Hello and welcome to the forum.
When attempting to lose weight, calorie reduction doesn’t necessarily translate to restricting oneself to carrot sticks and lettuce leaves, for example.
Granted, the reduction of certain foods is advised, but it doesn’t mean that they can’t still be enjoyed on occasion. You can still have your cake and eat it, provided its portion size and calorie content are taken into consideration.
If your diet largely consists of wholefoods, such as lean protein, grains, beans, pulses (complex carbs), vegetables and unsaturated fat (oils, seeds and nuts), you can still enjoy your favourite dishes alongside.
The fibre contained in beans and pulses should also help to satisfy your hunger, as will the consumption of lean protein.
Since diabetes isn’t a condition that occurs in the short-term (unless it’s type I), by seeking to reduce consumption of simple carbohydrate, you’ll reduce your risk, allowing you to avoid the feat experienced by siblings.
Moreover, by adopting healthier eating habits (chiefly the reduction of sugar), in addition to exercising regularly, you’re in the unique position of encouraging your siblings to do the same, thus, allowing them to understand and appreciate that such a condition is indeed reversible, since reduction of simple sugars and improved levels of physical activity can help to reduce associated symptoms, largely due to the reduced presence of excess glucose in the bloodstream.
Energetics_mike is indeed correct by stating that food isn’t necessarily the enemy, since calories are simply units of energy.
Provided that the right kind of energy (wholefoods) is consumed, while eliminating those sources that are detrimental (simple sugars), so long as a daily calorie deficit is introduced alongside (preferably 500Kcal), you’ll not only experience weight loss but also reduce the risk of developing the most common metabolic disease of the 21st Century.
To ascertain daily calorific intake, providing the body with sufficient nourishment while also allowing weight to be lost, consult BMR and TDEE calculators. Having obtained figures for both, aim to introduce a daily calorie deficit (preferably 500Kcal) from your TDEE, ensuring that the deficit introduced doesn’t take you below calories needed to satisfy BMR.
In doing so, calorie reduction, alongside an increased level of activity, may only amount to a weekly loss of 2-3lbs but it’ll be both measured and sustainable, allowing goal weight to be maintained once it’s achieved.
With each 6-7lbs lost, you’ll need to re-assess the amount of calories needed to satisfy BMR, to reduce the risk of plateau en-route towards your intended goal weight.
