DIABETES PREVENTION: Weight Loss Obstacles and Remedies

Some people don’t succeed at weight loss due to:

      1)   Feeling as if you don’t have the time to exercise;

      2)   Thinking that you can’t eat healthily because eating out is convenient and quick;

      3)   Seeing people you live with as setting bad examples, for your weight loss, with food; and,

      4)   You needing support from at least one other person.

Several ways in which obstacles can be overcome (corresponding to the aforementioned list) are:

      1)   Taking 5 – 10 minutes, several times during the day, to complete 30 minutes per day of exercise;

      2)   Making a sandwich, along with packing single-serving milk or soy-/almond milk when going out so that you don’t eat fast food;

      3)   You cook healthier meals for people you live with regularly or eat before they do so that you’re not tempted to eat their weight-loss-busting, unhealthy foods; and

      4)   You can ask people you know who are either trying to lose weight or doing weight-maintenance eating/exercising to give you weight-loss support, until you find at least one person to hold you accountable with your weight-loss goal.

November is Diabetes Month

Since loss of abdominal body fat eliminates 1 risk factor for diabetes, my quest for weight-loss gems is mainly meant to reverse my pre-diabetes (and abdominal body fat) or to prevent diabetes in African-Americans—one of the population subsets for whom diabetes is present, in addition to in my family, more than among European-Americans.  November is Diabetes Month, so, for some good weight loss tips, that also DO NOT increase blood sugar, I picked 10 from the “100 Best Diet Tricks of All Time” by Melissa Daly, in the November 2012 issue of Health magazine, namely:

#16:  Get 6 to 8 hours of sleep a night.  Without it, the appetite hormone ghrelin increases, which could result in weight gain…--Manuel Villacorta, RD, author of Eating free

FILLING FOOD PAIRS:  Snacks that combine fiber and protein produce a greater sense of fullness, nix carb cravings, and banish hunger, …Try these super-satisfying pairs (or mix and match).

#46:  bell peppers and hummus {pureed chickpea dip—SD}

#47:  broccoli and low-fat cheese

#54:  Hang a sweat calendar on your fridge and mark the days you exercise so you’ll stay clear about your goal.

#61:  “Weigh yourself every day to stay on track.”—Cindy Santa Ana,  43, health coach who lost 50 lbs.

#65:  “Eat in the right order.  Eat vegetables first to naturally have more of them and ultimately eat fewer calories.”—Dawn Jackson Blatner

#70:  “During your workout, rest no more than 30 seconds between exercises.  This will dramatically bump your calorie burn.”—Jillian Michaels, fitness expert, via Twitter

Cravings usually pass within 10 minutes.  Distract yourself by:

#86:  Facebooking {an online community at www.facebook.com that asks for status updates after you signup—SD}

#89:  Have a bowl of vegetable soup before lunch {or dinner!—SD}; you’ll eat 20 percent fewer calories at the meal.—Research by Barbara Rolls, PhD, at Pennsylvania State University

EAT FIBER AND PROTEIN AT MEALS:  They help keep sugar levels balanced so you won’t give in to cravings, says Tanya Zuckerbrof, RD {registered dietician—SD}, author of The miracle carb diet.  Follow her plan below and lose up to 10 pounds in a month (if you do 3.5 hours of cardio per week).  Eat 3 meals and a snack a day (after week 1, add a second snack).—{The magazine lists 3 choices under each subheading:  Breakfast; Lunch/Dinner; and, Snacks.—SD}

Lunch/Dinner (about 400 calories)--#97:  Prepare a Kashi Steam Meal like Sesame Chicken; serve with 1 cup frozen spinach, prepared according to package. {Frozen Kashi meals can be found at any major grocery chain, and they are FILLING!—SD}

You might only be able to add a few of these immediately…but, even if you only end up doing those FEW, you’ll probably help your diet along (or help to keep excess weight from being gained!) AND lower your risk for getting diabetes.

Which of the listed diet tricks interest you?  Did this blog post inspire you to go out and get this month’s Health magazine (for the other 90 tips)?  How hard (or easy) of a time do you find in getting yourself to start, and continue, these 10 tips?

I welcome your comments below…Or email me on:  shelleydryden@gmail.com

{DISCLAIMER:  I am not a licensed healthcare provider.  If you have a health concern, consult with a nurse practitioner, M.D., naturopathic doctor (ND), pharmacist, or other healthcare practitioner.}

Reference:

Daly, M.  (2012, November).  Best shape:  100 Best diet tricks of all time.  Health, 37 – 44.

Heart Disease is No Joke!

Do you know what cardiovascular disease (CVD) means?  Whether you have CVD, or even high blood pressure, it could make the difference between a full and happy life and disability…

CVD refers to any disease of the heart and the blood vessels or circulation, while CHD [coronary heart disease] is a more specific condition resulting from reduced blood flow in the coronary arteries…According to the AHA [American Heart Association], approximately 1,100,000 Americans will have a coronary attack this year.  About 650,000 of these will be first heart attacks… (Howley & Franks, 2007, p. 298)

Furthermore, if you have hypertension, or high blood pressure, you could get CVD!  “[It] greatly increases a person’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease…It is estimated that 65 million people in the United States have hypertension.”  (Howley & Franks, 2007, p. 299)  If you have moderate hypertension (Ask your doctor as to whether this applies to you.—S.D.) there are non-drug options commonly applied, in order to reduce your blood pressure numbers, such as:  reducing salt/sodium intake; losing weight ; and,

participating in an endurance exercise program….Moderate-intensity exercise should be done frequently and for duration long enough to expend a large number of calories.  Furthermore, for those with higher BPs[blood pressures] who are taking medication, such an exercise program along with changes in diet, smoking, and body weight can lower BP.  In these cases, BP should be checked frequently so medications can be reduced as needed. (Howley & Franks, 2007, p. 299)

So, altering diet and weight loss strategies don’t only apply to pre-diabetes (which I have—S.D.) or diabetes (runs in my family—S.D.), diet also applies to high blood pressure and CVD…Thus, my future posts on diet or my weight-loss journey can be used to not only hopefully prevent (or reverse?) diabetes, but to improve your blood pressure—involving taking fewer or no medications--without all of the various side effects.

In the Summer 2012 issue of Amazing Wellness magazine—you might still be able to pick this up free at your local Vitamin Shoppe store—there are 5 weight-loss tips from personal trainer Bob Harper (of the NBC show The Biggest Loser):

ü  Drink a large glass of water before every meal.

ü  Enjoy up to 2 cups of black coffee or espresso per day (Research shows that you’ll have lower rates of diabetes, clearer thinking and an anti-inflammatory effect; in addition to it suppressing appetite and increasing your calorie-burn.).—I drink coffee every day, but because I used to have an ulcer, my stomach is too sensitive for me to drink it black!--S.D.

ü  “Apples and berries are two foods that should be eaten daily, [they] are rich in phytochemicals which help out your metabolism and act as powerful natural anti-inflammatories.  Even better, they help lower bad cholesterol.”  (Nix, Summer 2012, p. 42)

ü  “[T]ry your best not to consume any carbohydrates after lunch.  Snack on fiber, vegetables, fresh fruit, or protein instead of hitting the carbs…[E]at lean and green (especially in the evenings).”  (Nix, Summer 2012, p. 42)

ü  Get enough sleep, avoiding drinking alcohol after 8 p.m.  (Nix, Summer 2012)

{DlSCLAIMER:  I am not a licensed healthcare professional.  Please consult with a medical doctor/MD, doctor of osteopathy/DO, or naturopathic doctor/ND if you have any health concerns.}

Reference:

Howley, E. T. & Franks, B. D.  (2007).  Fitness professional’s handbook (5^th Ed.).  Champaign, IL:  Human Kinetics.

Nix, A.  (2012, Summer).  Guest spot:  Up close and personal.  Amazing wellness.  38-42.