One-third of the subjects were placed on a low-fat diet and prescribed 30 minutes of exercise per day. Another third were placed on the diabetes drug, Metformin. The final third had no intervention whatsoever – diet or exercise.
The people on the diet and exercise regimen lost an average of 15 pounds during the first year with many of them reaching the predetermined goal of 7% total body weight loss. During the seven year study, this group gained an average of 10 pounds back but they continued to have the lowest rate of diabetes.
After 3 years of the study, researchers found that the diabetes rate among the participants in the diet and exercise group dropped 58% while it dropped only 38% in the group placed on Metformin when they were compared to the group that had no intervention.
Those are some great numbers. I was diagnosed with diabetes when I first went on the show, but after I lost my weight the first time, guess what? Those problems and complications all went away.
I think people should understand that weight loss and a healthy lifestyle is better than drugs for just about anything, not just diabetes. If you are active and healthy, you’re going to feel better. Let’s stop medicating ourselves so much! We have a choice! YOU have a choice!
"I told people from the beginning that ‘If I’m doing this, I’m going to win,’ " she said. "I set my mind to it."
That’s the biggest hurdle, isn’t it? If you go into it thinking, This isn’t going to work, I’ll be right back where I started, guess what? It won’t work, and you’ll be right back where you started. The mind is an extremely powerful tool – it can help you, and it can hurt you. Put it to good use and keep yourself going. Tell yourself you WILL lose that weight!
Web site Twitip recently posted a great look at 10 ways to use Twitter for weight loss. It’s not just about tweeting what you’re eating, but using different services that allow you to plan your eating and workouts, as well as read inspiration and laughs from other tweeters. It’s a very interesting read, and a good strategy if you’re looking to change it up!
There is no such thing as a trivial victory when it comes to weight loss. Every tiny step you take is one more in the right direction.
Think of it like the snowball effect: sure, you start out small, but you pick up steam as you go down the hill. It works both ways – you can start gaining a little weight and then pile it on all of a sudden.
But when you start losing weight, keep close track of those pounds. Celebrate even the tiniest of victories as you work through your program. Things like:
Getting enough water intake today
Limiting your junk food consumption
Losing a pound and a half
Choosing a healthy, delicious meal over another takeout pizza
Finishing that walk around the block
These aren’t earth-shattering moments in your diet and exercise plan, but they are important. They are the stepping stones. Celebrate them, and allow yourself to feel good about them!
Patients in the study that lost 10% of their weight reported an improvement of their sleep apnea problems, three times over.
That’s a significant increase in the quality of your life! It seems like there are limitless reasons to lose weight, but this is a big one. If you struggle to sleep at night and have to wear that goofy mask to help control your sleep apnea symptoms, maybe a lifestyle change is in order.
Losing weight helped rid me of diabetes complications, but I also suffered from sleep apnea. Diabetes causes a lot of different health risks. But studies have shown that sleep apnea goes beyond snoring: it also increases the risk of high blood pressure, strokes, and heart disease. When I lost all that weight, the diabetes went away, but so did my sleep apnea!
So now’s the time – start moving, eating healthier, and get your life back on track before it derails for good!
Welcome to my new project: ErikChopin.com! Here, I want to share with you my journey from Biggest Loser to Biggest Gainer. I want to hear your stories as well. Together, we are going to lose weight, get healthy, and change our lives for the better.
Stay tuned at ErikChopin.com, where you will get personal insights and stories of me and my family as we struggle to get back on track. You can see my Flickr Photostream to the right, where you can check out candid, personal photos from me and my wife.
In just a few days, you will have the opportunity to download a FREE ebook detailing my journey from the top of the world to overweight and scared, all over again. In the meantime, head on over to Twitter and follow me. I recently asked:
“What’s your biggest struggle when trying to lose weight?”
I would love to hear your answers. Either tweet them my way or drop a comment on this post. I’m looking forward to taking the first steps together. Stay with us!
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