Being diagnosed with prediabetes can be frightening and life-changing. And a big part of such change takes place in your diet. As the condition is mainly caused by what you eat, replacing the numerous food groups and regulating calorie levels become a daily routine. And without the right meal plan, it can seem exhausting and frustrating.
But with this meal plan for prediabetes, you can take full control of your life and fight the condition. Plus, it helps you change the outlook of your former diet and make significant improvements in your eating habits. Plus, with this diet plan, you’re greatly encouraged to lose weight through calorie measurement and reduction of certain foods!
Features
Prediabetes is an illness where the blood sugar levels are spiked due to certain reasons, but most times, it’s caused by excessive consumption of foods high in such. Regardless, the result is a higher blood glucose measurement than normal, and if not quickly managed, it can lead to type 2 diabetes. That’s why a complete lifestyle change in activity and diet is recommended for patients with such a condition.
That’s where this meal plan for prediabetes comes into play. The diet plan is set at a daily calorie value of 1200, making it suitable for reducing blood sugars. It also features healthy foods and snacks for seven days, which are also adjustable to suit individual needs. As such, you’ll find menus mainly made from lean protein, fiber, vegetables, low GMI fruits, and whole grains in this meal plan. Plus, you’ll get a decent amount of carbs, ensuring the body gains a gradual amount of blood sugar without raising the level to an inappropriate number.
The diet plan features three menus daily, with snacks between the periods. And each menu is appropriately proportioned, so you feel fuller without necessarily overloading your stomach. The snacks also help you handle cravings, ensuring you munch on healthy bits instead of the unwholesome treats you’re used to having. And the calorie level can be adjusted, depending on your need and the advice of a professional dietician.
Benefits of this Diet
Prediabetes is a slippery slope towards type 2 diabetes and is mostly encouraged by excessive high-carb foods. Bakes snacks, pastries, refined grains, fried foods, and sugary beverages cause the body to accumulate high amounts of sugar. These obscene amounts concentrate in the blood, causing many issues, especially type 2 diabetes. But when diagnosed early, you can tackle it and get yourself back on the healthy track with this meal plan.
First, the diet encourages weight loss, a key component in fighting diabetes and high blood sugar. The calorie level is set at 1200, meaning you can lose up to two pounds weekly if followed promptly. The plan also helps you regulate how much food you eat by helping you stick to the measured daily portions. And it promotes healthier eating by replacing processed foods with fresh produce and lean proteins.
As the meal plan helps you shed pounds, it also encourages exercise. Moderate daily workouts are advised with this plan, as participants should consider a minimum of 150 minutes of weekly activity. This combines with the low-carb nature of the meal plan to promote weight loss further and use up the excess blood sugar. And it changes the mindset of sedentary people, moving them to adopt an active lifestyle.
Because the meal plan is set at 1200 calories, you can adapt it for low-carb diets. As this prediabetes meal plan thrives on consuming little carbs, it’s for those who live a ketogenic lifestyle. You can also adopt it for paleo needs as it depends wholly on fresh produce and lean protein. Also, most foods are gluten-free, but you can always substitute them with appropriate options, so long as you stick to the daily calorific count. And if you’re on a vegan diet, ask your dietician to recommend the best food options with the proper GMI levels to replace any animal protein in the diet.
Meal Plan
Download Here: 7-Day Meal Plan for Prediabetes
Day 1
Breakfast
- Berry-Kefir Smoothie (1 serving)
A.M. Snack
- 1 cup raspberries
Lunch
- Cucumber Turkey Sub Sandwich (1 serving)
- One plum
P.M. Snack
- 1 cup blackberries
Dinner
- Salmon with Curried Yogurt & Cucumber Salad (1 serving)
- 3/4 cup Basic Quinoa
Day 2
Breakfast
- Apple-Cinnamon Overnight Oats (1 serving)
A.M. Snack
- 3/4 cup blackberries
Lunch
- Rainbow Salad Bowls with Peanut Sauce (1 serving)
P.M. Snack
- Peanut Butter-Oat Energy Balls (1 serving)
Dinner
- Green Veggies with Chicken & Lemon-Tahini Dressing (1 serving)
Day 3
Breakfast
- Apple-Cinnamon Overnight Oats (1 serving)
A.M. Snack
- Peanut Butter-Oat Energy Balls (1 serving)
Lunch
- Rainbow Salad Bowls with Peanut Sauce (1 serving)
P.M. Snack
- 3/4 cup raspberries
- One hard-boiled egg
Dinner
- Sheet-Pan Maple-Mustard Pork Chops & Carrots (1 serving)
Day 4
Breakfast
- Berry-Kefir Smoothie (1 serving)
A.M. Snack
- One plum
Lunch
- Rainbow Salad Bowls with Peanut Sauce (1 serving)
P.M. Snack
- 1/3 cup blueberries
Dinner
- Kale & Chicken Taco Salad with Jalapeño-Avocado Ranch (1 serving)
Day 5
Breakfast
- Apple-Cinnamon Overnight Oats (1 serving)
A.M. Snack
- 1/3 cup blueberries
Lunch
- 1 serving Chopped Rainbow Salad Bowls with Peanut Sauce
P.M. Snack
- Peanut Butter-Oat Energy Balls (2 servings)
Dinner
- Hearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew (1 serving)
Day 6
Breakfast
- Apple-Cinnamon Overnight Oats (1 serving)
A.M. Snack
- Peanut Butter-Oat Energy Balls (2 servings)
Lunch
- Curried Chicken Apple Wraps (1 serving)
- One medium peach
P.M. Snack
- 1/2 cup blackberries
- Ten unsalted dry-roasted almonds
Dinner
- Charred Shrimp & Pesto Buddha Bowls (1 serving)
Day 7
Breakfast
- Avocado-Egg Toast (1 serving)
A.M. Snack
- One medium banana
Lunch
- Curried Chicken Apple Wraps (1 serving)
- One medium peach
P.M. Snack
- 1 cup blackberries
- Peanut Butter-Oat Energy Balls (1 serving)
Dinner
- Grilled Skirt Steak with Corn-Tomato Relish (1 serving)
- 2 cups mixed greens
- 2 Tbsp. Citrus-Lime Vinaigrette
Extra Tips
- It helps when you plan your meals to have them on the go, with little hassle. So consider cooking some recipes in large batches and keeping the extra for later.
- If you’re lactose intolerant and find foods with lactose in the meal plan, swap them with items that suit your dietary needs. But keep the calorie value difference in mind as you stick to the daily plan.
- You can prep the intermittent snack menus from regular foods you eat during the main course. Consider leftovers from previous nights or days for snacks. Fruits and diced vegetables can also work, and nuts and seeds or cups of yogurt.
- During this diet plan, you must stay off sugar, processed foods, fried foods, fast foods, and high GMI fruits.
- During this regimen, control your salt intake, as excess sodium can raise blood pressure. Focus on imparting flavor with more herbs and spices than salt.
- Consider your allergies and food sensitivities when running this diet plan regimen.
- Always seek the advice of medical personnel before embarking on any meal plan. They’ll give you the best recommendations on food types to consider, your daily calorific needs, and what foods to avoid.
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Conclusion
Prediabetes can seem scary, especially if you don’t know how to handle it. But with the right change in your dietary lifestyle, you can beat the condition and escape the threat of type 2 diabetes. This 7-day meal plan is one of the tools that can help in such a cause. And it offers extra benefits like weight loss and improvement of eating habits, giving you a new lease on life and happiness.