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What Foods Can Help A Diabetic Gain Weight


Eat A Lot But In Smaller Portions

5 Foods That Can Help In Diabetic Weight Gain

Are you noticing the pounds melt away even though you are eating three times a day? When this happens, try eating more. Not larger portions, rather go for smaller servings but take these meals throughout the day. This gradual increase is a great way to encourage a better appetite and take in more calories than you are losing.

Eat Three Meals A Day

Dont;skip meals. If you are trying to gain weight, you need to increase your daily caloric intake. If you skip breakfast , you could be missing out on an extra 400 to 500 calories per day, which if done consistently could lead to a one-pound weight loss per week. So, even if you are not a breakfast person, find some foods that you can eat for breakfast, such as a fruit-vegetable smoothie . A quick smoothie could be a few handfuls of spinach, 1 cup frozen berries, ½ banana, 1-2 tablespoons coconut oil, 1 tablespoon ground flax seed and ½-1 cup coconut milk. Serve the smoothie with a side of egg and chicken sausage. You might also try an egg, cheese, and avocado sandwich on a low-carb wrap or tortilla.

Choose A Diet That Works For You

A Mediterranean-style diet may boost weight loss and benefit blood sugar control. This means:

  • Eating mostly plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts
  • Keeping carbohydrate levels as low as possible
  • Using healthy fats, such as olive oil
  • Using herbs and spices instead of salt to flavour foods
  • Limiting red meat to no more than a few times a month
  • Eating fish and poultry at least twice a week

Learn to respond to hunger and not appetite. Often a high carbohydrate diet makes people hungry whereas enough protein and healthy fats helps make people feel fuller for longer.

Genevieve Jardine, Dietician

Whether youre trying to gain or lose weight with diabetes, we know it can be tough. Youre not alone! Join Diabetic South Africans to meet other people with diabetes in South Africa doing the same thing.


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What Foods Should Be Avoided If You Have Type 1 Diabetes

People with type 1 diabetes should avoid many of the same unhealthy foods that everyone should limit. In short, this means restricting processed foods and food with a high glycemic load. This includes

  • sodas ,
  • processed/refined sugars ,
  • trans fats , and
  • high-fat animal products.

Restrict white foods i.e. pasta, bread, scones, cookies, flour, sugar, white potato, etc. This is an easy way to remove high glycemic load foods. It is important to remember that, unlike type 2 diabetes, food choices didn’t specifically contribute to developing type 1 diabetes but they do impact how someone manages diabetes. People with type 1 and 2 diabetes alike are at risk for the complications that stem from high blood sugar, such as cardiovascular disease and obesity. Because of this, attention to healthy eating is important and foods that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease should be avoided.

Common Signs Of Potential Malnourishment Among Individuals:

5 Foods That Can Help In Diabetic Weight Gain

Although malnourished people are not necessarily underweight, weight loss is an essential symptom of undernourishment, which is a type of malnutrition. Therefore, a BMI of less than 18.5 kg/m2 is an important sign of a suboptimal nutritional status.

A rapid unintentional weight loss is another meaningful sign of possible malnourishment, particularly if this is greater than 10% of the initial weight and occurs in less than six months without intentionally increasing physical activity or reducing dietary intakes.


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How To Put Weight On A Diabetic Dog

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Diabetes is caused by the failure of the body to develop enough insulin, which is crucial in enabling cells to absorb glucose from the bloodstream.

Diabetes does not only attack humans but also dogs. Whats more, it has the same impact on dogs that it has on humans, meaning it can lead to weight gain or weight loss. Regardless, you need to take proper care of your diabetic dog if you want her to live long.

And the best way to do that is by taking good care of the dog and giving it the proper diet.


If your diabetic dog is losing weight, there is no need to worry. Visit a veterinarian and find out the best diet to help your dog gain weight. It may be a raw diet food, a prescription diet, or a natural food diet.

Note that what works for one dog may not work for another. No matter what type of food you give to your dog, make sure to follow a strict routine.

Here are ways that will help you to put weight on your diabetic dog:

Use Tricks To Prevent Overeating

These sneaky strategies can help keep you from overdoing it on diet-damaging foods.

  • Fill up on low-calorie foods first.;Start every meal with the foods on your plate that are lowest in calories, suggests McLaughlin. Non-starchy vegetables make the perfect low-calorie starter. By the time you get to the other foods, you wont be so hungry.
  • Change your salad dressing system.;Instead of sprinkling or pouring dressing on your salad, dip your fork into a side dish of dressing and then your salad with each bite. Youll be amazed how much less you use and how many calories you save.
  • Take up a busy-hands hobby.;If youre idle, youll be more prone to eating when youre not really hungry. Keep busy with activities like walking, knitting, scrapbooking, doing crossword puzzles, or gardening.
  • Carry a toothbrush and toothpaste.;Keep them in your purse or briefcase. When cravings hit, brushing your teeth with peppermint-flavored toothpaste can dampen your desire to eat.
  • Arrive fashionably late to parties.;Without as much time near the buffet table and calorie-rich appetizers, youll likely eat less.

Its important to continue to eat healthy and exercise regularly even after reaching your weight loss goal. Thats why its so important to set realistic goals from the get-go: The healthy habits you initiate to lose weight should last a lifetime so you can keep it off.


Additional reporting by Colleen de Bellefonds

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Type 2 Diabetes Diet Plan

According to the American Diabetes Association ,;a Mediterranean-style diet, a plant-based diet, and a diet known as Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension are all good starting points for a type 2 diabetes meal plan that can be modified to accommodate your personal eating preferences.

These diet approaches have two important factors in common: mostly whole foods, and meals built around vegetables rather than carbohydrates .

However, contrary to popular belief, a type 2 diabetes meal plan is not necessarily a low-carb diet, nor should it be a high-protein or very low-fat meal plan. In fact, ADA recommends less emphasis on specific requirements for proteins, carbs, and fats, and more emphasis on following a whole foods approach that focuses on the quality of your diet; the less processed, refined, prepared, and fast foods focused, the better. Making a move towards eating more home-cooked meals may seem daunting, but just takes a little planning, especially with resources like the ADA’s Diabetes Food Hub.


Diabetic-friendly recipes sourced from the ADA’s Diabetes Food Hub. Infographic by Lauren Hunter.

An RD or CDE can look at your usual diet and help you identify where theres room for improvement, Ms. Arevalo suggests. These diet experts can also help you create a diabetes diet plan tailored to your personal needs and food preferences.;

The 16 Best Foods To Control Diabetes

How to Gain Weight With a Diabetic Diet

Figuring out the best foods to eat when you have diabetes can be tough.

Thats because your main goal should be controlling your blood sugar levels.

However, its also important to eat foods that help prevent diabetes complications like heart disease.


Your diet can have a major role in preventing and managing diabetes .

Here are the 16 best foods for people living with diabetes, both type 1 and type 2.

Also Check: Where Should Your Blood Sugar Be

What If I Have More Questions

If you have other questions, you should speak to your doctor or dietitian. The dietitian can help you with a meal plan that will provide enough calories to help you gain weight or keep from losing weight.

If you would like more information, please contact us.


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Diabetes Weight Gain Supplements

The same principles apply to the consumption of diabetes weight gain supplements as well. A variety of weight gain supplements are available out there for you to consider.

Some of these weight gain supplements are made with the help of sugar. So you must ensure that no sugar or not even a different variation of sugar is available. Then you will be able to consume the product while keeping peace of mind and end up with the best outcomes.;

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Steer Clear Of Caffeine

Caffeinated drinks such as black coffee and tea are known beverages that are known appetite suppressants. Thus it goes without saying that drinking coffee when you are trying to maintain a healthy weight can be counterproductive.

If you or anyone you know has diabetes, a nutrient-dense and high-calorie alternative for a snack should replace hunger masking beverages. Some examples are whole-grain toast, full-fat Greek yogurt with some granola, apples, peanut butter, walnuts, and bananas.

Introduce healthy and nutritious oils to your diet

As much as possible turn to healthy oils like olive oil, sunflower oil, and avocado oil. Use it for cooking or as a salad dressing. Healthy oils ensure you get the right calorie to boost your bodys needs.

Why Do You Lose Weight In Diabetes

25 Foods That Can Help You Lose Weight

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder where either insulin is not absorbed in the cell or not produced by the cell. This in turn restricts the transport of excess sugar into the cells where it is used as a fuel. To obtain fuel the body then breaks down the stored fats and muscles. If your sugar levels are constantly abrupt, your body will continue to break down its fat and muscle stores. This leads to unnecessary weight loss.


Most of the information available is on how to lose weight in order to maintain sugar levels. Hence let us discuss how to gain healthy weight in diabetes.

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Track Your Progress With A Weekly Weigh

The only way to know youre gaining weight is to weigh yourself. A weekly weigh-in can track your progress and help you modify your current eating routine, as needed.

If youre taking in enough calories, you should start to see an increase of about one pound in one weeks time. Target a one- to two-pound weekly increase until you reach your goal weight.

I Am A Diabetic And I Cant Lose Weight: Why This Can Mean Big Trouble

There are many people saying I am a Diabetic and I cant lose weight. If you have Pre diabetes or the full illness there is a good reason you cannot drop the fat. Diabetes is becoming a worldwide problem, the increase in people who cannot control their blood sugar is reaching record levels in many parts of the world. I am a Diabetic and cant lose weight has become one of the more popular statements.


Why the diabetic cannot lose weight

The cause of weight gain in diabetics is blood sugar. If you are Borderline or fully Type 2 diabetic it is important to know that elevated blood sugar does damage to the body and causes you to hold fat on the waist. Blood sugar is needed in the body but when the levels are high there is damage to the body. I have taught health in Europe for over 20 years and there has never been the diabetic problem as we have today.

Many people who cannot drop the fat have a stubborn blood sugar that holds the fat particularly on the belly. I am a diabetic and cant lose weight is a now a common complaint that doctors are hearing.

Diabetes and Body Fat is a deadly combination

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Determine Your Ideal Weight

Its important to know what your current weight is, as well as establish how much weight you want to gain overall. Setting weekly gain goals can help you chart your progress.

You should also know what the appropriate BMI is, for your frame and height. Plugging your height and weight into a BMI calculator can help you get an idea of where your weight should be.

Your doctor or dietitian can provide you with more specific information about your ideal weight. They can also help you determine what your daily caloric intake should be.

What Is My Risk For Diabetes

How to Gain Weight With a Diabetic Diet

While physicians and researchers have established a link between obesity and Type 2 diabetes, genetics and environment play a huge role in determining who will develop diabetes. While this relationship is not completely understood by doctors and researchers, what we do think is that your genes and environment contribute to your baseline risk of developing diabetes. If you are obese, you can reduce this risk by eating a low-fat, low-sugar diet and exercising regularly.

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Weight Loss For Diabetics

Losing weight can make a big difference for people with diabetesit can lower glucose levels in the blood, which may decrease the effects of diabetes and make the condition more manageable. But there are added complications and risks, too. For example, making big changes to your diet can cause serious problems. One of these is hypoglycemia, when your blood sugar goes so low that you risk the danger of going into a diabetic coma. If you have diabetes, you have to be especially careful about your weight loss plan.

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Take It Eventually At A Time

Even if you might be struggling with cravings does not mean all is shed. You can and also will lose weight. Even if youre eating a little more than your calorie allowance, you can still lose it just may take a bit much longer. Workout is additionally a critical part of a healthy weight-loss trip.

Exercising harder and more frequently will aid melt the extra calories you might take in if you have a bad day.

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What Foods Am I Allowed To Eat To Help Me Gain Weight

It is important to eat the amount of food that your dietitian has recommended. If you are still losing weight, you should try to add extra calories from simple carbohydrates like sugar, jelly, jam, hard candy, honey and syrup. Other good sources of calories come from vegetable fats, such as margarine, vegetable oil and non-dairy creamer. These foods can be used as free foods to give you extra calories each day.

How Much Weight Loss Is A Concern

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Unexplained weight loss is when someone drops a significant amount of weight without a change in diet or exercise or without making other lifestyle changes.

Losing 10 pounds or more, or 5% of body weight, during a period of six to 12 months is when doctors become concerned there is an underlying health issue.

Unexplained weight loss occurs most often and is more serious in people aged 65 and older. People in this age group may need to see their doctor if they lose fewer than 10 pounds or less than 5% of their body weight without trying.

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You Think That Because You Exercised You Can Eat Dessert

Remedy:;Exercise, but refrain from eating the dessert unless youve included it in your calorie and carb budget. Try to satisfy your sweet tooth in a way thats low or no calorie, and fits within your carb goal.

Managing diabetes well means controlling your blood sugar by balancing what you eat and drink with;physical activity;and any;diabetes medication;you take. There are certain trade-offs you can make when it comes to balancing blood sugar. For example, if you want to have a cookie or another sweet for dessert, Segura suggests keeping the prior meal starch-free. But if your overall goal is to decrease calories and lose weight, then having that dessert isnt necessarily the best choice, Powers notes. This is because exercise is unlikely to offset the amount of calories in the dessert. If you look at how many calories you expend when walking a mile its not a lot of calories, says Powers.

Remedying these obstacles to weight loss may not solve all of your problems, but it can help you make progress. If youre still having trouble shedding pounds or maintaining a healthy weight, talk to your doctor or a CDCES about adjusting your plan. Some people may need more significant weight loss interventions and support to achieve their goals.

Get More Healthful Carbs Throughout The Day

Eating carbohydrates low on the glycemic index is important for maintaining stable blood sugar levels. Folding healthy carbs into your six meals per day plan may help you gain weight, but its important to keep an eye on your glucose levels.

Adding a protein or fat each time you eat a carb may help increase caloric consumption, without causing your sugar levels to spike.

Examples of healthy carbs include:

  • whole grains
  • soy
  • eggs

Talk to your doctor about the appropriate serving size of protein for you, based on your kidney function and weight gain goal. For example, if you currently eat three to four ounces of protein per day, you may need to kick it up to seven ounces.

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