Why Keeping Your Weight in Check Is So Important If You Have Diabetes

Whether you’ve just been diagnosed with diabetes or you’ve been managing it for years, you know the drill from your doctor: Exercise regularly and eat healthy to ensure that you stay at an ideal weight. Is it really so important, though? What’s five pounds here or there?

Dr. Gisela Vargas and the team at Health First Primary Care, with two offices in Tampa, FL, views your diabetes as a challenge to tackle together with confidence. Because we can’t be with you at home or when you’re having fun hitting your favorite after-work eatery, we’re serious about helping you understand the role of your weight in how you manage your diabetes no matter what you’re doing. 

What’s weight got to do with it?

We’ve paraphrased Tina Turner here, but it’s a pivotal question when it comes to advanced diabetes care. Excess weight is a risk factor for getting diabetes, and it’s a key factor that can challenge managing the disease when you’ve already received a diagnosis. Diabetes is all about the delicate, changing-by-the-hour dance of your blood sugar levels, and your diet is the head choreographer. 

Because diabetes already requires that you closely monitor the fluctuations of your glucose levels, you want to stabilize everything else that you can in terms of your body’s systems. This means maintaining a steady, healthy weight. When you’re at a normal weight, you:

• Regulate your blood sugar well
• Enjoy good cholesterol levels
• Maintain a healthy blood pressure
• Lessen stress on your joints
• Benefit from less stress

Although these good things are valiant health goals, sometimes it’s easier said than done to get there. Dr. Vargas can help you go from intention to reality when it comes to incorporating smart lifestyle choices that support your ideal weight.

Tips for keeping your weight in check

There are a host of strategies you can practice to help you keep your weight at a healthy level. The best part is that they’re doable, practical, and lifestyle-adaptable:

• Opt for grilling or baking meat instead of frying
• Avoid sweet drinks like sodas and dessert-type coffees 
• Switch to low-fat dairy products
• Consume whole grains rather than white flour, bread, pasta, and rice
• Stay well hydrated with water rather than sweetened drinks
• Choose cruciferous as opposed to starchy veggies — broccoli beats out corn every time
• Get protein from legumes and lean fish and meats, not fatty, processed meats

As a rule of thumb, don’t consume high-glycemic foods, which can raise your blood sugar abruptly. Be mindful not only of which foods you eat, but how you combine them. 

Finally, don’t forget about the role of exercise in keeping your weight on an even keel. Aerobic exercise lowers your blood sugar quickly while working out with weights can affect it even hours later, so you need to monitor diligently. 

We want to empower you to live your best life while managing your diabetes. The what’s and why’s of the condition can feel overwhelming at times, but we’re here to remind you that you’ve got a lot you can control, and your weight is first and foremost.

To learn more about managing your weight, diabetes, or any other family health matter, contact Health First Primary Care, either by calling or requesting an appointment online.