SunandMoon Posted August 20, 2012 Posted August 20, 2012 I heard from someone that having diabetes can make it very difficult to lose weight, is this true? And if so, why? I may be diabetic not certain, it runs in the family. And my mother has prediabetes, she noticed some symptoms of it in me. I gotta go to the doctor sometime...
JamesM Posted August 20, 2012 Posted August 20, 2012 I have not heard that it is any harder to lose weight, but I know for a fact that losing weight can eliminate or reduce diabetes. Blood sugar levels are closely tied with weight. However, if yours is genetic, then this may only reduce it. BTW, get to a doctor sooner rather than later. You may not have it yet, but you may be able to prevent getting it. 2
Els Posted August 20, 2012 Posted August 20, 2012 It isn't difficult to lose weight per se, but diabetics have to adhere to certain limitations while dieting. Most people can just cut calories wherever they like, skip meals etc - not the healthiest way to lose weight, but the most convenient one, and thus the one most people go for. Diabetics need to take in a fixed amount of calories each meal to balance out their pre-determined dose of insulin, so weight loss for diabetics needs to be coordinated with their doctor, and the regime adhered to very strictly. Why do you think you 'might' be 'prediabetic'? It is very easily checked with a trip to the doctor and a few blood tests... go for it. 2
Author SunandMoon Posted August 20, 2012 Author Posted August 20, 2012 I have not heard that it is any harder to lose weight, but I know for a fact that losing weight can eliminate or reduce diabetes. Blood sugar levels are closely tied with weight. However, if yours is genetic, then this may only reduce it. BTW, get to a doctor sooner rather than later. You may not have it yet, but you may be able to prevent getting it. Yeah I knew losing weight can reduce the possiblity of having or effects of it (somewhat the same for heart disease which I am also a risk factor for due to genetics.) It isn't difficult to lose weight per se, but diabetics have to adhere to certain limitations while dieting. Most people can just cut calories wherever they like, skip meals etc - not the healthiest way to lose weight, but the most convenient one, and thus the one most people go for. Diabetics need to take in a fixed amount of calories each meal to balance out their pre-determined dose of insulin, so weight loss for diabetics needs to be coordinated with their doctor, and the regime adhered to very strictly. Why do you think you 'might' be 'prediabetic'? It is very easily checked with a trip to the doctor and a few blood tests... go for it. Ah so it is just harder to maintain? As I said genetics. I'm perpetually thirsty (constant dry mouth), always tired even when I sleep, like 11 hours, odd weight fluctuations. I haven't been to a doctor in like 10 years and financially I'm just not there to make a visit. But I will asap.
RiverRunning Posted August 21, 2012 Posted August 21, 2012 Call a local pharmacy and see if they can do a fasting glucose test for you. I paid $4 at my pharmacy and got results immediately. You can also do the hemoglobin A1c - which can give you an average blood sugar reading over your past 2 - 3 months. I did it: I pricked myself, put some blood on paper, mailed it in and got results a few weeks later. I want to say I paid a total of $20 - $25 for that. It's supposed to be much more accurate than a fasting glucose test (just because some people may have 'normal' or 'prediabetic' fasting glucose levels, while their blood sugar actually spikes up and stays high after they start eating). 1
seren Posted August 24, 2012 Posted August 24, 2012 Some diabetic meds pile on the pounds, I have type 2 and have always found in incredibly hard to lose weight. I used to survive on very few calories, not becasue of trying to keep weight down, just a busy life and not really feeling hungry. I was told by my dietician that this way of eating (or not) had effectively screwed up the way my body used food to produce energy and that it had probably been one of the reasons I became diabetic. My diet is now more healthy, as in I eat more than before. My diet is now balanced with the emphasis on vegetables and small amounts of protien, starch and carbs. Some diabetic meds, like metformin can help weight loss, but don't suit everyone, insulin can make you gain weight. I take a number of different meds and all with a side effect of weight gain, but BP, and cholesterol are very good. Aim for inner health, being slim is not always the same as being healthy. I found out I was diabetic after having glucose fasting tests. a simple blood test is not enough. get it checked out. 2
RiverRunning Posted August 31, 2012 Posted August 31, 2012 For what it's worth, I always worried that I was diabetic because I felt thirsty all of the time. When I had my fasting glucose, I came out at 90 (normal, but over 100 is prediabetic). My hemoglobin A1c was lower than the lab's standard - generally, 4 to 6% for that is a normal reading (6 to 7% is a 'controlled' reading for someone who is diabetic and if I remember right, anything over 7% is poorly controlled diabetes). My result came in at 4.2%, and if I remember right, it's supposed to be among the most accurate diabetes tests out there. And being active/eating better has had a much bigger impact on my numbers than losing weight has, although losing weight has helped. Every little bit helps. 1
seanjackson Posted September 26, 2012 Posted September 26, 2012 Hello Dear, Now a days Diabetes and weight are the big problem for mankind.Diabetes is not curable but you have maintain it. Weight is the the big problem but but you have to reduce it, heard exercise eating some weight loss supplements.
Abystarswoman Posted October 22, 2012 Posted October 22, 2012 (edited) I found this thread while doing a search on this topic, so please forgive me if this shouldn't have been bumped up to the top. I was diagnosed diabetic on September 11th of this year. Type-II adult onset. It's a bastard, all right, and has been very difficult to navigate at times. I want to start off by saying that, in my experience, diabetes is a very individualized thing. What may work for one person may not for another. I've lost nearly 35 pounds since diagnosis (only a month and a half!!!!) because of all of the glucose that had been building up, building up, building up for God knows how long suddenly... disappeared. No longer there. And I've begun a rigorous exercise program - 3 times a week, an hour each time, no shortcuts and no excuses. After a small plateau, I'm starting to lose once again. God only knows how much I'll be rid of in a year's time. Some drugs do pack on the pounds, but so far that hasn't been my experience. Again - this is individualized. Some people can eat white rice and it doesn't affect them (that would be me) - others see their glucose levels spike into the stratosphere. It all depends on your body chemistry, how long you've had it, how much damage (neuropathy) there is, etc. It's generally accepted (on the American Diabetes Association forums, anyway), that "pre-diabetic" more or less means that you ARE diabetic - you just caught it very, very early. Instituting good habits now will ensure that it doesn't get worse. I would invest in a meter and some test strips - you may as well begin testing now so that you can keep a very close eye on it. Don't wait until you need insulin or worse - believe me when I tell you that injecting myself with a needle every night is NOT my idea of a good time. Good luck. Edited October 22, 2012 by Abystarswoman Fixing syntax 1
Abystarswoman Posted October 22, 2012 Posted October 22, 2012 I'm perpetually thirsty (constant dry mouth), always tired even when I sleep, like 11 hours, odd weight fluctuations. Yep - all signs of diabetes. I had them, too. Do you feel a constant need to visit the bathroom? That's a definite sign, along with the thirst - it's your body's attempts to dump out the excess glucose in your system. I was ALWAYS tired, all the time, and my temper was beyond short, it was a lit fuse. Ever since I've gotten treatment, I feel SO much better. I hope you've seen a doctor by now. 1
Baroncraig Posted October 30, 2012 Posted October 30, 2012 What about fruit promote weight loss? Will a healthy diet and eating a lot of fruit help weight loss?
pink_sugar Posted October 30, 2012 Posted October 30, 2012 My mom was recently diagnosed with prediabeties and needs to lose weight in order to prevent diabetes. Changing your eating and exercise habits and monitoring sugar intake can help you prevent diabetes.
seren Posted November 6, 2012 Posted November 6, 2012 Baron you need to be careful with the eating lots of fruit thing, a lot of fruit has really high natural sugar that can cause blood sugar peaks. I keep in mind that half my plate needs to be veg, a quarter protein and a quarter carbs or starch. If I have a drop in blood sugar, I drink milk, or half a glass of fresh orange and follow up by eating a small amount of carbs. A meter will help you to monitor levels and what foods aren't so good for you. My latest dietician visit has her telling me off for not eating enough or often enough, aim for six small meals rather than 3 large one's. I get carb dumping, in that if I were to eat for example, a very rare treat of Maccy D's breakfast, I would get plunging blood sugar and levels of 1.2 are usual, so I don't do this. It took a while to figure out why I was having these. I retain weight, despite a very healthy diet, but I also take a raft of other meds, metformin doesn't agree with me and the meds I now take don't help at all. Aim for healthy, small balanced meals with snacks to keep levels stable and be alert to hidden sugar. I am lucky I am in the UK, we have excellent diabetic support clinics and free meters and strips. 1
Author SunandMoon Posted November 18, 2012 Author Posted November 18, 2012 Yep - all signs of diabetes. I had them, too. Do you feel a constant need to visit the bathroom? That's a definite sign, along with the thirst - it's your body's attempts to dump out the excess glucose in your system. I was ALWAYS tired, all the time, and my temper was beyond short, it was a lit fuse. Ever since I've gotten treatment, I feel SO much better. I hope you've seen a doctor by now. I completely forgot about this thread. Anyways I have been to the hospital but for something unrelated and not to be tested for diabetes. They did however take my blood twice and apparently my sugar levels were okay-ish. And it did fluctuate quite a bit between the two, though I had eaten between them. So I don't know. I was however extremely dehydrated and get like that quite often. Apparently I have some sort of sodium deficiency and that is the reason for the dry mouth and the like or I would guess. The doctor told me (he was actually a cardiologist) to drink gatorade as it helps replenish the body's salt and electrolytes. It has helped somewhat. I do still need to get checked for diabetes, however, I will do it eventually. The lack of energy...I still have no clue what that is, I do get a small boost to energy levels due to the colder temeperatures but that does not last, of course. I do urinate pretty frequently (like 5-6 times a day or more, is that normal?) but I think that is just because I drink so much water. When I told the doctor that he was stumped as to why I was so dehydrated and that's how he came to the conclusion it was my sodium levels. My weight loss has pretty much stalled... I have tried to eat more fruits and whatnot, but I also lack regular income, so it makes buying healthy difficult, as it is usually pricier than the bargain foods. But thank you everyone for your input! Still doing my best to stave off diabetes or pre-diabetes like my mother. 1
JamesM Posted November 19, 2012 Posted November 19, 2012 I do urinate pretty frequently (like 5-6 times a day or more, is that normal?) but I think that is just because I drink so much water. This (if there is a normal) is normal. When they speak of frequently, then they mean a couple of times an hour..or rather much more than you usually did. AND you are constantly thirsty. 2
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