Hypoglycemia & Weight Loss

Losing weight with hypoglycemia can be very difficult. The condition causes patients to feel hungry when blood sugar levels become low. Overweight patients with hypoglycemia can benefit from following a hypoglycemic diet that provides the body with the proper nutrition and lose weight at the same time.

Simple Carbohydrates

Avoid simple carbohydrates on a hypoglycemic diet for weight loss. The body breaks down all carbohydrates and uses the glucose that results for energy. Simple carbohydrates such as sugar and sweets are broken down in the body very quickly and can cause an overreaction in the body by hypoglycemic patients. To include sweets in your diet, look for products made from sugar substitutes. Check ingredient labels for corn syrup and fructose to keep these simple carbohydrates out of your weight loss diet.
Eating these foods will cause the body to absorb glucose too rapidly. To maintain proper levels of glucose in the bloodstream, a steady pace of foods that absorb in the body slowly is necessary.

Complex Carbohydrates

Choose complex carbohydrates for a hypoglycemic diet. These slower-absorbing carbs come from vegetables and whole grains. Forty percent of total caloric intake should come from carbohydrates and complex or slower absorbing carbohydrates are better for someone with hypoglycemia. Pastas and grains should be a part of the diet to keep levels at a normal pace. Carbohydrates are necessary in the body for energy and you should never eliminate them.
Plan your meals so that you can make sure that you are including the proper carbs in your diet. Plan for snacks in your diet. A morning snack and a late afternoon snack can help you to stick to your weight loss program.

Protein

Protein is another source of energy for the body along with complex carbohydrates. Lean sources of protein such as skinless chicken and fish are good choices for a weight loss program. Red meat is a good source of protein, but it contains saturated fat. Saturated fat is an unhealthy choice for heart health and weight loss efforts. Limit your red meat to one or two meals per week. Nuts and legumes are good sources of protein and energy as well for a healthy weight loss diet.

Fiber

Soluble fiber is helpful in a hypoglycemic weight loss diet to slow the absorption of glucose in the blood stream. This is helpful to control between meal hungers that many hypoglycemic patients struggle with in their weight loss efforts.
Oats and oat bran are good sources of soluble fiber to include in your weight loss program.

Spacing Meals

Someone suffering from hypoglycemia should space out his meals on a weight loss program. Skipping meals may seem like a good idea to lose weight, but it can actually cause more problems for the hypoglycemic. Three meals a day with two healthy snacks a day make for the best approach to a weight loss program for some with hypoglycemia.