Weight Loss Programs Specifically Designed for Diabetics

According to information from the Mayo Clinic, diet and weight loss are key factors in managing both type I and type II diabetes. Diabetes occurs where the body becomes unable to manage blood sugar, being unable to produce or utilize the hormone insulin--which is normally responsible for keeping blood glucose levels in check. While diabetes is a permanent condition, symptoms can be mitigated by a weight loss program, such as the one provided by the American Diabetes Association.

Nutritional Advice

• Aim to consume nothing but balanced meals containing fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein and minimizing consumption of fats while attempting to lose weight with diabetes. This means that during every meal, you should aim to fill your plate in a balanced fashion. Roughly half of your plate should be filled with non-starchy vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, carrots, cucumber, peppers, mushrooms, green beans, tomatoes and cauliflower. In the remaining half, include both starch-containing foods like rice, beans, pasta, whole grain items and the like, along with a serving of low-fat meat like turkey, chicken, fish, eggs, cheese or other types of seafood. This approach will help to keep your blood sugar in check, avoiding excessive consumption of foods that could exacerbate the problem while aiming to fill you up with plenty of lower-calorie nutrient dense foods.

  Regarding fat intake, stick to healthier unsaturated sources of fat such as nuts and seeds and cooking oils like olive, sesame, peanut, fish and flax, avoiding both saturated and trans fats as much as possible. Limit yourself to less than 7 percent of your total daily calories from saturated fats and no more than 2g from trans fats per day. Saturated and trans fats both tend to raise cholesterol levels, a potential unwanted complication for diabetics. Saturated fats are found in items like animal fat and high-fat dairy items, whereas trans fats are found in fried foods, margarine and some sweets like doughnuts. Check the labeling information if you are unsure whether a product contains saturated or trans fats.

Exercise Advice

• Follow a program consisting or at least four or more days of regular moderate intensity exercise while attempting to lose weight with diabetes. Exercise can come in nearly any form, so long as it is an activity that will raise your heartrate and help you to work up a mild sweat. Sample forms of exercise include brisk walking, jogging, gardening, Pilates, yoga, resistance training and swimming. The crux of exercising with diabetes is to find an activity that you can enjoy and stick with for a prolonged period of time. If you are not used to regular training, begin slowly and work your way up as your fitness level improves--start with just 20 minutes of day of exercise and attempt to build up to 45 or more once you start to see positive changes in your body and physical capacity.