Last Updated on April 22, 2019
I am in a weight loss program for people at risk or have pre-diabetes. Studies have found that reducing one’s weight drastically cuts down on a person’s risk of getting diabetes in their lifetime. I love this program because it is free at my clinic and it works! I have also lost 11 lbs so far in my weight loss journey since I started this program thirteen weeks ago.
My lifestyle coach informed me that they will plan to take the program to a wider base in the community since the risk for diabetes is reading pandemic levels among the American population. People with diabetes can suffer from many health problems leading to blindness, amputation, heart disease, and kidney failure, thereby living a shortened lifespan.
I was diagnosed as gestational diabetic when I was pregnant with my kids. This causes a larger baby and a higher risk for stillborn birth. I took the necessary precautions in treating my gestational diabetes and delivered three beautiful, healthy children. After my daughter was born, I discovered I also had pre-diabetes.
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I lost some weight after giving birth, but my blood insulin levels still put me at risk for developing diabetes in the near future. If your blood sugar levels are above 5.8 in the scale, then you’re considered to have pre-diabetes.
Although my blood sugar levels have been tapering off, I am still in the range for diabetes and so, I decided to participate in this free weight loss program at my doctor’s clinic. I am still slightly overweight and would like to shed more pounds to decrease my risk of developing diabetes and to become healthier. As I’ve also learned, living healthy definitely has health benefits.
In the first 16 weeks of the program, the participants do a weigh-in. I am down from 163 lbs to 150lbs within thirteen weeks. If you’re wondering did I starve myself or begin an ultimate exercise routine, this is what I did. I went on www.choosemyplate.gov and discovered how much calories I should be eating. Then I calculated how much calories less I should eat if I want to lose weight within 6 months.
The idea is to eat 500 calories less a day from your daily total calorie intake to start losing weight and seeing results. I also had to keep a calorie and activity tracker journal. I wrote down and recorded what I ate and the calories per serving. If I ate two servings of soup, I multiplied the calories by two. I also documented the total fat. Total fat is different than calories from fat, saturated fat or trans fat. Based on my weight, I needed to eat no more than 33 grams of total fat a day.
The calorie and activity tracker is helpful in learning what foods are better to eat and what to avoid. I learned that high in fast food such as chocolate candy, soda, potato chips, and ice cream should be avoided if you want to lose weight. If you still would like dessert or snack, consider eating fruit and vegetables (but without the high fat ranch dip I’ve learned). If you feel you’d like to eat some “unhealthy” type food, do so in smaller portions and thus, do not binge eat.
The first part of the program, eating healthy foods and avoiding or substituting high-fat foods was emphasized. Even healthy fat foods such as olive oil and avocados should be limited so that you don’t go over your total fat calories. The other part of the program was exercise. The magic number to exercise a day is 150 minutes a week which may be broken down throughout the week. You can choose any kind of exercise activity as long as it’s in moderation such as brisk walking. You will start to see results with exercise and eating within your recommended daily calorie intake and fat grams.
Another tip: if you happen to not losing your one or two pounds a week, add a different activity or twenty more minutes to your exercise program.
The second part of the program will have us meeting only once a week with a newer target weight loss goal. My lifestyle coach said that after reaching their final weight loss goal, her clients had no trouble maintaining weight and keeping the extra pounds off. The whole program is targeted for living lifestyle. It’s important to note: we aren’t deprived of any kind of food; we just to be more mindful of what we eat and aware of what kinds of foods will allow us to gain weight.
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I learned something new in the program. I knew I should exercise more in the past but I am more motivated to exercise now since starting the weight-loss program. Now, that I know the factors in losing weight and what will make me gain weight by monitoring my weight and recording my food and activity tracker. This is a six-month program that I am committed to and I am pleased with seeing results. Throughout the program, we deal with issues such as what to do if we slack off in our eating and overeat or go to a party, go on vacation, or dine-out. The class is also a support group for participants.
I hope to lose another ten pounds. I will do so gradually and continue in participating in the program. This weight loss program is a healthy lifestyle change which I recommend for anyone considering in losing weight. You can also follow my tips on your own: writing what you eat in a journal, keeping track of your exercise minutes, and following the guidelines for your calorie and total fat gram intake.
Google any of my food items to find out the calorie number and fat grams and then add the daily totals to see if you’ve reached your calorie and fat gram limit or went over. Another important tip is if you overeat in one day, try eating less or healthier the next day. By being mindful of what you eat, will also help you to lose weight.
I like this program because I didn’t have to starve myself or follow a rigorous exercise regimen. The formula for weight loss is quite simple as I’ve outlined above. Healthy living is eating healthy, moderately without high fat foods or food prepared fried or with too much oil or fat and partaking in an exercise routine of your choosing. These are mild lifestyle changes for the better and hopefully will stave off the diabetes disease throughout my lifetime.
