What are the best diabetes-friendly diets for weight loss? Learn about the ideal eating patterns, foods to focus on, and foods to limit for managing diabetes and shedding excess pounds.

Diabetes and Weight Loss: Understanding the Connection

Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for individuals living with diabetes. Excess weight can make it more challenging to manage blood sugar levels and may increase the risk of diabetes-related complications. However, weight loss can be especially difficult for people with diabetes. Even a modest weight loss of around 5% can lead to significant improvements in blood sugar management and overall health outcomes.

Ideal Eating Patterns for Diabetes and Weight Loss

There is no single “best” diet for diabetes and weight loss, as the ideal eating pattern can vary from person to person. However, several popular diets have been shown to be effective and diabetes-friendly, including the Mediterranean diet, low-carb diets, and vegetarian diets. These eating patterns share common characteristics that make them well-suited for individuals with diabetes trying to lose weight:

Key Features of Diabetes-Friendly Diets

• Rich in nutrients
• High in fiber
• Low in calories
• Emphasize fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats

Macronutrient Considerations for Diabetes and Weight Loss

When it comes to managing diabetes and achieving weight loss, the balance of macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) is crucial. Individuals with diabetes should focus on:

Carbohydrate Intake

People with diabetes should aim to get around 50% of their daily calories from carbohydrates, preferably from complex carbs, fruits, and vegetables. Monitoring carbohydrate intake and working with a healthcare team to determine the appropriate target can help maintain stable blood sugar levels.

Protein Intake

Lean protein sources, such as chicken, turkey, fish, beans, and tofu, should be a central part of the diet for individuals with diabetes. Protein helps promote feelings of fullness and can support weight loss efforts.

Healthy Fats

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, found in foods like avocados, nuts, olive oil, and fatty fish, should be emphasized over saturated and trans fats. These healthy fats can help improve insulin sensitivity and overall metabolic health.

Recommended Foods for Diabetes and Weight Loss

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) provides a comprehensive list of the best foods for individuals with diabetes who are trying to lose weight. These include:

Protein Sources

• Lean meats (chicken, turkey, lean cuts of beef)
• Fish and seafood
• Eggs
• Beans, lentils, and other legumes
• Tofu and tempeh

Fruits and Vegetables

• Fresh, whole fruits (e.g., apples, berries, citrus fruits, melons)
• Non-starchy vegetables (e.g., broccoli, leafy greens, tomatoes, mushrooms)

Whole Grains

• Whole wheat bread and pasta
• Brown rice, quinoa, barley, and other whole grains

Dairy

• Low-fat or non-fat dairy products (e.g., yogurt, cheese)

Healthy Fats

• Avocados
• Nuts and nut butters
• Olive oil and canola oil
• Fatty fish (e.g., salmon, mackerel, tuna)

Foods to Limit or Avoid for Diabetes and Weight Loss

While enjoying an occasional treat is not off-limits, individuals with diabetes should limit or avoid the following foods, as they can cause spikes in blood sugar or contain unhealthy fats:

Foods to Limit or Avoid

• Processed grains (e.g., white rice, white pasta)
• Fruits with added sweeteners (e.g., canned fruit, applesauce, jams)
• Full-fat dairy products
• Fried foods and foods high in trans or saturated fats
• Foods made with refined flour (e.g., white bread)
• Sugar-sweetened beverages (e.g., soda, flavored coffees, some juices)
• Foods high in added sugar (e.g., pastries, cakes, candies, sweetened cereals)

Individualized Approach to Diabetes and Weight Loss

It’s important to note that individual responses to different foods can vary, and the ideal eating pattern for diabetes and weight loss may need to be tailored to each person’s unique needs and preferences. Consulting with a healthcare team, including a registered dietitian, can help develop a personalized plan that effectively manages blood sugar levels and supports weight loss goals.

The Best Diabetes-Friendly Diets to Help You Lose Weight

Eating well and maintaining a moderate weight can be important for your health. But if you have diabetes, excess weight may make it harder to manage your blood sugar levels and may increase your risk of some complications. Losing weight can be extra challenging for people with diabetes. But even a modest amount of weight loss — around 5 percent, according to a 2017 review — can improve blood sugar management and other diabetes outcomes.

Eating healthfully while you try to reduce weight is important for everyone, but if you have diabetes, choosing the wrong diet could harm your health. Weight loss pills and starvation diets should be avoided, but many popular diets can be beneficial.

There is no one ideal eating pattern for diabetes. Instead, many diets may work well for individuals with diabetes who are trying to lose weight. Popular diets like the Mediterranean diet, low carb diets, and vegetarian diets can all be good choices.

When considering an eating pattern for diabetes, keep in mind that an ideal diet for diabetes:

• is rich in nutrients
• is high in fiber
• is low in calories
• emphasizes fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats

When you have diabetes, managing your blood sugar is very important. Diets that include regular meals and snacks throughout the day may be better suited to losing weight with diabetes than those that involve long periods without food.

Diabetes and diet: What’s the connection?

If you have diabetes, focus on eating:

• lean protein
• high fiber, less processed carbs
• fruits and vegetables
• low fat dairy
• healthy vegetable-based fats, such as avocado, nuts, canola oil, or olive oil

You also want to manage your carbohydrate intake. Have your doctor or dietitian provide you with a target carb number for meals and snacks. People with diabetes should aim to get about half of their calories from carbohydrates. These would ideally come from complex carbs, fruits, and vegetables.

Newer research from 2021 suggests that for people with diabetes, adhering to a lower carb diet has benefits, including reducing the amount of supplemental insulin needed. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), there is no set carb target for all people with diabetes. Rather, all diet plans should be individualized.

The ADA offers a comprehensive list of the best foods for those with diabetes. Their recommendations include:

In low quantities, low or nonfat unflavored milk may also be a lower calorie option for people with diabetes.

Staying hydrated is also important when it comes to overall health. Swap in low or no-calorie options for full-calorie sweetened beverages. Choose calorie-free options such as water and tea whenever possible.

For people with diabetes, certain foods should be limited or consumed in moderation. These foods can cause spikes in blood sugar or contain unhealthy fats.

Foods to avoid or limit can include:

• processed grains, such as white rice or white pasta
• fruits with added sweeteners, including apple sauce, jam, and some canned fruits
• full-fat dairy
• fried foods or foods high in trans fats or saturated fats
• foods made with refined flour, such as white bread
• sugar-sweetened beverages, including soda, some juices, and flavored coffee drinks
• foods high in added sugar, like some flavored yogurts, pastries, cakes, candies, and sweetened breakfast cereals

Everyone’s glucose responds differently to different foods. People living with diabetes as a lifelong chronic illness may still want to enjoy a small treat. You may be able to do this occasionally and make other adjustments to your eating plan to accommodate it.

Get good diet tips for insulin resistance.

Share on PinterestIllustration by Brittany England

The diabetes plate method is an easy way to think about and plan balanced, diabetes-friendly meals without having to measure, calculate, or count carbohydrates. The plate method divides a standard 9-inch plate into three sections. You fill half of your plate with nonstarchy vegetables, one-quarter of your plate with protein foods, and the other quarter with carbohydrate foods like whole grains and fruits.

The half of your plate containing nonstarchy vegetables can include foods like:

• broccoli
• spinach
• kale
• green beans
• mixed salad greens
• carrots
• squash
• cauliflower
• zucchini
• cabbage
• okra
• tomatoes
• asparagus
• Brussels sprouts
• mushrooms
• cucumbers

The quarter containing protein foods may include:

• lean poultry or meat
• fish or seafood
• eggs
• cheese
• plant-based protein foods, like black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, lentils, nuts and nut butters, tofu, edamame (soybeans), or hummus

The quarter of your plate filled with carbohydrate foods could include:

• whole grains
• whole grain foods, like whole grain bread and pasta
• starchy vegetables, like potatoes
• fruit
• yogurt
• milk

These foods have the most significant impact on your blood sugar. Limiting your portion of these higher carbohydrate foods to one-quarter of your plate helps keep your blood sugar under control.

There is no specific place on your plate for healthy fats like monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats, but you can incorporate for flavor, satiety, and, importantly, for heart health.

Wash down your meal with water or a calorie-free beverage, like unsweetened tea, sparkling or infused water, or a diet beverage.

The DASH plan was originally developed to help treat or prevent high blood pressure, or hypertension. But it may also lower the risk of other diseases, including diabetes. It may have the additional benefit of helping you lose weight.

People following the DASH plan are encouraged to reduce portion sizes and eat foods rich in blood pressure-lowering nutrients, such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium.

The DASH eating plan includes:

• Lean protein: fish, poultry
• Plant-based foods: vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, seeds
• Dairy: fat-free or low fat dairy products
• Grains: whole grains
• Healthy fats: vegetable oils

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute advises people with diabetes on this plan to reduce their sodium intake to 2,300 milligrams per day. You only need lower sodium goals based on certain other health needs. The plan also limits sweets, sugary beverages, and red meats.

The Mediterranean diet is inspired by traditional foods from the Mediterranean. This diet is rich in oleic acid, a fatty acid that occurs naturally in animal and vegetable-based fats and oils. Countries that are known for eating according to this diet pattern include Greece, Italy, and Morocco.

A Mediterranean-type diet may be successful in lowering fasting glucose levels, reducing body weight, and reducing the risk of metabolic disorder, according to a 2020 review of studies.

Foods eaten on this diet include:

• Protein: poultry, salmon, other fatty fish, eggs
• Plant-based foods: fruits, vegetables like artichokes and cucumbers, beans, nuts, seeds
• Healthy fats: olive oil, nuts such as almonds

Lean red meat may be consumed occasionally. Wine may be consumed in moderation, as it may boost heart health. Remember to never drink on an empty stomach if you are on medications that raise the level of insulin in the body.

The paleo diet centers on the belief that the processing of foods is to blame for chronic disease. Followers of the paleo diet eat only what they believe our ancient ancestors would have been able to hunt and gather.

Foods eaten on the paleo diet include:

• Protein: meat, poultry, fish
• Plant-based foods: nonstarchy vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts (excluding peanuts)
• Healthy fats: olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, flaxseed oil, walnut oil

The paleo diet may be a good option for people with diabetes as long as they do not have kidney disease. According to a small, short-term 2017 study, a paleo diet may improve glycemic control and insulin sensitivity for people with type 2 diabetes. An ADA report suggests that studies on the paleo diet are small and few, with mixed results.

Gluten-free diets have become popular, but for people with celiac disease, eliminating gluten from the diet is necessary to avoid damage to the colon and body. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that causes your immune system to attack your gut and nervous system. It also promotes body-wide inflammation, which could lead to chronic disease.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and all foods made from these grains. According to 2014 research, 8 percent of those with type 1 diabetes also have celiac disease.

Ask your doctor for a blood test for celiac disease. Even if it comes back negative, you could still be intolerant to gluten. Talk with your doctor about whether a gluten-free diet is right for you.

While anyone with diabetes can take up a gluten-free diet, it may add unnecessary restrictions for those without celiac disease. It’s also important to remember that gluten-free is not synonymous with low carb. There are plenty of processed, high sugar, gluten-free foods. There is usually no need to complicate meal planning by eliminating gluten unless you have to.

Some people with diabetes focus on eating a vegetarian or vegan diet. According to a 2019 review, these diets may help reduce weight, fasting glucose, and waist circumference. Vegetarian diets typically refer to diets where you won’t eat meat but will eat animal products like milk, eggs, and butter. Vegans will not eat meat or any other type of animal product, including honey, milk, and gelatin.

Foods that are healthy for vegetarians and vegans with diabetes include:

• beans
• soy
• dark, leafy vegetables
• nuts
• legumes
• fruits
• whole grains

While vegetarian and vegan diets can be healthy diets to follow, it is important to plan them carefully so you don’t miss out on vital nutrients.

Vegetarians and vegans may need to obtain some nutrients through supplements, including:

• Calcium. Found largely in animal products like dairy, calcium is an important nutrient that contributes to the health of bones and teeth. Broccoli and kale can help provide necessary calcium, but supplements may be needed in a vegan diet. This nutrient may also be found in fortified soy milk.
• Iodine. Required for metabolizing food into energy, iodine is mainly found in seafood. Without these animal products in their diets, vegetarians and vegans may have trouble meeting their iodine needs. Iodized salt may provide most of the iodine needed. Supplements may be beneficial, but taking too much iodine can damage your thyroid.
• B12. Since only animal products have vitamin B12, a supplement may be necessary if you’re following a strict vegetarian or vegan diet. Nutritional yeast and some fortified breakfast cereals may contain this nutrient.
• Zinc. The main source of zinc comes from high protein animal products, and a supplement may be advised for those on a vegetarian diet. Vegetarian sources can include beans, lentils, and whole grains.

Consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any new supplements to make sure they are safe for you.

In addition to choosing the right diet for weight loss, regular exercise is crucial to the health of those with diabetes. Exercise can help lower your blood sugar and A1C levels, which can help you to avoid complications.

Even if you’re seeing improvement with regular exercise, do not change your prescribed insulin regimen without consulting a doctor. If you are on insulin and making changes to your exercise program, test prior to, during, and after exercise. This is true even if you think the insulin is causing you to gain weight. Changing your insulin plan could have a dangerous effect on your blood sugar levels. These changes could cause life threatening complications.

If you are concerned about your weight, speak with a doctor or dietitian. They can help you find a diet suited to your specific nutritional needs and weight loss goals. They will also help prevent complications from diets and pills that may interact with prescription medications.

The Best Diabetes-Friendly Diets to Help You Lose Weight

Eating well and maintaining a moderate weight can be important for your health. But if you have diabetes, excess weight may make it harder to manage your blood sugar levels and may increase your risk of some complications. Losing weight can be extra challenging for people with diabetes. But even a modest amount of weight loss — around 5 percent, according to a 2017 review — can improve blood sugar management and other diabetes outcomes.

Eating healthfully while you try to reduce weight is important for everyone, but if you have diabetes, choosing the wrong diet could harm your health. Weight loss pills and starvation diets should be avoided, but many popular diets can be beneficial.

There is no one ideal eating pattern for diabetes. Instead, many diets may work well for individuals with diabetes who are trying to lose weight. Popular diets like the Mediterranean diet, low carb diets, and vegetarian diets can all be good choices.

When considering an eating pattern for diabetes, keep in mind that an ideal diet for diabetes:

• is rich in nutrients
• is high in fiber
• is low in calories
• emphasizes fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats

When you have diabetes, managing your blood sugar is very important. Diets that include regular meals and snacks throughout the day may be better suited to losing weight with diabetes than those that involve long periods without food.

Diabetes and diet: What’s the connection?

If you have diabetes, focus on eating:

• lean protein
• high fiber, less processed carbs
• fruits and vegetables
• low fat dairy
• healthy vegetable-based fats, such as avocado, nuts, canola oil, or olive oil

You also want to manage your carbohydrate intake. Have your doctor or dietitian provide you with a target carb number for meals and snacks. People with diabetes should aim to get about half of their calories from carbohydrates. These would ideally come from complex carbs, fruits, and vegetables.

Newer research from 2021 suggests that for people with diabetes, adhering to a lower carb diet has benefits, including reducing the amount of supplemental insulin needed. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), there is no set carb target for all people with diabetes. Rather, all diet plans should be individualized.

The ADA offers a comprehensive list of the best foods for those with diabetes. Their recommendations include:

In low quantities, low or nonfat unflavored milk may also be a lower calorie option for people with diabetes.

Staying hydrated is also important when it comes to overall health. Swap in low or no-calorie options for full-calorie sweetened beverages. Choose calorie-free options such as water and tea whenever possible.

For people with diabetes, certain foods should be limited or consumed in moderation. These foods can cause spikes in blood sugar or contain unhealthy fats.

Foods to avoid or limit can include:

• processed grains, such as white rice or white pasta
• fruits with added sweeteners, including apple sauce, jam, and some canned fruits
• full-fat dairy
• fried foods or foods high in trans fats or saturated fats
• foods made with refined flour, such as white bread
• sugar-sweetened beverages, including soda, some juices, and flavored coffee drinks
• foods high in added sugar, like some flavored yogurts, pastries, cakes, candies, and sweetened breakfast cereals

Everyone’s glucose responds differently to different foods. People living with diabetes as a lifelong chronic illness may still want to enjoy a small treat. You may be able to do this occasionally and make other adjustments to your eating plan to accommodate it.

Get good diet tips for insulin resistance.

Share on PinterestIllustration by Brittany England

The diabetes plate method is an easy way to think about and plan balanced, diabetes-friendly meals without having to measure, calculate, or count carbohydrates. The plate method divides a standard 9-inch plate into three sections. You fill half of your plate with nonstarchy vegetables, one-quarter of your plate with protein foods, and the other quarter with carbohydrate foods like whole grains and fruits.

The half of your plate containing nonstarchy vegetables can include foods like:

• broccoli
• spinach
• kale
• green beans
• mixed salad greens
• carrots
• squash
• cauliflower
• zucchini
• cabbage
• okra
• tomatoes
• asparagus
• Brussels sprouts
• mushrooms
• cucumbers

The quarter containing protein foods may include:

• lean poultry or meat
• fish or seafood
• eggs
• cheese
• plant-based protein foods, like black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, lentils, nuts and nut butters, tofu, edamame (soybeans), or hummus

The quarter of your plate filled with carbohydrate foods could include:

• whole grains
• whole grain foods, like whole grain bread and pasta
• starchy vegetables, like potatoes
• fruit
• yogurt
• milk

These foods have the most significant impact on your blood sugar. Limiting your portion of these higher carbohydrate foods to one-quarter of your plate helps keep your blood sugar under control.

There is no specific place on your plate for healthy fats like monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats, but you can incorporate for flavor, satiety, and, importantly, for heart health.

Wash down your meal with water or a calorie-free beverage, like unsweetened tea, sparkling or infused water, or a diet beverage.

The DASH plan was originally developed to help treat or prevent high blood pressure, or hypertension. But it may also lower the risk of other diseases, including diabetes. It may have the additional benefit of helping you lose weight.

People following the DASH plan are encouraged to reduce portion sizes and eat foods rich in blood pressure-lowering nutrients, such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium.

The DASH eating plan includes:

• Lean protein: fish, poultry
• Plant-based foods: vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, seeds
• Dairy: fat-free or low fat dairy products
• Grains: whole grains
• Healthy fats: vegetable oils

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute advises people with diabetes on this plan to reduce their sodium intake to 2,300 milligrams per day. You only need lower sodium goals based on certain other health needs. The plan also limits sweets, sugary beverages, and red meats.

The Mediterranean diet is inspired by traditional foods from the Mediterranean. This diet is rich in oleic acid, a fatty acid that occurs naturally in animal and vegetable-based fats and oils. Countries that are known for eating according to this diet pattern include Greece, Italy, and Morocco.

A Mediterranean-type diet may be successful in lowering fasting glucose levels, reducing body weight, and reducing the risk of metabolic disorder, according to a 2020 review of studies.

Foods eaten on this diet include:

• Protein: poultry, salmon, other fatty fish, eggs
• Plant-based foods: fruits, vegetables like artichokes and cucumbers, beans, nuts, seeds
• Healthy fats: olive oil, nuts such as almonds

Lean red meat may be consumed occasionally. Wine may be consumed in moderation, as it may boost heart health. Remember to never drink on an empty stomach if you are on medications that raise the level of insulin in the body.

The paleo diet centers on the belief that the processing of foods is to blame for chronic disease. Followers of the paleo diet eat only what they believe our ancient ancestors would have been able to hunt and gather.

Foods eaten on the paleo diet include:

• Protein: meat, poultry, fish
• Plant-based foods: nonstarchy vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts (excluding peanuts)
• Healthy fats: olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, flaxseed oil, walnut oil

The paleo diet may be a good option for people with diabetes as long as they do not have kidney disease. According to a small, short-term 2017 study, a paleo diet may improve glycemic control and insulin sensitivity for people with type 2 diabetes. An ADA report suggests that studies on the paleo diet are small and few, with mixed results.

Gluten-free diets have become popular, but for people with celiac disease, eliminating gluten from the diet is necessary to avoid damage to the colon and body. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that causes your immune system to attack your gut and nervous system. It also promotes body-wide inflammation, which could lead to chronic disease.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and all foods made from these grains. According to 2014 research, 8 percent of those with type 1 diabetes also have celiac disease.

Ask your doctor for a blood test for celiac disease. Even if it comes back negative, you could still be intolerant to gluten. Talk with your doctor about whether a gluten-free diet is right for you.

While anyone with diabetes can take up a gluten-free diet, it may add unnecessary restrictions for those without celiac disease. It’s also important to remember that gluten-free is not synonymous with low carb. There are plenty of processed, high sugar, gluten-free foods. There is usually no need to complicate meal planning by eliminating gluten unless you have to.

Some people with diabetes focus on eating a vegetarian or vegan diet. According to a 2019 review, these diets may help reduce weight, fasting glucose, and waist circumference. Vegetarian diets typically refer to diets where you won’t eat meat but will eat animal products like milk, eggs, and butter. Vegans will not eat meat or any other type of animal product, including honey, milk, and gelatin.

Foods that are healthy for vegetarians and vegans with diabetes include:

• beans
• soy
• dark, leafy vegetables
• nuts
• legumes
• fruits
• whole grains

While vegetarian and vegan diets can be healthy diets to follow, it is important to plan them carefully so you don’t miss out on vital nutrients.

Vegetarians and vegans may need to obtain some nutrients through supplements, including:

• Calcium. Found largely in animal products like dairy, calcium is an important nutrient that contributes to the health of bones and teeth. Broccoli and kale can help provide necessary calcium, but supplements may be needed in a vegan diet. This nutrient may also be found in fortified soy milk.
• Iodine. Required for metabolizing food into energy, iodine is mainly found in seafood. Without these animal products in their diets, vegetarians and vegans may have trouble meeting their iodine needs. Iodized salt may provide most of the iodine needed. Supplements may be beneficial, but taking too much iodine can damage your thyroid.
• B12. Since only animal products have vitamin B12, a supplement may be necessary if you’re following a strict vegetarian or vegan diet. Nutritional yeast and some fortified breakfast cereals may contain this nutrient.
• Zinc. The main source of zinc comes from high protein animal products, and a supplement may be advised for those on a vegetarian diet. Vegetarian sources can include beans, lentils, and whole grains.

Consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any new supplements to make sure they are safe for you.

In addition to choosing the right diet for weight loss, regular exercise is crucial to the health of those with diabetes. Exercise can help lower your blood sugar and A1C levels, which can help you to avoid complications.

Even if you’re seeing improvement with regular exercise, do not change your prescribed insulin regimen without consulting a doctor. If you are on insulin and making changes to your exercise program, test prior to, during, and after exercise. This is true even if you think the insulin is causing you to gain weight. Changing your insulin plan could have a dangerous effect on your blood sugar levels. These changes could cause life threatening complications.

If you are concerned about your weight, speak with a doctor or dietitian. They can help you find a diet suited to your specific nutritional needs and weight loss goals. They will also help prevent complications from diets and pills that may interact with prescription medications.

How to lose weight with diabetes

Maintaining body weight within the physiological norm is important for a diabetic, not only for reasons of beauty. If glucose metabolism is disturbed, a set of extra pounds can negatively affect well-being and provoke the progression of the disease. The question of how to lose weight with diabetes is relevant for many people, regardless of gender and age.

Dietary recommendations for type 1 and type 2 diabetes may differ, since in type 1 disease the insulin-producing function of the pancreas is completely lost, and in type 2 disease it is partially preserved. The diet for weight loss in the second type is distinguished by a sparing regimen and a limitation in the duration of adherence.

What causes weight gain?

The main reason for gaining extra pounds is a violation of the process of glucose utilization, as a result of which it is converted into glycogen and fats. Before losing weight with type 2 diabetes, it is necessary to create favorable conditions in the body for the utilization of glucose from food. The accumulation of fatty tissue in the region of the anterior abdominal wall negatively affects the process of insulin production, which contributes to the progression of the disease.

In addition, obesity in combination with diabetes is fraught with complications such as hypertension, coronary heart disease and thrombophlebitis. The main feature of losing weight in type 2 diabetes is a gradual change in diet and a smooth refusal to use certain foods. It is important to remember that weight loss through fasting is categorically unacceptable for weight loss in diabetes.

How to lose weight with type 1 diabetes?

The main source of energy in the human body is glucose. With type 1 of this disease, the cells of the pancreas do not produce the hormone even in a minimal amount, as a result of which the process of glucose utilization is disrupted. Against the background of this process, the body begins to look for alternative energy sources, which are muscle and adipose tissue. This process is the main cause of dramatic weight loss in type 1 diabetes. Despite weight loss, diabetics need to follow dietary recommendations that exclude the use of sugar-containing foods, fried, smoked, spicy foods that are too fatty, and alcohol.

How to lose weight with type 2 diabetes?

Diet for weight loss in type 2 diabetes mellitus has the following characteristics:

1. The calorie content of the daily menu is reduced.
2. Meals are taken at the same time, while the frequency of meals is 4-5 times a day, fractionally, in medium portions (about 250-350 g).
3. The last meal should be taken no later than 2 hours before bedtime.
4. The diet should contain fresh vegetables and fruits rich in fiber.
5. Reducing to a minimum or complete exclusion from the diet of foods rich in simple carbohydrates.

The recommended ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in type 2 diabetes is as follows:

1. Carbohydrates – from 40 to 60%.
2. Proteins – from 15 to 20%.
3. Fats – 25 to 30%.

Food products such as sugar, fatty fish and meat, carbonated drinks, puff pastries and rich pastries are under an absolute ban.

It is also recommended to exclude canned meat and fish, beets, raisins, dairy and sour-milk products with a high percentage of fat content, pasta, butter, rich broths, dates, pickles, sausages and cheese with a fat content of more than 15% from the daily menu.

List of allowed foods for type 2 diabetes:

1. Green and white beans, young green peas, lentils.
2. Raw carrots.
3. Cucumbers.
4. Grapefruit.
5. Zucchini and asparagus.
6. Eggplant.
7. Mulberry.
8. Broccoli.
9. Apples.
10. Oranges.
11. Dietary (veal, rabbit meat, turkey, chicken fillet).
12. Bread made from rye flour or with the addition of bran.

It is recommended to cook food by boiling, roasting or steaming. The process of frying should be avoided, since fried food not only has a high glycemic index, but also contains carcinogens that provoke cancer. The answer to the question of whether it is possible to lose weight with diabetes is in the affirmative, since a balanced diet is able to maintain weight even with serious metabolic disorders.

Can I exercise if I have diabetes?

When talking about whether it is possible to lose weight with diabetes by increasing physical activity, it is important to familiarize yourself with the rules of exercise. With diabetes, it is important to observe dosed physical activity, which favorably affects the overall metabolism and glucose metabolism in particular. In order for physical activity to be beneficial, it is recommended to follow these rules:

1. The level of physical activity should be increased gradually, starting with simple exercises.
2. Exercise is not recommended on an empty stomach or with a full stomach. After eating, 40-50 minutes should pass.
3. It is recommended to perform gymnastics every other day.
4. The duration of a gymnastic session is 25-30 minutes.
5. If the blood glucose level exceeds 14 mmol, physical activity should be temporarily abandoned until the normalization of sugar levels.

Additional recommendations

For diabetics, the recommended amount of sleep for men and women is at least 8 hours. Depending on age and body weight, the daily volume of water consumed should be from 1.5 to 3 liters. The optimum temperature of drinking water is 33-35 degrees. In addition, diabetics should regularly replenish the deficiency of individual vitamins and trace elements by taking pharmacy multivitamin complexes. Of particular value is vitamin A, E, H, C, B1, B6, B12, magnesium, alpha-lipoic acid, manganese, succinic acid.

Weight loss in diabetes: nutrition, menu, activity

Type 2 diabetes

August 07, 2020

In diabetes, losing even five kilograms helps reduce the risk of complications and better control blood sugar levels. In addition, losing weight helps reduce insulin resistance (insensitivity) and lower doses of sugar-lowering medications.

Diabetic weight loss plan

You can’t just go on a low-calorie diet or starve to lose a few kilograms with diabetes: a condition that is dangerous to health and life can develop – hypoglycemia. Therefore, you need to lose weight under the guidance of a doctor by developing a step-by-step plan ¹ . As a rule, it includes the following items:

• increased physical activity – this helps to burn calories and burn fat;

• reduction of incoming calories due to dietary changes;

• consumption of foods with fiber, which saturates well and normalizes digestion ² ;

• correction of the drinking regime, sufficient fluid intake;

• fight against stress, which is often “jammed” with dense and high-calorie foods.

Before you start losing weight, you need to undergo an examination and, together with a specialist, determine what percentage of weight you can safely lose in a week or month. On average, weight loss should be no more than one to two kilograms per week. This will keep you healthy and prevent weight gain.

What is important to know

It is desirable that at all stages of weight loss you are constantly monitored by an endocrinologist or nutritionist. It is important to change the diet correctly, reduce the calorie content of food, while not losing the necessary vitamins and minerals. In addition, you need constant monitoring of blood sugar levels, dose adjustment of medications taken.

It’s important that you don’t experience sudden fluctuations in your blood sugar during your weight loss period This adversely affects the metabolism. If you experience conditions such as hypo- or hyperglycemia (low or high blood glucose levels above normal), then the diet or level of physical activity is not chosen correctly.

How to adjust nutrition

You can reduce your calorie intake by an average of 500 kcal per day. This will not affect the state of health in any way, but will lead to the fact that fat reserves will be gradually consumed. The total number of calories in your diet should be distributed in this way:

• 1

  up to 55% are complex carbohydrates – whole grain cereals, durum wheat pasta, legumes, buckwheat, millet, rice;

• 2

  about 25-35% – for fats, mainly vegetable; salads with olive or sunflower oil, dishes with avocados are suitable; it is permissible to eat no more than 10–15 g of butter for breakfast;

• 3

  Approximately 10-25% protein foods such as lean meat, poultry or fish, steamed or grilled, boiled, stewed or baked without oil.

It is important that the bulk of the carbohydrate components contain fiber and complex carbohydrates (whole grain bread, cereal side dishes, vegetables).