How Do I Actually Reverse Insulin Resistance?

If you’ve been told you have insulin resistance (or suspect you do), you’ve probably asked the same question one of our clients asked in our Seasons in the Orchard coaching call this week:

👉 “Okay, but how do I actually reverse it?”

It’s a fair question—and one most doctors don’t answer beyond “lose some weight” or “cut carbs.” But here’s the truth: reversing insulin resistance isn’t about crash diets, fear of food, or punishing workouts. It’s about retraining your body to listen and respond to insulin the way God designed it to.

What Insulin Resistance Really Means

Let’s make it simple. Insulin is the key that unlocks your cells so glucose (sugar) can move out of your blood and into your muscles for energy. With insulin resistance, your cells stop listening to the knock at the door.

The result?

• Blood sugar stays high.

• Insulin stays high.

• Inflammation rises.

• Fat storage increases.

• Energy tanks.

This isn’t just about weight gain. It’s about your whole metabolic health—your energy, your hormones, and even your long-term risk for diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

3 Core Levers to Reverse Insulin Resistance

So how do you turn this ship around? These are the three main levers we teach our clients to pull—simple but powerful habits that rebuild insulin sensitivity.

1. Food Timing & Fasting

Your body was not designed to be grazing all day long. Every time you eat, insulin rises. If it never gets a break, it never has a chance to come back down.

You don’t need extreme fasts to see benefits. Start simple:

• Eat in a 10 to 12-hour window.

• Example: finish dinner by 7pm, don’t eat again until 7am.

• Once that feels normal, you can gradually adjust to what works best for your body.

Fasting is like giving your insulin system a reset button.

2. Movement & Muscle

Think of your muscles as glucose sponges. The more you use them (and the more you build them), the more efficiently your body soaks up blood sugar.

• Take a short walk after meals.

• Strength train 2–3 times a week. Kettlebells, resistance bands, rowing—choose what you’ll actually enjoy and stick with.

• Daily movement is key. Even “little things” like carrying groceries or gardening make a difference.

Muscle is your ally against insulin resistance. Think of your muscles as sugar sponges 🧽 that soak up excess glucose without the need for extra insulin.

3. Nervous System & Stress

Here’s the piece most people miss: stress.

When your body lives in “fight or flight” mode, cortisol stays elevated. High cortisol keeps your blood sugar high—and insulin resistance digs in deeper.

But here’s the good news: nervous system regulation directly improves insulin sensitivity. Simple practices like:

• Breath prayers 🙏

• Box breathing 🫁

• Gratitude body scans ✨

These aren’t just “feel good” habits—they literally shift your physiology back into balance.

How Do You Know It’s Working?

Reversing insulin resistance takes time, but there are clear ways to know you’re making progress. You’ll start to notice both symptoms improving and lab markers shifting.

Everyday signs you’re regaining sensitivity:

• Fewer energy crashes and more stable energy through the day

• Less intense carb cravings (you can walk past the breadbasket without a fight)

• Steadier moods and less irritability

• Deeper, more restorative sleep

• Weight beginning to come off more easily, especially around the midsection

Lab markers that confirm reversal:

• Fasting insulin trending down into an optimal range (under 6–8 µIU/mL is a strong sign)

• Fasting glucose dropping into the 80s

• HbA1c improving (aiming closer to 5.0–5.2)

• Triglycerides coming down

• HDL cholesterol moving up

• Waist-to-hip ratio improving as visceral fat decreases

When these signs line up—your body feels better, and your labs confirm it—that’s how you know insulin resistance is actually reversing.

✨ My own journey: I’ve been intentionally working on reversing insulin resistance for over two years now. The shifts didn’t happen overnight, but today my HOMA-IR is 1.6, fasting insulin is 3.3, and A1C is 5.1—all strong markers that my body is regaining sensitivity. The biggest change? I feel it. More stable energy, calmer moods, and freedom from the constant carb cravings that once ran my life.

When your everyday symptoms start lining up with improved labs—that’s how you know insulin resistance is reversing.

The Faith Lens

God designed your body to heal. Insulin resistance isn’t a permanent curse—it’s a signal. With consistency in how you eat, move, and rest, your body can regain sensitivity and function as it was created to.

And when you invite Him into the process, even the small daily habits become part of your worship.

The Bottom Line

Reversing insulin resistance isn’t about chasing a quick fix. It’s about creating steady rhythms that give your body the margin it needs to heal.

If you’ve been frustrated, like our client was this week, know this: you are not broken. Your body is capable of healing. Start with one lever—shortening your eating window, moving daily, or practicing a stress reset—and watch your body respond.

💡 Want guided support and accountability? That’s exactly what we offer inside our Seedlings Reboot Course. Our fall cohort launches in October—and it’s the last one until 2026. Keep an eye out for the open registration announcement in September. You won't want to miss it!

Every graduate of Seedlings is invited into our premium membership, Seasons in the Orchard—a place to grow deep roots, be nourished in community, and cultivate the habits that help you master midlife and beyond. Together, we focus on healing mind, body, and spirit so you can thrive as the woman God created you to be.