Decreasing BMI in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

A recent study came out in the Diabetes Care journal that explored what strategies worked best for weight loss in patients with Type 2 Diabetes. 

Most people have heard how important breakfast is, however, this article really proves it.  The people who were most successful at losing weight were those who ate breakfast at least six times per week.  I always encourage patients to eat 3 meals per day (at the least).  This almost always helps avoid the 'pitfall' of overeating at night.  When we don't listen to our body's hunger and 'put it off' until later, it's impossible to make good food decisions and know when we are full.  This study showed that eating more frequently also helped patients take the weight off.

The other two strategies that helped take the weight off were limiting fast food consumption, and weighing themselves. 

Fast food generally isn't healthy, so it wouldn't be a surprise that eating less fast food contributes to weight loss.  However, if you are in the situation where there's not many chocies except for fast food, remember that you can always get something healthy.  There's always a healthy choice wherever you go.  More and more restaurants are encouraging healthy food choices. 

Many people try to avoid the scale like the plague.  I agree that the scale doesn't tell us everything.  However, I always encourage people to weigh themselves at least once a week or every other week.  It's easier to lose 2 pounds than wait for it to increase to ten or twenty pounds.