I have had Type 1 diabetes for 6 years and on insulin pump therapy for 5 1/2 years. For the longest time I was consistent with my weight, I gained back what I needed so I could be at a healthy weight. Recently however I've been having trouble with gaining excess weight. To be at my healthy ideal weight I need to lose like ten pounds or so (It doesn't seem like 10 lbs is a lot but on my body putting on extra weight shows quickly!).
My question is does anyone have any suggestions for weight loss...any cool, quick and easy recipes that I could make or any exercising tips that would keep me entertained. I have a problem with exercising...I flat out don't like exercising and unfortunately I live in Western Pa where we are now starting to get snow...yuck!
I have the same problem, my doctor put me on a hormone shot- a symilin pen which makes you more sensitive to insulin and also helps you loose weight (Basically it was explained to me as being a hormone, like insulin, that diabetics lack--which helps distribute food in our bodies the right way etc etc etc)
I live in WI so the snow is a problem too. Wii Fit is a really fun game that actually makes you have intense workouts and keeps you motivated. Hm other stuff though-pedometers are good ways to get motivated to walk around a lot, ever since i got mine it makes me excited to do that a lot. If you're looking for recipes I know they have specific ones in diabetic magazines that are pretty easy. I hope this helped a little bit? If nothing else try just doing some extra activities with friends...anything is helpful. Or, Yoga is amazing too.
I had been gaining weight steadily, but in one month I lost 5 pounds. All I did was start eating more fruit and smaller portions of pasta, pizza, and other carb and fat loaded foods. I also started exercising more. I ride horse, but that's not very intense exercise. I don't really ride much in winter either. It's very cold and snowy in WI! I have a biggest loser book with a workout in it that I do once or twice a week. I also have an eliptical(spelling?) that is in front of the TV, so I'll watch one episode of something and work out. I also have a weight machine in the basement. I don't exercise a ton, but with eating healthier, that really helped.
I try to get several different kinds of fruits so I don't get tired of eating them!
Losing weight as a person with diabetes can be trickier than losing weight as a person with normal blood sugars because insulin balance is part of weight control. Insulin is a storage hormone and stores excess nutrients as fat--- so the best deal is to go with the ADA's new recommendations and eat a lower-carbohydrate diet, because you will inevitably be needing less insulin ... along with regular exercise!
Check out a few articles on healthy nutrition, diabetes & exercise and low-carbs:
Just like a person without diabetes, the healthiest and most effective way to lost bodyfat is by eating well and exercising regularly. There's no quick trick. We have to learn how to take care of ourselves in the long term and be patient for results that come slowly and steadily. Making healthy choices aren't a once and a while thing we need to do, it's a habit we need to learn for the rest of our lives, right?
I just got the Wii Fit myself, and I am sooo in love with it. I
have had a treadmill for two years now, and that provides good cardio,
but the addition of the Wii Fit's yoga and strength training really
helps. When it's warmer, I ride my bike to work (~15mi a day), but
that's only when it's warm. (I'm a total wimp in the cold.)
I
lose the most weight and gain the most sugar control when I stick to
fruits, veggies, and whole grains as my carb sources. (Plus protein, of
course.) I'd recommed finding one or two forms of exercise that you
love.
This is a great post for me! Every time I try to lose weight I start getting low all the time. I do cardio a couple times a week and I'm fine with that but anytime I try to change my diet (eat less in general or eat fewer carbs) I get low, a lot! Eventually I give up because it's so annoying! :-) So I'm on the lookout for any tips!
Hello All -- I'm just like you, Layne, with regard to the lows and exercise. Exercise is extremely effective for me and it doesn't take much to bring my bg's down, but I usually end up having to eat something just to bring my bg back up. Kind of defeats the whole purpose of exercising when I'm having to eat something again.
My husband and I bought ourselves a Wii for Christmas but the "Fit" part was out of stock. Now that I've heard such good reports from you other ladies, I'm definitely going to get it.
All the best for a Happy Thanksgiving in case I don't get back on here!
I do cardio(running, eliptical, etc) 6 days a week for at least 45 minutes, then I squeeze in 2 strength training sessions a week also. It's hard for me to lose weight though because I also go low a lot....BG was 58 today after an hour of cardio. I even turned my basal down to 30%. It takes a lot of practice I suppose to get it all figured out.
I have a terrible time losing weight, and would love any suggestions. I only want to lose 5-10 pounds, but just can't seem to lose it! I guess i need to eat less.
I am also In a similar situation. For the longest time my weight was fine and then i went to college and my weight was not where I wanted it to be. It was also affecting my blood sugars. Besides starting on a consistent workout plan I started seeing a nutritionist. I had seen nutritionists in the past but they just didn't understand that my weight gain was not part of America's obesity epidemic. Finally I found a nutritionist who was type one as well and had been so for at least 30 years so she understood how difficult it was for someone with type 1 to lose weight. She put me on a calorie counting diet and while it has taken work I have finally started seeing some success. I lost over 5 pounds this summer and I still got to eat what I wanted. In the end it's really come down to portion control because while the food I eat is healthy for the most part I tend to underestimate how much I eat. One of the smartest things I did this summer was to measure everything out so I would know what a cup of rice or pasta looked like on a plate so when i went back to college this fall I didn't have to carry a measuring cup around with me to the dining hall. In terms of exercise (I also hate it ) why not try taking a group class. Having other people around will help tie time pass. Try something dance related like jazzercise. I know it sounds nerdy but it's actually alot of fun and a good way to get a work out while listening to silly music. I also suggest adding some weight lifting to your workout regiment because it makes weight loss happen even faster. good luck!
What all does the Wii Fit have on it (I know of yoga and like tai chi or something, I've only seen 1 commercial)? I've been wanting a treadmill for about a year, but live in a second story apartment and feel my neighbors would hate me. I don't mind cardio (actually do love to run and feel the calories pour off me), but I hate making it to the gym. I feel like all that added time is just annoying so usually I opt out altogether.
I know that eating more fruits, vegetables, and lowering my intake of processed foods and dairy really help me to lose weight if I add it with exercise. I gained 20 pounds from another health condition on top of the diabetes that I just can't seem to lose (I've lost 4 so far). It's really annoying to look back at pictures and see how jeans/skirts used to fit that you can't even squeeze into now.
So I'm very appreciative of all the responses! I'm still not seeing weight loss, but Thanksgiving week kind of set me back...I was working nonstop and having no time to exercise! Now I'm into my finals week at school...that should be fun. I'm still looking for a wii fit. My boyfriend promised that if he finds one he will definately get it for me. I think I would enjoy using it. I'm starting to do 30 min of cardio daily when I can. I have to use a treadmill because I'm a baby and will not go outside in the cold right now, so its touch when I'm away from my apartment and have no access to it! Im seriously having the worst time with this weight. It only need to lose about 10 lbs. Oh what to do!
I am curretly doing the high protein low carbo diet, with the key being that the carbs I do get are good ones. No enriched flours or rice, only whole grains. It works but you have to work at it. I play hockey and indoor soccer, along with occasionally spending an hour in a fire suit inside a race car when it's 90 degrees out. I have had some serious trial an error at the working out thing.The biggest thing that I learned (and this sounds terribly ocd which I am NOT) because I really like to work out too, was the best thing I could do was log everything. I want to work out without the lows too for the same reasons as everone else. I quickly learned that if I was at 150 before I started and I turned my basal rate to 30% of normal I would STILL go low occasionally. should qualify that I do 30-45 minutes of weight lifting and then 45-60 minutes of cardio. For me I had to be sure I had no insulin left on board even from an hour or two before my workout (it's on your pump if you don't already know). I have goofy basal rate variations so consistancy with the time I work out is another factor. I also keep one of those nasty protein bars for my lows, that way at least I feel like there's some benifit to taking those carbs. There is a good book called The Diabetic Athlete. It breaks down the different sports and excersises and why each takes a different treatment. There is everything from Iron Man to Bowling in there. Good luck and keep on trying. I know it can be a pain, but its the hand we were dealt.
Since its snowy, why not go skiing, snowboarding, tubing, sledding or tobogoning. You would get great exceercise from the last 3 even though theyre pretty much all the same while having fun because you slide down the hill then you have to walk back up. so you excercise more than slide.
I really hate exercise, so I like to go for more low-intensity workouts, like Yoga, or activites to do that are fun so I can't really tell that I'm working out. One weekend my friend and I played Guitar Hero: World Tour for a couple of hours. I was on the drums and it was honestly the best workout I've ever done because it didn't feel like exercise so I didn't hate it.
To shed a few pounds, I tried not to snack as much, especially in the evening, unless my bs was low. Now, I don't eat a few hours prior to going to bed and I can really tell the difference it makes. My bs is more consistent now too. I am a HUGE snacker, so keeping busy has helped reduce my urge to eat. I learned to crochet, which distracted me from thinking of food when I don't need to be, and I get some cute scarfs out of it as well! :)
I read an article once about how to burn calories in simple ways. Some of the suggestions were to stand instead of sit, take the stairs, vacuum the house, cook a 20-min meal (a healthy one, of course), do the dishes, rearrange your furniture, etc. I added the link below.
I also am struggling to lose 12lbs and would like them gone before
summer. I was very frustrated recently with the realization that being
diabetic it takes longer and is harder to lose weight. I feel I
already workout 5 days a week with cardio and weights and try my best
to eat well (cheating sometimes). In the past I was eating mostly
protein - but found that only eating protein I would drop low or go
high - my bs wasn't balanced. So my Dr said that I need to eat carbs
with protein to even it out. That has been working for my BS - but I
haven't lost weight yet. I am 5'7" and 149lbs and VERY frustrated.
It is totally possible to eat low-carb, higher protein with diabetes and keep your blood sugars up, but what you need to do is gradually adjust your insulin dose. Most days of the week I don't eat any carbs from grains, only what comes in through vegetables and a minimal amount in protein. After a few days of this my body's glycogen stores and metabolism catchs up with this and I reduce my insulin doses per meal. I've also decreased my long-acting insulin dose. This is all done GRADUALLY.
You have to be willing to experiment and study your BS. Also, don't obsess with the number on the scale, especially if you're doing really well with lifting weights. Judge your progress by how your clothing feels and how you feel. You may retain more water and build more muscle so the weightloss in body fat won't be as noticeable. My bodyfat has dropped about 8 percent in the past year but I weight the exact same because I've been trying to gain a lot of muscle.
And losing weight requires patience. It won't happen in two weeks. It's consistency and good habits that leads to a healthy body.
Check out these links if you want, on nutrition and healthy steps to lose weight: