I was thinking about my weight mystery again today ( when am i not? ) Basically i cannot lose weight no matter what i try SO FAR !!!

My doctor doesn't seem to have any suggestions on how to figure out why i can't lose weight nor suggestions on how to rule things out. I guess i specifically have to ask for a test to test for insulin resistance. What is it called? I have diabetes tests in the past but i think the one for insulin resistance is called something different?

If i have insulin resistance then could maybe sugar be my problem. I don't eat a lot at all but i do allow myself a little treat ( a couple of mints or some winegums or a piece of licorice ) so that i don't feel deprived and want to eat buckets full another time. I also factor them all into my calorie count. Maybe the tiny bit of sugar i do have ( i don't even use it on my cooked oats in the morning) , is doing me in.......has anyone else had that discovery? Could it be that fine a line?

I watch my calories, i exercise, i watch my carbs/proteins/fats. What have others with insulin resistance found helped if they had a hard time losing weight?

Would appreciate any input - i'm floundering for any thing that might make sense of this. thanks....Laura xx

I know I tried the Weight Watchers and counting calories. So far going low carb has worked the best.

Right now low carb isn't even working for me. Grrrrrrr. lol

The insulin resistance test (at least the one that the doctor gave me) is the same test given to diagnose diabetes. It's called the glucose tolerance test. It's a fasting test, but you have to get a fasting blood draw, then they give you a very sugary drink (the one I had was like a super sugary orange soda) and you have to wait a couple hours I believe, and then they take another blood draw.

I've always been fat (since age 5) and I've always eaten more than most people. I was nearly ALWAYS hungry, often even after I'd eaten to the point of my stomache hurting. When I would diet, it would come of very fast, but I'd be miserable, constantly feeling like I was hanging on tooth and nail not to eat everything in sight. I had very bad hormonal cravings, wanting to eat absolutely everything on the planet "that week" every month.

I'm now on a bc that controls the cravings, and going low GI (no sugar, no low fiber carbs) has helped the hunger tremendously. I eat much more like a normal weight person now, but the weight isn't coming off, because now I have insulin resistance (my doctor tells me that there are several causes of insulin resistance, but that repeated crash dieting is likely one of them). I'm grateful, don't get me wrong, because if I hadn't learned the hormonal and GI connection, I might be 600 lbs by now, but I now the weight doesn't budge even with extreme methods.

It's got me crazy, confused. I was never one of those fat people that tell you they eat like a bird (unless you count a vulture). Now, it doesn't seem possible that I can eat so little and not lose weight. I just don't get it. If it's this hard to lose weight now, I can't even invision getting under 200 lbs, so I don't have any practical advice for you there, except that I still firmly believe that it can come off, but our insulin resistant bodies fight us every step of the way.

For me, reducing carbs helps, but I can't do the unlimited calorie low carb plans. Calories, for me, still very much do count. I think for some people, they can lose all or much of their weight without counting calories when they do low carb, but for me that doesn't work. And yet, reducing calories without reducing carbs, doesn't help for me. The weight loss slows down to little or nothing (even when I'm religiously staying within my plan) and the ravenous hunger returns, which usually results in my going off plan and if I'm not super vigilant the weight creeps up.

Are you on metformin? I find it helps some. Some people feel it's helped them a lot, others felt it did nothing or nothing good for them (some people feel ill on it, I felt a little "icky" for a few days but otherwise haven't had any side effects).

Try to be patient with yourself and not give up. I think it's even more important for those of us with IR to remember that you can only do the best that you can and keep trying to do better. That in itself is success. Each pound (or even quarter pound) is a victory.

I haven't been diagnosed, but I fit every criteria for insulin resistance, so I'm pretty sure that's my problem. Like kaplods, I can't do low carb without also counting calories. Usually I try to stick around 1400 a day. The catch for me is that if I eat carbs with dinner, I will gain weight. No matter how low my calories are, if I eat carbs (even whole grains) late in the day, I can't lose. Finally figuring that out nearly made me cry, because I finally realized that I *can* lose weight.

Don't get me wrong; it's hard not eating carbs at night. Some nights I would really rather a big plate of whole wheat pasta, or even some couscous, but I stick with lean protein and vegetables, because that's what works. Sweet potatoes don't seem to affect me the way whole grains do, so sometimes I have those at night.

Good luck! I hope you figure it out.

Ta for sharing your experience with me and for the insights.

I try not to eat any pasta/bread carbs in the evening. Dinner is salad and protein or stirfry and protein....something along that line. I taper my meals, eat a decent breakfast( that means some oatmeal - although today i had salad and fish) eat veggies and protein at lunch and a piece of fruit if i'm hungry and at night i don't eat a whole lot. sigh.

Food is totally boring for me - only change is if i find a new veggie recipe which i often don't use because it's got cheese or a sauce. Was thinking today how nice it would be to just have some fun cooking again.

Well i guess there's no point not getting that test done for insulin resistance .....if i have it, i have it.....add one more thing to the list. At least it would explain things. So crash dieting is a possible cause of insulin resistance? Now let me do the math......how many thousands of people have crash dieted and are now still fighting to lose weight. Maybe one of the answers to the "epidemic" they talk about. I also have my suspicions that repeated dieting lowers the thyroid and that hurts the metabolism. And the anti-depressants people are taking and that often causes weight gain. No wonder so many of us are having difficulty.

Thanks again........ x

So why exactly does a dr. put someone on Metaformin? What is it , it is supposed to do for you? And does it help with things other than just weight loss?
thx L

Metformin is prescribed to regulate insulin/blood sugar. So it's given to people with insulin resistance and diabetes and PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome - insulin resistance and infertility are often symptoms. Sometimes if the blood sugar is regulated PCOS patients have an easier time conceiving).

To add to kaplods response, they have found that even when a woman with pcos doesn't show a lot of signs/symptoms of insulin resistance they can still find metformin improves their pcos symptoms. It is still uncertain why but it seems that the more than can lower & steady the blood sugar levels the better off the overall hormone balance is in the body. This is a syndrome with many unanswered questions.

For me the metformin didn't make much difference. Eating low carb is definitely a priority but I find framing it as high protein/high veg helps me stay on track better. As well, for me, until I started a LOT of high intensity workouts (walking doesn't count) that included weight lifting that was when I finally saw weight loss results. At that it took almost 8 weeks before I saw the initial loss.

Thanks for the further info. Well i'm going to get tested for Insulin resistance and see what happens from there.

Ta x

I agree, you must change your metabolism from the inside, and eating lean proteins and strength training are key. Building muscle will burn fat while you sleep, eat, and watch TV, and you'll look better faster I have handweights with settings up to 12.5lbs each and an exercise ball, and I use that as my weight bench, so I get added stability and ab training! You don't need an expensive gym membership.

I have gone VERY low carb the past 2 weeks. Oatmeal (whole grain friggin as sprouted as it gets) and everythng else that was a grain or potato was stalling my weight loss, and making me hungrier. Now I'm doing sort of an Atkin's-type thing. I don't eat red meat or fatty proteins. I limit my string cheese to 2-3 per day (cheese isn't that good for us anyway!). Here's my meal plan that has been causing 1lb per day of weight loss for me:

B~ Omlette: 2 eggs, 1 cup broccoli, 1 string cheese
L~ Turkey or fish on salad greens, 2 tbsp organic creamy dressing
Sn~ 1 or 2 string cheese
D~ Turkey, fish, tofu, or chicken, greens, cooked in olive oil

I'm using ketone strips from CVS to test my body in ketosis every day. I must say, it's a motivator. I want to see the strip turn dark pink each morning, so I know I'm burning my own fat. Also, ketones are an appetite suppressant, so I'm NATURALLY coming in under 1400 calories a day.

So far, this has been the only thing that has worked for me. Once another good 30 or so pounds come off I can add back organic whole grains into my diet, slowly so my body relearns how to metabolize them. Maybe a slice of bread per day, then maybe some brown rice with lunch, etc.

It's annoying, but I was the healthiest non-skinny girl I knew. I was even vegan at one point, and gained 10lbs!! I actually hate eating animal products but the weight comes off beautifully. I figure once it's off, then if I go vegan, 1400 cals per day of healthy grains, beans, and tofu, will not put 80+lbs back on, right?? ;-)

That's awesome......glad things are progressing for you ! Wooohoo