We Uncover the Facts about Real, Sustainable, Weight Loss for Diabetics
Sudden diet changes to lose weight have been shown to be largely
ineffective in the long term. There are various ways to try and cause
sudden weight loss, including having a very low calorie diet, low
carbohydrate diet, low fat diet, fasting, special meal replacement drinks and so
on.
Where these are effective and weight is lost - in the vast
majority of cases, the weight is regained once the diet regime is
stopped, within 12 months.
The best and surest way to get to and maintain a healthy weight, is to eat the correct amount of calories for your desired body weight. This means it is a life long commitment to a good diet, not a phase to go through every January and February! One of the closest commercially available diet programmes to this approach is WeightWatchers(R). Weekly weigh ins and slow and steady weight loss to a realist target are a great help and motivation. Other programs are available, but few rival the scope of WeightWatchers(R). If you have problems trying to diet independently you may find being part of an organised programme helpful.
Should I consider Surgery?
Many Type 2 diabetics in particular are truly overweight or obese.
If you have a BMI greater than about 40 or have a critical problem
relating to your weight such as inability to walk or are at increased
risk of heart attack, you may benefit from surgery.
In some cases the
transformation can be sudden and dramatic, including not requiring
medication anymore. The most successful form of surgery is a stomach
staple, where the size of the stomach is reduced (Also called a Gastric
Bypass Operation). The amount of food the stomach can digest before the
food passes through it is limited, this leads to a natural lowering of
appetite and weight loss.
Surgery is not a miracle quick fix for obesity and is not risk free, the stomach can stretch again, the staple can fail and in some cases absorption of vitamins and minerals is harmed.
Getting There Slowly
If you are not dangerously obese, but you are currently a long way over your target weight, it is a good idea to slowly cut down your calorie intake to the target calculated previously. Sudden large changes in diet can make it difficult to manage your blood glucose. Successful long term dieting should be used in conjunction with a gradual increase in activity and exercise.
If you want to diet independently
- Give yourself realistic weight loss targets each week
- Don't be tempted to weight yourself everyday
- Don't try to always exceed your targets.
- Weigh yourself at the same time of day once a week
- Don't cheat yourself by wearing heavier or lighter clothes on your weigh-ins!
Lastly, our most important tips for a healthy diet.
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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