10/20/2025
Why Intermittent Fasting Might Not Be Helping Your Diabetes or Insulin Resistance
Intermittent fasting has gained popularity as a way to lose weight and improve metabolic health. Many people believe that fasting helps regulate blood sugar and reduce insulin levels. However, for individuals with diabetes or insulin resistance, intermittent fasting can sometimes do more harm than good—especially if it’s not done thoughtfully.
One common issue is that many people who attempt intermittent fasting aren’t getting enough protein in their diet. Protein is essential for stabilizing blood sugar levels because it slows down carbohydrate absorption and supports the production of hormones like insulin and glucagon, which help keep blood sugar within a healthy range. When protein intake is inadequate, your body struggles to maintain stable blood glucose levels, particularly during fasting periods.
Current protein intake standards recommend consuming between 1.2 to 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. This means your minimum should be at least 1.2 grams per kilogram to meet basic needs. If you’re not meeting that daily minimum, you’re already in a protein deficit. For those aged 50 and older, the recommendation climbs to about 1.7 grams per kilogram to help maintain muscle mass and prevent age-related muscle loss. Failing to meet these standards can hinder your ability to stabilize blood sugar and support overall metabolic health.
Example: Convert weight (pounds) over to kilograms first: 180lbs/2.2=81.8 kilograms
Now calculate for protein: 81.8 X 1.2= 163g of protein per day
Skipping meals further complicates this problem. When you don’t eat regularly, your blood sugar may drop temporarily. In response, your body releases stored glucose from the liver to keep energy levels steady. While this may seem like a quick fix, it often leads to fluctuations in blood sugar and insulin levels. Over time, these fluctuations can cause your body to become more insulin resistant—meaning your cells don’t respond to insulin as effectively. This resistance can worsen your blood sugar control, increasing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
In addition, irregular eating patterns combined with low protein intake can lead to unstable blood sugars and even reactive hypoglycemia—a condition where blood sugar drops too low after eating, causing symptoms like dizziness, weakness, and sweating. This cycle of highs and lows strains your pancreas and insulin system, making blood sugar management more difficult.
Overall, the idea that intermittent fasting is a one-size-fits-all solution for insulin resistance is misleading. If you’re not supporting your body with adequate nutrition—particularly enough protein—and you're skipping meals, intermittent fasting can exacerbate blood sugar instability and insulin resistance instead of improving it. For best results, focus on balanced, regular meals rich in protein, fibers, and healthy fats to support stable blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity over time.
If you're looking to still incorporate intermittent fasting on your journey, do it overnight, after you've already met your protein goals for the day. Best results have been found by having dinner around 6 pm, and then not eating until the following morning. Make sure that when you do break your fast, it’s with a balanced plate of protein, complex carbs, fats, and fiber. And remember—your protein doesn’t have to be exclusively animal-based. Edamame is a great high-protein bean that can fuel your body and support your health goals!
Here at Nourishing Holistic Meal Prep, we work hard to bring you balanced and seasonal menus to keep you enjoying your wellness journey. We can help with insulin resistance, diabetes, weight loss, or even just be your go-to meal prep for when you have a busy week and need help keeping healthy dinners on your table for the family. Check out our menu here: www.nhmealprep.com or reach out with any questions!
