Spotting Insulin Resistance: Signs You Shouldn't Ignore
Almost 80% of people are insulin resistant…and most don’t know. These symptoms could save your life.
You could be doing everything “right”—eating clean, exercising, managing stress—and still be stuck.
Almost 80% of people are insulin resistant… and most don’t know it.
These symptoms could save your life.
Why Insulin Resistance Is More Than Just a Blood Sugar Problem
We’re often told that insulin resistance is all about food and exercise.
But here’s what most advice misses: Stress, trauma, and nervous system dysregulation can disrupt your metabolism just as much as what you eat.
If you’ve struggled with cravings, weight gain, or low energy — despite doing "all the right things" — it’s not because you’re lazy or broken.
There may be a deeper reason your body is holding onto insulin resistance.
What Is Insulin Resistance?
Insulin resistance happens when the body’s cells stop responding properly to insulin, the hormone that moves sugar out of your blood and into your cells.
When that system starts to break down, blood sugar rises — and the body compensates by pumping out even more insulin, creating a vicious cycle.
Left unchecked, insulin resistance can lead to:
Type 2 diabetes
Heart disease
Stroke
Infertility
Cognitive decline (sometimes called "type 3 diabetes")
But it's not just about sugar and carbs.
When your nervous system stays trapped in chronic stress and survival mode, your body becomes primed for inflammation, blood sugar imbalances, and burnout — even if you’re making healthy choices.
Signs You Might Have Insulin Resistance
Here are some common warning signs you shouldn't ignore:
✔️ Stubborn weight gain (especially around your waist)
✔️ Constant hunger and cravings
✔️ High blood pressure or cholesterol
✔️ Low energy, fatigue, or brain fog
✔️ Skin tags or dark patches of skin
✔️ Mood swings, anxiety, or depression
✔️ Frequent thirst and urination
✔️ Trouble losing weight no matter what you try
If you’re nodding your head at more than one of these, it’s time to look deeper — because it’s not just about your diet.
It’s about your body being stuck in patterns of chronic overwhelm and nervous system imbalance that make healing feel impossible.
Uncommon Signs of Insulin Resistance You Might Be Missing
Beyond the typical symptoms, insulin resistance often shows up in less obvious ways, especially when emotional stress and nervous system dysregulation are involved:
✔️ Sleep struggles — difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up still feeling exhausted
✔️ Morning headaches — especially if you haven’t eaten yet
✔️ Increased anxiety after eating — feeling wired, shaky, or overly alert
✔️ Tingling in hands or feet — even mild or occasional
✔️ Trouble concentrating ("blurry brain") — feeling like your brain just won’t "turn on"
✔️ Acne along the jawline — hormonal imbalance triggered by insulin spikes
✔️ Irregular menstrual cycles or PCOS — insulin resistance disrupts hormonal balance
✔️ Craving salty foods — not just sweets (a sign of cortisol imbalance too)
✔️ Low motivation or burnout — even when you’re "resting" and eating right
These hidden signs often get dismissed—or misdiagnosed—as separate issues.
But when your nervous system is stuck in chronic survival mode, it constantly signals your body to hold onto blood sugar, fat, and stress hormones, making true healing feel out of reach.
Why "Eat Less, Move More" Isn’t the Answer
If solving insulin resistance was as simple as eating less and moving more, you wouldn’t still feel stuck.
You’ve probably already tried that, and you’re not alone.
The real issue often lives beneath the surface:
Old stress patterns
Emotional trauma
Nervous system dysregulation
Subconscious fear of failure or self-sabotage keeping you stuck without realizing it
When your brain feels unsafe, your body holds onto weight, stores extra sugar, and resists healing, no matter what you do externally.
It’s not your fault.
But there is another way.
How Brainspotting Therapy Helps Unlock Healing
If you’ve never heard of Brainspotting Therapy, you’re not alone—most people haven’t.
But it’s one of the most powerful (and fastest) ways to break free from survival stress patterns that traditional mindset work and talk therapy often miss.
Brainspotting uses focused eye positioning to access deep regions of the brain tied to trauma, overwhelm, fear of failing, and emotional dysregulation.
It helps:
Release stored emotional stress at the nervous system level
Calm the body’s stress response naturally
Help reset your nervous system, so true healing becomes possible
When your brain feels safe again, your body can finally heal.
Ready to Find Out If Emotional Stress Is Keeping You Stuck?
Take my free quiz here to see if unresolved emotional patterns and nervous system overwhelm could be blocking your healing.
Or join my next free Unstuck & In Control™ Brainspotting session to start clearing the hidden barriers that diet and exercise alone can’t fix.
Final Thoughts
Insulin resistance isn’t just a physical issue — it’s deeply connected to the emotional and nervous system patterns your body carries.
If you’re tired of feeling frustrated, exhausted, and stuck, it’s time to stop blaming yourself and start working with your brain, not against it.
You deserve to feel good again.
You deserve real healing.
Let’s get you there — starting today.
FAQs
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Early signs include excess weight around the waist, high blood pressure, persistent hunger, tinnitus, skin tags, and low energy levels.
Note that you don’t need to have all of these, just the presence of one can be a sign that you have insulin resistance.
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Yes! Chronic stress raises cortisol levels, which can increase blood sugar and insulin resistance. Unresolved emotional trauma can also keep your nervous system stuck in fight-or-flight mode, making it harder for your body to regulate insulin properly.
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Brainspotting helps release stored emotional trauma that may be keeping your body stuck in a stressed state. By resolving these underlying issues, your nervous system can reset, leading to better metabolic health, reduced cravings, and improved energy.
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Absolutely! While conventional medicine often focuses on medication, insulin resistance can be improved—and even reversed—through diet, stress management, and techniques like Brainspotting that address the emotional root causes.
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Start by taking my free quiz to uncover if emotional patterns might be playing a role in your insulin resistance. Then, book a free 30-minute consult to explore personalized strategies for healing.
Not sure if Brainspotting is for you? Schedule your FREE 30-minute Zoom consult.