Insulin Resistance, Supplements and the Low Carb Diet

Something you should know about me. I'm fairly obsessive when I latch on to something. No, I'm not a stalker or anything. But I've found that when a topic truly interests me, I latch onto to it and my quest for knowledge about it is like searching for the Holy Grail.

Such has been the case with me over the last few months while I work to take off this weight.

Several people have asked me why I have pursued a low carb diet instead of a low fat one.

OK.

A- I've tried the low fat ones (like WW) and they don't work for me long term. and
B- 42 years on the planet have taught me that low carb works for me in coping with more than just the number on the scale.

In 1996, I was diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) and while I seem to have a mild case of it (but serious enough that it kept me from getting pregnant without the involvement of teams of experts). But once I learned this, I latched on to that piece of knowledge with all of my might and found out everything I could about it and what was in my power to do with that knowledge. One of the key factors is that most women with PCOS are Insulin Resistant and at the risk of oversimplifying... if you are insulin resistant, you respond better to a low carb diet in the quest to lose weight.

Another little consolation prize for being insulin resistant is that it's often also referred to as "pre-diabetic" And while I don't (now) have any of the symptoms one usually associates with Diabetes. I did develop gestational diabetes when I was pregnant so I've been warned that this is something that may come up again later on.

Gee, thanks.

You would think that with this knowledge, I would have immediately gone on a low carb diet... but I didn't. I was a little slow on the uptake. I lost 40 pounds in 2003 but almost instantly gained most of it back when I went "off my diet" and went back to the bread, pasta, chocolate ice cream and oreos that have been my downfall.

But now I have latched on and taken to it like a fish to water. (let's see how many cliches I can fit into one blog post).

There is no lying that I feel better...who wouldn't with 33 less pounds to carry around. But I also realize that if I plan to stay this size, then low carb has to become a permanent part of my life.

A Way of Life, as they say.

And I'm constantly tweaking this life of mine. What works for a while, doesn't work forever. So that will mean that I must constantly try new ways to make low carb work for me.

This week's thing I'm latching on to is supplements. I NEVER thought I'd ever be saying this but I think I need to take more vitamins.

There was a time when a bottle of multi-vitamins would sit in my cabinet for so long (because I'd forget to take them regularly) that eventually I'd have to throw them out because we weren't even still in the same calendar year as the date on the bottle. Sad, I know.

But NOW... I'm taking my multi-vitamin religiously along with a calcium supplement and a dose of chromium picolinate... because I read that it works to increase the efficiency of insulin to optimal levels. AND I'm investigating what else I should be taking (like Omega-3 and a few others). What has happened to me??

And perhaps "investigating" isn't the right word... I'm obsessed. I find myself following every link I can find on the correlation between low carb diets and nutritional supplements not to mention asking every low carb acquaintance, expert and friend "what are you taking?", "how much?", "how often?" and "why?"

I know what you're thinking... "why not just call your doctor and ask him, Scale Mistress?"

Because that would involve calling him, making an appointment and seeing him. And while I don't really have a thing about going to the doctor like some people do, I just can't seem to find the time.

Again... you're thinking "get off that darn computer and pick up the phone."

And you would be right. But where's the fun in that?

I think I'll go see what else I can find so...

Stay tuned for less of me.