Don’t get frustrated if you have diabetes and are overweight. People with diabetes do not need to lose weight to get a model body in order to manage their diabetes and improve their health. Any weight loss will help lower blood sugar levels, improve blood pressure and lipid profiles, and allow the body to absorb insulin more easily.
This can be done by modifying the type and amount of food you eat and exercising regularly. In this way, you can lose 1 to 2 pounds per week, and after 7 to 10 weeks, you can lose about 10 pounds. This is when health improves and, if your doctor allows, you can even reduce the amount of diabetes medication you take.
Some patients may think, “But I’ve tried this before and gotten nowhere.” The point is to use small improvements as a measure. Don’t think about losing dozens of pounds; losing just a few will be easier to achieve.
Regardless of how many pounds you hope to lose, you should have a weight loss plan in place before you start losing weight. During this time, especially if you are taking medications, you should stay in communication with your doctor. Weight loss has the potential to affect the effectiveness of these medications.
Start with these 3 steps:
- Ask yourself why you want to lose weight and why now.
- Set clear and realistic weight loss goals and stick to them.
- Think about the difficulties you might encounter and develop measures to overcome those difficulties.
Here are some suggestions on how to get started.
Why do you want to lose weight?
It’s not enough to just hear your doctor say you need to lose a few pounds; you have to want to lose weight yourself. Think about why this is so important. Wanting to lose weight on your own will keep you going when you lack motivation or when you face strong temptation. What is the driving force behind weight loss?
- Want to grow up with your kids and have more energy?
- Is there a particular activity you’ve always wanted to do?
- Would like to manage your diabetes more easily?
- Are planning a big vacation and want to be fit enough to fully enjoy it?
- Want to reduce your chances of heart disease and other illnesses?
Whatever the reason, write them down and post them on your refrigerator door or somewhere else you can see. This list will be a constant reminder of why you need to lose weight.
Set achievable diet goals
Quick diet meals or limiting your consumption of certain foods can be difficult to stick to in the long run, and the weight you lose can easily bounce back. In the long run, it’s best to start with a small goal, such as losing 10 pounds. Set a feasible date for achieving this goal. Then focus on making healthy changes to your diet and exercise habits.
Try to see if these goals are set at a reasonable size. Which approach fits your lifestyle?
Set achievable fitness goals
Stick to daily exercise, which can help control blood sugar levels, increase stamina, and improve one’s mood. Exercising every day can also help you lose excess weight. Take a look at the goals below.
- Walk around your home for 30 minutes after dinner every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
- Get off the bus two stops early at work and walk the rest of the way.
- Sign up for a weekly low-impact cardio class at the gym.
- Sign up for a weekly low-intensity cardio class at the gym.
- Record daily workouts on a personal calendar.
When setting your goals, think about what will work for you. Detail when, where, and how you will achieve your goals. Start slowly, then work out for a total of 30 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week.
Variety your exercise routine and plan different activities for each week. Experts recommend combining aerobic exercise with strength training. Aerobic exercise includes walking, climbing stairs, dancing, or swimming. Strength training can be with dumbbells or fitness workout muscles. At least 2 to 3 days per week should include these exercises in your exercise routine. Your doctor should be informed before undertaking any exercise program to ensure that the program is safe.
Calories and weight loss
Remember, you need to burn 3500 calories more than usual to lose 1 pound of weight. To achieve your goal of losing 1 pound per week, you can either cut 500 calories from your daily food or burn an extra 500 calories per day through exercise, or you can do both.
For example, skip the cheese in your lunch sandwich, replace your regular soda with a lime soda, and choose a small package of candy instead of a large one, so you can lose 300 calories (you can see how many calories you’ve lost by the food label and portion size). Add in 30 minutes of brisk walking, which will burn about 200 calories, and you’ve reached your goal of 500 calories!
This is just one way to do it. To develop a weight loss plan that works for you, you may want to ask your doctor to refer you to a nutritionist to give you dietary advice and develop a plan.
A weight loss plan
Think about what makes you eat too much or do things that hurt your body every day. Work stress is one reason, especially when a colleague in the office has a bar of chocolate on his or her desk. It’s easy to snack mindlessly when people are bored, and when they’re watching TV.
List your biggest obstacles to losing weight and ways to deal with each. For example, during work, go a different way to your desk so you don’t see your coworker’s chocolate. When you’re at home, do a small activity or take up a new hobby to get yourself away from the TV.
Have some healthy and tasty snacks on hand to eat when you feel hungry. Also keep water handy and don’t forget to drink it. Water reduces hunger and contains no calories.
Take time to look at the small successes you achieve each time. Lifestyle changes are not easy and you should be proud of your efforts. Over time, you can see the benefits of these changes: better health and a greater sense of well-being. Stick with your new healthy habits and slowly, the goal will be achieved and it is possible to exceed the weight loss goals you have set for yourself.