"Anything Meds Can Do, You Can Do Better" Part 3B of 12 - Insulin Resistance in the Muscles (continued)

Insulin Resistance in the Muscles (cont.): Metformin, Movement, and Simple Wins

We cover Metformin, side effects, and why short walks after meals beat meds for many people.

Episode summary

Today we pick up where we left off on Insulin Resistance in the Muscles. We talk about Metformin (a biguanide), what it does, how it’s used, and the real-life side effects many people feel. Then we share the step-by-step lifestyle moves that work even better than meds for many listeners. You’ll hear why even a 2-minute walk after meals can lower post-meal blood sugar, how to make new habits stick, what to eat more of (and less of), and how the body clears fat from the liver when you change your routine. We keep it simple, real, and doable.

What you’ll learn

• The first line for Insulin Resistance in the Muscles: diet and exercise
• What Metformin does and how it’s usually dosed
• Common side effects (and how to lower the chance of “bathroom runs”)
• Why lifestyle changes beat medicine in a major diabetes trial
• The easiest “switch” you can flip after meals to lower blood sugar
• Foods that help: fiber, beans, greens, lean protein, healthy fats
• Why ultra-processed sugar and flour make things harder
• How movement pulls sugar into muscles even without insulin
• A simple plan you can start today in under 5 minutes

Timestamps

• 00:00 Welcome back and why this matters
• 01:00 Medications for Insulin Resistance in the Muscles: biguanides (Metformin)
• 02:00 First line should be diet and exercise (not a surprise script)
• 06:00 What Metformin can do: diabetes risk down 31% in a big trial
• 07:00 What’s not so fun: nausea and inopportune diarrhea
• 08:30 Dosing tips that matter (start low, go slow; extended release)
• 10:30 Why many people quit and how to avoid that
• 11:00 Lifestyle beats meds: 58% vs 31%
• 12:00 The simple fix: walk 2–5 minutes after meals
• 13:00 Habit stacking so it actually happens
• 14:00 What to eat more of; what to cut back on (ultra-processed sugars)
• 18:00 Protein, fiber, and the “chew” idea
• 19:00 Fatty liver can improve in weeks with changes
• 20:00 Shrinking visceral fat with food, sleep, stress tools, and muscle
• 21:00 Why movement works: muscle “gates” pull in sugar without insulin
• 22:00 Next week’s teaser: lipolysis and beta cell stress

Key takeaways

• Diet and exercise should come first for Insulin Resistance in the Muscles. Metformin is helpful for many, but it’s not the first step.
• In the Diabetes Prevention Program, Metformin cut type 2 diabetes risk by 31%. Lifestyle changes cut it by 58%.
• Start movement small and often. A 2–5 minute walk after meals can lower post-meal blood sugar and help with triglycerides.
• If you and your doctor choose Metformin, reduce side effects by starting low (often 500 mg), going slow, taking with food, and asking about extended release.
• Eat more nutrient-dense, high-fiber foods (beans, veggies, greens, lean protein, healthy fats). Cut back on ultra-processed sugars and refined flour foods (sugary drinks, white bread, pastries).
• Your liver can clear fat within weeks of better food choices and movement. That helps cholesterol and triglycerides.
• Muscle contractions move sugar into muscle even without insulin. Movement gives you control in minutes.

Meds for Insulin Resistance in the Muscles: what to know

• The class is called biguanides. Metformin is the most common.
• What it can do:
  • Helps your body use insulin better
  • Lowers liver sugar output
  • In the DPP trial: 31% lower risk of type 2 diabetes vs placebo
• Side effects:
  • Many do fine
  • Some have nausea and diarrhea (often at bad times)
• How to lower side effects:
  • Start at 500 mg, take with food
  • Increase slowly (every ~2 weeks) toward 1,500–2,000 mg/day if needed
  • Ask about extended release (ER) if your doctor agrees
  • Jumping to the max dose on day one can be a disaster for your gut
• Big picture:
  • Meds can help
  • But first-line is diet and exercise per expert guidelines
  • Real change needs real tools, time, and support

Why lifestyle wins for Insulin Resistance in the Muscles

• In the same DPP study:
  • Lifestyle (food + movement) cut diabetes risk by 58%
  • Metformin cut it by 31%
• Movement after meals:
  • Even 2 minutes helps
  • 2–5 minutes is great; up to 30 minutes is even better
  • Lowers post-meal blood sugar spikes
  • Helps blunt the triglyceride surge from the liver
• Walking is enough:
  • If you’re sedentary, this is the perfect start
  • Indoors works too (hallway laps, sta