There is no one-size-fits-all “best diet.” The best eating plan for managing your weight is the one that works with your lifestyle, food preferences, cooking skills, cultural background, budget, and health conditions. Choose the eating pattern that works best for you.
Top Eating Patterns That Can Help Support Weight Management
There are several eating patterns that work for managing diabetes that also support managing weight. The eating patterns are:
DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension): Originally designed for blood pressure management, but it was also found to be helpful for managing weight. This is from its balanced, plant-forward approach. This eating pattern includes vegetables, poultry, fish, nuts, whole grains, fruits, and low-fat dairy products.
Vegetarian or Vegan: A vegetarian eating pattern doesn’t include meat, seafood, or poultry and focuses on plant-based foods. Some using the vegetarian eating pattern (called lacto-ovo) also eat eggs or dairy products. A vegan eating pattern includes plant-based foods but does not include any animal-based products.
Low fat: This pattern reduces fat to 30% or less of total calories. It includes vegetables, lean protein sources (including beans), starchy vegetables, fruits, whole grain starches (like breads, crackers, and pasta), and low-fat dairy products.
Low Carb: This pattern reduces carbohydrates to 26-24% of total calories. It includes non-starchy vegetables (like salad greens, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, cabbage, and tomatoes), protein (like meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs, cheese, nuts, and seeds), quality carbohydrates (like starchy vegetables, beans, fruit) are included but limited and healthy fats (avocado, nuts, and vegetable oils).
Very Low Carb: This pattern reduces carbohydrates to 26% of total calories. This eating pattern is like the low-carb pattern but limits carbohydrate-containing foods more.
Healthy Eating Approaches for Weight Management
- Focus on non-starchy vegetables.
These foods are low in calories but high in volume, fiber, water, and nutrients. They help fill you up without adding many calories. - Choose more whole foods over processed foods.
Cooking at home more often gives you a better chance to choose ingredients that are whole foods which are foods that are close to their natural state. For example, foods like vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, lean meats and fish, fruit, whole grains, milk and yogurt. By choosing whole foods, you can also reduce the amount of added sugar, salt, and saturated fat added to foods. - Limit added sugar
Foods with added sugar (sodas, sweets) can add “empty” calories. Empty calories come from foods and drinks that can give you energy but little or no nutrition and don’t keep you feeling full. - Manage portion sizes.
Even healthy foods can lead to weight gain if portion sizes are too large. Use the Diabetes Plate for building balanced meals without any counting, calculating, weighing, or measuring. On a nine-inch plate:- Fill half with non-starchy vegetables such as leafy greens, broccoli, bell peppers, carrots, or tomatoes
- Fill one-quarter with lean protein such as fish, chicken, eggs, tofu, beans, or lean meats
- Fill one-quarter with high-quality carbohydrate foods, including starchy vegetables (such as squash, sweet potatoes, corn), beans, fruits, whole grains (such as bulgur and quinoa), low-fat yogurt or milk).
- Choose water or a zero-calorie drink
Sugar sweetened beverages can add a lot of extra calories. Choose water, sparkling water, unsweetened tea, or coffee. - Small Changes Make a Big Difference
You don’t need to change your whole eating plan all at once. Start with one or two simple swaps, like adding more non-starchy vegetables to your dinner for tow nights this week or choosing fruit instead of a sugar sweetened dessert three times this week. - Being Active Every Day
Food choices affect weight, but physical activity can make a big difference, too. Aim for 150 minutes of physical activity a week, which is 30 minutes a day five days a week. Two of those sessions should be strength training. Low-impact activities like walking, biking, or swimming are easier on your joints. Physical activity helps you manage your weight and keeps your muscles strong while improving your overall health.
Bottom Line:
You don’t need a strict eating plan to manage your weight. What matters most is finding a healthy way of eating which might include:
- Eating the right amount of calories for weight loss or maintenance
- Focusing on whole, nutrient rich foods
- Cutting back on added sugar, sodium, and saturated fats
- Including your food preferences and lifestyle choices
- Making sure it is a plan you will be able to stick with
Work with a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) to create a plan that meets your needs and helps you reach your goals.
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