Who doesn’t want to lose weight? Everyone strives for a fit lean body. But it gets more difficult if you have been diagnosed with Diabetes. Due to fluctuations in blood sugar levels, people with diabetes find it difficult to lose excess weight. 

While exercise and workouts like a good half hour session on a treadmill, are a good way to lose weight, diet plays an important part as well. Taking care of your food intake with Type-2 diabetes can become extra challenging. But it is not impossible. So, instead of taking weight loss pills and going on starving yourself, take a look at some of the diet plans that may help you healthily lose weight without the negative consequences. 

Foods to Avoid

For diabetic patients, some groups of foods should be avoided. Consuming these foods can cause spikes in blood sugar which is dangerous for diabetes patients.

  • full-fat dairy products
  • processed grains, such as pasta or white rice
  • fruits with added sweeteners such as apple sauce, jam
  • canned fruits
  • fried or over-processed foods
  • foods high in saturated fats
  • Foods with a high glycaemic load

The DASH Diet Plan

The Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) plan was developed to help prevent high blood pressure (hypertension), but it is also helpful in managing diabetes. It can help lose fats with diabetes. DASH plan encourages to reduce portion sizes and eat foods rich in nutrients to lessen the blood pressure, such as potassium, magnesium, and calcium.

 

The DASH plan includes:

  • grains: whole grains
  • lean protein: poultry, fish 
  • plant-based foods: fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds
  • dairy: low-fat or fat-free dairy products
  • healthy fats: vegetable oils

People following this diet are asked to reduce their sodium intake to 1,500 milligrams per day. 

Keto (Ketogenic) Diet

The ketogenic diet works by restricting carbohydrates. It makes the body break down fats for building energy. This process of converting fat into energy is called ketosis. So, a ketogenic diet may help people with type 2 diabetes as it allows the body to maintain its glucose levels at a healthy level. It has been observed that people with Type-2 diabetes who lost weight with keto diet needed less medications. For more information take a look at our keto diet guide. Following foods are included in this diet plan:

  • Low-carb vegetables
  • Eggs
  • Meats: Fatty meats are acceptable, but should be eaten in moderation.
  • Healthful fat sources. These include avocados, olive oil, nuts, and seeds. 
  • Fish
  • Berries

The Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean eat anything diet involves foods that are traditionally eaten in Mediterranean countries. This diet consists of foods rich in fatty acids, oleic acids and vegetable-based oils and fats. This diet is good for lowering sugar levels, reducing body weight and helps regulate metabolism. 

Foods in this diet include:

  • Protein: salmon, poultry and fatty fish
  • Plant-based foods: vegetables like cucumbers and artichokes, beans, nuts and seeds 
  • Healthy fats: olive oil
  • Nuts such as Almonds, walnuts, pistachios
  • Red meat can be consumed once every month.