On IF & Frequent Eating - and IR :-( page

[WendyLady]

I did primal last spring, and lost some weight (had a blog on here...). I really struggled to stay on it and resist sugar. Then I went home for the summer (we live overseas) and fell off the wagon during a time of heavy stress, and gained back everything within a couple of weeks.

Since then I have struggled to get back on the wagon full time because I just wasn't seeing results, but this week I got my much-needed butt-kicking.

I started having blood work done (starting with thyroid) and ended up at the endocrinologist's office. It turns out I have Insulin Resistance, probably from PCOS, maybe inherited.

The Dr Endo basically told me to go primal! Not in so many words but he described a very primal diet. The major difference being, he wants me to eat very frequently, every 2.5-3 hours. He told me to NOT let myself get hungry, that this means I've waited too long to eat.

I know this is typical IR thinking - and I'm in a part of the world with low-quality medicine. He isn't 100% great with nutrition, but he is light-years ahead of most American doctors who push carbs-carbs-carbs even for diabetics.

What I am wondering is - my body seems to adapt to frequent eating very well. It's so much easier to stay "on the wagon". I don't crave sugar when I do this. All my life I've had trouble going a long time without eating. Even as a teen, when I tried to fast for religious reasons (water-only), after 24 hours I was extremely ill and would have been hospitalized if I hadn't had a registered nurse for a good friend who helped me.

I've only been doing this for 2 days and I'm feeling better and my scale, which had been stuck for weeks, has already moved by more than a pound.

I'm wondering if any of you do the frequent-small-meals thing. IF just doesn't seem to be for me. At least not for now. Perhaps when I am at a healthy weight and my insulin is regulated. Though I think back to that experience as a teen, when I was very thin & healthy, and I just doubt it. I am starting to think that changing my habits to be more like my husband's (he only wants to eat 1-2x per day, very big meals) was the beginning of my weight problems.

Both of my kids are very thin & very active & they both want to eat like this - grazing, basically. I am very much about teaching them the best habits so they never get overweight & unhealthy like their parents have.

Thanks for the feedback -

WendyLady

[JoanieL]

People do IF for individual reasons. For some, it's as simple as liking big meals, so one big meal feels like less deprivation than a bunch of small ones that don't satisfy. For others it's autophagy. And there are a myriad of other reasons.

If you feel good, are not eating garbage, and the scale is moving in the direction you want it to, that should tell you that you're doing something right.

[otzi]

Get yourself a home blood glucose tester and as many test strips as you can afford. A $100 investment will pay dividends in eliminating guesswork and spinning your wheels.

If you are truly insulin resistant, you want to absolutely limit insulin spikes at all costs--keep your blood glucose, as measured with tester, under 120-140. You will see what spikes it by testing. It will probably take a fairly long run of low carb with lots of seafood and Primal Blueprint approved foods.

Did you get other labs? How were your lipids? Especially triglycerides? Also important to get Vit D way up there. Insulin Resistance is one of the first steps to a really crappy life.

Good luck! You can do it!

[Sandra in BC]

I say eat for optimal health and healing your body. If that means eating primal foods frequently, and it works for you, then do it. I wouldn't even worry about weight loss or fat loss for the short term, while you tinker with your menu and your eating style.

Primal does not mean low carb, nor does it mean you have to IF.

[Damiana]

Do what works for you. If it makes you feel better to eat small meals then do it and don't listen to anyone who says its bad. You know your body best.

[Meghanner]

Check out paleo blog for women. Stefani does a great piece on why women shouldn't IF. It's really helpful! She also writes extensively about PCOS

[WendyLady]

Thanks everyone! I'm off to check out Stefani's blog... and keep eating 6x per day...