Losing excess weight reduces the risk of diabetes. People in one large study reduced their risk of developing diabetes by almost 60% after losing approximately 7% of their body weight with changes in exercise and diet.
The American Diabetes Association recommends that people with prediabetes lose at least 7% to 10% of their body weight to prevent disease progression. More weight loss will translate into even greater benefits.
Set a weight-loss goal based on your current body weight. Talk to your doctor about reasonable short-term goals and expectations, such as losing 1 to 2 pounds a week.
There are many benefits to regular physical activity. Exercise can help you:
Goals for most adults to promote weight loss and maintain a healthy weight include:
Plants provide vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates in your diet.
Carbohydrates include sugars and starches — the energy sources for your body — and fibre. Dietary fibre, also known as roughage or bulk, is the part of plant foods your body can't digest or absorb.
Fibre-rich foods promote weight loss and lower the risk of diabetes. Eat a variety of healthy, fibre-rich foods, which include:
The benefits of fibre include:
Avoid foods that are "bad carbohydrates" — high in sugar with little fibre or nutrients: white bread and pastries, pasta from white flour, fruit juices, and processed foods with sugar or high-fructose corn syrup.
Fatty foods are high in calories and should be eaten in moderation. To help lose and manage weight, your diet should include a variety of foods with unsaturated fats, sometimes called ‘good fats.’
Unsaturated fats — both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats — promote healthy blood cholesterol levels and good heart and vascular health. Sources of good fats include:
Saturated fats, the ‘bad fats,’ are found in dairy products and meats. These should be a small part of your diet. You can limit saturated fats by eating low-fat dairy products and lean chicken and pork.
There is little research, however, about the long-term benefits of these diets or their benefit in preventing diabetes.
Your dietary goal should be to lose weight and then maintain a healthier weight moving forward. Healthy dietary decisions, therefore, need to include a strategy that you can maintain as a lifelong habit. Making healthy decisions that reflect some of your own preferences for food and traditions may be beneficial for you over time.
One simple strategy to help you make good food choices and eat appropriate portions sizes is to divide up your plate. These three divisions on your plate promote healthy eating:
If you’re still concerned about the risks of developing diabetes, please have a chat with your GP to find out more.
Otherwise, if you can adopt some of this advice, it may help get you started so that you can enjoy the chocolate feast and simply… be more Easter Bunny!
We hope you’ve enjoyed this blog? If you have, you might be interested in this previous blog about recognising and treating low blood sugar - which can happen to any of us!
https://www.redsquaremedical.com/how-do-you-know-when-the-sugar-levels-get-low