A healthy weight can be a big boost to managing diabetes, but getting there may take a fair bit of managing too. Juggling all those demands and taboos can be overwhelming. So to help make all those efforts pay off, here are four common dieting mistakes diabetics make.
Not Sleeping Well
Sometimes it’s not getting enough sleep, and sometimes it’s sleeping too much. But sleep problems can pack on pounds. The safe zone appears to be between five and nine hours.
One theory is that disordered sleep patterns lead to disordered hormones. The likeliest culprits seem to be leptin and ghrelin, hormones that regulate appetite. Another theory is that if you don’t get enough sleep, you’ll be too tired to do much moving.
Forgetting That Carbs and Calories Both Count
Even when counting carbs, we need to be aware of calories. It doesn’t seem fair, having to watch both of them. We may find some help for these limitations as our understanding of adiposity deepens. But for now, if you hit a speed bump on a limited carb diet, you might need to check your calories.
Eliminating Fruit
Fruit really is good for you. And it’s ironic that eliminating fruit is one of the dieting mistakes diabetics make. Because according to one study, fruit is associated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. The researchers specifically mentioned apples, blueberries, and grapes. But be aware that the study found fruit juice actually increased that risk.
Fasting
Some people swear by intermittent fasting. But there are a couple of issues with it. One study tested 20 healthy, non-diabetic adults. Researchers showed that fasting affected the brain reward systems. It increased their attraction to high-calorie foods. Oops – wrong direction!
But especially for diabetics, skipping meals can mean hypoglycemia. And if you skip a meal, your medication may not track well with your glucose levels. Meaning that fasting may make diabetes management harder.
Conclusion
The dieting mistakes diabetics make can make dieting tougher. But recognizing those mistakes can make dieting work the way it should.
