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Weight Loss tips for Diabetics

Over 20 million people in the United States are diabetic, and over a million people are diabetic and don’t even know it yet. Most of the people at risk for type ii diabetes are overweight or obese. It is quite apparent that there is a connection between obesity and diabetes. This is not to say that everyone who is obese will become diabetic, but there is a propensity for overweight people to develop diabetes.

Weight is a constant issue for individuals with type 2 diabetes. It is often very difficult to lose weight when you have diabetes because most people with type 2 diabetes are insulin resistant. Insulin resistance is when your body’s cells are unable to use insulin to transport glucose through the cell membranes. Insulin is a hormone that acts something like a taxi (active transport) to carry blood glucose into the cell for nourishment. When the glucose cannot be utilized by the cells it is stored as fat; therefore it is very difficult for many diabetics to lose weight.

The following tips should help you in your efforts to lose weight:

1.Going hungry will not produce weight loss over time. Losing weight can be difficult when you are diabetic, but it is not impossible. One reason that most people, diabetic or not, have problems losing weight is because they do not get enough calories. If you don’t get enough calories each day, your body will get the message that it is in a state of starvation. At this point the body will change your body’s metabolism to keep your body’s fuel supply (fat) on your body. This is a self-preservation technique the body has when it goes into starvation mode. You should have no less than 1000 calories per day. You should stick to the number of calories your doctor suggested to keep your diabetes in check.

2.Goals are important. Aim to lose about a pound or two a week. Two pounds a week is a minimum of eight pounds a month in a 4 week month. Even if you lose just one pound or even a fraction of a pound each week, all those fractions add up to a significant weight loss over time.

3.Fiber is important. Make little changes you can live with. Eat whole grain breads, rather than bread made with enriched white flour. Foods containing higher amounts of fibers stay in your digestive tract longer; therefore, you stay full longer. Foods higher in fiber tend to be more satisfying.

4.Get regular exercise. You don’t have to over exert yourself, but you do need to get your body moving to keep your metabolism functioning. If you just sit around doing nothing all day you will mainly just burn enough calories to keep your body temperature constant and keep your bodily systems working. Your body is a very efficient machine; it only uses the fuel it needs. You need to get moving so your body will need more fuel to burn. To lose one pound fat per week you will need to burn up 3500 calories. You can use up those 3500 calories by increasing your activity, and by eating enough food to utilize stored fat for fuel.

5.Get enough rest. People, diabetics and non-diabetics, who get at least 7 hours of sleep in 24 hours lose more weight than people who don’t get enough sleep. Have you ever noticed when you stay up late, way past your normal sleeping hours, you get hungry? When you are awake for long periods of time, when your body wants to sleep, your hormones that control hunger get out of balance. There is a hormone that tells you when you are full (leptin) and a hormone that tells you that you are hungry (ghrelen). During sleep deprivation the hormone level of leptin drops and the hormone level of ghrelen rises, which causes you to crave food when you should be asleep. Many people who have weight problems are night eaters. Therefore, sleep during the hours of sleep that are normal for you and you will not get these nightly cravings.

Losing weight when you have type 2 diabetes can be very challenging, but it isn’t impossible. It takes conscious effort on your part to make the weight loss happen. You must eat enough of the healthy foods to keep your blood sugar level constant at a normal or near normal level. There is no one tip that is more important than another. If you make an effort to eat more of the things that are good for you, and less of the things that are bad for you, in combination with activity and rest, you will lose weight over time.

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