A pre-diabetic’s plight
Dear Donovan,
I’ve been trying to lose weight for the longest while and it seems as if I’m doing nothing right. I’ll lose five pounds this month, hit a plateau, then regain the weight. I enjoy all types of foods but I was recently advised by my doctor that I’m pre-diabetic and should try staying away from processed foods, especially those high in sugar. I’ve started to consume more water-based fruits and I’m slowly incorporating vegetables in my diet. How can I tailor my diet to further reduce my chances of becoming fully diabetic and what are some natural foods I should stay away from, and also consume more of.
I realise that you have been going through a yo-yo process with your weight. This is not good. My first advice to you is to make a list of all the reasons why you need to lose weight. The reasons to lose weight must be greater than the desire to eat nice, unhealthy foods. Also, it is very important to be in the mental state for weight loss to achieve success with weight loss.
The success with weight loss must be understood and desired and also must be very important to you. If not, you will lose interest in the weight loss process in short order. I am blown away by the weight loss results that some of my clients get when they are about to get married or when their high school reunions are coming up. You will need to be motivated to prevent the weight loss process from hitting a plateau.
Now, the fact that you are pre-diabetic should be a wake-up call. To get yourself out of this diabetic zone you will have to lose weight, especially in the stomach region. Also, you will have to reduce your carbohydrates or sugar intake.
In a general way you will need to lose weight and prevent yourself from becoming diabetic. Generally, as far as weight management is concerned, the body is usually losing weight, gaining weight or in a state of plateau where there is no significant loss or gain of weight. Providing that there are no other medical or internal conditions, your weight is normally controlled by your food or calorie intake and/or activity level. Let’s say that you have changed your food intake by 500 calories per day and all your other lifestyle factors remain constant. In this situation you will get about one pound weight loss per week.
On the other hand, when your calorie intake is roughly equal to your calorie burning, the body will hit a plateau. Therefore, you will have to make some changes in your lifestyle to continue to make more changes over time. This is the major reason why in some cases you need a nutritionist to guide your programme.
You can start some changes, but when you hit a plateau you don’t know what else to do. In most cases you go back to your old habits and the weight comes right back and even doubles. In your situation, wanting to lose weight and also being pre-diabetic, I can make some suggestions.
I want you to cut your sugar and carbs by a half. If your intake of carbohydrates and sugar is high, your blood sugar level could also be high. This is a key factor in managing diabetes. So what can you do to reduce carbohydrates and sugar? Eat more fruits and vegetables. For example, you could do fruits for breakfast instead of a heavy meal such as yam, dumpling and stew chicken. In addition, you could have a protein and vegetable salad instead of fried chicken with rolls and fries. Vegetable juices, coconut water and fruits do make a healthy snack.
It should be noted that if there is a situation where the food you are eating is not healthy, what you could do is reduce your portion by a half of what you normally eat or a complete meal could be eaten two times. What you want the body to do is to use some of the fat that is in storage. For this to happen you will have to run a calorie deficit. This usually happens when you are sick. With sickness, the normal situation is your appetite goes, you take in fewer calories, and the body will be forced to use some of the reserved fat. This is the primary reason why we lose weight when we are sick.
In addition to what you eat, you will need to look closely at your exercise programme too. Exercise can help to control your blood sugar level. It can also help you to burn more calories, which will help you with weight loss. In closing I want to tell you that diabetes is a serious disease and should never be taken lightly. Be careful with yourself.
Good luck!
We will answer your weight-related questions
Are you struggling to lose weight or just need some advice on living a healthier life? Tell us about your health issues and we’ll have nutritionist and wellness coach Donovan Grant answer them for you. Grant has over 12 years’ experience in the fitness industry and is the owner of DG’s Nutrition and Wellness Centre, Suite 16, 39 Lady Musgrave Road, Kingston 5. Send your questions to clarkep@jamaicaobserver.com.
