The facts are nine out of 10 people who are newly diagnosed with type
2 diabetes are overweight or obese. It is estimated that over 80% of
the tens of millions of individuals who suffer from Type 2 diabetes and
pre-diabetes fall into the overweight/obese category. This is one of the
main contributors to the developing the disease of diabetes.
So
as you might expect controlling your weight is important to controlling
diabetes. Every diabetic should focus on slow, intentional weight loss
over a period of time. This will decrease your need for insulin and/or
improve your body's ability to produce insulin, improve your heart
health, improve self-esteem, and make you sexy once again!
By
losing those excess pounds you will also reduce their risk factors for
developing stroke, heart attack, and retinal damage, kidney failure,
along with dozens of other health benefits directly or indirectly
related to diabetes.
I know and you know losing weight and keeping
it off is as much of a challenge for those who have diabetes as it is
for those who don't. If it weren't there wouldn't be thousands of weight
loss programs making billions of dollars every year!
As a
diabetic it is important that you seek the help of qualified
professionals to help you lose the weight. You may require changes in
medication and/or other treatments.
I want to clear one thing up
here for a second. It is not so much about losing weight as it is about
losing body fat! When you "lose weight", you lose muscle, water, and
fat. You should focus on building muscle and losing body fat
simultaneously. This is the most effective way to reap those benefits I
mentioned earlier.
Losing weight as a diabetic is accomplish the same way that weight loss is achieved under any other circumstance.
Most
people think weight loss is about eating fewer calories and burning
more calories than eaten, which is partially true. Weight loss is about
changing your mindset, changing the make-up of your diet and nutrition
habits and throwing in some physical activity.
Weight loss (aka
fat loss) of 1-2 pounds a week is a good goal to aim for. Don't be in a
rush for that quick fix that I know you are thinking of. Losing 20
pounds in 5 days isn't realistic and it's not healthy by any means (I
don't care who told you or where you read it).
The goal of any
weight loss program is for gradual and steady weight loss that can be
maintained over an extended period time till your end goal is reached,
whatever it may be. This will eventually result in a healthy body and
mind. Almost all the time this can also result in the elimination of any
and all medications required to control your Type 2 diabetes.
Like
mentioned earlier, exercise plays an important role in your weight loss
success and in controlling your diabetes. There are two main reasons
individuals should exercise. First, exercise reduces the body's need for
insulin to control blood sugar levels and improves the body's ability
to produce insulin to better control blood sugar levels. Second, it
increases the body's metabolism, thus allowing individuals to burn body
fat easier. Of course there are many other reasons to exercise but those
are two of the main ones for diabetics and weight loss.
Here some basic steps to take to guarantee you are on the right path for weight loss and controlling your diabetes.
•
Think positive, be optimistic, and set goals- If you keep telling
yourself "you'll never lose all this weight" then you won't! Conquer
whatever fears and hang-ups you have inside yourself or else you'll end
up getting frustrated and quit. Also, without setting any goals you'll
never know where you're headed. Be specific-date, exact weight, how you'll feel, what will happen if you don't get there?
•
Get some support- therapist, family, close friends, support groups,
etc. Weight loss is not easy, sometimes having people to talk and turn
too can keep you on track and focused.
• Eliminate any simple sugars- soda, deserts, candy, juice, etc.
• Cut back on complex carbohydrates - pasta, rice, potatoes, corn, bread, etc.
• Make protein foods a majority of your meals- fish, chicken, turkey, beef, seafood, nuts, etc.
• Tons of fiber- vegetables, some fruits (berries), beans, nuts, and supplements (Benefiber, Metamucil, or any other)
• Use healthy fats- olive oil, real butter, Smart Balance, canola oil, coconut oil, fish oil, and any sort of nut oil.
• Drink tons of water- a gallon a day keeps melts the pounds away. Yes, I'm serious!
•
Exercise/Physical activity- either short bouts of high intensity
exercise (e.g. 30 second sprints with 1 min of rest in between, repeated
10-12 times) or 30-45 minutes of moderate intensity exercise 4-5 times a
week. (e.g. weight training, circuit training, cardio mixed with
weights, etc.)
• Be consistent- without consistency you will not
get the results you are looking for. Consistently control your diet,
exercise, stay in a positive state of mind, take to your support team,
etc.
Using the tips I laid out above you will be well on your way
to successful weight loss, better blood sugars, and a healthier life.
Now it's all up to you to take the first step my friend.
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