In truth, losing weight is one of the most important steps to take to begin controlling diabetes. That’s because being overweight or obese can greatly increase the risk of developing numerous complications.
Weight loss can improve blood glucose levels, blood pressure and cholesterol significantly.
Following are five steps to take to start losing weight, despite a diabetic diagnosis.
1. Focus on eating low-glycemic foods.
The first step in the process of losing weight with diabetes is understanding the glycemic index (GI). Following this system can help get blood sugar levels under control and start shedding unwanted pounds.
But just why is this system key to success?
“Certain foods spike blood sugar, and others keep it normalized,” says Kristin Lund, a certified health coach specializing in diabetic nutrition. “Foods that spike blood sugar are considered high glycemic, whereas foods that keep it normalized are considered low glycemic.”
One of the easiest ways to eat low glycemic is to focus on natural foods. This means eliminating processed foods when possible.