Diabetes and Weight Loss
Obesity or being overweight has always been linked to metabolic diseases like hypertension, heart disease, gout and of course diabetes. Being overweight or obese has more of a profound effect on diabetes complications than diabetes itself. Keeping weight in the ideal range lowers the risk for diabetic complications. It will also increase energy level and boost both physical and mental health.
To start with, you need to know that there is one unchanging truth about weight loss: eat and drink lesser calories than your body will be able to burn. With the many weight loss programs now available, this basic principle should be the first thing to follow. This means choosing your food well and changing your lifestyle to support losing those excess calories.
Next, you need to look into your current health. How much weight should you lose to attain your ideal weight? Find out if you are at a high risk of developing heart disease. Think about how your lifestyle is affecting your health including your environment, habits, work schedules, etc. Are you following a sedentary lifestyle? Do you spend more time in front of the TV or doing less strenuous activities? Check your shopping list, maybe you can eliminate those foods that are calorie or fat-laden. Determine how many calories your body needs to function well daily and your target weight loss. Plan your meals and activities around these requirements.
The hardest thing with trying to lose weight is getting started. You will surely need the support of friends and family but remember that main responsibility and effort to lose weight lies solely in you. It takes 30 days of constantly doing something for it to become a habit so your goal is to make exercising, eating healthy and living a healthy lifestyle become life-changing habits.
What happens if you continue to be overweight and diabetic at the same time? Obesity increases the risk of life-threatening diabetic complications. This includes high blood pressure, kidney problems, heart attack and stroke. Obesity overworks the heart and the blood vessels, mixed this with blood glucose that is out of control and you have some sort of a ticking bomb.
Blood glucose monitoring and control is no longer as restrictive as it once was. These days there are already continuous glucose monitors that can read minute by minute blood glucose and can even communicate with insulin pumps that can be worn even during extreme physical activities. Insulin pumps are now even water-proof so they can be used while swimming. They also come with food calorie values to guide you choose your food according to your calorie needs. Even when using traditional insulin therapy via injections, exercise and healthy diet can still be worked into the routine.
What is important is your commitment to achieve that ideal weight. And commitment to control your blood glucose.