Four Weight Loss Mistakes Many Diabetics Make

As someone who’s suffering from diabetes, there’s no question that you’ll be consciously aware of your body weight. Maintaining a healthy body weight will be key to keeping control over your blood glucose levels and making sure that you’re feeling your very best.

If you have a few too many pounds on your frame, this is going to mean adopting a weight loss diet to get them off. But what diet will you adopt?

Sadly, many diabetics make some serious mistakes along their journey that can cost them dearly in terms of their progress as well as their health.

Let’s take a look at what some of these are so that you can ensure you aren’t making the same mistakes.

Rushing The Process

The first thing you’ll want to do is stop and take your time. I understand this can be hard to think about given the fact you probably want to get from point A to point B already. But rushing the weight loss process is going to mean using a much more aggressive diet than you otherwise would. That is going to mean you’re forced into using a plan that’s potentially going to do damage to your resting metabolic rate, not to mention potentially causing abnormally low blood glucose levels as well.

As far as weight loss is concerned, slow and steady is the better way to go. Aim to lose no more than one pound per week. This will have you at a calorie deficit that’s around 500 calories per day, rather than trying to be more aggressive at 1000 calories.

Remember, if it isn’t a diet you think you could sustain for at least a few months, it’s not a diet worth going on.

If you have 25 lbs. or more to lose, expect this process to take 6 months to a year. So when looking at diets, keep that in the back of your mind. If you don’t see yourself following it for one year, it’s probably not going to be the best dietary approach for you.

Relying On The Same Foods

Another mistake that many people make, not just diabetics as they go about their diet plan is relying on the same foods over and over again.

It’s easy to get caught up in this trap as you’ve already calculated the calories and macros for those foods, so rather than just switch them around, you keep eating the same status quo.

The problem with this is two-fold.

First, you’re more apt to get bored. And when you get bored, you’re more likely to cheat. Cheating on your diet, as you probably already know, is not a way to see success.

Second, when you consume the same foods over and over again, it’s far more likely that you’ll run into issues where you’re not getting the nutrients you need. This can set you up for long-term nutrient deficiencies and other health problems that may erupt.

As a diabetic, you might already be cutting out certain foods from your diet plan that are higher in sugar (although, primarily, it’ll only be unhealthy foods you shouldn’t be eating anyway you cut out), so this already can leave you open to experience some nutritional deficiencies as it is.

Experiment with your meals. Make at least one new meal each week that is different from what you normally eat. Preferably, do this on most nights of the week so at least you’re having one meal that’s changing on a day to day basis.

Not Cycling Calories

It’s also highly likely that you’ll neglect cycling calories as well. If you get stuck in a situation where you’re bringing calories down and staying there for months on end, eventually you are going to hit a progress plateau. And when you do, you’ll fail to see the results you’re looking for.

Calorie cycling, not necessarily carb cycling, is one of the most effective ways to lose weight. You’ve probably heard of carb cycling before, but perhaps not calorie cycling. Carb cycling is going to be out of the question for many diabetics as it’s just not feasible to have very high carb days in your diet plan at any point, but calorie cycling you can do.

The reason why calorie cycling works is because it keeps your metabolic rate running faster, thus producing a better overall rate of weight loss.

If you are chronically low with your calorie intake, your metabolic rate will also be chronically low. If you bump it up occasionally, you process calories that much faster, seeing better results overall.

Cycling calories is something that everyone should be doing when dieting so don’t get stuck in a rut. You might feel like it’s taking a step back every time you increase your calories, but really, it’s a step in the right direction.

No Self Love While Dieting

Finally, one last mistake that some diabetics make when dieting is not showing themselves the self-love they should when they are doing the weight loss process.

You might be overly hard on yourself, criticizing yourself whenever you make even a tiny mistake. Or, you might tell yourself you’ll buy that new outfit when you reach a certain body weight.

Or, you’ll finally start dating when you reach your goals. If it’s not this, it’s something else. Don’t put off life because you are dieting and not at your goal weight. That’s just a side thing. Keep living or else you’ll become too hyper focused on diet and that can lead to a fast spiral down depression.

Many diabetics are already down when they find out they have the condition and are going to have to make permanent lifestyle modifications so ensure you aren’t making it worse on yourself.

Keep these tips in mind and do your best to side-step them. You’ll fare far better in the future if you do.