Lose Weight to Prevent Diabetes

Lose Weight to Prevent Diabetes

If you have been told you are at risk for developing diabetes, you need to take better care of your health. If you are carrying excess body fat, the best thing you can do to to reduce your risk of diabetes is lose weight. This is not a diet, but a few simple lifestyle choices that work.

To lower your risk of diabetes, the most important preventative step you can take is to lose weight if you are currently overweight. This is a lot easier than it sounds and does not involve dieting or deprivation. Here are the 7 most important strategies to follow for permanent weight loss:

1. Eat something within the first hour of waking to start your metabolism and begin burning more calories all day long. This can be as simple as eating a banana or a few crackers.

2. Eat eight to ten combined servings (approximately ½ cup each) of fruits and vegetables a day. Five servings a day will promote good health, whereas eight to ten will promote almost effortless weight loss.

3. Drink eight to ten cups of water a day. Water is needed to breakdown body fat and flush the toxins.

4. Eat something every 3-4 hours. This will help stabilize blood sugars and prevent you from becoming over-hungry at your next meal. Ignoring true hunger will cause your body to increase its lipogenic, or fat storing enzymes. Always carry a snack with you so that you can respond to hunger signals quickly.

5. Never eat to the point of feeling uncomfortable, instead stop when your hunger has been satisfied. When you feel "full" after a meal you are storing body fat.

6. Stop eating three hours before bedtime. Your body is preparing for fasting mode while you sleep. Any extra calories that you take in at this time have a good chance of being stored as body fat.

7. Move your body for 30 minutes most days of the week. This can be as simple as marching in place while watching the daily news. The more you move your body, the faster you will see results.

As the obesity rate continues to rise in the United States, so does the incidence of diabetes. This is not just a coincidence. By learning to mimic the eating habits of thin people, permanent weight loss is possible for everyone. These simple strategies can help prevent adult onset diabetes as well as obesity.