Diabetes, Lose Weight

A General Guide To Losing Weight With Diabetes

 Healthy Menus For Diabetes

Weight and Type 1 Diabetes

If it's undiagnosed or untreated, type 1 diabetes can make people lose weight. In type 1 diabetes, the body stops producing the hormone insulin, which is needed to use glucose, the main type of sugar in the blood. Glucose comes from the foods we eat and is the major source of energy needed to fuel the body's functions. Because the body can't use glucose properly, it flushes the glucose (and the calories) out of the body in urine. As a result, a person who develops type 1 diabetes can lose weight, despite having a normal or increased appetite. Once a person with type 1 diabetes is diagnosed and treated, his or her weight usually returns to normal.

Excess body weight can occasionally be a problem for people with type 1 diabetes as well. Some people with type 1 diabetes are overweight before they develop the disease. And someone with type 1 diabetes may become overweight after diagnosis if they don't maintain healthy eating and exercise habits. Developing type 1 diabetes isn't related to being overweight, but because lots of body fat can make it harder for a persons body to use insulin properly, overweight adults and children with type 1 diabetes can also have trouble controlling their blood sugar levels.

Type 2 Diabetes

Did you know that nearly 9 out of 10 people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes are overweight? If you are overweight, losing some weight could help you better manage your diabetes.

You can have diabetes, lose weight and keep it off. Your first step is to talk with your doctor about losing weight. It can be hard to talk about weight loss but this is a necessary step.

The American Diabetes Association recommends that patients aim for a small but consistent weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds per week. Most patients should follow a diet that supplies at least 1,000 – 1,200 kcal/day for women and 1,200 – 1,600 kcal/day for men.

Even modest weight loss can reduce the risk factors for heart disease and diabetes. There are many approaches to dieting and many claims for great success with various fad diets. They include calorie restriction, low-fat/high-fiber, or high protein and fat/low carbohydrates. Some evidence suggests that people may respond differently to specific diets depending on whether their weight is overly distributed around the abdomen.

Ways To Lose Weight

Lifelong changes in eating habits, physical activity, and attitudes about food and weight are essential to weight management. Unfortunately, although many people can lose weight initially, it is very difficult to maintain weight loss. People with type 2 diabetes may have a particularly difficult time.

Start with realistic goals. When overweight people achieve even modest weight loss they reduce risk factors in the heart. A regular exercise program is essential for maintaining weight loss. If there are no health prohibitions, choose one that is enjoyable. Hunger pangs should not be taken as cues to eat. A stomach that has been stretched by large meals will continue to signal hunger for large amounts of food until its size reduces over time with smaller meals.

Be honest about how much you eat, and track calories carefully. Studies on weight control that depend on self-reporting of food intake frequently reveal that subjects badly misjudge how much they eat. People who do not carefully note everything they eat tend to take in excessive calories when they believe they are dieting.

For patients who cannot lose weight with diet alone, effect weight-loss medications are now available, including sibutramine (Meridia) and orlistat (Xenical). Orlistat may have particular benefits for patients with type 2 diabetes. This drug may delay or even prevent the onset or progression of diabetes. It may also improve cholesterol levels, regardless of weight loss.

Sibutramine is also helpful in weight loss but should not be used by patients with high blood pressure or kidney or liver problems. Once a person has lost weight, maintenance is required. To maintain a healthy weight, make careful decisions about how many calories you consume in food and how many calories you expend through physical activity. Such thinking will eventually become automatic. A procedure known as bariatric surgery has been very helpful in producing rapid weight loss and improving insulin and glucose levels in people with diabetes.

Exercise Helps Diabetes

Exercise can help you to lose weight, by building muscle and burning calories. Although this can take time, particularly to physically notice the differences, each activity becomes easier as you become fitter. Always make sure exercise is appropriate to your situation.

 Healthy Menus For Diabetes

Return To: Lose Weight General 

Return from Diabetes Lose Weight Page To Lose Weight For Free Home