Type 1 diabetes is a life-long condition that happens when your body can’t produce insulin. This means you will need to monitor your glucose everyday. You will need to use injectable insulin to manage this.¹

Type 1 diabetes doesn’t have the potential to be reversed by losing weight like type 2 has. This is because your pancreas, an organ which is usually responsible for insulin production, isn’t able to function properly. You will not be able to produce insulin naturally and you’ll have to use medication to make up for this. It is a lifelong commitment but maintaining a healthy weight can help by:

• Reducing the amount of insulin you need to take in a day
• Reducing your risk of complications like eye problems, heart conditions and kidney problems
• Improving your mood, sleep and energy levels.²

To check if you are a healthy weight, you can work out your BMI using an online calculator.

You need to carefully manage your weight loss if you have type 1 diabetes to avoid hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar).³

When you decide to lose weight, make sure to check that you are taking the right amount of insulin to manage your blood sugar levels. Insulin is a growth hormone which makes you feel hungry, so taking too much each day can lead to overeating and weight gain.³

As you lose weight, your body’s insulin requirements will change. No matter how you decide to lose weight, it’s important to track your progress. Your diabetes care team will help you to make changes to your diet and insulin intake. You can even discuss developing a specialised diet plan that suits your needs with them.³

You should also be doing regular exercise. Swimming, walking or cycling are all effective but may also want to consider resistance training. This type of exercise works on building muscle and core strength. It can also help improve your insulin sensitivity so that your body has a better response to glucose.³

Always monitor your blood sugar levels before, during and after exercise and adjust your intake to suit your body’s needs. Make sure to consult your diabetes care team if you need help adjusting your insulin.

There is more than one way to measure weight loss you can try:

• Measuring your body. Measuring your waist, thighs and arms can give you a good indication of your weight loss. If you’re noticing that they are smaller than before then you may be losing weight.
• Trying on old clothes. If you have an old pair of jeans that you haven’t been able to get into, try them on and see how they feel now.
• Stepping on the scale, but not too often. Many factors influence your weight. Dehydration, hormonal changes, and when you last ate are only some of the reasons you might notice a difference in your weight. So, weighing yourself daily won’t give you a clear picture of your progress. It’s easier to notice and acknowledge your progress if you measure your weight less often. Try to weigh yourself at the same time once a week, even once a month might be enough.⁴