Many people know that in order to lose weight you have to decrease calories in, and increase calories burned. It sounds simple in theory, but for many people it will take several failed attempts to get the desired effect. Now think about trying to keep track of calories while having to worry about your blood sugar. It may be difficult but it will have a great impact on those suffering from Type 2 Diabetes. A person can see major progress with their diabetes control and risk of implications just by cutting 5-10% of their original weight. Losing weight while living with diabetes will take some careful preparation, but here is a list from a recent MSN Health article with simple steps you can take to lose weight while properly managing your diabetes.
Develop a Workout Routine
It is fundamental to exercise regularly when trying to lose weight. The American Heart Association gives these recommendations for people with Type 2 Diabetes:
-
Strength Training
- Cardiovascular Exercise
- 3-7 days week
- 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise OR 90 minutes of vigorous activity exercise
If you do this, you should burn at least 1,000 calories a week and it can improve your blood sugar control even if you are not seeing the weight loss right away.
Cut the Calories
It is feasible for a person to cut 500-1,000 calories per day. (Most people tend to overeat 500-1,000 calories per day). Cutting 500 calories out of your diet equates to approximately one pound per week just by watching the calories in the food you eat. You can find out how many calories you need on a daily basis by using this simple equation to determine your Resting Metabolic Rate. Resting Metabolic Rate is the number of calories you need on a daily basis to maintain your vital functions.
There are great tracking tools that you can use on your computer or phone! On these sites you just basically type in what you ate for the day and it will spit back out at you the number of calories you consumed. Check out the Smart Health With Your Smart Phone post on the Groupie Blog for more information.
Keep Your Hunger at Bay
Make sure to eat every four to five hours to ensure smaller portion sizes. It will prevent you from getting too hungry and will help to avoid binging. Eat high fiber foods to help keep you feeling satisfied longer.
Alter Your Medication
Certain diabetic pills and insulin can sometimes make blood sugar drop during exercise or when eating less. People living with diabetes should talk to their primary care physician about their new regimen and how it will affect their personal management of diabetes. It might be as simple as switching medicine or checking your blood sugar more often.
Prepare Snacks In Advance
Having a snack before or after a workout can help control your blood sugar when exercising, but make sure to plan your snacks so that you are not adding more food to your daily intake. Rather, modify the times you incorporate the healthy snacking.
By working these changes into your everyday life you should see the pounds come right off! Do you have any other suggestions to add to this list?