I understand how difficult it can be to lose weight as I went from being strong, lean and athletic to gaining 30 pounds within months in 2013.  I still haven’t been able to lose all of that weight after five years of trying to heal.  You can read more about my personal story in my book – LIFE IS NOT A RACE available on Amazon (search for Debbie Potts).  If you are struggling to lose weight even if exercising, lowering carbohydrates and eating more healthy fats, you may have blood sugar dysregulation.

Insulin resistance or blood sugar dysregulation isn’t only a result of eating excessive carbohydrates.  Because of my “adrenal exhaustion”, five years later I continue to experience various health problems from “living life as a race” for too many years.  One major problem I am dealing with recently is slightly high blood sugar levels – even with intermittent fasting, eating a lower carbohydrate, higher healthy fat food plans most days on top of an active lifestyle.

How can this be true?

Every stress response is a blood sugar response.

You know the saying “run from a lion” when activating the sympathetic nervous system?  Well that “Quick” burst of energy requires instant fuel and which fuel source in our body provides instant energy?  GLUCOSE (sugar/carbohydrates).  My body will automatically increase blood glucose levels with an increase demand for the stress hormone cortisol- based on the activation “emergency response team” signal starting from the interpretation of stress from the hypothalamus in our brain then signaling the pituitary gland to release the hormone to signal the adrenal glands to release the stress hormone cortisol to respond the emergency (HPA Axis). 

I have learned that my resting blood sugar (from daily testing) is higher than optimal even though I pay attention to the amount of carbohydrates I consume per day- especially as refined carbohydrates and sugar (including from fruit) gives me a headache within seconds if I don’t consume the carb source with high fats and moderate amounts of protein.   Plus, I have been not eating most of my work day except fat coffee in the morning and Dr. Axe’s Ancient Nutrition Keto Protein shake in the afternoon.  My blood sugar remains slightly high each time I test it at various times of the day.  I am taking blood sugar stabilizer nutrients (“Good Sugar” from Dr. Wilson’s Formula) and Berberine HCL supplement from Biotics.   

The past few weeks, I have been “biohacking” and testing out my “The WHOLESTIC Method” phase one and phase two programs to teach clients how to become fat burning machines, optimize their health at a cellular level (including RESTORE 4 LIFE and Infrared Therapy Treatment) and improve sports performance (get off the carb loading philosophy!).  The result was that I was fasting for longer periods of time (during the work day) without intention- and it was super easy as well as energizing.

For example, on my busy scheduled work days, I keep busy that I don’t even think of eating or food!  Weekends are harder if I am working or spending the day at home, but the mindless eating and cravings are decreasing as I do my program for myself!  Last week, I ate lunch (one meal a day on our phase one 5-day Jumpstart Challenge) on Tuesday after podcasting around 12:30pm then I worked 4-7pm (plus my “FRED” m-pulse Infrared at 3:30pm).  Upon waking on the following day, Wednesday, I had some my yummy “fat coffee” (MCT oil, Axe Nutrition Collagen and Kerry Gold Butter) before lifting weights and mobility drills, trained clients, ran 5 miles easy with client then masters swim workout (50m intervals mixed in with full out sprints!) 12-1pm then back to my studio to train clients.  From Tuesday after my main meal until I got home from my day on Wednesday around 5pm, I only had my fat coffee, ACV in water, detox tea throughout the morning plus around 3pm I finally had my Dr. Axe Ancient Nutrition keto shake with Pruvit ketones added.  I was still not feeling hungry, tired or experiencing any side effects on not eating very much plus I felt great in my workouts.  Wednesday early evening, I finally got home to make a meal for the day, still not extremely hungry but I made a big salad and protein meal around 5pm.  The other days last week, I consumed 1-3 cups of organic Cauldron bone broth mixed with organic vegetable broth, turmeric, cayenne pepper, black pepper, kelp flakes and ginger.

I would think I would be losing weight as I seem to be an efficient fat burning machine, but I still can’t lose weight.  WHY??  Because (my theory) I am still having blood sugar dysregulation even though I am not each often or feeling the “blood sugar roller coaster”.  My resting blood sugar varied (not sure which device is the most accurate!), around 110 even when only having fat coffee. 

I will continue to do the infrared therapy a few days a week, do longer fasting when I am “occupied” during the workdays and limit my carbohydrates more than I have been – plus my blood sugar nutrients from Dr. Wilsons Formula and Biotics based on my Nutritional Therapy muscle testing results.

If you are not losing weight, experiencing fatigue, low energy in workouts and many other symptoms- even though you are following a low carb-high fat food plan plus fasting some days, find a local NTP to help get to the root cause of your unexplained success following some type of “diet” plan.   Contact me for a coaching call of sign up for my 30-day program!