Diabetes
Best Tips to Fight Pre-diabetes
You’ve known for a while now that you need to lose some weight, but you always thought it could wait until after Valentine’s Day… after the winter... until after the school year is over… Or maybe even that, I will start on Monday trick we always pull on ourselves.
But now, your doctor delivers the news: you have pre-diabetes. You’ve joined approximately a third of the adult American population. There is no more time for excuses. You have to get this under control. Follow these steps to lead you in the right step to better health.
How to Fight Pre-diabetes with Exercise
Your doctor probably already talked to you about this, but it’s easier said than done, right? Sometimes, the biggest hurdle is just carving out the time in your day. Experts recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity five days a week. A few places you can carve out exercise time include:
- Lunch breaks: If there is an area around your workplace where you can walk, exercise or otherwise move, take advantage of that. You may even find that spending part of your workday moving around can help you return to your job feeling refreshed for the rest of the day.
- Morning routine: We know, it can be hard sometimes to sneak in those 8 hours of rest every day. But, if you have the kind of chaotic schedule during the day that makes predicting when you can get in a workout impossible, sometimes getting up a half hour early can really help.
- In between tasks: If you have a few moments in between certain tasks throughout the day, try sneaking in a bit of a workout. Have exercise equipment—such as a stationary bike—close by so you can jump on it
How to Fight Pre-diabetes with Healthy Eating
The best way to go about this is to stick to a low-fat, reduced calories plan. But, just like exercise this can be easier said than done, especially when you start to get hungry. A few things you can do to combat that empty feeling are:
- Try to eat as much lean protein as possible. This will give you energy and help you eat less throughout the day. For example, eggs, fish, chicken and turkey all tend to be high in protein and low in fat and calories. Make sure you read the nutrition information and compare how much it has of each.
- Portion control. Understand what it takes to help you feel satisfied and stick with that. With some food, it takes more calories than others to help you feel full. For example—a cup of broccoli will last you longer and contains far fewer calories than a cup of ice cream!
Remember, losing 5 to 7 percent of your weight is a big step towards reducing your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. It will take some life changes, but you can do it!