It’s important to start by acknowledging that weight can be a sensitive issue for many people.
Getting to a healthy weight is also easier said than done. But even making small and simple changes to what and how much you eat and drink can make a real difference.
By losing extra weight, you will have more energy and reduce your risk of complications. Some of these can be serious. For example, heart disease or stroke.
Losing weight could even mean that you go into type 2 diabetes remission.
If you find talking about losing weight or deciding the right way to approach weight loss difficult, then you are not alone.
Remember that there is support out there to help make your first step. Several of those resources are linked at the bottom of this article.
Losing extra weight will benefit you both physically and emotionally. For type 2 diabetes, losing around 5% of your body weight can have real benefits for your health.
If you have obesity, this may mean losing a larger amount of weight. Some people have put their diabetes into remission by losing 15kg after diagnosis.
Remission means coming off your diabetes medication completely—a life-changing possibility.
This is even more likely if you lose the weight nearer to your diagnosis. And to do it as quickly and safely as possible. It's a myth that losing weight slowly is better for you.
Research shows that the more weight you lose, the greater the health benefits. But even losing just 5% of extra weight will improve your health.
It’s also helpful to work out your Body Mass Index (BMI).
BMI is not perfect and can give false indications for athletes and muscular people. But it is a reasonable first step to monitor health in relation to weight.
BMI uses your height and weight to work out if you’re at a healthy weight. As this is an overall number, you must also measure your waist to see how much fat might be around your middle. There is a link to the NHS BMI tool at the bottom of this article.
A healthy waist size depends on your gender and ethnicity. It should be:
You will likely have come across various diets, some of which may be more popular than others.
There is no single, universal diet for people with type 2 diabetes. But there are many different ways to lose weight. For example:
All of these diets look to provide a calorie-counted and nutritionally-balance meal plan.
As a quick overview, a calorie (or kcal) is a unit of energy in the food we consume. Your body uses this energy for everything it does, from breathing to sleeping to exercising.
As a general guide, men need around 2,500 kcal a day, and women need about 2,000 kcal per day. This recommendation is to maintain a healthy weight.
There is no best approach other than giving yourself time to find one you’ll likely stick to. Find the one you enjoy most, and that fits most easily into the rest of your life.
Once you have discussed weight loss with your healthcare professional, set yourself a goal with a realistic timescale.
You might find it helpful to have an overall ambition for your weight loss and small incremental steps to see progress.
For example, you may wish first to set yourself a goal to lose 4kg over the next 4–6 weeks. Once that goal is achieved, reset and create another goal – bit by bit, moving closer to your overall ambition.
It’s also essential to create an action plan for yourself. Be realistic about what is needed to lose weight and what you can change.
Again, these can be broken down into smaller, more attainable goals. If you eat chocolate every day, your goal might be to reduce this to twice per week. Once that’s accomplished, set yourself a new goal.
Always speak to your healthcare professional to determine the best course of action for you.
Disclaimer
This article is for educational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for medical advice. Always speak to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist about your individual care. The information reflects NHS and NICE guidance at the time of publication.
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