How Much Do You Really Need to Eat?
In principle, losing weight is extremely easy! You simply need to take
in less calories than you use. Of course we all know the reality is much
harder!
One of the most important things you can do as a Diabetic dieting
to reach your ideal weight, is to calculate how many calories you should
be eating per day.
A very quick way to find out is to multiple your
target weight
in pounds (not your current weight!) by 10, then add on extra calories
depending on how active you are:
- For an averagely inactive person, add 10%.
- For moderate activity, add 20%-30%
- For very active, add 40% or more, depending on the level and duration of activity.
Of course a rough guide like this is just that and different people will vary from it, even from day to day, especially if you exercise. Your calorie intake is also affected by your age, it will typically reduce as you get older and your metabolic rate slows down. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding will need more calories. Once you have figured out how many calories to eat, you should start to keep a rough track of your calorie intake and perhaps create a Diet plan to help you stick to it.
Diabetic Diet Plan for Men
The following table shows the approximate calories required per day for a typical diabetic man.
| Target Weight Pounds |
Inactive | Moderate Activity |
Active |
| 112 | 1230 | 1340 | 1570+ |
| 126 | 1390 | 1510 | 1760+ |
| 140 | 1540 | 1680 | 1960+ |
| 154 | 1700 | 1850 | 2160+ |
| 168 | 1850 | 2020 | 2350+ |
| 182 | 2000 | 2180 | 2550+ |
Diabetic Diet Plan for Women
The following table shows the approximate calories required per day for a typical diabetic woman.
| Target Weight Pounds |
Inactive | Moderate Activity |
Active |
| 98 | 1000 | 1100 | 1300+ |
| 112 | 1120 | 1230 | 1450+ |
| 126 | 1260 | 1390 | 1640+ |
| 140 | 1400 | 1540 | 1820+ |
| 154 | 1540 | 1700 | 2000+ |
| 168 | 1700 | 1850 | 2180+ |
How Much Should I Drink?
Drinking enough water is critical to your bodies correct functioning. Water is needed for a whole host of processes in the body and almost everyone drinks too little water. If your urine has a pungent smell and is yellow rather than clear, you could probably benefit from drinking more water. Don't wait until you feel thirsty, by then you are already de-hydrated, drink regularly throughout the day.
A typical adult should have five pints of water a day. Tea and coffee or anything containing caffeine does not fully count, as caffeine is a diuretic, meaning it stimulates urine production, leading to water loss. Ideally you should drink pure water. If you exercise, are in a hot environment, are pregnant or breastfeeding, your water requirements go up. If it helps make your tap water more palatable, buy a water purifier or water filter that can be kept in the refrigerator. As a first easy step to correcting your diet, drink at least five pints of water a day, start now!
Next, find out how much you should weigh here ...
More Resources
[ www.lifeclinic.com ]
[ www.mayoclinic.com ]
[ www.webmd.com ]
[ www.ediets.com/diabetes
]
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Pages in this section...
[ Diet ] [ Ideal Weight ] [ Food ] [ Carbohydrate Content ] [ GI explained ] [ Fats ] [ Protein ] [ Vitamins & Minerals ] [ Losing Weight ] [ Summary ]
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