Raised "freckles"

[Peata]

Katty, sorry if you've mentioned this elsewhere and I didn't see, but have you gained any weight?

Any new acne or unusually oily skin?

And are you using progest-E?

 

[Katty]

Katty, sorry if you've mentioned this elsewhere and I didn't see, but have you gained any weight?

Any new acne or unusually oily skin?

And are you using progest-E?

Yes, I've gained about 45 lbs- started Peating about 3 years ago (was probably underweight at the time), but never really ate enough for anything to work. Slowly gained weight though. The first 20 lbs was probably useful... the second 25 is disconcerting. I did a re-feed of sorts this past fall which accounts for the last 2 pant sizes or so.
Acne has never been this bad in my life. Skin isn't necessarily any oilier than usual... though when I recently switched from NDT to T4/T3 I guess my hair did get a little oilier.

I'm not using progest-E. I did use it for a while about 2-3 yrs ago for about 9 mos. Never really felt it helping anything and had some not so nice reactions from it. I've considered trying it again, but I'm a bit nervous. And I just changed my thyroid meds so I don't want to switch up too many things at once.

Do you see a plan for me??

 

[Peata]

Katty, sorry if you've mentioned this elsewhere and I didn't see, but have you gained any weight?

Any new acne or unusually oily skin?

And are you using progest-E?

Yes, I've gained about 45 lbs- started Peating about 3 years ago (was probably underweight at the time), but never really ate enough for anything to work. Slowly gained weight though. The first 20 lbs was probably useful... the second 25 is disconcerting. I did a re-feed of sorts this past fall which accounts for the last 2 pant sizes or so.
Acne has never been this bad in my life. Skin isn't necessarily any oilier than usual... though when I recently switched from NDT to T4/T3 I guess my hair did get a little oilier.

I'm not using progest-E. I did use it for a while about 2-3 yrs ago for about 9 mos. Never really felt it helping anything and had some not so nice reactions from it. I've considered trying it again, but I'm a bit nervous. And I just changed my thyroid meds so I don't want to switch up too many things at once.

Do you see a plan for me??

I'm not sure, but I wonder if it's insulin resistance. That's what I am currently dealing with and have for much of my life. It seems to come in cycles every few years. This is the worst it's ever been. I have PCOS too. Have you ever been dx'd with that? You can look at symptoms and see what you think. But gaining weight, acne, skin tags or whatever they are go hand in hand with this IR stuff. I'm trying hard to lose weight and see if my symptoms go away (breathing issues at times, panic, brain fog though it's a little better, weight gain...). I can only assume that sugar is not getting where it's supposed to go in our bodies.

Are you using added sugars like white sugar, honey...

Or are your sugars mostly fruits, some starches..?

 

[Katty]

I'm not sure, but I wonder if it's insulin resistance. That's what I am currently dealing with and have for much of my life. It seems to come in cycles every few years. This is the worst it's ever been. I have PCOS too. Have you ever been dx'd with that? You can look at symptoms and see what you think. But gaining weight, acne, skin tags or whatever they are go hand in hand with this IR stuff. I'm trying hard to lose weight and see if my symptoms go away (breathing issues at times, panic, brain fog though it's a little better, weight gain...). I can only assume that sugar is not getting where it's supposed to go in our bodies.

Are you using added sugars like white sugar, honey...

Or are your sugars mostly fruits, some starches..?

Yes, I assume I have IR issues now. I restricted carbs and food for years, so it's not surprising. It's been suggested by some Peaters that these are also high cortisol issues-- skin tags, weight gain, excess facial hair, etc. I'm wondering the relation between insulin resistance and high cortisol.
Interesting the timing of this conversation because I was listening to a podcast earlier today (Evil Sugar Radio)-- the guest was Adel Moussa- I'm not familiar with him otherwise, but he works in some capacity in the health and weight loss industry. In any event, he said that if you've restricted calories for a long time, then T3 drops (which most of us Peaters probably already assumed)- but he said when you increase carbs again, if the T3 stays low, then you can become insulin resistant, at least for a time. Actually, I guess that isn't such a new concept at all to Peaters. It really seems to fit me though so I guess when he pointed it out in the podcast interview it seemed particularly important to me. I restricted for a long time, and now I have IR issues. Can't figure out how to correct them.

I do eat white sugar and honey. I've been trying to incorporate a lot of fruit this summer, but I don't get much fresh fruit during the winter. Also, I can only eat so much fruit at once. Like one banana or one peach or one cup of melon--- and that's it. My body starts telling me it's done. But 1 piece of fruit isn't a lot of calories or carbs so I'm starving all the time if those are my only carbs.
And I still eat starch too. Oatmeal, some rice pasta, potatoes, and some GF baked goods that I make. I'd like to cut these out to see if I get better, but I just get way too hungry without them.

 

[Peata]

I eat starch too. I experimented with sugar only but I felt like I was going around on adrenaline. Not sure, I just know my body was not satisfied unless I had some starch with some of the meals too. Like I couldn't feel full or get that sigh of relief without some starch. I don't seem to have issues with gluten, wheat, corn, etc. thankfully. I've even had an endoscopy and there was no sign of problems. Maybe my resistance to some of these intolerances you hear about today comes from my ancestors having to eat whatever to prevent starvation and I inherited that. I admit though, I don't understand all this like some people do. So starch is one place where I'm not so Peaty but I just have to listen to my body now.

I also have trouble getting fresh fruit every day, enough to be consistent.

I am doing all I know to do to lose some weight. Nothing is really working. I'm thankful that at the least I have managed to stop the relentless weight gain and hold steady. I gained and gained from January on.. If I can't get things to reverse soon I guess I will go back on Metformin (although I was gaining on it so not sure it was working for me anymore). I stopped taking it in April.

I exercise by lifting weight as heavy as I can, also walking. I try to get in the bulk of calories before 7 p.m. just in case that will help. The last few days my fat intake has been higher than what I usually go for but I've felt like having it.

I don't have much to offer to help, but maybe we can work through this together or someone will chime in with just the thing.

 

[SQu]

Similar story here too. Weight gain and health decline after stopping dieting, after years on low carb etc. I now have fat to produce estrogen for me too. Main decline was strength, energy, muscle mass, aching , breathlessness, insomnia, PMS. It's 3 years down the line. Most of those are significantly better but weight, estrogen remain. I too think my body's not yet able to deal with sugar. There are signs of improvement though. Very gradual improvement.
Yesterday I read in one of the sugar articles that fructose inhibits insulin stimulation. Also that when cells are stressed they waste glucose by converting it into lactic acid and fatty acids. And that sugar and t3 increase glucose oxidation. I feel a noticeable energy boost with granulated fructose . I'm having a tsp fructose plus tsp normal sugar in coffee. Maybe we can share quotes and ideas!

 

[Katty]

Hey Peata and Sueq-
Thanks for sharing your stories and thoughts! I'd love to continue talking about IR issues.
We could also start a new thread if you thought that would be helpful (or just keep posting under freckles =) )

I keep trying to start working out but I don't feel I have much energy. And when I do workout, I often have a stomach ache or feel off the next day.
I've been spending a lot more time outdoors and walking at least a mile or two every day since the weather got better in late spring. But I keep gaining weight (or belly increases, I don't actually have a scale), even though calories seem to stay about the same.

Anyone tried chromium? My Dr recommended I start taking it. And it's a pretty common recommendation for blood sugar issues. I don't see any Peaters talking about it much. Cronometer doesn't track chromium so I have no idea how much I'm getting.

Do you guys keep track of your macronutrient ratios? I definitely think the ratio is a factor with IR, but I can't get to a ratio that works for me. This fall, I went up to almost 400 grams of carbs doing a lot of dried fruit and simple sugars. Digestion was awesome and temps were good (tho temps are always ok) and maybe even a touch more energy. But carbs were like 70% of total calories- that's when I grew more skin tags (I think, didn't notice quite as many before) and I would wake up around 3am starving when carb ratio goes that high.
I'd love to be able to increase proteins but I'm already around 90 grams a day, sometimes close to 100. And I don't tolerate proteins well (issues with dairy, eggs, and gelatin, though I do eat a little of each).
I can't figure out what macro ratios a lot of Peaters use. I hear people saying they eat about 50% carbs, 25% fat and 25% protein- but then they say they eat about 100 grams of protein. To me, this can't be right. I eat close to those ratios (carbs a little higher, protein a tad lower) and almost 100 grams of protein and I'm only eating about 1850 calories per day- and I'm only 5'1. How can big guys who work out all the time eat similar numbers (because if they are around 100 grams of protein with those ratios, then calories would be about the same as mine)?
I count the protein in fruits too/grains too, so maybe others are not counting those as part of their daily total... But if people use apps like cronometer, then those non-animal proteins are automatically being calculated. And even if they do get an extra 20 grams of protein from animal sources, that's still only an extra 80 calories.

 

[Peata]

Similar story here too. Weight gain and health decline after stopping dieting, after years on low carb etc. I now have fat to produce estrogen for me too. Main decline was strength, energy, muscle mass, aching , breathlessness, insomnia, PMS. It's 3 years down the line. Most of those are significantly better but weight, estrogen remain. I too think my body's not yet able to deal with sugar. There are signs of improvement though. Very gradual improvement.
Yesterday I read in one of the sugar articles that fructose inhibits insulin stimulation. Also that when cells are stressed they waste glucose by converting it into lactic acid and fatty acids. And that sugar and t3 increase glucose oxidation. I feel a noticeable energy boost with granulated fructose . I'm having a tsp fructose plus tsp normal sugar in coffee. Maybe we can share quotes and ideas!

I bolded some of the things I've been having trouble with for the last couple months at least. I also found that a little fructose seemed to give me a bit of a boost. Like I'm finally getting some sugar to go where it's desperately needed.

 

[Peata]

Katty, I will start a new thread on Insulin Resistance - perhaps it will attract more people to the topic who also need help or have some advice for us.

Here it is: Insulin Resistance

 

[Katty]

Katty, I will start a new thread on Insulin Resistance - perhaps it will attract more people to the topic who also need help or have some advice for us.

Here it is: Insulin Resistance

Huzzah! Thanks, Peata!

 

[SQu]

Good idea! I'll respond here to this then move.
Yes, the sensation is definitely that the fructose 'gets through' like nothing else.
Katty I took chromium for years, never felt much from it and then read that it was a dud. My issues were blood sugar drops, very severe. They are much better now though not entirely gone. As time goes by I get gradually but steadily (and the word really is 'steadily'!) better in that way.
I'm the same on exercise, it feels very hard, and sometimes it knocks me back for a few days or more. Clearly the stress is still too much for me. That much walking would definitely not be sustainable for me, I'd do it for a few days, grit my teeth through another few days, then collapse in a heap and not be able to face it for another few weeks. Over and over.
Re macros, I just aim for the 80g protein, fruit, keeping starch low, combining protein and sugar meals and snacks. I have recently been getting better sleep I think from taking more salt in the evening, and calcium (eggshell) and magnesium (mag bicarb water in the night). And more T3.
I think the bit about glucose being converted into lactic acid and fatty acids when cells are stressed might explain a lot about why some of us feel worse on things that should be helping. I think our stress hormones are higher than we think. The wired feeling of adrenalin may be an unusual feeling these days but I think it is active in my body in the background more than I realize. Starting thyroid made this clear.