Okay, so since being diagnosed (almost 3 years ago now) I have gotten excellent control of my A1c but in the process gained weight steadily. I exercise fairly regularly 3-5 times a week for 45 mins or so and I don’t eat junk too often, though I admit that I have a die hard sweet tooth. I began a series of failed diets over the last 6-8 months. Weight Watchers=no lost weight, Atkins=lost a little bit of weight and then stalled. I followed the plans RELIGIOUSLY even though I hate meat (ahem…Atkins). I’m tired of gross food and I feel like nothing is working for me and I am really getting frustrated…I want my old body back! I am looking for advice from people who have experienced something similar…
I know that A1c and good health is most important but if I carry extra weight that’s not healthy either.
Is it the insulin that makes us gain? One doc told me yes, but I’ve heard mixed reviews. Maybe because I’m always stressed?
Insulin holds onto fat. It is an ugly cycle. The more fat you gain the more insulin you have to do the more insulin you do the more fat you gain.
I feel your pain…before I started pumping, I would literally get MAD when I had a low and had to eat something…I hate eating when I’m not hungry. It sucks. Since I’ve been pumping, it doesn’t happen quite so often.
Insulin only makes us gain weight if we’re eating more calories than we need to fuel our body and our activities. It can definitely make it more challenging, however, because insulin helps the body store any excess glucose as fat. Plus, it’s so frustrating to try to limit calories yet have to treat blood glucose lows!
You’re so right that good A1C and other numbers (blood pressure, blood cholesterol, microalbumin) are of critical importance for long-term health while living with diabetes. A few extra pounds honestly aren’t as worrisome as high A1Cs or other number. Extra weight does require more insulin, however, and, more typically in type 2, contributes to insulin resistance.
But aiming for a healthy BMI is a worthy effort for overall health (and so we feel and look good). I successfully lost weight on Weight Watchers (it was a little tricky to count carbs and count points, but what I liked is that the program helped me limit my calories, which along with more physical activity, is what I needed to drop the weight).
You may want to meet with a dietitian. Perhaps the calorie count you were on with the diets was still too high. And sometimes, people can actually eat too few calories and find they don’t lose weight, as strange as that may sound.
Most research tells us that although physical activity is very important and certainly aids weight loss, calorie reduction is key. And, despite the competing “diets,” it’s not so much the type of foods (no-carb, low-carb, low-fat, etc.), but total calorie consumption.
I hope you find something that starts working for you. Best wishes!
Insulin is a fat storing hormone, so the higher carb you eat the more insulin you need & it becomes a vicious cycle. As Kelly said well, when you’re taking in more calories than you’re using you can’t lose weight. Frustrating especially when you’re already exercising a lot!
Sorry Atkins didn’t work for you. Everyone I know that does low carb has lost weight. If you hate eating meat, are there other proteins you like? I eat low carb & have hard time gaining weight. My doc is after me to put on weight. Believe me, being too thin is no fun either.
My weight definitely has a strong positive correlation with my insulin intake. When I dropped my insulin intake from 40 to 35 units I lost weight. Then I dropped it to 30 units. But then my weight did not go down because I was more likely to experience highs that had to be ‘corrected’ with extra shots. I was fooling myself into thinking that I had dropped my insulin intake to 30. It was really 30 + 10 for corrections instead of 35 + 5 for corrections. What really helped me recently was getting a CGM. All of a sudden I don’t need corrections and 30 is really 30. I dropped 15 pounds without trying. Of course, there is no magic. I am sure that I eat less. But I am not forced to correct which always felt like injecting weight instead of injecting insulin.
Thanks so much for all your suggestions. I think I knew bits and pieces of all of this but I really appreciate hearing it from your experiences and points of view. I will keep truckin along. : )
i totally get this every since i was dx’d. i’ve been putting on weight. I’ve tried everything and nothing worked. i finally started being a good pt and followed my cde’s advice and am now calorie counting. its working so i’m not gonna complain. it is frustrating when some ppl assume you are type2 because you are chubby… i had an er doc do it and it made me mad. anyway i know there is a correlation between insulin and weight gain.