The Diet that Worked for Me

At the time I was diagnosed with insulin resistance I really wasn't interested in “diets”. I didn't know much about the different ones. The only change to my diet occurred about nine years prior to my diagnosis of insulin resistance and reactive hypoglycemia. It was when I was tested for food allergies and I found out that there were many foods that I should avoid. And for a year I did. But this is a topic for a later discussion.

The following is a brief outline of the diet that my HCP gave me. This diet emphasizes the importance of eating healthy foods long term and organic when possible. I've taken the liberty to adjust it a bit.

    PROTEIN. 4 – 6 ounces at each meal. This would be lean cuts of poultry, fish, red meat, and eggs.

    CARBOHYDRATES. Eat as many vegetables as you wish. Focus on colorful ones that grow above ground. Avoid soy, and high glycemic ones such as potatoes, winter squash, cooked carrots, and others that grow underground.

    GRAINS. Avoid all gluten grains such as wheat and barley unless you've been tested and know that you do not have celiac disease and are not sensitive to gluten. Eat quinoa instead.

    FRUITS. Avoid most fruits for a while. Have either berries or a half apple or pear per day.

    NUTS & SEEDS. Raw or dry roasted are best—almonds, walnuts, pecans, filberts, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds are recommended.

    FATS. The best fats are extra virgin olive oil, raw virgin coconut oil, and butter—not margarine!  Avoid most vegetable oils as they start going rancid as soon as they are processed.

    SWEETENERS. Avoid most sweeteners while following this diet. Avoid processed sugar forever! If you must use a sweetener, use stevia or a small amount of coconut syrup or raw agave.
   
    DAIRY. Use no dairy during this diet. Try nut or coconut milk. Or if you must have milk, use organic.

When I started this diet I had been going to the gym, doing the circuit and 30 minutes on the treadmill, without losing any weight. But when I started eating the diet outlined above, I lost 20 pounds in about three weeks. It all came off of my middle. I no longer had that apple shape that people with insulin resistance get. It was so obvious that everybody at the gym noticed!

The thing I like about this diet is that it is simple. You don't count calories and you don't count carbs. You just eat reasonable amounts of the foods described above. If you are insulin resistant (and you probably are or will be soon if you have an apple shape), try this diet and see if you don't have the same results as I did.

Write me and let me know how it works for you...