101 Weight Loss Tips for Preventing and Controlling Diabetes. Anne Daly

Improved mobility and range of motion

       A better attitude and self-esteem

       Better blood glucose control

       Reduced chance of heart attack or stroke

       Improved blood pressure

       Improved cholesterol levels

      Please remember muscle weighs more than fat. While you are building muscle and losing fat, don’t wail at the scale. Measure the inches you’re losing on waist, thigh, and biceps to see your progress at weight loss.

How can I burn more calories?

       TIP:

      You may be surprised at how many of your daily activities burn calories. This table shows the calories burned by a 150-pound person doing 30 minutes of each activity. If you weigh more than 150, you will burn more calories.

What about the popular fad diets—do they work?

       TIP:

      Not really. At the beginning, these diets may produce some weight loss, but you are losing water weight. The other reason they work at first is that these diets are, basically, low-calorie diets indisguise. When you follow them closely, these diets typically provide 1,000–1,600 calories daily. For most Americans, this is fewer calories than they usually eat. However, the problem is maintaining the weight loss. These diets are hard to stick with. You soon miss carbohydrate foods and wander back to old eating habits. Almost all the popular diets promote eating high protein and low carbohydrate. The authors claim that you can eat unlimited amounts of high protein and high-fat foods, but they severely limit fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grain and milk products, breads, cereal, and crackers. Hey folks, those are the healthiest foods! There is a long list of serious health risks associated with these diets, such as poor nutrition, increased blood pressure, increased blood cholesterol, cancer, osteoporosis, gout, and kidney stones. For people with diabetes, these diets are particularly bad because eating lots of saturated fat puts you at risk for heart attack and stroke.

What can I do instead of the popular diets to lose weight successfully?

       TIP:

      There are no quick fixes to losing weight. Simply put, you need to burn more calories than you take in. To help you do that, follow these guidelines:

       Eat a varied diet—include all food groups

       Include at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily

       Limit sugary foods

       Eat smaller servings

       Limit fat, especially saturated (animal) fat and trans fats (in hydrogenated oils)

       Be physically active at least 30 minutes 3–5 days of the week

      Seek help from a registered dietitian (RD), preferably one who is a certified diabetes educator (CDE), if you have diabetes, to develop a meal plan based on your likes and dislikes, daily schedule, and health concerns. This is a very important step in creating a healthier lifestyle.

What should I consider when choosing a weight management program?

       TIP:

      Ask yourself these questions about the program:

       How often do I go and how long are the sessions?

       Is the program conveniently located and does the time fit my schedule?

       What are my short-term and my long-term goals?

       Do I have high health risks?

       Is my health checked at the beginning and monitored throughout the program?

       Is the staff trained and experienced in treating my medical condition(s)?

       What method(s) are used for weight loss? Are there expensive foods to buy?

       Does the program include instruction in healthful eating, increasing physical activity, and improving self-esteem?

       Once I lose the weight, what services are provided for long-term maintenance?

       Do they have records to show their success with both weight loss and maintenance?

       What medical standards does the staff follow to care for my health conditions?

       What type(s) of ongoing support do