Individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) often hear from medical professionals that they should shed pounds for quite a lot of reasons—from the power to have higher blood glucose levels (BGLs) to with the ability to qualify for surgery. Often the guidelines for weight reduction are simply to maneuver more and eat less. But how will you try this when you may’t move easily? And what about lifestyle or behavior change? It seems that the main target must be on greater than just the dimensions on the subject of weight management.

Though there’s more to health than weight, the explanation why so many medical professionals prescribe weight reduction is since it has been found to affect health, affecting measures like BGLs and decreasing the chance of cardiovascular events. 

Nevertheless, it’s a widely known incontrovertible fact that weight reduction is difficult to attain. There are a pair theories about what our bodies try this makes losing a few pounds difficult. 

Why weight reduction is difficult

It goes without saying that losing a few pounds isn’t easy, and there’s a great reason for that. In response to the set point theory, our bodies have a predetermined weight in our DNA, affecting how much it changes from baseline. The speculation also states that bodies have a regulatory system that maintains our weight. Even when weight goes up or down, it can eventually return to baseline. Some researchers imagine that weight increases despite having a set point since the system stops working as effectively while leptin and insulin resistance develop. 

When people do attempt to shed pounds, bodies fight it by putting measures in place, comparable to slowing down metabolism and increasing cravings. 

One other weight-related theory exists called the “settling point” model. This concept states that weight is impacted by a couple of factor—it’s a mixture of environmental and biological elements. 

Ultimately, these are theories and more research must be done. Nevertheless, whether or not movement is restricted, taking a big-picture approach and specializing in behavior change can impact weight and other areas of health, including higher BGLs and gastrointestinal function.

Concentrate on behavior change

Behavior change means you might be implementing actions that take the main target solely off the dimensions while also benefiting your health. It’s vital to make changes which can be sustainable, so try to not do an excessive amount of without delay or implement behaviors that you simply won’t proceed long-term. 

Recover sleep

Sleep impacts weight for several reasons. Lack of sleep affects hormone levels related to hunger by increasing ghrelin, which brings about feelings of hunger, and decreasing leptin, which makes you’re feeling full. Having low energy also makes it more prone to eat foods higher in calories, sugar and fat with a purpose to increase energy levels. 

Listen to nutrients

Ensuring to incorporate protein, fat and fiber in your eating pattern can impact your weight. Protein-containing foods, fat-containing options and fiber-containing foods all result in increased satiety. 

Foods with protein include:

Fat-containing options include:

Foods with fiber include:

• Fruits
• Veggies
• Whole grains

Plus, these nutrients take longer to digest, which decreases the likelihood of getting spikes in BGLs. This implies you’re less prone to feel hungry or low on energy as a consequence of hyperglycemia or high BGLs.

Drink enough water

We all know that water plays a job in overall health, from increasing energy to stopping constipation. But, it also impacts weight by increasing satiety and metabolism. 

So how much water must you be drinking? How much water you would like is individualized. Drinking water throughout the day, especially while you’re thirsty or experiencing other symptoms of dehydration like headache or difficulty concentrating, can make sure you meet your body’s needs.

Practice mindful eating

This can be a way of eating that involves mindfulness so you may pay full attention to your cravings and physical cues when eating. Mindful eating includes eating slowly without distractions, listening to and honoring hunger and fullness cues, practicing gratitude to your food and noticing how food impacts your feelings and body. Studies have shown that eating mindfully can assist with weight reduction by changing eating behaviors and decreasing stress. 

While weight reduction isn’t easy, especially when movement is restricted, there are different areas to give attention to for health. Getting quality sleep, eating quite a lot of foods that provide different nutrients, staying hydrated and eating mindfully can profit blood glucose levels, stress levels and the number on the dimensions. 

For those who are searching for support as you navigate managing type 2 diabetes and weight, consider joining the Beyond Type 2 Community!

Editor’s Note: This content was made possible with support from Lilly, an energetic partner of Beyond Type 2 on the time of publication.