Losing Weight And Insulin Resistance
Insulin is the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels in the body and helps your cells convert blood sugar into energy. In some people with diabetes, however, blood sugar levels are high for a sustained period of time, causing the pancreas to produce more and more insulin. Eventually, the cells stop responding to that insulinbecoming insulin resistant. Losing weight with insulin resistance is more difficult because your body converts blood sugar into fat instead of energy.
The solution? For a start, reducing the sugar and processed carbohydrates in your diet while increasing healthy fats along with vegetables and whole grains. Even a small improvement can make a big difference. Studies show that a weight loss of just 57 percent is enough to reduce the risk of diabetes by 58 percent in a person who has a high risk of the condition.
What Is The Best Blood Sugar Levels When You Want To Lose Weight
It is a question many dieters are asking when they are tweaking their diet for optimal weight loss!
The truth is, as long as you dont have any diabetes or other health issues, you are much better off changing your diet according to your blood sugar levels.
It means instead of jumping on yet another weight loss diet you should measure your blood sugar levels and tailor your diet accordingly. We will talk more about how to do that later in this article.
According to research from the University of Copenhagen and the University of Colorado, studies suggest that your glucose and insulin levels in your blood are biomarkers for how you convert carbohydrates. At the same time, they are also markers for whether you feel full or not after having a meal.
The faster you feel full and satisfied, the fewer calories you will consume. Eating according to your blood sugar levels can help you accomplish that.
If you dont feel full and satisfied when having a meal and can keep eating, your diet is wrong. From here, it is merely a question about changing the food components in your diet.
Weight Loss Can Protect Your Health In Many Ways
If youve recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and have been advised to lose weight, you’re probably saying to yourself: “easier said then done,” or more likely, “don’t you think I’ve tried everything to do that already?!”
Understanding how to achieve lasting weight loss starts with a focused assessment of how you are currently eating so you can pinpoint habits that may be holding you back from succeeding.
For many, the best way to do this may be to work with a registered dietitian or certified diabetes educator to help you design a plan that will work for youa healthy meal plan, physical activity, and to set realistic goals to help you reach a healthy weight.
Eating to beat diabetes is much more about making wise food adjustments than it is about denial and deprivation. A better way to look at a diet when you have diabetes is one that helps you establish a new normal when it comes to your eating habits and food choices.
There are many advantages to losing weight :
- You will feel a boost in energy
- Your blood cholesterol levels will drop
- You’ll gain protect against heart disease
- Controlling your blood sugar will be much easier, and will reduce the need for medication
- It will lead to improved hemoglobin A1c levels
- You will likely sleep better since it will reduce your risk for sleep apnea
There are 3 food-related factors that lead to weight gain:
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Regulating Blood Sugar Levels
Since, sugar levels affect your weight so drastically, what you need to do is regulate your blood sugar levels. Normal level of blood sugar before a meal is 60 to 90 milligrams of glucose per 100 millimeters of blood and high blood sugar levels fall in the range of 100 to 125 mg/dl. Watch what you eat, because many a time, people are not aware which food items have high sugar content and as a result, end up eating the wrong food. Several food items have been given glycemic index rankings. This is to show how the food item affects the blood sugar. Food items with a high fiber content help in managing normal levels. They are digested slowly, thus the supply of glucose is constant and you will not feel hungry constantly. Lets take a look at some healthy eating options, when looking to maintain blood sugar.
Are You At Risk For Type 2 Diabetes
What you consume throughout your day and how active you are affects your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Being overweight , or affected by obesity or morbid obesity , greatly increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The more excess weight you have, the more resistant your muscle and tissue cells become to your own insulin hormone. More than 90 percent of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight or affected by a degree of obesity.
In addition to excess weight, there are many other factors that increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, such as:
Sedentary lifestyle
Inactivity and being overweight go hand-in-hand with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Muscle cells have more insulin receptors than fat cells, so an individual can decrease insulin resistance by exercising. Being more active also lowers blood sugar levels by helping insulin to be more effective.
Unhealthy eating habits
Unhealthy eating is a contributor to obesity. Too much fat in your diet, not enough fiber and too many simple carbohydrates all contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes.
Family history and genetics
It appears that people who have family members with type 2 diabetes are at a greater risk for developing it themselves. Asians, Pacific Islanders, American Indians, Alaskans, African Americans and Hispanics all have a higher than normal rate of type 2 diabetes.
Increased age
High blood pressure and high cholesterol
History of gestational diabetes
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High Blood Sugar Levels And Weight Loss Connection
Before anyone gets too excited, the connection between high blood sugar levels and weight loss is not one that should be getting anyone in line at the corner store for a 44 ounce fountain soda. In fact, quite the opposite. Many times, when weight loss and high blood sugar levels exist side by side, a serious underlying health condition may be present or a complication of other health related ailments has occurred.
Most people associate diabetes with increases in weight. There are numerous reasons why this happens, but diet, lifestyle and how well managed the condition are also play a role. Elevated blood sugar levels and obesity are thought to go hand in hand and the risk of one is almost always somehow intertwined with risk of the other. So, if high blood sugar levels are intimately related to obesity and weight gain, how is it possible that the same phenomenon is also related to weight loss? Well, it is because of complications and risk factors.
For everyone else who is looking for ways to help shave off the pounds while also managing diabetes, diet and exercise are the most important elements to include. That, along with regular care from a physician who understands or specializes in the treatment of people with high blood sugar levels.
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The Importance Of A Healthy Weight
When kids with diabetes reach and maintain a healthy weight, they feel better and have more energy. Their diabetes symptoms decrease and their blood sugar levels are better controlled. They also may be less likely to develop complications from diabetes, like heart disease.
Doctors use body mass index to determine if a person’s weight is healthy. If your doctor recommends that your child lose weight to control diabetes, a weight management plan can hel. Even if your child’s BMI is in the healthy range, the doctor can help you come up with a healthy meal and exercise plan.
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Hypoglycemia And Weight Gain
People with hypoglycemia may find they gain weight because they use food to raise their blood sugar, Elizabeth Halprin, MD, clinical director of adult diabetes at Harvard’s Joslin Diabetes Center, tells LIVESTRONG.com. “This means patients are eating more calories than they would normally.”
Hunger is one of the classic symptoms of hypoglycemia it’s the body’s way of signaling that it needs more energy. While the American Diabetes Association recommends that patients treat low blood sugar with the “15-15 rule” , the symptoms of hunger may cause a person to eat much more than that increasing the possibility of weight gain.
And here’s another thing: Any unused glucose gets stored in your body as fat. Consuming more calories than you need no surprise here result in weight gain, according to the Mayo Clinic. Avoiding low blood sugar and the subsequent food cravings it causes can help prevent this unintended weight gain.
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How Does High Blood Sugar Cause Weight Gain
High blood sugar can cause an increase in weight in individuals primarily in two ways. The first way is by causing chronically high insulin amounts and the loss of insulin sensitivity.
The other way is when you eat food that rapidly heightens your blood sugar, there can be sudden blood sugar slumps in the following hours which lead to excessive hunger and overeating in an attempt to restore glucose levels back to normal.
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How To Lose Weight By Balancing Your Blood Sugar
All of these years, youve been told that counting calories, following point systems, and choking down fat-burning pills are the ultimate solutions for weight loss.
And as one of Americas most profitable industries, fad-diet quick-fixes make tall promises, which only yield short-term results.
The truth is, theres an easier way to lose the weight and it has nothing to do with miracle nutrients, detox teas, or dieting. Instead, sustainable weight loss can be achieved by learning how to balance your blood-sugar levels.
Can you spare 10 minutes a day? Then you can do this 7-Day Paleo Weight Loss Bodyweight Workout Challenge!
Turmeric For Weight Loss
Turmeric is known as the golden spice of India, it has various benefits and is getting appreciated worldwide for its magnificent abilities. In India turmeric is also known as Haldi as in an integral part of all Indian households. Nobody consumes turmeric more than Indians.
There are many benefits of Turmeric and is also known as the magical spice that can be added to basically anything and everything, you can use it in your milk and call it turmeric latte or add it to your water and make a detox water out of it.
Indians add turmeric to their soups, vegetables, lentils and rice to our meals are never complete without turmeric. Turmeric has high anti-inflammatory properties which can help in weight loss. So let us give you all the benefits of using turmeric for your weight loss journey.
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Not One Size Fits All
The most interesting part of the study is that the researchers found that not everyone reacts to late meals the same way. What surprised me most was that not everyone was vulnerable in the same way, said Researcher. There was a group, you know if you looked at the activity pattern in the past 2 weeks, people who used to sleep earlier did the worst when we gave them a late meal. According to them, people who are night eats that ate until 2 or 3 in the morning did not seem to be affected by the change in their meal. Its not a one size fits all there are differences in the metabolism of people that make them more vulnerable to late meals or that dont bother them.We know from our sleep loss studies that when youre sleep deprived, it negatively affects weight and metabolism in part due to late-night eating, but now these early findings, which control for sleep, give a more comprehensive picture of the benefits of eating earlier in the day, said Namni Goel, PhD, a research associate professor of psychology in Psychiatry in the division of Sleep and Chronobiology, and lead author of the ongoing study. Eating later can promote a negative profile of weight, energy, and hormone markers such as higher glucose and insulin, which are implicated in diabetes, and cholesterol and triglycerides, which are linked with cardiovascular problems and other health conditions.
Always Eat Breakfast With A Good Source Of Protein
Whether or not youre a breakfast person, its always best to make sure your first meal of the day contains a good source of protein. Protein is the primary nutrient that keeps your appetite satisfied its slow to digest and keeps blood-sugar levels stabilized. . Start your day with protein, which will keep your blood-sugar levels stable.
A few blood-sugar-balancing Paleo breakfast ideas include:
- 3 organic eggs with tomatoes, avocado, and turkey bacon
- A ham and spinach frittata
- A protein shake with berries, almond milk, and Paleo-friendly protein powder
- Smoked salmon and sweet-potato hash browns
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Getting Started With Weight Loss
Weight loss can be hard because it involves changing the way you eat and your physical activity. Losing weight also takes time, which can be frustrating. The good news is that you can lose weight and keep it off, even if you’ve never done it before.
Here’s what has worked for some people who have lost weight and kept it off*:
- Cutting back on calories and fat.
- Staying physically active most days of the week.
- Eating breakfast every day.
- Weighing themselves at least once per week.
- Watching less than 10 hours of TV per week.
Diabetes And Its Relation To Weight Gain
Diabetes is by far one of the most rampant medical ailments that have spread across the globe.
Often, depending on the type of diabetes, people find that they either gain or lose weight drastically when suffering from diabetes. Type-2 diabetes is the cause of weight gain in the stomach primordially.
Many patients have had issues concerning weight gain even before the settlement of diabetes in them.
People who are overweight and obese have a much higher risk of developing diabetes in later stages of their life as compared to others. Similarly, those who have diabetes and have left it undiagnosed for a period of time can also find an increase in their weight.
Diabetes does not lead to the gaining of weight and obesity directly. Though, patients who have been suffering from uncontrolled diabetes earlier would, in fact, gain weight as the glucose level in the blood would normalize. This is normally regarded as the regaining of previously lost weight.
Additional individuals can develop obesity and weight gain due to overeating. Overeating is regarded as a normal sign of patients with diabetes as they go into hypoglycemia due to improper treatment.
The patient may exhibit only hunger for low blood sugar and not any other such symptoms. There are also a few anti-diabetic drugs that when prescribed, may lead to weight gain.
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What Does Insulin Do
Insulin is a hormone from the pancreas that allows sugar to enter the cells. Insulin also lowers the amount of sugar in the bloodstream. Without insulin, sugar is unable to enter the cells. This means that cells that make up muscles and other tissues will not be able to receive their main source of energy. People with type 1 diabetes may have a buildup of sugar in the bloodstream, causing life-threatening conditions.
Insulin Side Effects
- Weight gain when you first start using insulin
- Lumps, scars, or rash at injection site
High Blood Sugar Control
If you happen to have high glucose levels in your blood, then you bear a risk of having diabetes if you do not have it already.
At times, improper treatment and medication can lead to the aggravation of your condition. To avoid medication and naturally lower your blood sugar level, you can follow these simple ways:
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High Blood Sugar And Obesity
To begin with, knowing what causes high levels of sugar in the bloodstream is crucial for the apprehension of diabetes formation.
Glucose, a type of sugar, is the main source of energy in the body. When a person has diabetes, his/her body cannot process glucose properly. This causes high glucose levels to accumulate in the bloodstream thus leading to high blood sugar.
Every time you eat and consume food, the pancreas produces and secretes a hormone called insulin. Insulin helps the body to process glucose and harness energy gained by food by basically assisting to move the glucose inside each cell for the production of energy.
The inserted glucose is whats used as fuel to make energy for your body. In diabetes, there either less production or insulin of a resistance created towards insulin depending on the type of diabetes you have.
Due to the infectivity of insulin, the glucose received from the consumption of food items if not sent into the cells. This causes the sugar to remain in the blood thus resulting in high glucose level in the bloodstream. This condition of having excess sugar in the blood is high blood sugar.
Hypoglycemia And Weight Loss
“Hypoglycemia doesn’t really cause weight loss,” says Dr. Halprin. So if you’re trying to lose weight with diabetes, low blood sugar is not the answer. As discussed, hypoglycemia can actually have the opposite effect and cause weight gain. Therefore, the best strategy for losing weight is to maintain healthy blood sugar levels and follow a nutritious, balanced diet, according to Harvard Medical School.
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