A balanced diet and an active lifestyle can help maintain a healthy weight. It’s a known fact that weight can affect diabetes and diabetes can affect weight. So if you are a diabetic, nutrition and physical activity are important constituents of a healthy lifestyle. It’s important to follow a healthy meal plan and most important of all to remain active. A good diet plan along with physical activity helps to keep blood glucose level in control. The key here is to maintain the blood glucose level for which one needs to balance on what to eat and drink, followed by physical activity and medication if one is taking any.
[Read How weight loss can reverse Type 2 diabetes]
Steps for Weight management
Decision – Deciding to take charge of your Weight
Choosing the right diet plan
Choosing what to eat and the quantity to eat
Follow regular Physical Activity
Make small changes and follow them in a disciplined way
Take help from your family and friends, they are the ones who can genuinely help you in your weight management. and if required Consult a Diabetes consultant. Eating well and on time is a must for Diabetic weight management and physical activity is the main factor that helps you in not only controlling your blood glucose level but also blood pressure and cholesterol in your target ranges.
5 Most Important Tips for Diabetic in Managing Weight
1- Weight management and Blood Glucose
Diabetes and weight loss go hand in hand. Weight loss in the prevention of diabetes is beneficial. But weight reduction remains challenging for individuals with Type 2 diabetes. However, Diabetes and Weight gain are also linked to many traditional glucose-lowering medications that may lead to weight gain.
Due to insufficient insulin, the body cells do not get glucose from the blood in turn to generate energy. Due to this, the body starts burning muscle and fat for energy at the same time the kidneys start to get rid of unused glucose through Urine. The body starts dehydration, causing a reduction in overall body weight- Sudden weight loss. Uncontrolled hyperglycemia– typical of undiagnosed type 1 diabetes can lead to diabetes weight loss.
[Read How to overcome Diabetic Hyperglycemia???]
If you are underweight and need to put on a little weight without creating extremely high blood sugar levels then your first step is making sure the issue isn’t due to high blood glucose levels, to begin with. A weight management plan is mandatory. A 40 min Walk of Jog in the morning followed by Exercises of Yoga and strictly following the plan.
The Core goals of every diabetic, particularly Type 2 is Exercise, eat right, and stay at a healthy weight. With Healthy weight the body becomes more energetic, you feel better and the Diabetic symptoms start decreasing.
2- Manage Weight Through Diet
Getting the right nutritional contents from food is important for everyone. Planning meals in advance is a good way to ensure that people managing diabetes and weight, eat a balanced and nutritious diet. Your diabetic weight loss plan diet is simply a healthy eating plan that will help you control your blood sugar and also manage weight.
Firstly, don’t skip meals and if you are trying to gain weight by increasing your daily caloric intake then do not skip breakfast. Many people tend to skip breakfast, and it’s one of the most important meals of the day. You skip breakfast and you get hungrier and hungrier, and that’s one of the reasons people tend to overeat later in the day.
[Read Aahara -food for diabetes]
Take a satisfying lunch break. Plan a healthy lunch ahead of time or you might resort to unhealthy fast food. Afternoon snacking is a good way to set yourself up for healthy eating once you are home.
Eat a sensible dinner. Don’t overeat at dinnertime. Eat a meal that’s about the same size as what you ate for breakfast and lunch.
The actual amounts of protein, carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables you should eat will depend on the meal plan that’s best for you. A Healthy 1,200-calorie diabetic weight-loss meal plan makes it easy to balance your blood sugar. The Right Balance for Diabetes and Weight Loss is to Keep tight control over your blood sugar levels while you lose weight.
A single plate meal should include –
- 50% non-starchy vegetables like Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, etc
- 25% lean protein, such as lentils, tofu, fish, or skinless and fatless chicken or turkey
- 25% high-fiber carbohydrates, such as whole grains or legumes
[Read Diabetes Diet: Make Your Healthy Food Choices and Eating Plan]
3- Keep Snacking
A snack doesn’t mean fried or dry eatery, Snack is a small amount of food eaten between meals. Snacks between lunch and dinner is another way to help increase caloric intake and is beneficial if you are someone who gets full quickly. Ideally, breakfast should be around 8:00 a.m., plan a snack at 10:00 a.m., lunch at 12:00 p.m., followed by a snack at 3:00 p.m., and dinner later.
Snacks will provide 100 – 200 calories for most people and be very low in unhealthy saturated and trans fats. The amount of carbohydrate will depend on your individualized meal plan, activity level, and your blood sugar level.
Here are a few healthy snacks suggestions-
- Half peanut butter, tuna or chicken sandwich on whole-grain bread
- Raw veggies and salads
- Hard-boiled egg
- Low fat cottage cheese with fruit or veggies
- Fresh or canned fruit (no sugar added)
- ¼ cup nuts
- Sliced apples with almond butter and a dab of no-sugar jelly
Simple meals and snacks with complex carbohydrates (whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables), lean protein and healthy fats make the best Diabetic Diet to lose weight fast.
4- Healthy Fat is Always Welcome
Monounsaturated fats are called “good or healthy” fats because they can lower your bad (LDL) cholesterol.
Some of the foods that contain healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are –
They are also good for your heart health. These fats are also high in calories and will help with weight gain. There are numerous ways to incorporate these foods into your daily diet. Make sure that you are eating from a variety of food groups for good nutrition and to keep up your calories. For instance, if you are having a dairy product make sure you add a plant food along. A mix of protein, fat, and carbohydrates is a must. If you still experience difficulty gaining weight, despite good efforts you can always talk to your medical consultant if any additional tests are required.
[Read How healthy fats affect youths with Diabetes]
5- Being Physically Active is a Must
In today’s fast-paced world people often live a sedentary lifestyle, be it in the office or at home. To achieve and maintain a healthy weight, you may need to do 60 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity each day
If you are overweight, combining physical activity with a reduced-calorie intake plan can lead to even more benefits. Even small amounts of physical activity can help. Ideally, you should aim for at least 40 minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity, 5 days a week, along with moderate exercise or Yoga can be great Diabetic weight management.
[Read Diabetes: Here is How to Manage Diabetes with Exercise]
