By Registered Dietitian
on September 16, 2008
Controlling your weight comes down to one thing - managing calories. More...
By Registered Dietitian
on September 17, 2008
Although many people succeed at losing weight, few manage to keep the weight off for the long haul. Those who have are referred to as “successful losers” and research studies on these individuals reveal the keys to permanent weight loss. More...
By dotFIT experts
on October 07, 2008
Dieting to lose weight is difficult at best, and generally ends in frustration for the average person. The majority of people gain most of the weight back within the first year. However, there are three strategies that have consistently proven to be effective in losing weight and maintaining the loss. More...

How does Type I diabetes affect a person’s ability to lose weight? I’ve never had an easy time losing weight but since having babies it has been nearly impossible. Help!

How does Type I diabetes affect a person’s ability to lose weight?  I’ve never had an easy time losing weight but since having babies it has been nearly impossible.  Help!

Answer: If you are managing your insulin properly, you can lose weight just like anyone else.  It’s simply a matter of burning more calories than you consume.  That said, there are many medical conditions that can make it more challenging to adhere to the calorie intake necessary to lose weight.

If you are actually in a calorie deficit (burning more calories than you consume), then your next weigh-in will show that you have lost weight. A single weigh-in may be skewed by an unusual water fluctuation, but the overall trend will always be correct. If you are in a deficit, it’s not possible to NOT lose weight. If your 2 or 3 week trend is not showing weight loss, then you are not in a calorie deficit.

More info

There are two things that can get in the way of weight loss: 1) Underestimating calories consumed, and 2) overestimating calories burned. It is challenging to accurately count calories consumed and everyone underestimates at some level. Your measurements will tell you what’s really happening. If weight and body composition are stable, regardless of what your daily numbers may show, then you can reasonably assume that you are in calorie balance. In other words, your calories consumed equal your calories burned. Decrease your food intake and/or increase activity and you will absolutely begin losing weight.

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