Exercise burns fat. Excess weight causes a cycling effect. You become more fatigued with more weight and less apt to exercise or do other things that will help maintain a lower weight. Even eating moderately without exercise will result in increased weight. It doesn’t have to be a 3-hour stint at the gym to become healthier. You can lose weight without that huge block of time at the gym. Gradually increase the exercise and you’ll find yourself breaking that negative cycle.
Eating well balanced meals are the key to maintaining your health as a diabetic. Combine this with a daily exercise regime to use more calories than you take in. “Give me meat and potatoes!” used to be my motto. Then the doctor told me my triglycerides were up and if I didn’t start eating better I’d end up with diabetes. Talk about a scare! That caused me to start eating on a smaller plate, taking smaller portions and eating more vegetables. Eating fewer calories than you use (i.e. eat 1200 calories – use 1400 calories) is the key to gradual weight loss and a healthier body.
There’s always been a battle between those people who feel it’s better to eat raw vegetables and those who prefer the taste of cooked vegetables. While adding spices to the cooking process may improve flavor, the simple fact that you are cooking them kills some of the beneficial enzymes. Raw fruits and vegetables can provide enzymes your body needs. Vegetables are beneficial because they have fewer calories and provide fiber to your diet. Many vegetables, like lettuce and carrots help you to feel full while having limited the number of calories you’ve taken in.
While you’re becoming more physically fit, you might consider adding juice to your diet. You’ve got options . . . store bought or fresh squeezed. Store bought is convenient, of course, but the packaging process kills not only bad bacteria, but a lot of the good things you get from juices. Using a blender at home to prepare your own (without added sugar) is much better for you. Sometimes you have to develop a taste for fresh squeezed juices because they have less sugar in them, but this is a benefit to your diabetic concerns. Try red grapes and guava. Both are good at controlling blood sugar.
Doctors say we are an obese society. (My wife types doctors’ notes. I remember when she was typing a report the doctor noted a person being obese and she said, “He better NOT say that about me when I go in!”). Well, it’s true. Fast food restaurants pour on the fat and the sugar and then want to know if we want to “super-size” it. YOUR objective is to balance the things you eat.
A lot of vegetables are rich in fiber that helps clean fats and blood glucose from your body. This helps you lower blood sugar levels. A lot of people eat salads (frequently) to maintain their diabetic diets. The real confusing part of this plan is that salad dressings many times contain mayonnaise and sugars to improve flavor. While the flavor is improved, the sugar level of the salad skyrockets to concerning levels. The main thing to consider here is either low calorie salad dresings or moderation. Moderation can be used as a control factor.
The pancreas produces enzymes to digest food in addition to insulin to regulate the sugar level of the blood. Over a period of time, the pancreas starts to lose its ability to produce both in most people. This simply means a good diet becomes more important as people get older. Many doctors end up suggesting patients add a dose of acidophilus to their diet to ease the stress placed on the pancreas by adding bacteria into the system that assists with the digestive function.
When you look for fat-fighting compounds, you find them in vitamin D, calcium, fiber and omega-3s. Keep fish like tuna, salmon and sardines contain vitamin D as well as eggs and dairy products. Calcium is found in dairy products. Foods high in fiber include vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Finally, omega-3s can be found in fish, flax seed and walnuts.
