Diabetes Weight Loss System

Losing weight is of prime importance in diabetics, as even a small weight loss of 5-10% will drastically lower blood sugar, reports Cathy Nonas MS, RD, and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. This is especially true for Type 2 diabetics. According to information provided on WebMD, this is because weight loss lowers insulin resistance and brings blood sugar closer to a normal level. Weight loss helps prevent diabetic complications like heart and kidney diseases, because countering obesity lowers cholesterol and blood pressure, making you less prone to these complications.

Change Eating Habits

• Diabetics must strive to achieve enduring weight loss for controlling blood sugar levels. Hence a permanent alteration in eating habits is preferred rather than short drastic diets which cause temporary unhealthy quick weight loss.

  Diabetics must eat a low calorie diet with 50% of their calories from carbohydrates. Proteins should comprise 20% of their diet and 30% from fats, with a maximum of 10% from unhealthy, obesity-causing saturated fats.

  It is safe to lose only one pound a week by reducing 3,500 calories intake a week. This means 500 calorie intake needs to be cut per day, according to Christine Gerbstadt MD. Half of this target may be achieved through diet control and the other half through exercise for safety reasons.

  If the daily calorie intake is reduced below 1,200 calories by going on a low carbohydrate diet like a fruit juice/rice or fruit diet then there is danger of occurrence of hypoglycemi,a characterized by very low blood sugar levels.

  Eat five regular small light meals a day rather than three large meals and space out the carbohydrate intake between the five meals.

Eat Healthy

• Diabetics should eat healthy meals for weight loss. This means they should eat foods rich in nutrients and fiber, which will curb the appetite and ones that are low in fats, especially saturated fats.

  Ideal carbohydrate foods for diabetics to lose weight are whole wheat, pasta, rye bread, brown rice and starchy vegetables. These foods have a low glycemic index, are nutrient rich and also have lots of dietary fiber and soluble fiber, helping to quell the appetite.

  Non-starchy vegetables and fruits, legumes and whole grains high in fiber, vitamins and minerals should also be included in a diabetic's diet as they nourish his body without making him obese. Their fiber content reduces the appetite too.

  Fatty foods, especially saturated fats like all red meats and fried fast foods, must be avoided. For proteins, you can eat lean meats like chicken breast that are free of saturated fats and low fat/fat free dairy products like skim milk and its products.

  Alcohol that is not consumed in moderation leads to obesity as well as high blood sugar levels. Diabetics that have the okay from their doctors should not consume more than two servings of alcohol per day, according to WebMD diabetes health center.

Exercise

• Exercise regimens must be combined with diabetic diets and healthy eating habits to sustain weight loss. You must workout at least three times a week for 30 minutes if you are a diabetic, according to Dr. Oz, MD., even if you simply walk.

  Exercise helps you to lose weight by burning off calories. It is also good for heart health and controlling blood sugar levels.

  Your doctor should be consulted to define a properly thought out personalized diabetes weight loss system to be part of your diabetes management strategy.