4 ways to support insulin sensitivity (pcos/pmos, prediabetes, and beyond)

May 20

Coach Whitney sitting with laptop on outdoor .sofa in modern wooden lounge

what is insulin resistance?

Insulin resistance is a condition where the cells in your muscles, fat, and liver don’t respond as they should to insulin - a hormone essential for regulating blood sugar levels. Insulin helps move glucose from our blood to our cells to be used as energy.

When you’re more insulin sensitive, your body can move glucose from your bloodstream into your cells more efficiently, so you typically need less insulin to do the same job. When insulin sensitivity is lower (often referred to as insulin resistant), your body often has to produce more insulin to keep blood sugar in a healthy range.

Hyperinsulinemia, or insulin resistance, is associated PMOS (formally known as PCOS) obesity, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome.

If you have insulin resistance and are trying to prevent the full onset of type 2 diabetes, chances are you’ve run into a lot of information on how to increase your insulin sensitivity. And a lot of it can feel overwhelming or contradictory, or maybe even just be a pitch for the next “miracle” supplement.

The good news: there’s solid research here, and you don’t need a perfect routine (or stocked supplement cabinet) to move the needle. Here are four evidence-backed actions that can improve insulin sensitivity.

Four nutrition habits that Support Insulin Sensitivity

1 - Lose about 7% of your body weight (helpful, not required)

Okay, okay. This one is obviously easier said than done because creating a calorie deficit can be challenging. And this is only first on this list because it is the most well-established, not because it is a requirement. The good news here is that the weight loss required to create an improvement is pretty modest (17.5 pounds for someone weighing 250 lbs).

And even better? The next three items can also improve your insulin sensitivity even without weight loss.

2 - Eat earlier in the day + start meals with protein

Why it helps (incretins + circadian rhythm)

Early protein intake can increase incretin hormone (GIP and GLP-1) production throughout the day. These hormones are associated with better blood glucose regulation and hunger management. Starting each meal with a protein source (and this does mean eat your protein before anything else) also enhances this effect.

Think: breakfast that includes eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or a protein smoothie before you go for the fruit + granola.

If you’re intermittent fasting…

An important thing to note is that these hormones function with our circadian rhythm – so if you’ve been doing intermittent fasting and pushing your breakfast off until later, try moving your eating window up earlier. The earlier you have protein upon waking, the more likely you are to see improvements in these hormones.

3 - Eat more unsaturated fats (and limit saturated fats)

When we think about insulin sensitivity, we obviously think about carbohydrate intake. But increasing unsaturated fat intake, especially polyunsaturated fats (like those found in nuts and seeds) has a direct benefit on glucose sensitivity.

Foods high in unsaturated fats: nuts (almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts), seeds (chia, flax), olive oil, olives, avocado, eggs, and fatty fish like salmon and mackerel.

4 - Emphasize higher-fiber and whole-grain carbohydrate sources

Now we can talk about carbs. The key isn’t necessarily reducing carbohydrate intake overall, but increasing the amount of your carbs that come from high fiber and/or whole grain sources. This is especially impactful because fiber modifies both the action of glucose within the body and cholesterol response.

Swap some refined carbs for beans, lentils, oats, higher-fiber breads, quinoa, and berries.

More About Insulin Resistance

Insulin Resistance in PMOS (Formally Known as PCOS)

In a recent landmark report in The Lancet, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) was renamed to Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS). This change was the result of over a decade of work and consensus, consulting providers, patients, and professional organizations across the world. There’s a lot to discuss around this change, but one reason I feel excited about it is due to the recognition that PMOS (formally PCOS, though I’ll just use PMOS from here on out) is complex multi-system condition that includes endocrine, metabolic, and ovarian dysfunction.

While we can hope this change will open up doors to more research and treatment for PMOS, one thing we do know right now is that 65-70% of women with PMOS are insulin resistant.

Knowing how prominent hyperinsulinemia (insulin resistance) is for those with PMOS makes it a pathway we can focus on when working to reduce symptoms of PMOS while also supporting overall health. When I work with a client with PMOS, this is one of the areas we focus on because, while unknowns still exist around PMOS, it is possible to shift certain dietary patterns to support more insulin sensitivity.

Can insulin resistance be “cured”?

If you’ve heard that weight loss can cure insulin resistance: that is true but it takes much larger weight loss (15% of body weight). This is the only intervention that has been demonstrated to improve beta cell function, meaning that it reverses rather than controls insulin resistance.

You don’t have to lose weight to improve insulin sensitivity - movement, protein timing, food quality, and fiber can help! Meal timing, protein prioritization, choosing more unsaturated fats, and emphasizing higher-fiber carbs can support insulin sensitivity even when weight stays the same.

If you want to dive deeper into this topic, Sigma Nutrition has a great, in-depth podcast episode: #385: Insulin Resistance & Diet.

Even though these other actions can’t cure insulin resistance, think of them as ‘treatment.’ Just like you can’t stop taking a blood pressure medication and be surprised that it stopped working, you do have to keep utilizing insulin sensitivity strategies to keep seeing the benefit.

Are low-carb diets required when you are insulin resistant?

Not necessarily. Some people feel better with a lower-carb approach, but improving insulin sensitivity isn’t only (or always) about cutting carbs across the board. For many people, a more sustainable strategy is improving carb quality. Getting more of your carbs from higher-fiber and/or whole-grain sources and pairing carbs with protein, fiber, and/or fat all support a steadier blood sugar response.

Does intermittent fasting help or hurt insulin resistance?

It depends. Some people find intermittent fasting helpful because it reduces late-night eating or mindless snacking, which can support blood sugar regulation.

But timing matters: glucose regulation tends to align with circadian rhythms, and many people do better when they eat earlier in the day (and get protein in earlier). If fasting pushes most intake later at night or leads to “I’m so hungry I’m not thinking clearly” eating, it may backfire. A practical middle ground is often shifting your eating window earlier and starting the day with protein - without making food rules too rigid or unsustainable.

If you want help applying these in a way that fits your life (and doesn’t turn into food obsession), that’s exactly what we do in 1:1 coaching. Apply here!

Want more evidence-informed, non-extreme nutrition support? Join my weekly email list.

Whitney Landon-Berg

Strength enthusiast and behavior change nerd who helps clients navigate significant weight loss goals with compassion and a no-shame, real-life approach to nutrition.

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