Diabetes and Weight Loss Myths

Intermittent fasting, warrior diet, keto diet, diabetic diet, no meat diet, no-carb diet, low carb diet, etc. The list can and will go on for a lot of weight loss myths.

It’s not just about how many types of diets there are but also how the opinion of what we should or shouldn’t be eating changes every couple of years. 

I remember this one time I tried to do a low-carb diet. Without any expert guidance, all it did was leave me hungry and with headaches.

But we can’t possibly try all the diets in any weight loss programs to see which shoe fits us best. So here’s us busting some common diabetes and weight loss diet myths for you with the expertise of nutritionists. 

5 Diabetes and Weight Loss Diet Myths

1. Fruits are loaded with sugar. You need to stop eating them! Especially, if you have diabetes – Myth 

Facts: While it is true that fruits are rich in natural sugars but doesn’t mean you should eliminate them. It is all about choosing the right combination and timing of consuming them. 

Takeaway

• Don’t eat fruits with other meals and eat them instead as snacks between meals, which will reduce blood sugar spikes. 
• Consume them in their natural form without making them into juices or desserts. 
• Portion control is the most important thing. For example, eating 2 slices of mango a day instead of the whole mango. Eating a small bowl of assorted fruits instead of a big bowl of one single fruit. 
• Even after all this, the thing that we need to realize is that everybody is different and so are our blood sugar responses, the only way for you to definitively know if the fruit is healthy or not is to chart your personal glycemic response using a CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitoring) device. Time to go enjoy those mangoes!

2. No carb diets are best for weight loss – Myth 

Facts: All the energy you need to function in life comes from carbohydrates. Removing  them completely from your diet can lead to side effects which include nutrient deficiency i.e loss of nutrients, mood swings, and even in some cases binge or overeating eating. 

Takeaways:

• It is important to eat the right amount of carbs i.e your rice, roti, fruits and much more along with a balance of other nutrients. Especially, if you have any lifestyle disease to manage like diabetes.
• Keep your fiber and protein intake up. 
• Portion control is key in every aspect of the diet. 
• Where the nutrition coach will monitor your diet and blood sugar levels using meal mapping technology to design a highly personalized diet plan for you! 

Facts: If you have diabetes or at a risk that you might get it in the near future, then not eating or fasting may put you at risk of low blood sugar levels in your body. It can also lead to headaches and fainting.

If you are taking medicines to manage a health condition. It is important to eat on time. Most importantly if you are combining your diet plan with a workout plan or high-intensity exercise.

Not to mention this is not a sustainable way to lose weight and can lead to binge-eating and contribute to increased weight. 

Takeaway:

• If you want to try it make sure you consult with your doctor or health care provider.
• You need to check your sugar levels if you feel any symptoms of low blood sugar levels in your body and if you do then you need to ask your doctor on what and what not to do.
• You need a  professional health coach to advise you on the kind of diet, a combination of food, and also the right time to eat.

4. Diets which does not contain an entire food group in your diets, such as vegan, no meat, no dairy, or no gluten are good for your health - Myth

Facts: If you are suffering from a health condition which is prone to any kind of allergy from any food group, then you can remove such foods from your diet. 

However, if not then leaving these food groups out can make you susceptible to deficiencies and side effects associated with the same. 

Takeaway:

• Use the any authentic app to calculate the macros and micronutrients in your food 
• Add nuts and seeds to your diet, wherever possible 
• Snack on fruits and vegetables instead of unhealthy foods.   

5. Fad diets – Myth 

Facts: The right diet plan for you is the one you can follow for life. The right diet plan is the one that doesn’t feel like a diet plan at all but like a lifestyle. And it is only possible to get this by understanding your body’s response to your current diet.

Advancement in technology has made this easy with techniques such as meal mapping and personalized glycemic response which can be done using either a CGM device or by correlating your diet, exercise, and other biomarkers associated with your health condition. 

Takeaways:

• Check your blood sugar before and after meals to see if your meals are leading to blood sugar spikes 
• Use a CGM device or an app that is linked to your phone to track your diet and how it is affecting your blood glucose levels. 
• Portion control and moderation are more effective than restrictive diets
• No need to self-impose unsustainable restrictions on yourself. 

Conclusion:

There are programs designed to create a unique personalized plan for you that not only takes into account your nutrition but also other factors that regulate appetite and weight.

Such as fitness, stress, and sleep management to ensure that you achieve your fitness goals. Using clinically-validated digital therapeutics (DTx) based programs. So, why waste time on Google when you can get your personalized diet (wait no, lifestyle plan) from professional health coaches all around India.

It's important to be mindful of not only what you eat but also what you choose for yourself that will help you in the long term.