Insulin Resistance vs. Prediabetes: What Most People Don’t Realize
This has come up in so many conversations lately—quiet concerns about fatigue, stubborn weight gain, cravings that don’t make sense, or feeling off after meals… and underneath it all, a sense that something isn’t quite right with the body, but it’s hard to put a name to it. That’s why I’m writing this. Because two of the most common (and least explained) reasons behind those issues are insulin resistance and prediabetes. They’re connected. They’re common. And they’re often missed—especially in women. If you’ve ever felt dismissed or told “everything looks fine” when your body clearly doesn’t feel fine, this is for you.
What Insulin Is Supposed to Do
Every time we eat—especially carbs—our blood sugar rises. That’s totally normal. Your body releases a hormone called insulin, which acts like a key, unlocking your cells so they can take in that sugar and use it for energy. It’s a beautiful system when it works. But with insulin resistance, the cells stop responding to insulin like they should. The signal gets ignored. So the body keeps pumping out more and more insulin, trying to force the sugar into the cells. But it doesn’t work as well anymore. This leaves you with high insulin, and sometimes higher blood sugar too. Over time, it wears your body down—and the symptoms show up long before any lab value turns red on a chart.
How Insulin Resistance Feels (Before It Shows Up on a Lab Test)
You’re exhausted after meals (especially carb-heavy ones)
You feel constantly hungry, even after eating
You store more weight around your belly, even without overeating
You crash in the afternoon and need caffeine or sugar to keep going
You have PCOS or irregular cycles
You’ve been told your bloodwork is “normal,” but your energy says otherwise
Also, if your cholesterol is off—like low HDL (the “good” kind), high triglycerides, or rising blood pressure—it might not just be a heart issue. It could be connected to insulin.
So What’s Prediabetes, Then?
Prediabetes is what happens when insulin resistance progresses. At this point, your blood sugar is no longer in the normal range—but it’s not quite high enough for a type 2 diabetes diagnosis. It’s your body waving a bigger flag. Not in panic, but in warning: “We’ve been compensating for a while, and it’s getting harder to keep up.” Prediabetes doesn’t always come with clear symptoms, but here’s what raises your risk:
Age 45 and up (though it’s showing up in younger women now too)
Having a family history of diabetes
A history of gestational diabetes or delivering a large baby
Being sedentary most days
A diet high in sugar or processed carbs
And yes, these things often overlap with insulin resistance. You can have one without the other, but most of the time, they’re part of the same picture.
Why This Matters (Even If You Feel Mostly “Okay”)
You don’t have to wait until something’s “really wrong” to make changes. The earlier you understand what your body is trying to tell you, the easier it is to turn things around. Insulin resistance and prediabetes are often the first signs of metabolic stress. And while that might sound heavy—it’s actually hopeful. Because this is the point where change is still very possible.
What You Can Do Right Now
No crash diets. No shame. No obsession. Just small, consistent shifts that give your body what it needs to function the way it was designed to.
🍳 Eat real, nourishing food
Focus on fiber, protein, and healthy fats. Think: colorful veggies, quality protein (animal or plant-based), and unprocessed carbs that digest slowly (like sweet potatoes, lentils, or berries). The less blood sugar spiking and crashing, the better.
🚶♀️ Move daily, even gently
You don’t need to go to the gym every day. A 20–30 minute walk after meals, a few strength sessions a week, or anything that gets your muscles working will help your body respond to insulin better.
😴 Sleep like it’s medicine
Seven to nine hours a night, as consistently as possible. Poor sleep throws off insulin, hunger hormones, and stress levels—which all tie back into blood sugar.
🧘♀️ Reduce stress in realistic ways
You don’t need to sit cross-legged on a mountain. Just do what actually helps you decompress: journaling, prayer, being outside, reading before bed, saying no to things you don’t want to do. Your nervous system and blood sugar are more connected than you think.
📓 Learn your patterns
Pay attention to what you eat, how you feel after meals, what your cravings are telling you, and how you sleep. Your body is always giving feedback—and you don’t need a fancy tracker to notice it.
If This Feels Familiar
You’re not being dramatic. You’re not lazy. And you’re not making it up. Insulin resistance and prediabetes are so common, but rarely explained in a way that makes people feel empowered. It’s not about being scared—it’s about being informed. You deserve to know how your body works so you can care for it in a way that actually helps. You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to start paying attention—and support your body with what it’s been asking for all along.
You’ve got this.
-Kiley
