant that some people believe that it is really just calories in versus calories out---and while that may be true (I have lost weight while feeling starved at 1100 calories, and I have lost weight while feeling full at 1100 calories---the main difference was how I watched my carbs).

No worries!! I have had the same experience as well. I have done the best and lost the most inches (and this is a difference for me with low carb) while keeping my fat % high, protein% moderate, and carbs low (mostly veggies).

Interesting stuff...and there is nothing wrong with a lively discussion!

Pacifica Bee · 02-08-2010, 06:40 PM

This is my first post (I haven't even done a short bio or the welcome thread yet, but I have been lurking for about a month) but I wanted to pop my head in and post a terrific link regarding fructose and its relation to metabolic syndrome. The connection isn't made until 45 minutes through the talk (a UCSF doctor and researcher, posted on YouTube) but I am getting SO much information I thought I would share with everyone.

Since I can't post links yet, go to YouTube and do a search for "Sugar: The Bitter Truth" which should lead you to UCTelevision and a speech by Robert H. Lustig (maybe somebody can post the link for me to make it easier for others?)

I'll post a howdy thread soon

~Bee

dolfingirl2000 · 02-09-2010, 08:29 PM

WOW!! This is totally me. I keep saying that my body does better eating a low carb diet and now I know why. I've literally been STUCK in the 270's because I've been trying to eat like my BF says I should--"FATKINS can't be healthy" so I gave in to him and I've been trying to eat "healthy" like he says and now I have something that I can show him that explains why I did so well following the low carb diet. I am so relieved. =)