Losing weight helps control blood sugar levels and can also reduce dependence on medication, or even get rid of it altogether. Do you also feel that it sounds easy to do? Then let expert advice help you improve your success in managing your disease over the long term.
Be prepared mentally
“Weight loss is more like a marathon than a sprint run. You don’t get to sprint full steam ahead for a short period of time and then stall out.” So says Dr. Michael Denzinger, director of lifestyle coaching for weight loss for people with diabetes at Tufts University Medical Center, and a nutrition expert on NBC’s “The King of Weight Loss. “If you’re not fully prepared, all the changes you try will be difficult to stick with.” To gain the motivation to support you to keep going, Dr. Dansinger suggests that you imagine what you will look like in five years if you don’t make lifestyle changes; and the gap between that and what you hope to become. Will you be experiencing diabetes-related complications in five years? Will you be healthier than you are now? The resolutions you make now will determine your future.
Don’t rush it
Carolyn Brown, a registered dietitian with New York Food Trainers, says that if you start out with a lower goal, the more likely you are to stick with it. In the beginning, we can aim for 15 minutes of exercise or eliminate the after-dinner snack,” Brown said. Make only two improvements a week, and then work your way up.”
Take some notes
The best way to spot your bad eating habits is to insist on keeping track of every food you eat and drink during the week. “You may find yourself consuming more food than you thought you would, or you often forget to eat breakfast,” Brown says. Depending on your preference, you can choose to keep track of what you eat with a phone app or with a pen and paper.
Don’t skip breakfast, not even lunch or dinner
This is counterproductive. “If you miss a meal, your body’s eating rhythm is disrupted, and you’re likely to feel hungrier subsequently.” said Jacqueline London, a senior clinical nutritionist at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. She also explains why missing meals will be dangerous for people with diabetes: patients are more likely to experience hypoglycemia, and irregular eating may also affect the effectiveness of diabetes medications. You need to eat breakfast. If you don’t eat breakfast, “you’re basically letting your body run without energy,” she says. She also recommends consuming a high-protein diet at breakfast, such as eggs or yogurt, to stay fuller longer.
Be in control of your emotions
Many people will gorge on food and drink when they are mentally stressed or depressed. “Stress is a very important factor, and stress can actually raise blood sugar levels,” Brown says. She often tells her clients to seek help from a therapist to relieve stress through means other than diet.
Don’t keep your goals a secret
The availability of adequate support may be the key to success or failure in managing the diet. This support may come from friends, family, co-workers, or other like-minded people. You can also reach out to an expert for help. “I believe working with a lifestyle coaching coach, whether in person or by phone or online, can be very helpful,” says Dr. Dansinger. They’ll provide you with advice and supervision, which can increase your chances of successfully losing 10 percent of your body weight fivefold. The latest guidelines from the American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology and The Obesity Society state that doctors should recommend a comprehensive lifestyle management program for people who are overweight or obese for more than six months. A comprehensive lifestyle management program should be recommended by physicians for people who are overweight or obese for more than 6 months.
To extend integrated disease management beyond diet
Focusing on your diet is only a good start; exercise is also a critical aspect. In addition to aerobic exercise, it should also be supplemented with strength training. Training with an exercise machine or exercise band can increase muscle strength and suppress insulin resistance (i.e., the inability of insulin to perform its normal physiological functions). “The body’s muscles play an important role in burning and storing sugar, so keeping them strong is important for maintaining normal blood sugar levels,” said Dr. Verne Wescott, an instructor in the Department of Exercise Science at Quincy College. People with diabetes should try to do strength training at least twice a week. It’s also important to maintain as much exercise as possible throughout the day. Studies show that being sedentary may increase the risk of having a range of diseases, including diabetes. Brown recommends getting a small amount of exercise each hour, such as getting up to get water, walking to the farthest bathroom, or communicating with other colleagues in person rather than by email or text message.
To keep your carbohydrate intake up
People with diabetes should keep their carbohydrate intake up. “Our brains run on carbohydrates,” Brown said. The key is to limit your carbohydrate intake, with a serving about the size of your fist. In addition, patients should reduce their intake of refined foods (such as white bread, etc.) in favor of healthier roughage, such as whole-grain pasta, brown rice, potatoes, etc.
Don’t let small setbacks derail the whole plan
“Everyone can have a day, a week, or even a month-long slump at some point and then get off track,” Dr. Dansinger preached. “The difference is that some people lack perseverance, so their health takes a nosedive; others are able to persevere.”