When you suffer from Diabetes, weight loss can be a life or death matter. This is something that most try to achieve overnight but they are never triumphant in the end. The key to losing weight successfully is to approach it in a slow and steady manner, especially when you have a disease that effects your life in such a way as diabetes. Doing this ensures you are going about it in a healthy way, sure to have lasting and positive results. By following the steps below, you will find that losing weight is difficult, but easier than you imagined originally and will keep your health manageable.
Always Set Realistic Goals
It is important to set goals that you know are attainable. If you try for a loss of more than two pounds a week, it may be more than your body is physically able to handle. Try setting goals that sound genuine and reasonable. Work your weight loss plans around those goals so you have something to look forward to.
A Support System
No one can cheer you on better than your own friends and family. They are your own support system and lifeline. Do not be afraid of sharing your weight loss plans, goals, and results with them. It may also be helpful to join an online support group or forum. They usually have people who are going through the exact same scenario you are and who you can relate to. A good and solid support system will help make your weight loss journey a more seamless one.
Include Regular Exercise
Creating a steady exercise regime will help your weight loss in countless ways. Exercise helps you get rid of stress, depression, and gives you a boost of euphoria that you cannot get anywhere else. It also significantly helps you drop weight in addition to eating healthy. A stable exercise program is one of the best things that you can do for your body and health in general.
Small Meals Throughout the Day
This may be the oldest suggestion in the book but it by far one of the best. By eating several small meals throughout the day, you are helping regulate your blood sugar and control your cravings. You are less likely to binge later in the day and ruin your progress if you stick with around six small meals all day.
Drinks Add Up Quickly
If you think about it, drinks like sodas and lemonades are just empty calories. They taste good when you are in the mood for an extra beverage, but they add to your daily caloric count without giving you any nutritional benefits. If you cannot get rid of added drinks in your diet, be sure to watch them carefully. It is not worth ruining your day’s hard work for a quick soda.
Limit Alcohol and Smoking
As said above, additional drinks are just considered empty calories. The same goes for alcoholic beverages as well. The difference with alcohol and smoking, however, is the detrimental effects on your health. When you start your weight loss journey, it should be a new and healthy lifestyle. This includes cutting out the bad things that were in our lives before. Smoking and alcohol are both linked to cancer, something that does not have a place in your fresh, fit way of life.
Good Carbs and Bad Carbs
Educate yourself on the difference between good and bad carbohydrates as it will make a big difference in your weight loss. Beneficial carbs are those that have high fiber content and are absorbed slowly into our systems. This would include whole wheat, vegetables, legumes, and fruits. The unhealthy carbs are things like white breads, white rice, processed foods, and sugar. By eating the right kinds of carbs, you are ensuring you get enough fiber in your diet, which in the end can help with your weight loss.
Enjoy a Salad
Salads can be either a meal or a side dish. Whichever way you enjoy it, you are getting the needed servings of vegetables in your diet as well as fiber and even protein. Salads are a great way to try new vegetables and make great meals. Substitute iceberg lettuce for either romaine or spinach as iceberg is empty of any nutritional value. Be careful with toppings on your salads, however. The more toppings you add, like salad dressings, the more additional calories and fat you are adding.
Eliminate Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners are known for their damaging effects on the body including insomnia, depression, migraines, cancer, and weight gain. They also negatively impact those with diabetes. They assist those who have sugar addictions but the costs are not worth it in the end. With your new lifestyle, cut out as many artificial sweeteners as you can. It will help with losing weight and lead to a healthier you!
Protein is Vital
Filling your meals with protein-rich items will help you feel full longer. This prevents snacking and binges later in the day. Be sure to include lean proteins like chicken and fish in your diet. They are full of vitamins and nutrients that will help your body be the best it can be. Protein truly is a vital factor in healthy weight loss.
Night Owl
Try to limit your meals and snacking at night. People tend to partake in less physical activity in the later hours of the day. Your body starts to shut down and get ready for sleep, storing the extra food and calories that you consume for later. It turns those calories into fat and adds to weight gain, not loss. By having a set time you stop eating each night, you can boost your weight loss program significantly.
Conclusion
Losing weight and leading a healthy life style is definitely not an easy feat, but it is not impossible and the rewards are worth the hard work in the end. Nothing is more satisfying than knowing your body is as healthy and fit as it can be. By following the diabetic diet tips above, you can be well on your way to that healthy life style and lose weight in a slow and safe way!
