If you are diabetic, it's important for you to take care of your health and lead a healthy lifestyle. Diabetes can cause havoc on your body and also produce fluctuations in your weight. If you've committed to a diet plan and have lost weight but haven't reached your goal, you may have reached a plateau. There are ways to get past the weight loss plateau and start burning calories again.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease that affects your body's endocrine system. There are three main types of diabetes including type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes. With type 1, your body produces small amounts of insulin or fails to produce insulin at all. When you eat, your body automatically begins to turn blood glucose into energy; excess sugar is then regulated by insulin. With diabetes, your blood sugar builds up into your blood stream -- causing levels to rise. With type 1, you'll have to eat a low-carbohydrate and reduced sugar diet along with taking insulin to control your blood sugar levels. Type 2 diabetes is often referred to as adult onset diabetes. It is similar to type 1 except the cells in your body ignore the insulin or don't produce enough. Diet, exercise and diabetic medication may be recommended. Gestational diabetes occurs when you are pregnant. Blood sugar levels rise throughout your pregnancy and can cause complications. Blood sugar levels are closely monitored during your pregnancy and during birth. The fluctuations in your blood sugar levels can make it challenging to lose weight.
Weight Loss Benefits
With diabetes, the more weight you carry, the more challenging it is for your body's endocrine system, including the pancreas to regulate blood sugar levels. Losing weight can help you control your blood sugar levels and make you healthier. Having high blood sugar levels can stall your weight loss. Weight loss may also prevent you from having to take more insulin or diabetic medicine. Losing weight can also prevent diabetic complications such as heart disease, high cholesterol, hypertension, eye damage, diabetic neuropathy and blindness.
Causes
When your blood sugar levels fluctuate continuously or they remain high, your metabolism is affected. This can cause you to stay at the same weight or even gain a few pounds. If your blood sugar is high for an extended period of time, it can affect your kidneys. When your kidneys don't function at a normal level, you may retain water -- causing you to gain water weight.
Solutions
If you're stuck at a certain weight, you may be able to jump start your weight loss by following a diabetic diet. A diabetic diet includes eating lean meats, reducing sweets, limiting carbohydrates, implementing whole grains and reducing fat from your diet. Make sure you exercise daily up to 30 minutes for at least five days a week. Check your blood sugar levels throughout the day after eating to make sure you stay in a healthy range between 70 mg and 180 mg.
