Diabetic Diet Foods

Managing diabetes while also trying to lose weight can be extremely challenging. Fluctuating blood sugar levels coupled with insulin resistance makes weight loss difficult. However, maintaining a healthy weight is so important for controlling diabetes and reducing risk of complications.

Choosing foods that help stabilize blood sugar while eliminating problem foods that spike blood sugar and pack on pounds is key. With careful meal planning and deliberate food choices, diabetics can successfully lose weight in a healthy, sustainable way.

How Diabetes Impacts Weight Loss

To understand the challenge of losing weight with diabetes, it's important to first understand the connection between diabetes and healthy body weight. This is especially true for those living with type 2 diabetes, where the diet plays an enormous role in both managing diabetes symptoms and achieving long-term weight reduction.

Diabetes causes weight gain in a few key ways:

• Insulin resistance - Cells become resistant to insulin, causing it to be overproduced. This impacts how nutrients are processed and stored.
• Fat storage - Excess insulin triggers more storage of fat, making weight loss difficult.
• Loss of glucose control - When the body can't regulate blood sugar properly, weight gain accelerates.

Diabetes and being overweight reinforce each other in a vicious cycle. The more overweight you become, the worse diabetes symptoms get. And the worse diabetes symptoms get, the harder it becomes to lose those excess pounds. ~ Dr. K. Huffman

Additionally, diabetics face other obstacles that make weight loss extremely challenging:

• Blood sugar fluctuations - Unstable blood sugar makes maintaining calorie deficits very difficult. Crashes and spikes in blood sugar impact appetite and cravings.
• Medication challenges - Some diabetes medications like insulin can contribute to weight gain, working against weight loss efforts.

The good news is that even moderate weight loss can dramatically improve diabetes symptoms. Losing just 5-10% of body weight and keeping it off can help diabetics:

• Reduce HbA1c levels
• Lower blood pressure
• Improve cholesterol
• Decrease need for medications

So overcoming those weight loss hurdles is well worth it!

Importance of Portion Control for a Diabetes Diet

When it comes to managing blood sugar levels and losing weight, portion control is absolutely critical for diabetics.

Keeping serving sizes consistent at meals and snacks helps keep blood sugar steadier. Keeping portions in check also helps reduce overall calorie intake which drives weight loss.

However, eyeballing portions inaccurately can sabotage results. It’s very easy to unintentionally overeat without proper measurement tools.

Some problems with inaccurate portion sizes include:

• Spiking blood sugar from larger portions
• Consuming more calories than planned
• Hitting plateaus or not losing weight as intended

Using pre-portioned prepared meals or meal kits helps solve this problem.

Benefits of pre-portioned diabetic meals include:

• Exact serving sizes for better blood sugar control
• Calorie counts available for easier tracking
• More variety & nutrition without added effort
• Convenience - just heat & eat

Here at AmBari Nutrition, our prepared diabetic-friendly meals and snacks follow strict portion control for optimal blood sugar management. We also provide complete nutrition details so you know exactly what you’re consuming.

This takes the guesswork out and makes sticking to proper serving sizes effortless!

Foods Diabetics Should Avoid

To effectively lose weight, there are certain foods diabetics are better off avoiding as much as possible. These foods can spike blood sugar, pack on pounds, and work against weight loss goals.

• Sugary drinks - Sodas, sweet tea, juices, sports drinks, specialty coffee drinks
• Sweets and desserts - Cookies, cakes, chocolate, ice cream, donuts
• White bread & baked goods - Biscuits, croissants, bagels, white sandwich bread
• Starchy carbs - Pasta, white rice, pizza, cornbread, tortillas
• Deep fried foods - French fries, potato chips, chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks
• Processed snack foods - Chips, pretzels, cheese puffs, snack cakes
• Fatty cuts of red meat - Ribeye steak, prime rib, beef brisket
• Packaged frozen meals - Often extremely high in fat, carbs, sodium

Many common comfort foods fall into those categories. But being mindful to limit intake can make a dramatic difference in diabetes and weight over time.

Planning meals and snacks around the recommended foods instead can help crowd out the foods to be avoided in a diabetes diet.

Occasional small treats are perfectly fine - just focus on making the foods to enjoy sparingly as small treats versus daily go-to options. Moderation and portion control is key!

Start your day off right with one of these excellent Diabetic Friendly Breakfast Ideas.

Foods & Supplements to Add to a Type 2 Diabetes Diet

Incorporating certain nutritional supplements into your diabetes diet plan can provide an added boost when trying to lose weight.

Helpful supplements include:

Protein Bars

Protein packed snack-sized bars make appetite control really simple. Watch for bars to be under 7-8g of sugar, and some great tasting protein bars are even under 2-3g.

Here's a list that we've compiled of our top-selling, and most recommended Diabetic Friendly Protein Bars.

Meal Replacements Shakes

Nutritionally balanced high protein shakes help control calories and give steady energy:

• Lower carb, higher protein
• Vitamins & nutrients added
• Convenient on-the-go option
• Variety of delicious diabetic-friendly flavors

Use to replace a meal when needing something fast and easy.

Here's a list that we've compiled of the Best Diabetic Meal Replacement Shakes.

Diabetic Prepared Meals & Entrees

Our convenient single portion entrees follow diabetic nutrition guidelines for optimal blood sugar management. They also aid weight loss efforts:

• Perfectly portioned
• Complete nutrition details
• Restaurant quality taste
• Options for any meal

With minimal effort, you can enjoy entrees like Spicy Cheese Pasta and Numetra's Buffalo Chicken Soup.

Multivitamins

A daily multivitamin helps cover any nutritional gaps that may exist if unable to get enough fruits and vegetables:

• Essential vitamins & minerals
• Helps body function optimally
• Supports weight loss efforts

Choose a reputable brand designed specifically for diabetics.

Final Thoughts

With an appropriate nutritional approach, diabetics can successfully lose weight in a healthy way that also supports diabetes management. AmBari Nutrition offers specially formulated diabetic-friendly foods and supplements that make it simpler to meet weight loss goals.

Writer: Allison Allison is a seasoned nutritionist and writer with over 15 years in health and weight management. She's authored journals on medical weight loss and bariatric medicine, and has specialized in bariatric foods.

Reviewed By: Dr. K. Huffman Dr. Kevin D. Huffman, D.O., is a board-certified bariatric physician renowned for his expertise in treating obesity. With over 10,000 patients and a reputation as a national leader in bariatric medicine, he has trained hundreds of healthcare providers. Dr. Huffman develops protocols and training materials sought after by medical societies, pharmaceutical companies, patients, and hospitals.