Ways to fight diabetes and obesity

Chances of obese individuals getting Type 2 diabetes are high. Recent studies show that Singapore is 2nd among countries with the highest proportions of diabetics. Diabetes affects blood circulation and even leads to foot ulcers needing amputation. Heart diseases, kidney failure and blindness are other complications. However, one-third of the total pre-diabetics in Singapore can actually avert the risk. To know how you can fight diabetes and obesity by weight loss, read on.

Maintaining the right body weight

Pre-diabetics who lose 5 to 7% of their body weight can cut down their progression rate to diabetes by half. Excess weight can easily trigger type 2 diabetes. This is the reason why bariatric surgery seems to be on the rise. Even more, people are going for exercise and alternative slimming treatment.

Portion control, avoiding refined sugar and fats, and exercising can help lose excess weight. People tracking their weight loss tend to do it faster and more effectively.

Cutting down on high sugar foods

This can be done by identifying the type and amount of carbohydrates you are consuming in your diet. The first kind is simple sugars, found commonly in dairy products, syrups, honey etc. They are also the added sugar found in processed foods. These get assimilated rapidly and require massive insulin secretion.

Replace foods with simple sugars by those with complex sugars, for instance, whole grains and legumes. Consuming carbohydrates with a low glycemic load can help prevent diabetes.

Eating the right fats

Consuming the right dietary fats is also important for weight loss. Avoiding saturated fats can help prevent inflammation and avert insulin resistance. On the other hand, fats like oleic acid, present in olive oil, and other omega-3 fats can result in better insulin response. Using olive oil in cooking can help in slimming treatment and diabetes prevention.

 Working out regularly

Physical exercise is an integral part of successful slimming treatment. It also helps keep diabetes and cardiovascular diseases at bay. Muscular activity helps in the absorption of glucose and improved insulin sensitivity. Get at least 150 minutes of cardiovascular activity every week, like going for long walks if running is not something that you like doing.

Physical activity also improves blood pressure. This is crucial if you want to avoid lifestyle diseases and keep heart diseases and diabetes at bay.

Undergoing TCM slimming

Many people in Singapore are opting for Traditional Chinese Medicine for weight loss and diabetes prevention today. This is a holistic form of treatment that uses techniques like acupuncture, cupping and diet management. The best part about TCM is that it is free of side-effects and avoids the use of prescription drugs.

Traditional Chinese Medicine helps pre-diabetics to avoid and diabetics to fight the disease. It works to ensure overall well-being.

Adopting a healthy lifestyle

Getting proper sleep is important for diabetes. It also helps in weight loss by improving metabolism, suppresses cravings for sugar and carbohydrates. You must take at least 8 hours of sound sleep on a daily basis. It is equally important to avoid stress. Stress management is actually the first step for diabetes management.

5 myths about metabolism and weight loss

Individuals on a weight loss program need to track their calorie deficit on a weekly basis. Diet management plays a bigger role in shedding those extra pounds. However, if you are trying to burn off fat through physical activities, metabolism plays a big role.

The constant influx of information on weight loss can obscure facts. For instance, it is often said that eating one big meal a day can help speed up metabolism. Here are 5 such myths about metabolism and weight loss.

It drops after a certain age

It is a misconception that metabolism drops after one turns 30. Even though the RMR decreases as one ages, but it just shut off totally. Slower metabolism around age 30 can be a result of muscle loss, hormonal changes, and changes in body composition.

Some experts believe that metabolism starts to slow down after age 40. Post 30, metabolism slows down at the rate of 1-2% per decade. It is actually higher physical activity in your previous years and not some special teen metabolism that keeps you fit.

Metabolism is genetic and cannot be changed

It is wrongly believed that individuals have no control over their metabolism. Everyone is born with a unique metabolic rate but it can be changed. Whether one has fast and slow metabolism is measured with BMR (basal metabolic rate). BMR is the number of calories that an individual burns while resting.

BMR can be improved by building muscle with exercise and a protein based diet. At rest, every pound of muscle helps burn 35 calories a day. The same amount of fat burns just 2 calories a day.

Spicy foods can speed it up

Green tea and spicy foods like peppers are believed to increase the body temperature. However, the increase in metabolism is significant and short-lived. Moreover, the spike is not enough for an effective weight loss program.

Burning calories for short periods is not enough to improve overall metabolism. If at all you need to eat something for a better metabolism, it is a balanced diet. Stock up on proteins from fish, eggs, poultry, nuts, and lentils. Have control over your cravings for junk food, and practice cheat days to help you lower your cravings in fear of a rebound.

Calories consumed at night turn to fat

It is a common misconception that anything you eat after 7 p.m becomes fat. The reason behind it is that sleeping is not supposed to burn calories. However, this is not true. Metabolism slows down while you sleep, but it does not stop working altogether.

So eat healthy foods instead of those loaded with carbs. The idea is to set up a proper system of energy consumption and burning. Metabolism also depends on yin-yang harmony. You can visit a TCM slimming centre to seek treatment specially devised for your metabolic rate.

Slim individuals have better metabolism

As mentioned earlier, metabolism depends on BMR, and not on how thin or fat someone is. It is wrongly believed that thin people can eat anything because of their apparently faster metabolism. The truth is that people who stay slim, often compensate. If they eat more calories in the morning, they eat less calories in lunch. This may or may not be a conscious choice. But applying this in your life can help you in your weight loss program.

Ways to track your weight loss progress

Tracking body weight accurately

Weighing scales have copped some unreasonable criticism lately. Readings on weighing scales are bound to fluctuate at different times of the day. These fluctuations are owing to water retention and food. Invest in a good quality scale. Weighing yourself should be done twice a day and without clothes. Note down your weight for the day as the average of these readings. The next step is to multiply body fat percentage by your weight. Make regular entries in the diary.

Tracking fat loss accurately

In order to measure the progress of your slimming treatment in Singapore, it is essential to track body fat percentage. The reading on the scale doesn’t tell you about the composition of your weight. Even as you lose fat, the weight might remain constant, since muscle gain is happening simultaneously.

Body fat percentage can be measured using hydrostatic weighing, callipers and calculators available online. You can even get your body fat checked at your slimming centre. People with dangerous levels of body fat are prone to lifestyle diseases. In such cases, traditional Chinese Medicine can help lose weight without risking injuries. Therefore, quitting sugar will definitely help in losing weight.

Taking measurements of different areas

Measuring different parts of your body is useful and doesn’t require any expensive equipment. The body loses fat in different parts of the body in different order. Women should start at the bust, measuring along the nipple line. Measure the waist just above the belly button.

Hips, thighs, calves and arms are measured along the area where they bulge the most. You can also use slightly tighter clothes instead of the measuring tape to compare and see the results of your hard work. Try every month to see how they fit.

Tracking progress with pictures

If you are social media savvy, you will find picture tracking particularly enjoyable. Even if you’re not, take pictures of yourself on a daily basis. It is ideal to stand in the same way and in the same kind of outfit every day to compare the differences. You will be amazed how a weekly comparison will help to motivate you further in leading a healthier lifestyle. Therefore, one needs to know the differences between Diet vs Exercise and how to complement both together to achieve great results. Look at the pictures of an entire month. You will be able to tell the amount of change your body has gone through.

Tracking meals and exercise

Websites that offer calorie tracking have huge databases. You can simply log in and record whatever you have eaten for the day. Do not conceal or underreport anything. Training your appetite to expect lesser calories with each passing week is important. When it comes to exercise, plan well and spread out training different parts of the body throughout the week.

However, slimming treatment is not about creating calorie deficit only by way of diet management and physical exercise. Alternative methods like TCM slimming use holistic methods to help you lose weights.