Does the Insulin-Resistance Diet Work? Week 1

Not long ago I wrote an article on insulin resistance and how it can keep you from losing weight. I also mentioned a book in that article, The Insulin-Resistance Diet: How to Turn Off Your Body’s Fat-Making Machine, and how the authors explain how to lose weight using the “link and balance” eating method. The question is, does the link and balance really work and how practical is it?

To find out if the methods in the book work, I am giving the link and balance method 6 weeks to see results. I will write an update each week, but I will also continue my regular exercise routine of Turbo Jam, Hip Hop Hustle, running, cycling, and ChaLEAN Extreme.

Although I am a little sore from yesterday’s Turbo Jam workout, my weight for today, week 1 of this experiment is 183.2 lbs. And as you can see from the previous paragraph, I am having no trouble working out. My workouts are pretty intense. So why am I still in the 180’s unable to move down in weight? And keep in mind that I am only 5′ 3 1/2″ tall, so there is really no reason for me to weigh this much.

A couple of years ago, in the fall of 2007 at 198 lbs, my doctor at the time told me that my body was becoming insulin resistant. I didn’t know what that meant, so I tried searching for it on the Internet. I didn’t have much luck searching for a concrete definition outside of a connection with diabetes, so I thought I might be out of luck.

So, I hit my number 2 research destination, my local Border’s bookstore. It is there where I found the insulin resistance diet book. It seemed like a good read and it was the only book on the subject, so I decided to buy it. I read through it and the information seemed credible, but I soon got off track.

I was so busy trying to lose the extra weight before my next doctor’s appointment that I put the book aside and didn’t think about it again for a long time. I tried to lose weight by going back to what I knew — running and lifting. But I didn’t just run, I ran a race every month from November 2007 until June 2008. By then I had already run 2 half marathons and a 10 miler. But when I went to see my doctor again, my weight had barely budged. I didn’t understand. I was almost in tears because I had been working so hard and yet the results just weren’t there.

So, I tried other things. I went to Weight Watchers. I tried NutriSystem. But I was never quite comfortable with either program. I have been trying to be a vegetarian, but, in my very crowded house it is very difficult. Not that I use that as an excuse, I’m just saying that sometimes I get lazy.

By the time I had done all of those things, I had also become and ACE certified personal trainer, so you’d think I would know exactly what to do. Well, not so much!

Then, in April 2009 I became an Independent Beachbody Coach when I decided to take the packaging off of the Turbo Jam workout DVDs I had ordered six months before. I figured that as a coach I would definitely be more motivated to lose weight.

But as intense as Turbo is, I still wasn’t losing the weight. I figured it must be my diet, but I didn’t know what. Sometimes I didn’t eat enough, and sometimes my blood sugar went really low despite having no diagnosis if diabetes.

That is when I rediscovered the insulin resistance diet book. I figured that after everything I had tried, going back to this book could only help. So that’s where I am now.

I can cover the basics of insulin resistance in another article, but here is my assignment for week 1 of the diet:

Start burning fat by linking. This happens when you combine carbohydrates with a lean source of protein. Doing this keeps you full and helps keep your insulin stable. The book says, “Linking works best if you eat protein by itself, before, or with carbohydrates. If this is not possible, then eat some protein as soon after your carbs as you can.” (p. 29)

So, that’s really it for this week. All I have to do is follow the list of lean proteins on pages 28 and 29 and follow the rule above every time I eat.

Sounds simple, but some things are easier said than done. I’ll be keeping you posted. Let the weight loss begin!

Sources:

Wendy’s Independent Beachbody Coach Website

http://budurl.com/coachwendy

The Insulin-Resistance Diet book website

http://www.irdiet.com/