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Insulin Affecting Weight Loss

luceeloo

Well-Known Member
Messages
677
Location
Rowley Regis
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Insulin
I need a bit of guidance. I've been trying to lose weight for years, and always get to a certain point. That certain point since I've been on basal and bolus insulin is a very high point.
Last year I had a meltdown, stopped using insulin and stopped caring. I gained weight at first (because I was eating all the chocolate), but then obviously, started maintaining because I had crazy blood sugar. Had five months of CBT/psychotherapy, and in the initial period between feeling better and doing lots of exercise, but not yet back on insulin, I lost a couple of stone. Then, as part of the whole therapeutic process, I started taking control of my diabetes. I've been back on the full regime for three months, with really good blood sugars, and weight loss has stalled completely.
I'm doing low carb, intermittent fasting, and keeping active by walking lots. I think my insulin usage is fairly high due to being very insulin resistant. But, when I've attempted basal testing, I've had to abandon due to always having to correct the dawn high that I get. So I'm going to try to persevere with it this week.
I'm currently on Toujeo and Novorapid. I struggle with metformin, so haven't been taking that, but going to try and get back on it to see if that helps with the dawn highs.
Fitness-wise, in my adult life, I've never been as fit as I am right now - so I'm going to push that a bit more and go to the gym a couple of times a week.

Those who have managed to lose weight whilst on insulin... is there something that I'm missing from my regime? What is the secret?! Are there any tips?
 
The trouble with insulin is it will force your body to use/store all the energy from what you eat.. so if you eat more than your body needs for energy it will be stored as fat.

So the only way to control this is to be more careful with the food you eat. And to lose weight you need to eat slightly less than the body needs to so it burns some of the fat store.

A low carb diet will probably help you achieve this. Which it sound you are already trying

Hopefully someone that had the same issue will Covent on how they have managed
 

Ok been thinking on this for a few minutes

This is a question for someone more knowledgeable

I assume that some food types could be low carb but high calorie?

I also assume to many calories could cause weight gain?

So in some case where weight control is needed calories are as important as carbs?

So the correct substitutions are needed when going low carb?

Or simply things this is low carb so I can have as much as I want is incorrect?


This is just my curiosity when thinking about this.. but it it’s the case could it be the problem?
 
Some people can eat anything low carb and not gain weight.

Others, like me, have to count calories as well as carbs, or I gain weight.

I don't know why there are different responses. I am very insulin resistant, but diet controlled only.
 
searley said:
I assume that some food types could be low carb but high calorie?

I also assume to many calories could cause weight gain?

So in some case where weight control is needed calories are as important as carbs?
Click to expand...

Lots of controversy about those statements in nutrition world as well as diabetes world.

@luceeloo What kind of blood sugar levels are you seeing?
I'm afraid that with severe insulin resistance slamming in more insulin is unlikely to help.

How "low carb" are you? Obviously you need to closely watch your levels when using insulin as too low is the last thing you want.
 

I’ve never had to diet so it’s an area I don’t know about.. and I ask out of curiosity
 

Hi,

Keeping BG levels managed & stable can help with positivity on emotional health.
There's always going to be the odd anomaly occur.
What sort of levels are you seeing on the "dawn high?" Is it a case of having a decent BG on waking then a rise during your morning routine, even though you haven't eaten. Or is it on waking you see the issue?
 
For me losing weight on insulin is impossible. I tried one meal a day as a trusted friend sometimes does it, I ate only evening meal which my wife cooked so was very healthy, this meant I was hungry for 23 hours a day and I put weight on lol. Best of luck, if you find an answer, please let us know as my weight has/is creeping up boooooo.
 
So many answers - thank you all for your responses.



I'm a big fan of Dr Jason Fung. So my diet is based on his recommendations in both the Diabetes Code, and The Obesity Code... and totally agree with the insulin being a problem. Can't lose weight with it, can't have normal blood sugar without it!

I'm between 30g and 60g of carbs a day. Usually on the lower end, but do have a few days at the upper end - especially if it's a walking day. Most days consist of some form of eggs for lunch, occasionally some ham or other meat with that. Then dinner is chicken or fish, sometimes red meat with salad or green veg. Occasionally I'll be decadent and have sausage, bacon and a few mushrooms... something like that. I struggle with dairy, so I don't have a lot of cheese/cream etc like some do.
For the last month I've been solidly between 4mmol and 7mmol during the daytime. Usually going to bed with around 5.5mmol and waking up between 9 - 10mmol.

searley said:
I assume that some food types could be low carb but high calorie?

I also assume to many calories could cause weight gain?

So in some case where weight control is needed calories are as important as carbs?
?
Click to expand...

I do think that you are right here. I think calories are still important... and I am still guilty of looking at calorie values on everything. It's a hard habit to break, being brought up in the low-fat, low calorie, weight watchers generation!


I agree - my emotional/mental health has been so much better by having stable levels and being able to keep on top of them... which is why I think I feel ready to tackle the weight issue again. I know it's not going to be easy, but I just want to look as fit as I feel lol. I don't even care about losing loads of weight, but currently steadfastly at 17.5 stone. I'd like to at least be at a weight where all the risks of obesity are a lot lower!
I'm seeing between 9 and 10mmol each morning on waking, and having just had back to back trials of Libre 2 and Dexcom, I get a dip around 3am and then the rise starts happening around 4am. I wake around 6am, and it continues to rise unless I correct, and that will usually get it back down for just before lunch. There are a very few days here and there where there's no dip, no rise, and I wake with blood sugars in the 5's... but I won't have done anything different (I'm guessing being T2, I may still have some sporadic insulin production?).
 

I honestly don't know.. which is why that response is more a question... but i know its a trap i fell into.. i cut out a lot of carbs but went on an eating spree all low carb but high calorie.. i did gain weight but i tend to yoyo a bit in that area anyway..

im glad you are feeling better, and i hope you get the answers you want so that you can achieve you weight loss goal
 
As well as Fung, google Westman. He is getting good results on 20g of carbs a day.
If lowering the carbs more isn't effective enough. Has the doctor or perhaps an endo, spoken to you about adding one or more of the several T2 meds that can help and may reduce your insulin need.
 
Last edited:

Wow - I just watched one of Westman's lectures. It actually makes sense, I've taken notes, and I'm going to immediately drop the carbs completely.
As for T2 meds, the Dr had me on Metformin, then Glicazide, Lyxumia, Dapagloflozin, Canagloflozin, and I've probably missed out something. The Endo took me off Canagloflozin in favour of going on to a full insulin regime. I have an appointment with a new DSN at my practice in a couple of weeks time, so I'm going drop my carbs, record the results, and then see if she'll work with me on reducing insulin and maybe adding the Canagloflozin back (as it really worked for me). I still have a prescription for metformin slow release, but have issues tolerating it. However, I'm going to persevere with it.
 

If you want more evidence have a look at the ViRTA health publications.

They follow a similar keto diet to Westman and have been getting lots of people off insulin.
https://www.virtahealth.com/research#Papers
 
luceeloo said:
I'm guessing being T2, I may still have some sporadic insulin production?).
Click to expand...
have you ever had it tested? Most type 2 (unless they’ve had it for decades) usually have high insulin production, just that it’s ineffective due to insulin resistance. When it’s said type 2 don’t produce enough insulin it really means don’t produce enough to overcome their resistance.

The sporadic insulin production issue is a type 1 honeymoon thing usually.
 

No, my GP surgery won't do GAD, Cpeptide or any additional tests due to costs. At one point a few years back there was an interim DSN who questioned my T2 diagnosis as I had a very rapid progression... but it never went beyond that, and she left, I'm probably just going off a misguided assumption that I have days where I can eat perfectly and do all the right things, but still need a fair bit of insulin; then other days where the requirement is much less and my blood sugars are better. So it could be days of less resistance and days of more resistance... I'll never actually know.
 

It's horrible isn't it? Doing all the right things and not getting anywhere! Hopefully your tests will give you some clarity.
I have a borderline underactive thyroid, but its not quite where it needs to be to require treatment. So they just monitor it with blood tests.
 
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