Lose Weight to Control Diabetes and Other Chronic Diseases

Introduction

If you are obese, you may be at increased risk for a number of chronic diseases. But you stand a good chance of reducing your risk if you understand the relationship between obesity and chronic disease.

Diabetes

People who are obese are at high risk for type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which your body does not process sugar properly. The cells become insensitive to insulin, which makes it hard for sugar to move into the cells after you have eaten. As a result, the sugar stays in your blood and builds up to unhealthy levels.

In many cases, losing weight can help to improve blood sugar levels. Successful weight loss for diabetes requires making improvements to your diet and getting regular exercise.

High Blood Pressure

If you are obese, you may be at risk for elevated blood pressure. This increase in blood pressure is in part related to the extra weight that you must carry around and the demand for extra blood to meet growing demands.

The high-calorie, high-fat and high carbohydrate diets that are often associated with excessive weight gain can cause plaque buildup in your arteries and may also be a factor in developing high blood pressure.

Reducing your intake of those foods and losing the excess body fat can help to lower your blood pressure.

Heart Disease

Obesity puts you at serious risk for a heart attack due to the increased work that your heart must perform in order to get blood to your vital organs. Chances are, you will also have a great deal of plaque in your arteries as a result of consuming large amounts of trans fats and saturated fats.

Eating large amounts of refined carbohydrates could also lead to increased plaque due to high levels of triglycerides in your blood.

Losing the excess weight and substituting foods that are high in unsaturated fats for trans fats and saturated fats can help to reduce your heart disease risk.

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If you are obese and need to lose weight or need guidance on choosing the right foods for your condition, talk to a registered dietitian. Registered dietitians are the healthcare professionals most trained and qualified to provide nutrition counseling and consultation in matters related to diet and weight loss. To find a registered dietitian, visit the American Dietetic Association website at www.eatright.org and click on the link to 'Find a Dietitian."

7 Keys to Losing Weight and Keeping It Off

Overview

If you have ever tried to lose weight, you know that it is a huge challenge. But it's a challenge that is well worth the effort. Just think of the rewards: feeling good, looking your best, enjoying better health, fun times with family and friends, radiance, increased lifespan, less sick days and lower medical bills. Who won't want all those things.

Here are a few tips to help you meet the challenge:

1. Look in the mirror. Have a frank talk with the person looking back at you. Then make the commitment; but only if you are ready to make the leap. Otherwise, you could be setting yourself up for another round of disappointments.

2. Assess your needs. Try to understand what caused you to gain the weight in the first place, why you have not been able to lose the weight, or if you did, why you couldn't keep it off. This will help you to figure out what you need to do this time to achieve real, lasting success.

3. Write down your goals. Set goals that are fairly easy to achieve. Then, as you accomplish one goal you can aim for another, perhaps aiming for greater results as you go along. Don't set yourself up for disappointment by aiming for results that you know are unattainable.

4. Pay attention to what you eat. You shopping list should reflect your new weight and health goals. Your cupboard should do the same. So should the food on your plate and the snacks you consume.

5. Take a walk. You don't have to start your weight loss program by overdoing it when it comes to exercising. If you have been pretty inactive, taking a brisk walk around your home or apartment complex might be a good place to start. You can increase the amount of time and intensity of the exercise as you get more physically fit.

6. Drink up. You can trick yourself into eating less by drinking water a few minutes before a meal. This will make you feel full and thus, reduce the amount of food that you actually consume. You should also drink water between meals, especially if you begin to feel hungry, since the sensation of hunger might really be a sign of thirst.

7. Get some sleep. Lack of sleep can disrupt the hormones in your body that regulate your appetite and signal that you are full so that you do not overeat. Your stress hormones are also affected by lack of sleep. So, be good to yourself and get your zzz’s.

Health Benefits of Losing Weight

Overview

Studies show that people who are overweight or obese can enjoy a number of health benefits by losing weight. These benefits include improvement in overall health, decreased healthcare costs, more energy, and a richer, fuller and longer life.

Getting Started

Making healthy food choices and getting more exercise are two key strategies for successful weight loss. Experts recommend that you eat more fruits, vegetables and other foods that are high in fiber as an important step in your efforts to lose weight. Eating these foods will help you to cut back on calories while boosting your nutritional intake.

Another important strategy is to reduce the amount of sugar and fat in your diet.  Cutting back on these will leave room for more nutrient-dense foods that can boost your health without the unwanted calories.

You will also need to avoid consuming too much salt. Research shows that salt can affect the way your body handles fat and make it difficult to lose weight.

Health Benefits of Losing Weight

Chronic disease. Research shows that losing weight can produce significant improvements in diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and a number of other serious medical conditions. 

While many of these conditions were thought to be irreversible, studies show that not only can they be controlled; in many cases, patients are able to have their prescription doses reduced or to be taken off of the drugs altogether.

Rejuvenation. Losing weight will help to restore your cells to a more youthful state. Without the excess weight on your body, you will be able to do so much more and truly enjoy life.

Brain function. Eating a healthy diet, rich in antioxidants and other key nutrients can help to protect your brain cells and delay the onset of Alzheimer’s or other diseases of aging that affect the brain.

Strong bones. Adding more fruits and vegetables to your weight loss diet can help to keep to prevent osteoporosis by preventing calcium from being leached from the bones. Drinking vitamin D-rich milk instead of sugary drinks will also help to keep your bones strong.

These are just some of the health benefits that you can begin to enjoy by losing weight. 

Losing Weight May Improve Blood Glucose Control in Diabetics

 Overview

If you have diabetes, losing weight is one of the most important things that you can do to control your blood sugar and improve your health. In fact, studies show that losing as little as 5% to 10% of your body weight could help to improve your body’s response to insulin and promote better blood glucose control.

How You Can Benefit From Weight Loss

Studies show that losing weight can lead to improvements in blood glucose control, lower blood pressure and improve blood lipid levels. These changes can help to reduce death from heart disease. Additionally, studies show that many patients who lose at least 15% of their body weight are able to discontinue oral diabetes medications due to increased insulin sensitivity.

How to Achieve Weight Loss

You can lose weight by eating fewer calories and increasing your level of physical activity to burn more calories. The USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that American adults get at least 30 minutes or more of moderate physical activity most days of the week.

 Resources

Successful Weight Management Tools and Practices