Episode #157: Insulin Resistance: The Root Cause Behind Weight Gain, Prediabetes and Diabetes with Guest Dr. Chhaya Makhija

If you’ve ever felt like your weight gain, rising blood sugar, or hormone issues are somehow all connected — you’re not imagining it.

In this episode of Conquer Your Weight, I sit down with endocrinologist, Dr Chhaya Makhija at Unified Endocrine Care to break down insulin resistance, the common thread linking weight gain, prediabetes, and type 2 diabetes. We explore how metabolic disease exists on a spectrum, why many people struggle for years before getting answers, and what you can do to intervene earlier.

This conversation moves beyond “eat less and move more” to explain the physiology driving metabolic dysfunction and why addressing insulin resistance can be a turning point for long-term health.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What insulin resistance actually is (and what it isn’t)
• The role of insulin as both a blood sugar and fat-storage hormone
• How genetics, lifestyle, and hormones intersect in metabolic disease
• Labs and clinical markers used to identify insulin resistance
• Evidence-based strategies to improve insulin sensitivity
• Whether insulin resistance and prediabetes are reversible

If you’ve been frustrated by stalled weight loss, confusing labs, or conflicting advice, this episode will help you understand what’s really happening inside your body.

Ready to get started on your weight loss journey? We’re now enrolling patients for in-person visits in Charlottesville, Virginia and for telemedicine throughout the states of Illinois, Tennessee, and Virginia. Learn more and get started today at https://www.sarahstombaughmd.com

Are you taking a GLP medication? We are thrilled to share we are offering an online course, The GLP Guide, to answer the most common questions people have while taking GLP medications.

To sign up, please visit: www.sarahstombaughmd.com/glp