blood insulin level still elevated

[sue sue]

I have a question. I have been on PP for 2 and 1/2 months. I have just started exercise 2 weeks ago (6 days a week at Curves--working up a sweat, not gabbing), I have been faithful and good to the diet. I am supplimenting with Magnesium and Potassium. I have lost 30 pounds. I just had my second set of labs (blood chemistry). My triglycerides were WAY down (half of what they were to well within normal limits). my cholesterol was down 20 points to 220, all of my chemistry was improved--even the stuff that was normal before. However, my Insulin (fasting) was still 13. any suggestions?

[Gaelen]

Sue sue, welcome.
It can take awhile to lower and stabilize blood glucose readings, and some people can't control them with diet alone. Are you on any type of meds?

[sue sue]

Thanks for replying Gaelen!
No, I am not on any meds, but I am not a diabetic. However, I am now taking meds for hypothyroid within the last 2 months. I have recently gone off of my blood pressure meds after 20 years--thanks to PP. I am very large--I need to loose 200 pounds plus, and I have NEVER been able to loose weight. I am loosing weight now--I lost 25 pounds in the first month and 5 pounds over the last 5 weeks. However, at my size, and with daily exercise and strict adherence to my eating plan, I realize that I should be loosing more than a pound a week. However, I am thrilled to be finally loosing, even if it is just a pound a week! I am quite interested in getting my insulin down so that my body will help me.

[Gaelen]

I am very large--I need to loose 200 pounds plus, and I have NEVER been able to loose weight. I am loosing weight now--I lost 25 pounds in the first month and 5 pounds over the last 5 weeks. However, at my size, and with daily exercise and strict adherence to my eating plan, I realize that I should be loosing more than a pound a week. However, I am thrilled to be finally loosing, even if it is just a pound a week! I am quite interested in getting my insulin down so that my body will help me.

Sue sue...rate of loss is a very individual thing, no matter what your size. I'm sure Missy will vouch for that--but slow progress is STILL progress, and turning around years of bad habits can sometimes take a very long time. You shouldn't necessarily be losing more than a pound a week, regardless of size or exercise, if you have other health issues going on and/or are very insulin resistant and/or have a history of dieting. So don't give up--stick to slow and steady while it's here. Your blood glucose readings will ultimately come into line, and as long as you're not diabetic and you stay to the eating plan, you should see BG lowering eventually.

[sue sue]

Thank You Gaelen! I am just happy to see every ounce of fat melt off of me at whatever rate it goes. I am just thrilled to actually be loosing weight. Hopefully my body will "get into gear" and I will be slender sooner, but later is great, too. I guess I am just taking the scenic route. :) Thanks!

[davidlee]

I have a question. I have been on PP for 2 and 1/2 months. I have just started exercise 2 weeks ago (6 days a week at Curves--working up a sweat, not gabbing), I have been faithful and good to the diet. I am supplimenting with Magnesium and Potassium. I have lost 30 pounds. I just had my second set of labs (blood chemistry). My triglycerides were WAY down (half of what they were to well within normal limits). my cholesterol was down 20 points to 220, all of my chemistry was improved--even the stuff that was normal before. However, my Insulin (fasting) was still 13. any suggestions?
Obesity and insulin resistance go through hand in hand in quite a few people. It's quite possible that you are insulin resistant.

The foods you eat to contribute to the amount of glucose in your bloodstream. Foods that are high in carbohydrates (simple sugars) such as sugar, honey, milk, fruit, flour, white rice, potato starch are easily absorbed through the stomach and convert into glucose (sugar) quickly. If you eat them excessively, they need more insulin to transport them into the cells. Foods made of fat or protein don't need much insulin at all. (Some even need none!)

What happens when there is too much insulin then? As an overweight person gains more weight, insulin doesn't work quite as well. The cells become desensitized to the action of the insulin so it isn't able to transport the glucose to them. In other words, the cells are "insulin resistant."

Your body's hormones are in dire straits now. You are secreting more and more insulin to deal with the high blood sugar levels, but it is working less and less effectively. That makes you crave carbohydrates and sweets, which puts you right into the middle of a viscious cycle. In time, even the insulin receptors that convert glucose to a fat starts getting worn out and that forecasts diabetes.

[Gaelen]

Obesity and insulin resistance go through hand in hand in quite a few people. It's quite possible that you are insulin resistant.

The foods you eat to contribute to the amount of glucose in your bloodstream. Foods that are high in carbohydrates (simple sugars) such as sugar, honey, milk, fruit, flour, white rice, potato starch are easily absorbed through the stomach and convert into glucose (sugar) quickly. If you eat them excessively, they need more insulin to transport them into the cells. Foods made of fat or protein don't need much insulin at all. (Some even need none!)

Davidlee, if you read Sue Sue's post, she's not eating foods which are high in carbohydrates. She's eating low carb, following Protein Power. So while your suggestion applies to people who aren't following PP, it's off-base here. She may still be insulin resistant, but her diet isn't the reason her blood sugar level is 13.

Your body's hormones are in dire straits now. You are secreting more and more insulin to deal with the high blood sugar levels, but it is working less and less effectively. That makes you crave carbohydrates and sweets, which puts you right into the middle of a viscious cycle. In time, even the insulin receptors that convert glucose to a fat starts getting worn out and that forecasts diabetes.

Again, she's not craving 'carbohydrates and sweets,' -- she's on plan.
She was just wondering why her rate of loss was slower than anticipated and why her blood sugar levels were still elevated. And the answers to both of those things are that rate of loss and rate of healing is individual, and not everyone progresses at the fastest rate.

[LisaS]

Davidlee, if you read Sue Sue's post, she's not eating foods which are high in carbohydrates. She's eating low carb, following Protein Power. So while your suggestion applies to people who aren't following PP, it's off-base here. She may still be insulin resistant, but her diet isn't the reason her blood sugar level is 13.
...[snip] ...
She was just wondering why her rate of loss was slower than anticipated and why her blood sugar levels were still elevated. And the answers to both of those things are that rate of loss and rate of healing is individual, and not everyone progresses at the fastest rate.

just my observation - the OP brought up INSULIN not Blood Glucose levels.

[Gaelen]

oops...my mistake...I'd had a PM from the original poster back in June where she'd mentioned that she hadn't meant fasting insulin, and I just carried that over.

[laughingW]

I'm close to Sue Sue's situation, and I can still keep insulin too high by how and when I structure the PP meals, and what kind of exercise.

Frequent meals and high insulin-load meals will do it. The opposite keeps it down.

On the exercise, slow is good for both walking and weights. High intensity too frequently is bad - excess cortisol stimulation and possibly an excess inflammation response (per Stephen Finney).

[waltc]

On the exercise, slow is good for both walking and weights. High intensity too frequently is bad - excess cortisol stimulation and possibly an excess inflammation response (per Stephen Finney).

Even though this is two months old, I feel I can't let this be the last word on exercise in this thread. I don't get the same results on my blood sugar from exercise. I do both high intensity weight training and high intensity interval training, and my blood sugars are kept 10 to 15 points below when I don't exercise.