Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects blood glucose levels. Diabetes hinges on problems with the hormone insulin, which is responsible for telling muscle, fat and liver tissues to pull sugar out of the blood. Diabetes comes in two forms. With type 1 diabetes, the pancreas makes little or no insulin, whereas with type 2 diabetes, the pancreas makes insulin, but it either doesn't make enough, or else the body's tissues do not respond efficiently to it. Losing weight is important for the treatment of diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes.
Weight and Diabetes
Being overweight is associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, DLife.com notes. Excess body fat makes it harder for the body to respond effectively to insulin levels, resulting in a condition known as insulin resistance. The excess body fat also functions as a reservoir for extra glucose, which can also make it harder to control diabetes.
Calorie Restriction
One of the most important aspects of a diabetes diet is calorie restriction. The only way for diabetics to lose weight in a healthy way and to keep the weight off is to burn more calories than they consume. For many men, a dietary plan of between 1,200 and 1,600 calories per day is recommended to help them lose weight, while women may be restricted to 1,000 to 1,200 calories each day, HealthCentral explains.
Exchange Diets
One of the difficulties in adopting a lower-calorie diet is making one that is well balanced. Many people find it easier to plan their daily food intake using the dietary exchange system, in which foods are divided into different groups and serving sizes. This allows patients to think of their diet in terms of servings of dairy, vegetables, meats and other groups. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders has a listing of the different number of servings of each food group allowed per day for several different calorie limits.
Exercise
Although changes to the diet can help diabetics lose weight, it is much easier to lose weight when calorie restrictions are combined with an exercise program. Aerobic exercise, such as jogging, biking, playing team sports or climbing stairs, can be especially beneficial as it helps you rapidly burn calories. Try to incorporate 30 minutes of moderate physical activity into the day during most days of the week.
Considerations
The maximum recommended weight loss rate for diabetics is two pounds per week, the "Journal of the American Medical Association" explains. Losing weight faster than this can be unhealthy and can also cause your weight to rebound upward shortly thereafter. It is also important for diabetics to keep the weight off and aim toward maintaining a healthy weight and eating habits.
