Anyone here who really knows about insulin and fat storage?

[nanette1985]

I'm diabetic and on insulin. A few months ago I gained about 15 pounds when I was on nortriptyline (tricyclic antidepressant) and I stopped the med, but the weight is not coming off. I'm not and never have been overweight.

I eat lowish-carb (40-50 grams of carb/day) which keeps the blood sugar low and stable. My buddies on diabetes forums say that I'm not losing the weight because of the insulin, and suggest that I up the fat levels, but are not clear on why. I've done some research but having trouble making sense of it.

Thoughts/suggestions?

 

[SociallyChallenged]

I'm diabetic and on insulin. A few months ago I gained about 15 pounds when I was on nortriptyline (tricyclic antidepressant) and I stopped the med, but the weight is not coming off. I'm not and never have been overweight.

I eat lowish-carb (40-50 grams of carb/day) which keeps the blood sugar low and stable. My buddies on diabetes forums say that I'm not losing the weight because of the insulin, and suggest that I up the fat levels, but are not clear on why. I've done some research but having trouble making sense of it.

Thoughts/suggestions?

Insulin will promote you keeping weight on. Are you a type I or type II diabetic? I know it's mainly used for type I, but if you're type II and on insulin, that changes things. Honestly, you can maintain your insulin and carb intakes, but you need to drop your overall caloric intake. Insulin can't store calories that aren't present in your diet. If you eat in a caloric deficit, your body has to lose the weight.

Also, have you found a better antidepressant? Or did you decide against using one?

 

[nanette1985]

Insulin will promote you keeping weight on. Are you a type I or type II diabetic? I know it's mainly used for type I, but if you're type II and on insulin, that changes things. Honestly, you can maintain your insulin and carb intakes, but you need to drop your overall caloric intake. Insulin can't store calories that aren't present in your diet. If you eat in a caloric deficit, your body has to lose the weight.

Also, have you found a better antidepressant? Or did you decide against using one?

I was taking it for rheumatoid arthritis - didn't help, even though I stayed on it a lot longer than I felt right. Side effects were yucky - weight gain, fuzzy thinking, tired, dizzy.

Type II, first diagnosed about 20 years ago with gestational diabetes. I try to eat at least 1200 calories/day, if I go lower it does affect blood sugar. I have to remember to eat.

Bolded part - by the numbers I should be losing what I gained, why isn't this happening?

 

[SociallyChallenged]

I was taking it for rheumatoid arthritis - didn't help, even though I stayed on it a lot longer than I felt right. Side effects were yucky - weight gain, fuzzy thinking, tired, dizzy.

Type II, first diagnosed about 20 years ago with gestational diabetes. I try to eat at least 1200 calories/day, if I go lower it does affect blood sugar. I have to remember to eat.

Bolded part - by the numbers I should be losing what I gained, why isn't this happening?

See, if you're a type II diabetic on insulin, it changes things. Honestly, you'll probably have to see someone who specializes in nutrition and weight loss for diabetics, which is actually relatively common. If you were a type I diabetic, you'd likely already know that you can easily lose weight by just lightening up on the insulin, regardless of caloric intake. In your case, the mechanics of the disease work differently, therefore you have to do things differently. I don't have the experience to detail what you're supposed to do though.

 

[nanette1985]

See, if you're a type II diabetic on insulin, it changes things. Honestly, you'll probably have to see someone who specializes in nutrition and weight loss for diabetics, which is actually relatively common. If you were a type I diabetic, you'd likely already know that you can easily lose weight by just lightening up on the insulin, regardless of caloric intake. In your case, the mechanics of the disease work differently, therefore you have to do things differently. I don't have the experience to detail what you're supposed to do though.

Thank you - I'm looking for that kind of specialist and having a darned hard time finding someone. That's why I posted here since there are a lot of folks here with amazing knowledge.

 

[darkxshade]

Are you sure it's actual fat weight you're gaining? Your predicament is way out of my expertise but I can't imagine how one can gain real[non-water weight] from a caloric deficit. Then again, I don't see how one can also gain water weight if they are on low carbs.

Do you keep a food log? I can't tell you how much I've learned about my diet ever since I bought a food scale and started to log my food intake. It's amazing how much I used to underestimate the serving size by eyeballing the amounts I thought I was eating.

 

[nanette1985]

Are you sure it's actual fat weight you're gaining? Your predicament is way out of my expertise but I can't imagine how one can gain real[non-water weight] from a caloric deficit. Then again, I don't see how one can also gain water weight if they are on low carbs.

Do you keep a food log? I can't tell you how much I've learned about my diet ever since I bought a food scale and started to log my food intake. It's amazing how much I used to underestimate the serving size by eyeballing the amounts I thought I was eating.

Actual fat weight gain? No idea, but that's what my diabetic forum friends call it. Not water, as you know low-carb affects that plus I'm on diuretics.

Yes, I do a food log and weigh/measure everything - you're right that it's not accurate to guess, unless you've weighed and measured for a long time. Thanks for the suggestion, though.

Insulin does strange things.

 

[blackangst1]

Losing weight and being on insulin is very difficult. It's an issue with type 1's for sure. Myself being a type 1, I need to lose about 15 pounds. I started about 3 years ago, cutting carb intake from about 400g/day to under 100, and increasing fruits/veggies/protein. For the last couple of years my intake is about 40-80g/day, about 1800 -2000 calories. I've been doing regular excercise...tried walking 45 mins 3-4x week and weight training. Now, I do a little of both. What have I got to show for all this? Well, I *am* healthier. Im off my triglyceride and cholestorol meds, and my daily insulin intake is about half of what it was.

And Ive lost about 3 pounds.

Ive just resigned that I'll have a bit of a tummy and be a little chunky.

 

[asher]

Insulin is secreted by the pancreas in response to food consumption, especially carbohydrates and is particularly exaggerated with refined carbohydrates. Adipose tissue (fat cells) take up energy from your blood stream in response to insulin, causing you to gain weight.

If you are taking insulin, you will find it extremely hard to lose weight. Someone above suggested cutting your calories, but that won't help, it will just make you more tired. I hope you are not eating sugar or white carbs, because those will boost your insulin even higher.

You are in a really shitty position to be honest. When you take insulin for diabetes you are putting yourself in a state that is very very difficult to get out of. I would talk to your doctor and ask if there are alternatives for managing your blood sugar levels without insulin so that you can lose weight. Very low carb diets are what I would recommend, but of course don't do anything without your doctor's approval.

I have studied this stuff in depth as I was obese not too long ago (I am now a healthy weight, and all I did was make small changes in my diet). Insulin (and carbs) are the keys to weight loss.

I highly recommend you pick up a book. It is a comprehensive analysis of this issue, and is very well referenced. It is called 'Good Calories, Bad Calories' by Gary Taubes. It is an amazing synthesis of this issue (as well as some others) that will open your eyes, educate you, and allow you to make informed decisions about this aspect of your health.

 

[blackangst1]

Insulin is secreted by the pancreas in response to food consumption, especially carbohydrates and is particularly exaggerated with refined carbohydrates. Adipose tissue (fat cells) take up energy from your blood stream in response to insulin, causing you to gain weight.

If you are taking insulin, you will find it extremely hard to lose weight. Someone above suggested cutting your calories, but that won't help, it will just make you more tired. I hope you are not eating sugar or white carbs, because those will boost your insulin even higher.

You are in a really shitty position to be honest. When you take insulin for diabetes you are putting yourself in a state that is very very difficult to get out of. I would talk to your doctor and ask if there are alternatives for managing your blood sugar levels without insulin so that you can lose weight. Very low carb diets are what I would recommend, but of course don't do anything without your doctor's approval.

I have studied this stuff in depth as I was obese not too long ago (I am now a healthy weight, and all I did was make small changes in my diet). Insulin (and carbs) are the keys to weight loss.

I highly recommend you pick up a book. It is a comprehensive analysis of this issue, and is very well referenced. It is called 'Good Calories, Bad Calories' by Gary Taubes. It is an amazing synthesis of this issue (as well as some others) that will open your eyes, educate you, and allow you to make informed decisions about this aspect of your health.

I concur with you on this, but will add if her islets of langerhans are not producing enough insulin (she may be borderline type 1) then really no diet in the world will alleviate her need to inject it. As you know even if you ate zero calories per day, you still need insulin.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

I concur with you on this, but will add if her islets of langerhans are not producing enough insulin (she may be borderline type 1) then really no diet in the world will alleviate her need to inject it. As you know even if you ate zero calories per day, you still need insulin.

Agreed - doctors don't just give type II diabetics insulin for fun. They give it to them because they demonstrate signs of type I diabetes as well. Just because you have one doesn't mean you're immune from the other.

 

[Bulldog13]

Here is a good link on how insulin relates to weight:

http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/low-carb-library/why-we-get-fat/#more-4454

I don't think it directly relates to your specific question, but it does give a great read on the mechanics of insulin and fat gain.