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Losing Weight To Combat Diabetes

Did you know 80% of people with Type 2 diabetes are overweight? Being overweight and having diabetes is a dangerous combination. Losing weight doesn’t have to be difficult.

One visit to the doctor’s office and a simple blood test can determine if you have prediabetes.

If you are diagnosed, you need to combine a 30 minute (or more) daily exercise regimen and healthy eating diet to your lifestyle. Along with these two changes, shedding a few pounds should be a priority as well. Getting your health back and managing your blood glucose levels needs to be your ultimate goal.

Losing Weight

Doctors recommend losing weight for easier management of your blood sugar levels. Losing about 5-7% of your body weight will help your condition.

For someone that is 200 pounds, that’s just 10-15 pounds. Losing this amount will help prevent prediabetes from turning into Type 2 diabetes.


Weight loss can be achieved through exercise and healthy eating before getting on a medication to treat prediabetes.

Healthy eating includes eating fiber rich foods and fruit, counting carbohydrates, and choosing foods low on the glycemic index.  To control your blood sugar, make sure you spread your meal times throughout the day. Eat three to five small meals per day with filling snacks in between.

Choosing the Right Foods

Avoid sugary foods. People with diabetes need to cut back on foods that are high in fat, sodium, carbs, and calories.  Not only do these unhealthy foods affect blood sugar levels, they also have a negative impact on other parts of your body. Fat, sodium, and foods high in carbs attribute to high blood pressure and swelling in your legs, high cholesterol, and heart disease. Consuming high amounts of foods with lots of sodium or calories is a sure way to pack on the pounds too.

Exercise To Lose Weight

For exercise, you don’t have to go run full throttle and sprint. Just walking 30 minutes to an hour about five times a day will help keep you in good health. Another great exercise is yoga. Yoga combines poses and meditation to help combat stress and weight gain. Shedding weight is as simple as increasing the activity you partake in every day. Some simple ways to incorporate more exercise into your daily life include choosing to take the stairs instead of the elevator. Incorporating small changes in physical activity to your daily life will start to show before you know it.

Testing Blood Sugar

After getting on a healthy living routine, follow back up with your doctor and take a fasting plasma glucose test. Do not eat for 8-10 hours before the test or results will be distorted. Prediabetes is visible if there are 100-125 milligrams per deciliter. Another test option is called the oral glucose tolerance test. It requires fasting also, but then a test must be taken two hours after drinking a sweet drink. If the levels are between 140 and 199, then you have prediabetes. A1C test may be the best option for you. If you have between 5.7% and 6.4% red blood cells, you have prediabetes.

Losing weight is going to help those with diabetes as well as those with prediabetes. Carrying around extra weight for diabetics only makes managing blood sugar more difficult. Mindful eating is important so that you do not overeat. Smaller portions and the right foods will be ideal for a safe diet. Cutting calories is key to weight loss, which is achievable if you try to wean off of “comfort” and “habit” foods that are often high calorie.

Contact Lucas Research today and we will help you get healthy!

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