Nutrition for type 2 diabetes with excess weight - how to bring the body back to normal

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The functioning of the endocrine system that does not correspond to the proper norm, which involves the synthesis of insulin in insufficient quantities or failures in its effects, suggests the occurrence of diabetes mellitus. The second type is expressed in the fact that this pancreatic hormone is produced in the volume that is necessary, but the body cells cease to be susceptible to it. Proper nutrition for type 2 diabetes and overweight is very important for people suffering from this disease.

Why do you need to get rid of excess weight?

Large body weight negatively affects the well-being of even a healthy person. In diabetes mellitus, excess fat deposits are even more dangerous, because they create problems with tissue sensitivity to insulin. The mechanism of development of type 2 diabetes is usually based on the phenomenon of insulin resistance. This is a condition in which the sensitivity of body tissues to insulin decreases. Glucose cannot enter the cells in the required concentration, and the pancreas works overtime to compensate for this situation.

You can improve this sensitivity by losing excess weight. Losing weight in itself, of course, does not always relieve the patient of endocrine problems, but it greatly improves the condition of all vital systems and organs. Obesity is also dangerous because it increases the risk of developing diseases of the cardiovascular system, atherosclerosis and angiopathy of various localizations (problems with small blood vessels).

Excess weight creates considerable stress on the lower extremities, which can lead to skin problems and provoke the development of diabetic foot syndrome. Therefore, the goal of losing weight with type 2 diabetes should be set by all people who want to maintain good health and well-being for a long time.

When losing weight in a diabetic’s body, the following positive changes are observed:

  • blood sugar levels decrease;
  • blood pressure is normalized;
  • shortness of breath goes away;
  • swelling decreases;
  • blood cholesterol levels decrease.

Diabetics can only fight extra pounds under the supervision of a physician. Extreme diets and fasting are unacceptable for them. Such desperate measures can lead to irreparable health consequences, so it is better to lose weight gradually and smoothly.


Losing weight reduces the negative impact of stress factors. As a person loses weight, their mood gradually improves, and over time they become calmer and more balanced.

Additional recommendations

For diabetes mellitus, the recommended sleep duration 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 optimal temperature of drinking water is 33-35 degrees. In addition, diabetics should regularly replenish the deficiency of individual vitamins and microelements by taking pharmaceutical multivitamin complexes. Vitamins A, E, H, C, B1, B6, B12, magnesium, alpha-lipoic acid, manganese, succinic acid are of particular value.

What products should dominate the menu?

The basis of the menu for a diabetic who wants to lose weight should be healthy vegetables, fruits and cereals. When choosing foods, you need to pay attention to their calorie content and glycemic index (GI). This indicator shows how soon after taking a particular product your blood sugar will rise. For diabetes mellitus, all patients are allowed to eat foods with a low or medium glycemic index. All diabetics should avoid foods with a high GI (even if they do not have problems with excess weight).

Menu for a type 2 diabetic with obesity

It is advisable for overweight people to include cholesterol-lowering foods in their menu. These include garlic, red bell peppers, cabbage, beets and oranges. Almost all vegetables have a low or medium GI, so they should prevail in the diet of a patient trying to lose weight. The only thing you need to limit yourself a little is the consumption of potatoes, since they are one of the most high-calorie vegetables and contain a lot of starch.

Celery and herbs (parsley, dill, green onions) have a rich chemical composition and are low in calories. They can be added to vegetable salads, soups and meat dishes. These products cleanse the walls of blood vessels from fatty deposits and saturate the body with vitamins necessary for normal functioning.

Lean meat or poultry are important sources of protein. You cannot refuse them, as this can lead to worsening metabolic problems. The optimal types of meat are turkey, chicken, rabbit and veal. They can be boiled or baked, pre-cleaning them from greasy films. It is better to replace salt with natural herbal seasonings, and when cooking meat, you can add parsley and celery root to the water to improve the taste.

Low-fat sea and river fish are a good option for a light but satisfying dinner. It can be combined with boiled or baked light vegetables, but it is not advisable to eat it at one meal along with porridge or potatoes. It is best to steam fish, since in this case it retains the maximum amount of useful microelements and vitamins.


Convenience foods are contraindicated for all diabetics. Their consumption not only increases the risk of obesity, but also provokes the occurrence of edema and problems with the digestive tract.

The truth about diet foods

Currently, so-called dietary products have become very popular. There are a lot of low-fat products, fitness curds, yogurts, and candy bars in stores.

Only the population often does not realize that these are very harmful products.

For example, if you extract fat from cottage cheese, it will not have the same consistency. To stabilize it, starch is added to the composition. This will already be a high-carbohydrate food, which is harmful for diabetes.

And all products with the name fitness imply that when they are consumed, a person will engage in physical activity. They contain a considerable amount of carbohydrates, which are needed by healthy people involved in sports. People believe that these products will help them lose weight and buy them in large quantities.

Prohibited foods

Since type 2 diabetes mellitus is non-insulin dependent, the nutrition of patients with this pathology must be strict and dietary. They are strictly prohibited from consuming sugar, sweets and other high-calorie sweets containing large amounts of simple carbohydrates. These products increase the load on the pancreas and deplete it. Eating sweets can cause problems with the beta cells of this organ even in those forms of type 2 diabetes in which they initially functioned relatively normally. Because of this, in severe cases of the disease, the patient may need insulin injections and other supportive medications.

In addition, foods with a high glycemic index cause blood sugar levels to skyrocket. Because of this, the blood vessels become more brittle and the blood more viscous. Blockage of small vessels leads to the development of circulatory disorders of vital organs and lower extremities. In patients with such pathologies, the risk of developing terrible complications of diabetes mellitus (diabetic foot syndrome, heart attack) increases significantly.

In addition to sweets, you should exclude the following foods from your diet:

  • fatty and fried foods;
  • sausages;
  • products with a large number of preservatives and flavors;
  • white bread and flour products.

Foods that should be completely excluded from the diet

According to experts, the following foods should be excluded from the diet:

  • Sugar, chocolate, candy.
  • Smoked meats.

  • Salinity.

  • Canned food.
  • Margarine.
  • Pates.
  • Salo.
  • Fatty meats, poultry, fish.
  • Grapes, bananas, figs, raisins.
  • Fatty dairy products.
  • Sweet carbonated drinks.
  • Alcohol.

The presented products cannot be consumed because they contain a large amount of carbohydrates, are high in calories, and have little protein. Consumption of this food leads to weight gain and increased cholesterol and sugar levels.

What's the best way to prepare meals?

For patients suffering from type 2 diabetes and excess weight, it is better to choose gentle cooking methods:

  • baking;
  • cooking;
  • steaming;
  • stewing.

When preparing meat and vegetable dishes, it is advisable to add as little oil as possible, and if possible, it is better to do without it altogether. If the recipe cannot do without fats, you need to choose healthy vegetable oils (olive, corn). It is advisable to keep butter and similar animal products to a minimum.


Olive oil does not contain an ounce of cholesterol, and its consumption in moderation only benefits the body weakened by diabetes.

It is better to eat vegetables and fruits fresh, since some of the nutrients and fiber are lost during cooking and stewing. These products help improve the functioning of the digestive organs, so they help cleanse the body of toxins and metabolic waste compounds. It is not advisable for diabetics who adhere to the principles of a weight loss diet to consume fried vegetables.

How to lose weight with type 2 diabetes?

If you have type 2 diabetes, you need to carefully consider your diet. The method of losing weight is to reduce the consumption of carbohydrates, but increase the absorption of proteins.

You cannot completely give up carbohydrates, otherwise the body will experience stress and performance will decrease. Instead of chocolate and sweets, you should give preference to honey and dried fruits, but only in moderation.

Proper nutrition includes several rules:

  • No alcohol or sweet carbonated drinks.
  • In addition to fruits and vegetables, you are allowed to eat cereals, cook cereals, and pasta.
  • You should give up baked goods. At the very beginning of the diet, you are allowed to eat no more than one piece of bread for lunch. In the future, it is recommended to exclude it from the diet, as it is a high-calorie product.
  • For breakfast, experts advise preparing porridge; it is better to choose coarse grains.
  • Vegetable soups should be present in the diet daily.
  • Eating meat is allowed, but only low-fat varieties, the same goes for fish.

Principles of a safe diet for weight loss

How can a diabetic with type 2 disease lose weight without losing some of their health along with the extra pounds? In addition to proper cooking, it is important to adhere to several principles of healthy eating. You cannot immediately sharply reduce the total calorie intake of your diet; this should happen gradually. Only a doctor can calculate the required amount of nutrients per day, since he takes into account the physique of the sick person, the severity of diabetes and the presence of concomitant diseases.

Knowing his daily norm, a diabetic can easily calculate his menu for several days in advance. This is especially convenient for those people who are just starting to lose weight, as it will be easier and faster for them to navigate the nutritional value of dishes. In addition to food, it is important to drink enough non-carbonated clean water, which speeds up metabolism and cleanses the body.

It is undesirable to combine foods that are difficult to digest in a meal. For example, even boiled lean meat with mushrooms is a difficult combination for the digestive tract, although individually there is nothing harmful in these products. It is better to eat most of the food with carbohydrates in the morning and at lunch, and in the evening you should give preference to protein foods.

It is not enough to simply lose weight if you have diabetes; it is important to maintain a normal weight throughout your life. Correcting unhealthy eating habits and light physical activity, of course, help with this, but first of all, you need to train your willpower and remember motivation. Losing weight for such patients is not just a way to improve the appearance of the body, but also a good opportunity to maintain health for many years.

Tips on how not to quit your diet


Dieting is a real challenge for many people, especially in the first days of such eating. In order not to quit the diet, continue to follow it. recommended:

  • Keep a food diary.
  • Every day imagine yourself fit and slim.
  • We need to remember about health.
  • It is necessary to love the dishes that are recommended to be consumed during the diet.
  • You can stick photographs of slim, healthy people on the refrigerator. This will serve as motivation.

Thus, diabetes is a serious disorder of the body. In order not to gain weight and lose weight, you need to follow a special diet. Knowing the basic rules, a person will not only get rid of extra pounds, but will also become healthier.

Features of preparing a diet for hypertensive patients

High blood pressure is an unpleasant companion to diabetes. Such patients very often have excess weight, which additionally provokes severe pressure drops and creates increased stress on the heart and joints. For type 2 diabetes and hypertension, the principles of the diet remain the same, but some nuances are added to them.

For patients with high blood pressure, it is important not only to limit the amount of salt in foods, but, if possible, completely replace it with other spices.

Of course, salt contains beneficial minerals, but they can be obtained in sufficient quantities from other healthier foods. In addition, nutritionists have proven that a person gets full much faster with unsalted food, which has a positive effect on the dynamics of weight loss in diabetes. Over time, when body weight and blood pressure values ​​​​come within acceptable limits, it will be possible to add a little salt to food, but at the stage of weight loss for hypertensive patients it is better to abandon this.


To improve the taste of dishes, you can add fresh herbs, lemon juice and dried herbs instead of salt.

As a tasty and healthy sauce, you can prepare vegetable puree from tomatoes, ginger and beets. Low-fat Greek yogurt with garlic is a great healthy alternative to unhealthy mayonnaise. By combining unusual products you can get interesting flavor combinations and diversify your everyday diet.

Long fasting breaks are contraindicated for diabetics suffering from hypertension. In case of carbohydrate metabolism disorders, a feeling of severe hunger indicates hypoglycemia. This is a dangerous condition in which blood sugar drops below normal and the heart, brain and blood vessels begin to suffer.

A split diet, which is recommended for all diabetics without exception, is also useful for patients with hypertension. It helps maintain a feeling of fullness and provides the body with the necessary energy throughout the day.

Psychological and physical training

I no longer want to run kilometers like before, but physical education is included in my daily schedule.
I like to walk around the local park, sometimes I do pull-ups on the horizontal bars, and I do warm-up and stretching every morning. I plan to attend group classes at the gym, but due to my work schedule it’s difficult to fit in workouts. In combination with a diet, physical activity will give the best results; I lost weight without them. Try to normalize your psychological mood. Forget about stress, learn to respond more easily to external stimuli and workload. Stop quarrels at home, forgive past grievances, open up to the positive, learn to smile through force. You will immediately notice an improvement in your mood, motivation will no longer disappear on its own, loving your own body helps you lose weight faster and better. Nervousness is dangerous for diabetics, so it needs to be overcome first! If you are not afraid of water, sign up for the pool. This is a combination of physical activity and emotional release. For diabetics, such a treatment plan is the best, combining everything necessary for losing weight and normalizing the rhythm of life.

Sample menu

Drawing up a menu for several days in advance helps to correctly calculate the required amount of carbohydrates and calories in food. It is important that all snacks (even minor ones) are taken into account. A sample diet menu might look like this:

  • breakfast: oatmeal or wheat porridge with water, hard cheese, unsweetened tea;
  • second breakfast: apple or orange;
  • lunch: light chicken soup, boiled fish, buckwheat porridge, fresh vegetable salad, compote;
  • afternoon snack: unsweetened low-fat yogurt and fruit;
  • dinner: steamed vegetables, boiled chicken breast;
  • second dinner: a glass of low-fat kefir.

The menu should not be repeated from day to day; when compiling it, the main thing is to take into account the number of calories and the ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. It is best to prepare food at home, since it is difficult to find out the exact GI and calorie content of dishes prepared in a cafe or guests. In the presence of concomitant pathologies of the digestive system, the patient’s diet should be approved not only by an endocrinologist, but also by a gastroenterologist. Some allowed dishes for type 2 diabetes are prohibited for gastritis and colitis with high acidity. For example, these include tomato juice, garlic, fresh tomatoes and mushrooms.

To get rid of excess weight, you need to control the quantity and quality of food you eat, and also do not forget about physical activity. Simple gymnastics should become a habit; it not only helps you lose weight, but also prevents congestion in the blood vessels. Losing weight with diabetes is, of course, a little more difficult due to metabolic disorders. But with the right approach, this is quite possible to do. Normalizing body weight is almost as important as lowering blood sugar levels. By keeping these important parameters under control, you can reduce the risk of developing severe complications of diabetes and maintain good health for many years.

Basic diets

For type 2 diabetes, two diets are suitable for weight loss.


  1. The essence of the first diet is as follows:

      For breakfast you need to eat porridge cooked in low-fat milk and a piece of cheese.
  2. For lunch, vegetables and lean meat in the form of cutlets are prepared.
  3. For dinner, it is recommended to cook some pasta or porridge with water.
  4. Before going to bed, you are allowed to drink a glass of kefir.
  5. You should snack on fruit between meals.
  6. The second diet involves:


      Eating a hard-boiled egg, one slice of bread, and cheese for breakfast.

  7. For lunch, prepare vegetable broth, pasta with a cutlet.
  8. Dinner includes vegetables. You can add a small piece of fish to them.
  9. Before going to bed, you should drink a glass of kefir.
  10. Between meals you should snack on fruits or berries. Low-fat cottage cheese is also suitable.

Other Important Points

Particular attention should be paid to the desire to lose weight during pregnancy. Sudden weight gain and, as a consequence, type 2 diabetes are not uncommon at this time

There is nothing dangerous here, since the situation is often caused by hormonal imbalance and goes away after the birth of the child.

There is no need to fanatically try to get rid of obesity. You just need to follow the instructions, which are discussed with the doctor, since proper nutrition is based on the fact that it affects two organisms at once.

Physical activity is also important. They will not only help you get rid of obesity, but will also help you prepare for the birth process. There are even separate exercises for pregnant women for this purpose.

If a child suffers from obesity, then the situation is the same. It is necessary to follow a strict diet and devote time to sports. The diet is also adjusted individually, as the body grows and develops, and therefore there are products that must be included in the menu.

An alternative way to combat obesity for diabetics

There are diet pills that lower blood glucose levels for any type of diabetes. Endocrinologists prescribe them, as a rule, to those patients who have developed diabetes due to obesity. It has already been said that excess fat in the human body reduces the sensitivity of cells to insulin, and such drugs help eliminate the causes of obesity - restore insulin sensitivity and quickly lose excess weight.

Diabetes diet pills are often taken not only by patients on insulin, but also by healthy people who want to become slimmer. However, this method is a very risky method of losing weight; doctors do not recommend using it.

Why do people lose weight from such medications? Because they contain substances that reduce the desire to eat sweets. That is, a person, having taken the medicine, becomes indifferent to any sweets. The lack of cravings for sweets can be explained by the fact that the production of insulin decreases, the excess of which provokes hypoglycemia - a feeling when just thinking about sweets can make you lose consciousness. This is an irresistible desire.

Why else do people with diabetes lose weight from such medications? Since the carbohydrates that the patient consumes in large quantities, instead of turning into subcutaneous fat, are burned. And the need to absorb large amounts of carbohydrates decreases.

Now you know why people lose weight with diabetes and what you need to do to stay healthy.

Experts say that even those who do not follow a diet can still lose pounds by taking only diabetes medications for weight loss.

But it is important to remember that carbohydrates, which the patient continues to indulge in, begin the process of fermentation in the intestines, as they are excreted slowly.

The consequences of this may be gas formation, bloating, stabbing pain, and frequent loose stools.

What happens when a person loses weight

Below we'll look at some of the important changes that happen in a person's body when they lose weight on a low-carb diet. Let's clear up a few common misconceptions and fears. The only real concern is the increased risk of blood clots. It is actually present, but preventative measures work well against it. And there is no need to worry about the appearance of ketone bodies in the urine.

The risk of blood clots and how to reduce it

A thrombus is when many small particles (platelets) that are part of the blood stick together. A blood clot can block an important blood vessel, causing a heart attack or stroke. The risk of this development usually increases during the period when a person is trying to lose weight, because excess fluid leaves the body.

To prevent blood clots, you need to do the following:

  • Drink enough water. The daily fluid intake is 30 ml per 1 kg of weight, more is possible.
  • Your doctor may think it is appropriate for you to take low-dose aspirin to thin your blood. Aspirin sometimes causes stomach irritation and rarely stomach bleeding. But it is assumed that the potential benefit is greater than the risk.
  • Instead of aspirin, you can use fish oil to ensure there are no side effects. Dosage - at least 3 capsules of 1000 mg per day.

If you are lucky enough to get liquid fish oil, then drink at least one dessert spoon per day, more if possible. Taking fish oil reduces the risk of death from all causes by 28%. Read a detailed description of the benefits of fish oil on our website about the treatment of hypertension.

How do triglyceride levels change in the blood?

Along with blood tests for “good” and “bad” cholesterol, you usually get a triglyceride test. While you are losing weight, your blood triglyceride levels may temporarily increase. You shouldn't worry about this, but rejoice. This means that adipose tissue breaks down and the body transports its fats “to the furnace” through the bloodstream. That's where they belong!

In general, it rarely happens that the level of triglycerides in the blood increases during weight loss. Usually it drops rapidly, and very quickly, after just a few days of following a low-carbohydrate diet. Even if triglycerides suddenly begin to rise, their levels will probably still remain below the threshold for cardiovascular risk. But if the concentration of triglycerides in the blood rises and at the same time weight loss is inhibited, then this means that you are violating the low-carbohydrate diet.

If a person's diet includes excess carbohydrates, the body has material at its disposal that can be converted into fat and released into the bloodstream in the form of triglycerides. A low-carbohydrate diet is filling and tasty, but it must be followed strictly. If you eat even a few grams of prohibited foods, it will negatively affect the result. What triglycerides are and how they are formed in the human body is described in detail in the article “Proteins, fats and carbohydrates in the diet for diabetes.”

Ketone bodies in urine: should we be afraid of them?

Losing weight means that the body burns its fat reserves. In this case, by-products are always formed - ketones (ketone bodies). They can be detected in urine using ketone test strips. Glucose test strips are not suitable for this. The human brain uses ketones as an energy source.

You should know that if ketone bodies appear in the urine, there is no need to worry if your blood sugar remains normal. You are losing weight and the process is going well, keep up the good work. But if a diabetic patient has ketone bodies in the urine and at the same time elevated blood sugar - usually above 11 mmol/l - then watch out! This acute complication of diabetes, ketoacidosis, is deadly and requires emergency medical attention.

One of the ways to lose excess weight

This system involves the use of specific products that are obtained from vegetable insoluble fiber.
To prepare this product, you need to have some beet fruits, pass them through a meat grinder or squeeze out a little juice using a juicer. The resulting cake should be formed into small balls no larger than beans. Stored in the refrigerator for no more than two weeks. Beetroot does:

  • blood purification;
  • removal of toxic compounds;
  • the elasticity of blood vessels increases;
  • the entire digestive system of the body is stimulated;
  • blood pressure decreases;
  • blood glucose levels are normalized.

Cake balls are used according to the algorithm. They cannot be chewed and must be greased with sunflower oil before being consumed.

As soon as a person has had breakfast, he should consume 2-3 tablespoons of these balls. If you feel slightly hungry, you need to consume 2 more tablespoons of balls. This can cause a decrease in appetite. After lunch, you can also swallow the same number of balls.

The use of this system will show a positive result with weight retention. As soon as a person has lost weight, beet pulp is taken again to maintain the weight limit. In the future, this remedy should be taken no more than once a day.

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