1. Plan's name: The Insulin Resistance Diet

2. Date: 2001

3. Basic Philosophy/Strategy: According to the authors, it is not carbohydrates that cause weight gain, but lack of protein and an excess of carbohydrates consumed in one sitting. Therefore, the authors reccomnd that carbs and protein be consumed in the ratio of 15g:7g. The maximum amount of carbohydrate allowed per meal or snack is 30g, and this must be balanced with at least 14g of protein. This concept is referred to as "linking and balancing" in that all carbs are linked with protein and balanced in this specific ratio.

The authors endorse the low fat hypothesis, so the plan dictates that low fat protein such as poultry, fish and low fat dairy products be used mainly as protein sources. Red meat can only be consumed 2 or 3 times a week. The plan counts beans and milk as proteins.

All vegetables with the exception of corn and potatoes can be eaten freely on the diet. Avocados and olives must be limited however due to their high fat content. Apples, cherries, peaches, plums and grapefruit do not need to be linked and balanced with protein, but are confined to no more than a half cup serving every 2 to 3 hours.

No more than 32g of carbs may be consumed within 2 hours. If one consumes more than this then the excess is stored as fat. This concept is known as the 2 hour fat window. Protein, however can be eaten at any time

Exercise is strongly endorsed

Critical of ketogenic diets, citing patients who have become ill (!!)

4. By the numbers:

Fat:20-30%, Protein: 20-30% Carbohydrate: 40-60%

Fats and Oils: Keep fats to a minimum, include some good fats

High-Carbohydrate Foods :Eat no more than 2 servings at any one time. Eat at least 2 fruits servings daily

High-Protein Foods: Eat at least 8 servings a day. Include 2 to 5 servings of dairy foods

Vegetables: Consume Freely, but eat at least 3 servings a day

5. Method: see no. 3

6. Typical menu:

Bfast:egg on toast, yogurt with cereal, milk with cereal

Lunch: Sandwhich with meat and low fat cheese, grilled chicken salad , beef soup with a potato

Dinner: Lean meat with a potato and vegetables, lentil pilaf with low fat cheese, pasta with meatballs and a green salad

7. Emphasis on: Fat and Protein. Can be difficult to find low fat protein sources if you do not wish to include milk and beans as true protein sources.

8. Unique Features: Resembles a diabetic diet. No foods are banned which makes this plan very livable. Suitable for vegatarians. Treats are reccomended up to 2 or 3 times a week. This may lead ppl down the slippery slop if they "treat" themselves to foods they are actually addicted to such as sugar.

May not work for those who are very sensitive to carbohydrates. Proscribes to the low fat theory, so is more likely to be accepted by the mainstram medical establishment.


9. About the authors

Cheryle R. Hart. M.D. is the founder of the Wellness Workshop, a medical weight-loss clinic in Washington. She was the associate clinical professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic and the University of Washington Meedical School. She specilises in bariatrics. Her clinic address the four main aspects of what she considers to be successful weight management: medical, nutritional, fitness education and emotional support.

Mary kay Grossman, R.D.

She is the nutritional adviser for the Wellness Workshop. Discovered that she too suffered from Insulin Resistance when she began to formulate menus and plans for her patients. This plan enabled her to finally lose weight seven years after the birth of her child.


Overall, this is a good plan, but I disagree with the authors somewhat (madeup?) scaremongering attitude towards ketegonic dieting.

Sorry about the spelling mistakes etc. I think the first attempt was better.

Thanks Scarlet :thup: It will be added to the list of plans in the next update.

Wa'il

Hey Tamarian

I just checked in the plans section. The Insulin Resistance Diet doesn't seem to be included. Will it be added?

Hi Scarlet,

I'm really sorry, I was just too busy to even check my to-do list. :(

And yes, it will be added, feel free to PM me if it doesn't show up in a week :)

Wa'il

Thanks Tamarian!

Don't worry about it. I was just concerned cause I see there are quite a lot of people who've joined the board lately who are doing this plan.

Hi Scarlet,

It's finally added and your name/credit at the bottom is linked to your web site. :thup:

Wa'il

I love this eating plan and can't believe it's not more popular.

I don't think the publishing company or authors ever gave it the PR it deserves.

I wish the authors would come out with a cookbook! Everyone loves lower-carb cookbooks...maybe that would draw some media attention.

It is a great plan allright isn't it? It's very popular in PCOS circles though.

oh my gosh, did you paint that angel? It is gorgeous.

Another good website for the Insulin Resistance Diet is www.thecanuck.org, but it's hard to access for some reason, and it's not very popular. But I've received a lot of helpful ideas and advice from that forum.

I also go on www.soulcysters.com. One gal lost 140 lbs. on the Insulin Resistance Diet! I just love this eating plan.

Nope AmberAAA1 did it for me. You should go over to her journal and congragulate her on it.

I have to add my voice to those interested in seeing a thread or section for this diet. I've just finished reading the book, and I have to admit that after losing 35lbs doing Atkins (something between OWL and Maintenance, because I am nursing), I've started to develop a certain bias that I've never had with regards to food.

Still, my body is telling me to eat less butter, cream and fatty red meat and more vegetables. I need to hear some Real People voices about The Insulin Resistance Diet: comparisons, successes, pittfalls and the like.

Erin

does any one out there ever feel like your going to get sick from eating so much low carb food? sometimes I feel like I just cant , then i cheat . Can anyone give me some advice ? Please , Thankyou Pembine

:Puke: when i get done eating weather breakfast , lunch or dinner I have this strong urge in my stomach to let it all come out . weather I eat a lil or alot ,any advice? Please [COLOR=DarkOrange][SIZE=3][FONT=Comic Sans MS]

Insulin Resistance Diet
 

Scarlet, or anyone that can help - are you still doing the modified insulin resistance diet? If so I would love to find out how you are modifying it. I have been on atkins since the beginning of the year and just not having great results. However, I do love this WOE. I am in the process of reading the insulin resistance diet, and I am convinced that I do have insulin resistance. I'd like to try this diet and modify it and do it somehow with atkins.

I think it might be time for me to dust off my copy of the book and re-read it. For the last several months, I have been following my own version of low carb dieting. As best as I can -- stress makes me eat, but I won't go into personal details.

If memory serves, I tried to meld the two diets to suit me by eating more lean protein and a lot of vegetables and even some fruit. Atkins was hard for me to follow because I really do love fruit, and prefer it as a dessert to anything else. I've never considered this a particularly unhealthy repast, and I'm pretty sketchy on the details of how fruits in particular fall in the glycemic index (which barely makes sense to me, and I'm not stupid). However, I eat far less fruit than I used to.

Other things that were hard to give up, like carrots, I now eat, but not nearly as much as I used to: I've been known to eat an entire pound of carrots at once. And corn, though I limit myself to half an ear. I do not put fat on cooked carrots or corn, and try to limit my intake of fat on days when I am desperately craving vegetables. Sometimes a large drink of water ends these cravings, sometimes not.

Dairy, especially yogurt, is still a huge struggle for me. Cheese is yummy, but it leaves a bad aftertaste in my mouth. I drink a lot of unsweetened soymilk (Westsoy has 4g of carbs and 3g of fiber or some such). I limit my intake of yogurt to only a few times per week.

I thought I would miss bread a lot more than I do, but I allow myself a serving of bread about once a week, usually with butter or cheese. Having once been my favorite snack, bread and soft cheese is just as much food for my soul as anything else. And I think IR Diet addresses that, though maybe indirectly. Also, I once lost 65lbs living on mostly bread, cheese and fruit juice for over a year, so I have a hard time accepting that Bread is Evil. In the same vein, I also allow myself a small bit of sugar once a week as well (sometimes less, because sugar has a slimy quality). If the choice is between backsliding a little or falling off the wagon completely, I opt for the former.

Hope this helps. Not feeling very coherent at this very moment.

Erin