Losing weight with diabetes. How?

Many diabetes patients are overweight. Not only are they more likely to develop cardiovascular disease, the body also responds less well to insulin. But how do you determine if you are overweight? A good benchmark is the Body Mass Index (BMI). You calculate this by dividing your weight in kilos by your height in meters squared. BMI = G/(L x L). A BMI between 25-30 means overweight. A BMI higher than 30 means obesity. About 44% of Dutch people were overweight in 2019.

Which diet?

There is no single diet that works equally well for everyone. Every body is different. However, research shows that you are more likely to lose weight as a diabetes patient if you follow a Mediterranean or vegetarian diet. A Mediterranean diet often opts for legumes, nuts, fish, vegetables, fruit, olive oil and whole grain products. So no pizzas and lasagna! A vegetarian diet emphasizes dairy products, vegetables, fruit, soy, nuts and whole grain products. But because every body reacts differently, it is not an unwise choice to use a dietician. They provide professional advice and guidance when you want to lose weight. You can also obtain information from your GP or hospital. Nevertheless, you can lose some unnecessary pounds with the following tips.

Tips for losing weight

Losing weight means exercising a lot (at least an hour a day) and leading a healthy lifestyle. Without stress and addictions, such as smoking and drinking. Often the body of diabetes patients responds much better to insulin when weight is lost. Blood glucose levels also improve. Therefore, use a calorie meter or check the number of calories of the foods consumed on the Nutrition Guide website. During weight loss, as a diabetes patient you should regularly check your blood glucose level, so that you do not have to deal with extremely high or low glucose levels. So make sure you have enough test strips and lancets at home.

Eating pattern

As an overweight diabetic patient, it is best to reduce the number of carbohydrates. Eat smaller portions and spread them out better throughout the day. So instead of eating three times a day, choose to eat something 5 or 6 times a day. Avoid unhealthy snacks, such as chocolate and chips. Choose vegetables, such as carrots and salads. Do not add high-calorie sauces to meals. You can often season your food by using a mix of herbs. Are you a meat lover? Give preference to lean meat and also look on the packaging for the percentage of meat, for example, processed sausage and chicken fillet.

What do I drink?

Drink plenty of water and don't add sugar and milk to your coffee or tea. Avoid alcoholic drinks. They contain a lot of calories. This is extra dangerous for diabetes patients. Alcohol can cause blood sugar levels to rise quickly and then drop drastically after a few hours, possibly resulting in a hypo. Avoid soft drinks and fruit juice, because they contain a lot of sugars that the body converts into glucose. It is not the case that the sugars in fruit are healthier than the sugars in soft drinks. The main difference is that fruit also contains many vitamins and minerals. Low-sugar fruits include peaches, avocados, lemons, plums and papayas. Fruits that contain a lot of sugar are lychees, mangoes, bananas, figs, cherries, grapes and pineapple.