The Mountain Eagle
WHITESBURG WEATHER

Live Well With Diabetes





 

 

Smart Dieting

“Lose 20 pounds in a week!” “Set your metabolism on fire with Metabo-Inferno!” “Lose while you snooze!” These sorts of crazy diet claims are all over the Internet, TV and magazines. So how do you sort fact from fiction?

Use Common Sense

Whether you are trying to lose weight for your health or because you want to look good in your bathing suit, the same rule applies: Use common sense when choosing a diet. You should immediately rule out the following:

• Any diet supplement that claims it will boost your metabolism. These sorts of pills often contain dangerous and unregulated substances that could cause great harm.

• Any diet that advocates eating just one sort of food (for example, the “Cabbage Soup Diet” or diets consisting of only protein). You may lose some weight in the short term, but you will not be able to sustain a diet like this for long. Plus, a diet consisting only of one type of food is not healthy, especially for a person with diabetes.

• Any diet that claims that you can lose more than one to two pounds per week.

• Any diet that just does not sound right. A “potato chip” diet is just not sensible. In the diet world, if it sounds too good to be true, it is.

Choose a Plan That Works for You

Before selecting any diet, you should consult with your physician, who may have specific advice for you based on your history and your medical conditions.

The most successful plans over the long term are those that teach good eating habits without restricting certain groups of food. Another important component of a successful diet plan is group support. Consider a plan in which regular attendance at meetings or with a personal consultant is part of the program.

High-protein/low-carbohydrate diets are not the best choices for people with diabetes as these diets limit fruit and vegetables. A better choice may be a diet that incorporates small amounts of meat and fish with lots of vegetables and whole grains.

Whatever plan you choose, remember that losing weight is only possible if you burn off more calories each day than you take in. Consider adding exercise to your plan to help make it an even better success.


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