It is tough to lose weight, especially if you’re a diabetic. Apart from sweating it out at the gym, you also need to ensure that you’re eating healthy and are fit overall.
Even if you are perfectly healthy and fit to exercise, sometimes you just aren’t motivated enough to follow a routine. And that’s probably because you didn’t see any visible difference in the first few days and gave up.
If you can relate to any of these challenges, you should read this post. I have listed some tips to help you lose weight, even if you’re diabetic.
1. Set Small and Realistic Goals
Everyone that starts a weight loss program, be it people with diabetes or otherwise, wants to see quick results. After all, we all love instant gratification.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we started losing weight from the very first day and shed several pounds within a week? It is a very tempting thought.
But what people forget is that it is not realistic. If you set unrealistic expectations, you are setting yourself up for failure.
So, dreaming that you will lose 5-10 lbs a week and striving for it is harmful. For people with diabetes, weight loss of 1 lb to 2 lbs per week is ideal.
Set small and realistic targets that you can actually meet. This will motivate you to continue with your routine.
2. Always Prioritize Health Over Weight Loss
People with diabetes should never try a drastic weight loss program, no matter how tempting it seems. You may be successful in your efforts and achieve drastic weight loss, but eventually, it will take a toll on your health.
Extreme dieting will affect your blood sugar levels and will cause more harm than good in the long term. Same is true for excessive exercising as well.
Thus, as a person with diabetes, your weight loss program should focus on your health first. That said, let’s now dive deep into the ideal weight loss program for people with diabetes.
3. Eat Right
A diet plan for people with diabetes is a bit different than your regular diet plans. Diet plans for diabetics focus on eating foods that regulate and maintain blood sugar levels.
There are several diet programs for diabetics, but there are some things that remain common. Here are some of the things that you need to include or avoid in a weight loss plan for people with diabetes.
Eat Lean Proteins
Proteins improve your metabolism and help burn calories faster and hence are an important element of a weight loss plan for people with diabetes. They also reduce cravings and make your stomach feel full for longer, thus avoiding any urge to overeat.
However, not all proteins are considered equal. Lean proteins from plant-based source or from dairy or eggs are more beneficial than proteins from red meat.
Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
This is a mantra that all dieticians swear by and it works for everyone, including people with diabetes. Eating fresh fruits and green vegetables is good for your overall health. If you have to fill your stomach, why not fill it with nutritious foods first?
Moreover, if you include a lot of these healthy foods in your diet, you will not have enough appetite left to include non-healthy food items like desserts.
Eat Foods Rich in Fiber
Eating more fiber helps you feel full for longer as it increases the time taken to digest food. This helps reduce cravings and avoids overeating.
You can also eat carbohydrates, which are usually avoided, as long as they are rich in fiber. Fiber will cause the carbs to break down slower, making you feel satiated for longer.
Avoid Sugar and Saturated Fats
This is probably the most important tip for anyone, but especially for people with diabetes. Cutting down on sugar is one of the best weight loss tricks, and it really works.
Avoiding sugar and saturated fats directly reduces your calorie intake, thus helping you to lose weight. Even if don’t follow any other tip, avoiding sugar and saturated fats alone can help with your weight loss.
4. Exercise
No weight loss plan, whether for people with diabetes or anyone else, is complete without including some form of physical exercise.
This works in tandem with maintaining a low-calorie, nutritious diet. The basic principle of weight loss is that if you burn more calories than you eat, you lose weight.
So, even if you are eating the most nutritious meals, you need to burn some of those calories to actually lose weight. You can pick any form of physical activity and incorporate it into your daily routine. You can also consult a personal trainer to get a customized workout routine specifically made as per your needs.
Just remember, that no matter what exercise you choose, the key is to stick to it and be consistent.
Conclusion
Follow these weight loss tips for people with diabetes and shed those extra pounds quickly and safely.
