Losing weight is a slow and difficult process for most people.  However, for individuals with type 2 diabetes it is even more challenging.  The metabolism of people with type 2 diabetes is geared towards creating fat and storing fat, rather than burning fat. This is because they usually have insulin resistance and a fatty liver. If you carry excess abdominal weight you probably have a fatty liver yourself; your doctor just hasn’t diagnosed it yet.

One of the main jobs of the liver is to burn off excess body fat and get rid of it through the gallbladder and out in bowel motions.  Unfortunately a fatty liver cannot achieve this task very well.  A fatty liver is doing the opposite of what it should be – it is accumulating fat.  Luckily there are several ways to overcome this obstacle and achieve weight loss.

People with a fatty liver have a slow metabolic rate.  They usually also suffer with insulin resistance, which inhibits the fat burning enzymes in the body from working efficiently.

Here are my tips for losing weight if you’re a type 2 diabetic:

  • Reduce the sugar, carbohydrate and man made fats in your diet.  These foods are what creates insulin resistance a fatty liver in the first place, which are the biggest risk factors for becoming a type 2 diabetic.  Most people with a fatty liver got one because they ate more carbohydrate than their liver could process.  Carbohydrate rich foods include sugar, flour, bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, breakfast cereals and grains.  The liver is very proficient at converting these foods into fat.  The other food that promotes the formation of a fatty liver is omega 6 rich vegetable oil.  Fried foods and packaged foods like crisps, chips, crackers and cookies are usually full of the wrong fats.
  • Base your diet on protein, natural fats and non-starchy vegetables.  These foods will keep you feeling full and will keep your blood sugar level stable throughout the day.  This is very important in order to prevent hypoglycaemia, sugar cravings, foggy head and fatigue.  Many people trying to lose weight actually don’t eat enough protein and fat.  They are in such a rush to lose weight and want to reach their goal tomorrow, that they eat too little food.  This is dangerous territory because you will be at far greater risk of binging on all the wrong foods once you get tired and hungry enough.  When eating protein rich foods like fish, poultry or red meat, please eat a palm and a half sized portion.  Whey protein powder is an excellent source of protein that's highly satiating. It will help to keep you feeling full for many hours and reduces the risk of sugar cravings. Please include good fats in your diet like olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds and oily fish such as salmon.  People who don’t eat enough protein and fat usually crave sugar and carbohydrate.  There is an easy to follow eating plan in my book Diabetes Type 2: You Can Reverse It.
  • Take a good quality liver tonic.  Diet changes will work on their own eventually, but you should reach your goal weight sooner, and feel more energetic sooner if you take a good quality liver tonic.  Livatone Plus contains the nutrients your liver needs in order to burn fat efficiently and detoxify your bloodstream.
  • Insulin resistance needs to be improved.  People who are insulin resistant have an extremely slow metabolism. They can eat barely anything at all and still their weight doesn’t shift. Fasting and exercise both improve insulin resistance. They can be extremely difficult for people dealing with fatigue and poor overall health though. Berberine is an herbal remedy that helps make insulin more efficient in the body. This brings blood levels of insulin down, speeding up the metabolic rate.
  • Eat more raw vegetables. It is important to eat raw food such as salad every day.  Try to eat as many different colored vegetables as possible because the pigments in vegetables are antioxidants and they each have unique benefits.  Your liver and bowels need the nutrients in raw vegetables to function at their optimum. It is well worth adding raw juices to your diet - check out my Raw Juices Can Save Your Life book for recipe ideas.

Weight loss takes more time and commitment for those with type 2 diabetes, but with the right technique it is definitely achievable.

The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.

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