Are you overweight or Obese?
Find out the effective ways to reduce body fat and reduce the risk to Type 2 Diabetes!
Individuals that are classified overweight or obese are at risk of many chronic illnesses and diseases. Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus is one chronic disease found to be highly associated with overweight & obese people and the prevalence of this disease due to our modern lifestyle is alarming. The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated 60 million people with diabetes in the European Region. The scary part is that diabetes is growing in number with the younger generation (10% of the Maltese population are diagnosed with diabetes (9% contributes to type 2 diabetes) compared to an average of 2-3% in neighboring countries ( J.T. Rocchiccioli et al 2005).
So the first question is are you classified overweight or obese?
If you have completed your Health Test and you have a tick on one or more of the following risk factors then you are most likely overweight and at risk of having diabetes. Having type2 diabetes will likely result to contribution to cardiovascular disease and heart failure! (Lavie, C. J. et al. J Am Coll Cardiol 2009)
RISK FACTORS
- BMI reading above 25*
- Waist circumference: Men>94cm Women>88cm
- Waist to Hip ratio: Men>0.9 Women>0.8
- High blood pressure (>140/100)
- Poor dietary intake (includes fast foods, processed and packaged)
- Less than 150min of low-moderate exercise per week (or
*BMI results may not give an accurate reading when on an advanced weight training program
Weight loss (body fat %) is the key!
But the question is How do we lose weight in the most efficient way??
Well, evidence suggests that combining both healthy eating & exercise rather than healthy eating alone yields that greatest result in achieving sufficient body fat reduction.
A review by Orozco et al. (2008) concluded that studies with exercise combined with dietary interventions resulted with the most significant reduction in the risk to Type2 Diabetes. Results in weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, waist to hip ratio and blood pressure were all favorable for the combined interventions.
So the message here is clear
Combine both diet and exercise for optimal results in weight loss!
Here are some simple guidelines to achieve your optimal body weight and reach your weight loss goals (Please note: prior to commencing any exercise please seek clearance from your local doctor for safe practice);
Dietary Intake:
Eat plenty of vegetables and foods high in fibre with low amounts of fats and oils. Reduce intake of bad fats like saturated and trans fats and opt for good fats like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Olive and canola oils are good examples of oils high in the good fats!
Exercise:
Weight Training is an important aspect to reducing type 2 diabetes risk.
Completing this at least 2-3 times a week increases sensitivity to insulin which results to lower blood sugar levels. Starting off with an appropriate full body training program is an ideal way to get started with this type of training.
Aerobic training is the ideal exercise mode for burning your fat stores and overall weight loss.
For beginners it's important to begin at a low level such as brisk walking and slow cycling (If you are able to talk while exercising then you are working at a low-moderate pace). Completing this at least 5 days a week between 30-60min will increase your body's rate in losing weight. As you improve in fitness and lose weight you need to increase your intensity levels.
Get started now!
For a safe and detailed exercise program to meet your own needs as well as achieve your goals contact one of our qualified fitness instructors! You will receive a free health consultation followed by a tailored made weight loss program.
References:
- Thompson, W. R., Gordon, N. F., Pescatello, L. S., & American College of Sports Medicine. (2010).�ACSM's guidelines for exercise testing and prescription. Philadelphia:
- Rocchiccioli, J.T., O'Donoghue, C.R., & Buttigieg, S. (2005). Diabetes in Malta: Current Findings and Future Trends. Malta Medical Journal, 17(4) 16-19.
- WHO Regional Office for Europe, Highlights on Health in Malta. 2013 [updated 2014 February; cited 2014 February 27]. http://www.who.int/nmh/countries/mlt_en.pdf?ua=1
- Rozco, L. J., Buchleitner, A. M., Gimenez-Perez, G., Roqu I Figuls, M., Richter, B., & Mauricio, D. (2008). Exercise or exercise and diet for preventing type 2 diabetes mellitus. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (3), CD003054.
