Dieting and Weight Loss Mythbusters
Type 2 Diabetes and Weight Loss
1. I can eat pasta and other foods that are high in calories or carbohydrates as long as I go to the gym.
Going to the gym does not give you permission to eat just anything. Eat Less And
In fact, many people actually gain weight when
they start exercising partly because they think that exercising negates the harmful effects of calories and carbohydrates in the foods that they like to eat. However, for a host of reasons, working out does not give you the freedom to eat anything you want.
One reason is simply mathematical: even if you exercise vigorously for an hour, its still unlikely that you will burn off more than 800 calories. However, one pasta dish can easily add 1,500 calories to your daily diet and that doesnt even count the bread and drink that might accompany the pasta dish. As such, you will consume more calories than you work off and those extra calories will lead to weight gain.
If you are working out to reduce your weight and improve your overall health,
then you need to also pay attention to the food that you eat. Eating healthy Exercise
can not only complement and balanced lifestyle, but it can also make your workout easier
and more energetic.
2. If I skip dinner, then I can eat dessert and not gain weight.
Just because you avoid consuming calories from a meal does not mean that you are giving yourself a blank slate to eat calories from dessert. While this method of weight control might work as a short term measure if calories were the only consideration, diabetics must pay special attention to the sugar levels that are found in their food. If you skip a healthy, vitamin-rich meal in order to save room for dessert, then you are depriving your body of the nutrients that will help it to thrive and stay in good shape. Instead, you are loading sugar into your system, which will cause your blood sugar level to rise and your body to store more fat. Be sure to eat at least three full and nutritious meals a day and skip dessert in order to treat your body well.
3. Sugar is bad for me, so I will avoid it in order to keep my weight down.
Sugar is bad for all Diabetics for a number of reasons, however, it does not need to be completely avoided if you have a craving for it. Many diabetics will eliminate sugar from their diets completely because they know how bad it can be on their systems. However, they will still crave dessert foods, so they will compensate for their sugar cravings by over-eating other bad foods, such as potato chips. While sugar is unhealthy for Diabetics, keep in mind that small portions of sugar are allowable on occasion when eaten with meals, and when you have taken your medication as prescribed. You may not want to consume a whole cup of ice cream, but you may be able to safely have a quarter of a cup without any negative side effects. When you first start learning how to manage your Diabetes, monitor your body closely in order to determine how it reacts when you eat small portions of sugar.
4. As long as I eat healthy I dont have to exercise.
Eating healthy should complement a regular exercise routine. Some diabetics believe that as long as they eat a low-sugar diet and avoid alcohol and foods that are high in carbohydrates, they can manage their Diabetes and keep their weight under control. While many people can manage to stay thin without working out, it is impossible to keep your blood circulating properly and your muscles strong without putting in a few hours of exercise each week. The good news is that when you exercise, you dont need to dedicate an entire afternoon to working out. In fact, just 30 minutes each day is enough to help combat the negative effects of diabetes, reduce blood pressure, improve muscle strength, and keep your body healthy.
