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Starter protocol · Free

The The Insulin Resistant Protocol

Reversible — but only with sustained intervention, not symptom management.

What's actually happening

Insulin resistance is the upstream metabolic lesion behind prediabetes, type-2 diabetes, fatty liver, and a substantial component of cardiovascular risk. Petersen and Shulman's mechanism reviews trace the lesion to ectopic lipid accumulation in liver and skeletal muscle — fat deposited where it doesn't belong, disrupting insulin-receptor signalling via diacylglycerol-PKCε. The Newcastle/DiRECT line of work (Lim/Taylor 2011, Lean 2018) demonstrated the lesion is reversible: an 8-week very-low-calorie diet normalised fasting glucose and beta-cell function, and the 5-year DiRECT extension showed durable T2D remission when weight loss is maintained. The lever is reducing intramyocellular and hepatic lipid — which means: a sustained energy deficit, attention to UPF and processed-carb intake, resistance training to increase muscle's glucose-disposal capacity, and adequate sleep (since circadian disruption itself worsens insulin resistance — Buxton 2012).¹²³⁴⁵⁶

The four things to fix first

  1. 01

    Sustained moderate deficit

    DiRECT used aggressive VLCD; you can produce similar (slower) results with a 15–20% deficit sustained for 6–12 months. Goal is 10–15 kg total weight loss to deplete liver and pancreatic lipid.

  2. 02

    Drop refined carbs and UPF

    Refined carbs spike insulin repeatedly through the day; UPF compounds with hyperpalatability and overeating. Cut both aggressively. Whole-food eating with deliberate carb sources (legumes, whole grains in moderation, vegetables).

  3. 03

    Resistance training 3x/week

    Strasser 2013: RT improves insulin sensitivity ~30% via increased GLUT4 translocation. More muscle = more glucose-disposal capacity = less reliance on insulin to clear meals.

  4. 04

    Track HbA1c quarterly

    HbA1c reflects 3-month average blood glucose. Quarterly testing shows whether the protocol is working. Target: drop into normal range (<5.7%) and hold there.

Week 1 – 2 starter plan

  • 15–20% calorie deficit (use TDEE calculator)
  • 3 strength sessions
  • Walk 8,000+ steps
  • 1.6 g/kg protein at every meal
  • Whole-food carbs only (legumes, vegetables, occasional whole grains)
  • 8+ hours sleep

What to track

  • ·HbA1c quarterly
  • ·Fasting glucose monthly (home meter or labs)
  • ·Weight weekly
  • ·Waist circumference monthly

When to consider the full program

This starter protocol gets you from zero to functional in 2–4 weeks. If you want the structured 12-week curriculum — daily lessons, meal plans, video guidance, community accountability — see the Ancestral Reset.

References

  1. 1.Petersen MC, Shulman GI (2018). Mechanisms of Insulin Action and Insulin Resistance. Physiological Reviews. PubMed 30067154
  2. 2.Samuel VT, Shulman GI (2016). The pathogenesis of insulin resistance: integrating signaling pathways and substrate flux. Journal of Clinical Investigation. PubMed 26727229
  3. 3.Lim EL, Hollingsworth KG, Aribisala BS, Chen MJ, Mathers JC, Taylor R (2011). Reversal of type 2 diabetes: normalisation of beta cell function in association with decreased pancreas and liver triacylglycerol. Diabetologia. PubMed 21656330
  4. 4.Lean MEJ et al. (2018). Primary care-led weight management for remission of type 2 diabetes (DiRECT): an open-label, cluster-randomised trial. The Lancet. PubMed 29221645
  5. 5.Taylor R et al. (2024). Beta-cell function and remission of type 2 diabetes (5-year DiRECT extension). The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology. PubMed 38301678
  6. 6.Strasser B, Pesta D (2013). Resistance training for diabetes prevention and therapy: experimental findings and molecular mechanisms. BioMed Research International. PubMed 24455726

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