Controlling and losing weight is important for people who have type 2 diabetes. If you are only overweight or obese, having a high fat percentage in your body weight composition increases the likelihood of developing diabetes. Obesity and type 2 diabetes are highly related; both can result from a poor, high-caloric diet. The typical diet of an obese individual greatly increases blood glucose levels, wears out the pancreas' ability to produce insulin and hinders the body's ability to absorb insulin. According to the American Diabetes Association, type 2 diabetics and individuals at risk for developing type 2 diabetes should incorporate physical activity and make changes in their dietary intake to successfully lose weight.
Importance of Weight Loss
You are at risk for cardiovascular disease if you are a type 2 diabetic. According to the American Diabetes Association, losing even five to 10 pounds can can help your body if you are overweight as a diabetic. A combination of diabetic symptoms and complications from obesity creates a great risk of coronary heart disease, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, colon cancer, prostate cancer and osteoarthritis, according to Dr. Vivian H. Heyward, author of "Advanced Fitness Assessment and Exercise Prescription." Healthy nutrition and increased physical activity can reduce the risk factors of diabetes and reduce the chances of developing diabetes by as much as 60 percent in high risk individuals, according to the American Heart Association.
Dietary Help
A proper diet is necessary for you to achieve a healthy body weight and maintain normal blood glucose levels. The American Diabetes Association suggests eating low-fat food and taking in low amounts of cholesterol. As a diabetic, you should avoid foods with ingredients that end in "ose" -- such as sucrose, dextrose, fructose, maltrose and lactose -- and look for labels that read "no sugar added" or "reduced sugar." The American College of Sports Medicine suggests that if you are eating a substantial amount of calories past your energy needs, you should decrease your normal daily caloric intake by at least 300 calories if you are overweight. Aim for 500 to 1,000 fewer calories consumed a day for greater weight loss; avoid taking in fewer than 1,000 calories a day to avoid having adverse reactions to the sudden weight loss. Maintain your normal activity levels -- or increase activity levels -- while restricting daily caloric intake to yield optimum results.
Exercise and Type 2 Diabetes
According to the American College of Sports Medicine, you need six to 10 weeks of intensive exercise training as a diabetic to lower fasting plasma glucose levels and to improve glucose tolerance through ingestion. If you cease to exercise, the benefits of exercise on insulin-stimulated glucose removal is lost by the fifth day of inactivity, and all benefits are lost by 14 days of inactivity. You should perform aerobic exercises four to seven times a week at 50 to 90 percent of your maximum heart rate to help with glucose levels and to reduce weight. Try to perform 20 to 60 minutes of activity a day; do two shorter sessions a day if severely deconditioned to maximize caloric expenditure. You should also perform stretching exercises to help loosen tight joints and muscles. Many diabetics have poor circulation, so keeping the blood flowing and muscles loose is important for your health. Also, make sure your blood glucose levels are greater than 120 and less than 225 before engaging in exercise. Consult a doctor before engaging in any physical activity to see if your body can handle exercise.
Results of Losing Weight
Losing weight reduces health risk factors that commonly occur with an overweight type 2 diabetic. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, a weight-loss program reduces symptoms associated with type 2 diabetes including elevated blood glucose, elevated plasma insulin, high blood pressure, elevated blood lipids, psychological stress and altered blood clotting. Also, as you lose weight, your dependency on insulin may decrease. According to the American Diabetes Association, with weight loss your circulation will improve, your joints will begin to feel better and more mobile, daily activities will become easier and you will have more energy, which makes living with diabetes more tolerable.
References
- "ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 8th edition."; American College of Sports Medicine; 2009
- American Diabetes Association: Healthy Weight Loss
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Weight Control for Type 2 Diabetes
- "Advanced Fitness Assessment and Exercise Prescription,"; Heyward, Vivian H.; 2006
