How can people with type 2 diabetes lose weight effectively. What are the best diabetes-friendly diets for weight loss. Which foods should be included in a diabetes weight loss plan. How does weight loss impact blood sugar management in diabetes.

Understanding the Link Between Diabetes and Diet

For individuals living with type 2 diabetes, maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for managing blood sugar levels and reducing the risk of complications. However, losing weight can be particularly challenging for those with diabetes. The good news is that even modest weight loss can significantly improve diabetes outcomes and overall health.

A 2017 review indicated that a weight loss of around 5 percent can lead to better blood sugar management and other positive diabetes-related outcomes. This highlights the importance of finding an effective, diabetes-friendly diet plan that promotes gradual and sustainable weight loss.

Key Components of a Diabetes-Friendly Diet

When designing a diet plan for weight loss with diabetes, it’s essential to focus on nutrient-rich foods that help manage blood sugar levels while promoting satiety. An ideal diabetes-friendly diet should include:

• Lean proteins
• High-fiber, minimally processed carbohydrates
• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Low-fat dairy products
• Healthy fats from plant-based sources

It’s important to note that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to diabetes management through diet. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) emphasizes the need for individualized meal plans tailored to each person’s specific needs and preferences.

Carbohydrate Management in Diabetes Weight Loss

Carbohydrate intake plays a crucial role in managing blood sugar levels for people with diabetes. While traditional recommendations suggested that about half of daily calories should come from carbohydrates, newer research indicates that lower-carb approaches may offer benefits for some individuals with diabetes.

A 2021 study found that adhering to a lower-carb diet can reduce the need for supplemental insulin in people with diabetes. However, it’s important to work with a healthcare provider or registered dietitian to determine the optimal carbohydrate intake for your individual needs.

Smart Carbohydrate Choices for Diabetes

When including carbohydrates in a diabetes-friendly diet, focus on complex carbs, fruits, and vegetables. These options provide essential nutrients and fiber, which can help slow down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream. Some excellent choices include:

• Whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, barley)
• Legumes (beans, lentils)
• Non-starchy vegetables (broccoli, spinach, bell peppers)
• Berries and citrus fruits

Best Foods for a Diabetes Weight Loss Plan

The American Diabetes Association provides a comprehensive list of foods that are beneficial for individuals with diabetes. Incorporating these foods into your diet can help support weight loss efforts while maintaining stable blood sugar levels.

Protein Sources

Protein is essential for building and repairing tissues, and it can help you feel full for longer periods. Excellent protein sources for a diabetes-friendly diet include:

• Lean poultry (chicken, turkey)
• Fish (salmon, mackerel, tuna)
• Eggs
• Tofu and tempeh
• Legumes (beans, lentils)

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They can be incorporated into a diabetes weight loss plan in various ways:

• Fresh fruits (apples, berries, citrus fruits, melons)
• Non-starchy vegetables (asparagus, broccoli, carrots, kale)
• Avocados (a great source of healthy fats)
• Canned fruits without added sugars

Dairy Products

Dairy can be included in a diabetes-friendly diet, but it’s important to choose low-fat options to support weight loss efforts:

• Reduced-fat cheese
• Low-fat, low-sugar yogurt
• Low-fat or non-fat milk (in moderation)

Whole Grains

Whole grains provide important nutrients and fiber, which can help regulate blood sugar levels. Include these options in your diet:

• Brown rice and wild rice
• Whole oats
• Quinoa
• Whole grain pasta and bread

Healthy Fats

Including healthy fats in your diet can help you feel satisfied and provide essential nutrients. Focus on these sources:

• Olive oil and canola oil
• Nuts and nut butters
• Seeds (flaxseeds, chia seeds)
• Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel)

Foods to Limit or Avoid in a Diabetes Weight Loss Plan

While many foods can be included in a diabetes-friendly diet, some should be limited or avoided to prevent blood sugar spikes and promote weight loss. These include:

• Processed grains (white rice, white bread)
• Sugary beverages and foods high in added sugars
• Fried foods and those high in trans or saturated fats
• Full-fat dairy products
• Fruits with added sweeteners

It’s important to note that everyone’s glucose response to different foods can vary. Working with a healthcare provider or registered dietitian can help you identify which foods may need to be limited in your individual meal plan.

Popular Diets for Diabetes Weight Loss

Several popular diets can be adapted to suit the needs of individuals with diabetes who are trying to lose weight. These diets emphasize nutrient-dense foods and can help improve blood sugar control while promoting weight loss.

Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. It has been shown to improve glycemic control and reduce cardiovascular risk factors in people with type 2 diabetes. Key components of this diet include:

• Abundant plant-based foods
• Olive oil as the primary source of fat
• Fish and poultry in moderation
• Limited red meat consumption
• Moderate consumption of wine (if approved by your healthcare provider)

Low-Carbohydrate Diets

Low-carb diets can be effective for weight loss and blood sugar management in people with diabetes. These diets typically limit carbohydrate intake to varying degrees, focusing instead on proteins and healthy fats. Some popular low-carb approaches include:

• Ketogenic diet
• Atkins diet
• Low-carb Mediterranean diet

It’s important to work closely with a healthcare provider when following a low-carb diet, as medication adjustments may be necessary to prevent hypoglycemia.

Plant-Based Diets

Vegetarian and vegan diets can be beneficial for individuals with diabetes, as they typically emphasize whole plant foods that are rich in fiber and nutrients. These diets can help improve insulin sensitivity and promote weight loss. Key aspects of plant-based diets include:

• Focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes
• Inclusion of plant-based proteins (tofu, tempeh, legumes)
• Emphasis on healthy fats from nuts, seeds, and plant oils

Meal Planning and Portion Control for Diabetes Weight Loss

Effective meal planning and portion control are crucial for successful weight loss with diabetes. These strategies can help maintain stable blood sugar levels throughout the day while promoting gradual weight loss.

Balanced Meal Structure

Creating balanced meals that include a mix of nutrients can help manage blood sugar levels and promote satiety. A general guideline for a balanced plate includes:

• 1/2 plate non-starchy vegetables
• 1/4 plate lean protein
• 1/4 plate complex carbohydrates
• A small serving of healthy fats

Regular Meal Timing

Consistency in meal timing can help regulate blood sugar levels and prevent overeating. Consider these strategies:

• Eat meals at regular intervals throughout the day
• Include small, balanced snacks between meals if needed
• Avoid long periods without food, which can lead to blood sugar fluctuations

Portion Control Techniques

Managing portion sizes is essential for weight loss. Try these techniques to control portions:

• Use smaller plates to create the illusion of larger portions
• Measure foods using measuring cups or a food scale
• Use the hand method for estimating portions (e.g., a palm-sized portion of protein)
• Fill half your plate with non-starchy vegetables

The Role of Exercise in Diabetes Weight Loss

While diet plays a crucial role in weight loss for individuals with diabetes, incorporating regular physical activity can enhance these efforts and provide additional health benefits.

Benefits of Exercise for Diabetes Management

Regular exercise offers numerous advantages for people with diabetes, including:

• Improved insulin sensitivity
• Better blood sugar control
• Increased energy expenditure, supporting weight loss
• Reduced risk of cardiovascular complications
• Enhanced overall well-being and mental health

Types of Exercise for Diabetes

A combination of aerobic exercise and resistance training is ideal for individuals with diabetes. Consider incorporating these types of activities into your routine:

• Aerobic exercises: Walking, cycling, swimming, or dancing
• Resistance training: Weight lifting, bodyweight exercises, or resistance band workouts
• Flexibility exercises: Stretching or yoga

Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, along with 2-3 sessions of resistance training. Always consult with your healthcare provider before starting a new exercise program.

Monitoring Progress and Adjusting Your Plan

Successful weight loss with diabetes requires ongoing monitoring and adjustment of your diet and exercise plan. Regular check-ins with your healthcare team can help ensure you’re on track and making safe progress.

Blood Sugar Monitoring

Frequent blood sugar monitoring is essential when making changes to your diet and exercise routine. This can help you understand how different foods and activities affect your glucose levels, allowing for better management and adjustment of your plan.

Regular Weigh-Ins

Tracking your weight can help you assess your progress and make necessary adjustments to your diet and exercise plan. Aim for weekly weigh-ins, preferably at the same time and under similar conditions each week.

Adjusting Medications

As you lose weight and your blood sugar control improves, you may need adjustments to your diabetes medications. Work closely with your healthcare provider to ensure your medication regimen is appropriate for your changing needs.

Celebrating Non-Scale Victories

Remember that weight loss is just one aspect of improving your health with diabetes. Celebrate other positive changes, such as:

• Improved energy levels
• Better blood sugar control
• Reduced medication needs
• Improved fitness and strength
• Enhanced overall well-being

By focusing on these non-scale victories, you can maintain motivation and recognize the broader health benefits of your efforts.

Overcoming Challenges in Diabetes Weight Loss

Losing weight with diabetes can present unique challenges. Understanding these obstacles and developing strategies to overcome them can help you achieve long-term success.

Managing Hypoglycemia Risk

Weight loss efforts, particularly when combined with increased physical activity, can increase the risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). To mitigate this risk:

• Monitor your blood sugar levels more frequently
• Carry fast-acting carbohydrates with you during exercise
• Work with your healthcare provider to adjust medications as needed
• Learn to recognize and respond to early signs of hypoglycemia

Dealing with Plateaus

Weight loss plateaus are common and can be frustrating. If you encounter a plateau:

• Reassess your calorie intake and portion sizes
• Increase the intensity or duration of your workouts
• Try incorporating new foods or recipes to prevent boredom
• Focus on non-scale victories to maintain motivation

Balancing Social Situations and Dietary Needs

Social events and dining out can present challenges for those following a diabetes weight loss plan. To navigate these situations:

• Plan ahead by reviewing menus or bringing a diabetes-friendly dish to share
• Practice portion control and mindful eating
• Choose restaurants that offer healthier options
• Don’t be afraid to make special requests or modifications to meals

Addressing Emotional Eating

Emotional eating can be a significant barrier to weight loss. To manage this challenge:

• Identify triggers for emotional eating
• Develop alternative coping strategies (e.g., meditation, journaling, or exercise)
• Seek support from a mental health professional if needed
• Practice mindful eating techniques

By addressing these common challenges and developing strategies to overcome them, you can increase your chances of successful, sustainable weight loss while managing your diabetes effectively.

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 type 2 diabetes

Of course, losing weight with diabetes is somewhat more difficult than without it. “It’s all about the hormone insulin,” says Marina Studenikina , dietician, deputy chief physician of the Weight Factor clinic. – Normally, it lowers the level of glucose in the blood, helping it move into the cells. However, in diabetes, this mechanism breaks down, and at the initial stages of the disease, a situation arises when the level of both glucose in the blood and insulin is high. This condition is called insulin resistance. In addition, insulin increases the synthesis of fats and proteins and inhibits the activity of enzymes that break down fats, which contributes to fat accumulation.

At the same time, losing weight in type 2 diabetes is even more important, as it is one of the leading ways to restore cell sensitivity to insulin and reduce elevated blood glucose. So, the disease begins to recede. “In my practice, there was a patient who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes for the first time due to overweight. He lost weight to a normal weight, which was 17 kg, and his blood glucose returned to normal from 14 mmol / l to 4 mmol / l, ”says Marina Studenikina.

So, weight loss in diabetes is real, very useful and has some peculiarities. What exactly?

What should be done under the supervision of the attending physician. Standard and especially starvation diets are prohibited for diabetics. “They have worse body defense systems,” explains Ekaterina Belova , nutritionist, head physician of the Center for Personal Dietology “Palette of Nutrition”. – Blood sugar levels can plummet when you’re hungry. With high insulin, this is fraught with fainting and even coma.

In addition, as weight loss progresses, the condition of a diabetic will improve. And if he takes any drugs, their dosage will probably have to be adjusted.

Rapid weight loss may not be, because, as we remember, insulin promotes fat accumulation. Although this rule is not ironclad. Nutritionists will definitely remember among their clients those who lost weight with type 2 diabetes by 1 kg per week, and it was precisely due to adipose tissue. And this is the best result for a person without any health problems.

Needs exercise. Nutritionists don’t usually insist that their clients do fitness. “But patients with diabetes are a special case,” says Ekaterina Belova. “They need physical activity all the time, because against their background both blood glucose and insulin levels normalize.”

Most of us prefer to do fitness “rarely, but accurately”: a couple of times a week, but intensively, an hour and a half. To lose weight with type 2 diabetes, you need a different scheme. “Physical activity should be gentle, but daily,” says Marina Studenikina. – Optimally – buy a pedometer and focus on the number of steps taken. On a normal day, it should be 6,000. On a training day, 10,000, and it should already be vigorous walking.” It is not at all difficult to collect such a number: to take 6000 steps, it is enough to walk for 1 hour at a fast pace (5-6 km / h), go through a couple of bus stops.

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Attention to carbohydrates. Losing weight usually focuses only on calories or, in the case of the food pyramid, servings. If you are losing weight with type 2 diabetes, you also need to especially monitor your carbohydrate intake.

It is impossible to completely refuse them, but it is desirable to avoid sharp frequent jumps in blood sugar levels. Therefore, firstly, you need to focus on foods with a low glycemic index. And secondly, try not to bite between meals, because every snack is a meeting with insulin. But in the evening, a portion of carbohydrates can be afforded. By agreement with the doctor. And if your condition leaves no choice, because, as a rule, being on a diet, with fruits, cereals, bread, we “tie” no later than an afternoon snack.

It is very important to observe the drinking regimen. LIVE! constantly reminds how important it is to provide the body with enough water. Especially during the period of weight loss, because it is involved in all metabolic processes and removes waste, which during the period of weight loss is formed more than usual.

“This is especially important for patients with diabetes,” says Marina Studenikina. “Because their cells are in a state of dehydration. On a day, an adult needs to drink 30-40 ml of liquid per 1 kg of body weight. And 70-80% of it should come with clean water without gas. Diuretics like coffee should be avoided. By the way, it is good to replace it with chicory: it normalizes metabolic processes and blood sugar levels.

You need to take vitamins.

“I recommend taking chromium and zinc for my clients who are losing weight with diabetes,” says Marina Studenikina. “Chromium restores cell sensitivity to insulin and helps lower blood sugar, while zinc improves immunity, which is often reduced in this disease, and improves insulin production by the pancreas.”

Psychological consultations are needed. Type 2 diabetes usually develops in adults. And it is difficult for them to accept the fact that in connection with this disease their lifestyle must change. “But if a person is aware of this and rebuilds, losing weight is not a problem for him, says Marina Studenikina. I say this from the experience of my clients. Ultimately, a diabetic has exactly the same chance of being slim as anyone else.”

Prevention of diabetes. Excess weight.

Why is being overweight bad for diabetes?

In a complete diabetic, insulin does not work as it should. Why?

If you are overweight, glucose does not enter the cells, as a result, blood sugar rises.

With a decrease in body weight, insulin begins to play its role again, and blood sugar can again drop to normal values. If a diabetic patient is overweight, he must definitely lose weight by about 10% of the available body weight, that is, by about 6-8 kg, after which blood sugar may decrease.

To lose weight, you need to eat less calories and move more. How to lose extra pounds and further control your weight is described in the Obesity section.

Here are three golden rules for weight loss:

1. Water does not make you fat!

2. Vegetables and salad – as a main course, meat – as a side dish!

3. Avoid alcohol and fats.

And one more tip: a glass of water or tea before meals reduces excessive appetite. Don’t forget to drink a lot. Water, coffee or tea does not lead to fullness.

An important factor influencing the rise in blood sugar after eating is also the culinary processing (cooking method) of food (grinding, heating, squeezing, etc.).

In most cases, the less cooked the food was, the slower the blood sugar rises after it. Wholemeal bread is better than white bread, or whole fruit is better than fruit juice. Products with a high content of ballast substances include: various types of cabbage, raw carrots, legumes (beans, beans, peas), apples, oranges, pears, berries. Those who do not have diabetes should also eat more fiber. This is good for health. Fiber aids in digestion.

Diabetic patients who inject insulin should accurately calculate their carbohydrate intake. You just need to know foods rich in carbohydrates. These are sugar (should be completely excluded from the diet), bread, potatoes, cereals, pasta, fruits, fruit juices, milk, kefir.

If you crave something sweet, use sugar substitutes. They have no nutritional value, contain neither carbohydrates nor calories. Are issued in the form of tablets. These include saccharin, aspartame, cyclamate, as well as based on vegetable raw materials – stevia herbs.

If you have set yourself the goal of losing weight, then you should not use “diabetic products” (chocolate, cookies, waffles, jam). In them, ordinary sugar is replaced by fructose (fruit sugar), xylitol or sorbitol – these are the so-called sugar analogues. Although sugar analogs give a slight rise in blood sugar, they contain as many calories as regular sugar.

Most alcoholic beverages (beer, champagne, wine, liqueurs) contain a certain amount of sugar. After them, the blood sugar level increases greatly. And, of course, you need to remember that all these drinks are very high in calories. The most you can afford is a glass on holidays.

If you already have type 2 diabetes, then normalization of weight and physical activity should be the most important components of treatment. Muscular work contributes to weight loss by increasing the body’s energy expenditure. During movement, the muscles absorb much more glucose than at rest. This leads to a decrease in blood sugar.

If you have achieved weight loss, but after 8-12 weeks this did not lead to normalization of fasting blood sugar and after 2 hours after eating, you should consult a doctor to prescribe hypoglycemic drugs.

If blood sugar is elevated for a long time (months, years), late complications of diabetes develop. They are manifested by impaired blood circulation in the smallest vessels. The degree of damage to small vessels can be determined by the doctor. The most accessible for examination are the vessels of the eye (examination of the fundus by an ophthalmologist). Due to a prolonged increase in blood sugar, retinal hemorrhages may occur. As a result, visual impairment occurs, in some cases, blindness.

Damage to small vessels can also occur in the kidneys. This leads to disruption of their work and, in the end, to kidney failure. The same changes can affect the nervous system. In patients, the perception of pain and temperature is reduced, especially in the skin of the legs. Sometimes there are cutting and burning pains in the legs, especially at night.

Many people with type 2 diabetes have high blood pressure and an increase in blood fat (hyperlipidemia) at the same time. It is especially important for you to maintain normal blood pressure. Check your blood pressure frequently. It should not be higher than 125/75 mm Hg.

Many elderly patients experience pain in the calves even after a short walk. Walking is no longer fun. The doctor finds that the pulse in the vessels of the legs is weakened or not determined. This happens because the large arteries in the legs are narrowed or blocked (arterial sclerosis).