Shownotes
Healthy Eating to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes
In this fourth session of the Prevent T2 podcast, learn how to make healthier food choices to manage and prevent type 2 diabetes.
Discover practical strategies for creating balanced meals with lower calories, less fat, and reduced sugar, while incorporating more fiber, vitamins, and minerals. The episode provides guidance on building a healthy plate with appropriate portions of non-starchy vegetables, grains, and proteins, and includes tips on setting realistic goals for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
If this is your first episode, make sure to start from episode one for a complete understanding of the Prevent T2 program.
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Takeaways
- Eating well for diabetes prevention involves making small, smart nutritional choices regularly.
- Building a balanced plate is essential; half should be non-starchy vegetables.
- Focus on nutrient-dense foods that are low in calories and high in fiber.
- Aim for a calorie deficit to manage prediabetes effectively and promote weight loss.
- Whole grains provide steady energy and essential nutrients; choose them over processed options.
- Incorporating a variety of seasonal vegetables can enhance nutrient intake and enjoyment in meals.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:51 How to Eat Well
04:05 Building a Healthy Plate
05:58 Understanding Food Groups
12:21 Planning for Success
14:30 Summary
The CDC Diabetes Prevention Program Curriculum (CDC DPP Curriculum) is based on the curriculum from the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) research study supported by the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease.
© 2012, University of Pittsburgh, based on the DPP research trial supported by cooperative agreement number U01-DK48489 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which has certain rights in the material.
Medical Disclaimer: THIS PODCAST IS NOT INTENDED FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING MEDICAL ADVICE. NO INFORMATION ON THIS SHOW SHOULD BE USED TO DIAGNOSE TREAT, PREVENT OR CURE ANY DISEASE OR CONDITION. YOU ARE NOT LISTENING TO THE PODCAST OF A MEDICAL DOCTOR, DIETICIAN, OR THERAPIST. All information, content, and material of this podcast is for informational purposes only and is provided so that listeners can make their own nutrition and health decisions after consulting with their health care provider. This is one of my big themes of taking action for yourself. Making the decision now to change your future. Although I am involved in healthcare and have been for many years, I am not a medical doctor, therapist or dietician. I am not treating or diagnosing any medical conditions. Information provided on this podcast is not a substitute for routine consultation with your healthcare provider. I recommend consulting with your healthcare provider before making any changes related to a specific condition.
Individual results may vary and are not guaranteed.
Transcripts
Hello, everyone, and welcome back to the Prevent T2 podcast.
Speaker A:This is our fourth session and today we're diving into a topic that's fundamental for managing and preventing type 2 diabetes.
Speaker A:Eating well.
Speaker A:Eating well doesn't mean perfectly all the time.
Speaker A:Instead, it's about learning how to make small, smart choices that really help keep your energy stable and your blood sugar balanced.
Speaker A:And then your body is going to feel its best.
Speaker A:And today we're going to walk through just how to do that.
Speaker A:If this is your first time tuning in, let me quickly explain the program.
Speaker A:Prevent T2 is a lifestyle change program created by the CDC to help people at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Speaker A:In this podcast series, we'll guide you through the practical strategies to help make healthier choices one step at a time.
Speaker A:It's designed to go over a whole year, with episodes broken down into manageable sessions so that you can work at your own pace.
Speaker A:The program is designed to be listened to in order, so please start with episode one.
Speaker A:If you're just joining us.
Speaker A:And before we dive into today's topic, I want to remind you that you should be somewhere that you can focus without distractions.
Speaker A:So maybe take a walk while you listen or find a quiet space where you can reflect and engage fully.
Speaker A:In today's session, make sure that you have the Prevent T2 guidebook handy to follow along with the activities.
Speaker A:The link is in the show notes or you can download it at the website mybestself Fit.
Speaker A:In this episode, we're going to explore how to eat well to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.
Speaker A:I'm going to break down the basics of building a healthy plate and go over the different food groups so you'll have all the tools you'll need to make healthy choices that work for you.
Speaker A:And don't forget, every single time you have a session weigh in.
Speaker A:You want to track your weight in your weight log so you can see the impact of your efforts over time.
Speaker A:So let's start with the basics.
Speaker A:How can you eat well to lower your risk of type 2 diabetes?
Speaker A:A really good place to start is by looking at the types of foods that are lower in calories, sugar and fat.
Speaker A:Calories are units of energy that come from everything we eat and drink, and your body uses this energy to function.
Speaker A:Just like a car uses fuel or petrol or diesel.
Speaker A:When you're managing prediabetes, it helps to reduce overall calorie intake.
Speaker A:So that means you want to be a little bit in a calorie deficit of what you're at now.
Speaker A:A Pound is roughly equivalent to 3,500 calories.
Speaker A:So if you're looking to lose weight, gradually cutting or being in a calorie deficit of about 500 calories a day can help you lose about a pound a week.
Speaker A:That's about a half a kilo.
Speaker A:Another focus is limiting high fat foods.
Speaker A:So normally I wouldn't recommend limiting fat because fat is important for us, but in reference to losing weight, fat is a very dense source of calories.
Speaker A:So some types of fat, especially those that are solid at room temperature, can really impact also your heart health over time.
Speaker A:And while fats are necessary for the body, limiting high fat options can help you keep your diet balanced and also stay in a calorie deficit while you're trying to lose weight.
Speaker A:You'll also want to keep an eye on sugars.
Speaker A:Foods high in added sugars can make blood sugar spike and often add what is considered empty calories.
Speaker A:So calories that are without a lot of nutrition.
Speaker A:On the other hand, foods that are high in fiber and water, like many fruits, vegetables and whole grains, can be super helpful.
Speaker A:They will help you feel full without adding a lot of calories, making it easier, much easier to manage your hunger while focusing on the nutrient dense options that you have.
Speaker A:And of course, we want to make sure that you're getting plenty of vitamins and minerals and protein.
Speaker A:These nutrients really help your body stay healthy.
Speaker A:And incorporating a balance of those things over time is great for your overall wellness.
Speaker A:Now let's bring these ideas together and build a balanced plate.
Speaker A:A great way to visualize a balanced meal is by dividing your plate into sections.
Speaker A:Now here's a simple guideline based on the create your plate approach.
Speaker A:So half of your plate should be non starchy vegetables.
Speaker A:So think kind of leafy greens, broccoli, peppers, cucumbers.
Speaker A:These are really nutrient rich and low in calories, making them like perfect base, you know.
Speaker A:And you can cook those any way you want.
Speaker A:They don't need to be raw.
Speaker A:They can be roasted or steamed or whatever you want.
Speaker A:But half your plate should be those non starchy vegetables.
Speaker A:Then a quarter of your plate should be some kind of grain or starchy food.
Speaker A:So think ideally whole grains like brown rice or oats or beans.
Speaker A:Those are all great options.
Speaker A:Even sweet potatoes or potatoes, you know, these are all okay, so.
Speaker A:But only a quarter of the plate because actually you find out that you don't actually need a lot of those starchy things.
Speaker A:If you have half of a plate full of all these other vegetables and the remaining quarter of your plate is for your protein sources.
Speaker A:So this could be plant based proteins like lentils, or it could be animal based protein like skinless chicken or fish, those kind of things.
Speaker A:You can also add a small amount of dairy.
Speaker A:So a cup of low fat milk or a serving of plain yolk yogurt, or a serving of fruit such as like an apple or some berries.
Speaker A:Berries are especially good because these are very low sugar.
Speaker A:When it comes also to beverages, you want to opt in for the low or no calorie drinks like water.
Speaker A:Sparkling water is very popular here in Europe and it's getting way more popular in the States.
Speaker A:Or black coffee, you know, so you don't add any additional calories with what you're drinking.
Speaker A:Each food group brings unique nutrients to the table and that's important.
Speaker A:I mean, you could be in a calorie deficit eating really crappy processed things, but that's not going to help your body.
Speaker A:So you want to make sure you're doing this correctly by having the really good food that brings you these awesome nutrients.
Speaker A:So let's break down what each group offers and how those things can help you.
Speaker A:So vegetables, you're probably going to hear me say vegetables a million times.
Speaker A:So vegetable, non starchy vegetables.
Speaker A:And starch is what makes something sticky or thick.
Speaker A:So potatoes have a lot of starch in them and that's why you use potato starch or corn has a lot of starch.
Speaker A:These things, anything that you would use to thicken something, if that kind of helps you think about what a starchy vegetable is.
Speaker A:So we want non starchy vegetables.
Speaker A:Those are great because they're really low in calories and high in fiber.
Speaker A:And I think if that's the two things that you can remember, low in calories, high in fiber or high in water, this is also.
Speaker A:So things like spinach, carrots and peppers, those are all three really convenient things that most people can get at any grocery store.
Speaker A:So aim for a variety of those in a.
Speaker A:To get a kind of a broad range of nutrients.
Speaker A:Personally, I have a vegetable basket that I get every Saturday from a local farm.
Speaker A:And I only get what's coming in season.
Speaker A:And this is what a lot of people who have a grocery store near them, you can get the same thing all year round.
Speaker A:But normally our bodies are also going in a cycle along with our seasons.
Speaker A:And it's really important to eat kind of what's in season to help your body in that season.
Speaker A:Kind of where you grew up and what you're doing is aligned with the foods that are coming in season.
Speaker A:So you think you have more root vegetables and stuff in the winter.
Speaker A:That makes sense.
Speaker A:In the summer you have more fresh vegetables.
Speaker A:So we do have an advantage of having a grocery store.
Speaker A:So you can get carrots year round, you can get spinach year round.
Speaker A:But try to think what's in season.
Speaker A:Look at the vegetables when you go into the grocery store and see what are they, what are, what's coming out that you haven't seen lately.
Speaker A:And try to make sure that you mix in some of these very seasonal vegetables or kind of, yeah, have a variety.
Speaker A:Because if you only eat carrots and peppers, you're missing out on a lot of other nutrients out there.
Speaker A:Grains and starches are our next category of food groups.
Speaker A:And when you choose whole grains, when you can, if you can, they're usually higher in fiber, vitamins and minerals because a whole grain hasn't been processed down.
Speaker A:And when you have grains that have been processed like white rice, these things have a lot of the nutrients, fibers and minerals stripped out to make it into this kind of not as nutrient dense as the whole grain version.
Speaker A:And because there's this extra fiber and vitamins and minerals and stuff around, you know, not just the starch, whole grains often provide then a really steady energy without that spiking of blood.
Speaker A:So you don't have to go without rice, for example.
Speaker A:But when you choose, like I just found a whole grain jasmine rice at my Asian market and this is amazing.
Speaker A:Now it takes like two times longer to cook, so I have to plan or I have to make a big batch and put it in the mic in the refrigerator.
Speaker A:But honestly, I actually prefer it to the regular rice because it actually adds flavor and it has the same texture as white rice, especially if you cook it well.
Speaker A:And I think that's part of the problem.
Speaker A:When people switch to whole grains, they tend to not cook them as long as they need to.
Speaker A:So think about batching your grains and that will help.
Speaker A:Also be able to incorporate them and not have to wait so long to get them.
Speaker A:Okay, so the next food group is protein.
Speaker A:You want to focus on lean protein such as chicken breast or fish, or plant based sources like beans or tofu.
Speaker A:And there are options that are packed with protein without extra fat.
Speaker A:And I think that you could even find, if you have a local butcher, there's options to get local, maybe grass fed cows or pork.
Speaker A:I feel like when you go to the grocery store and you look at processed meat, you're just gonna have to check because processed meat usually has some kind of sugar added to it, unfortunately.
Speaker A:So when you're looking for proteins, I feel like you could have chicken thighs and chicken wings in addition to chicken breast.
Speaker A:But remember, what we're thinking about here is we're trying to lose a bit of weight, okay?
Speaker A:So I would say the recommendations that we're talking about in terms of eating well is you could, you could definitely eat the rest of your life just chicken breast and no chicken thighs.
Speaker A:Honestly, chicken thighs are way tastier.
Speaker A:So you can kind of think about this as like small little changes to make to help you lose a bit of weight.
Speaker A:And over time you can, you know, add chicken thighs back into your diet if you want, or have a steak now and then.
Speaker A:It, I, I, I don't think that these should be super prescriptive, but what we're trying to do is to say, okay, you know, if you're only eating packaged salami that actually has a really high fat content and also has glucose and sugar added to it, so maybe switch that out for a lower fat and calorie version of protein.
Speaker A:That's what I want to say.
Speaker A:Okay?
Speaker A:So dairy and fruits.
Speaker A:A small portion of dairy can provide some calcium, depending on where you are in the world.
Speaker A:And protein, not much, but it does.
Speaker A:And fruit is also very, very rich with fiber, vitamins and minerals and can be a way to get some sweetness into your meals.
Speaker A:If you're used to eating something sweet and you want something sweet and drinks are always a great choice is to do unsweetened anything, right?
Speaker A:Unsweetened sparkling water or coffee.
Speaker A:You want to limit your sugary drinks to reduce those unnecessary calories.
Speaker A:Okay?
Speaker A:Before we wrap up today's session, let's talk about setting yourself up for some success.
Speaker A:So take a moment to think about how today's tips fit into your current lifestyle.
Speaker A:I want you to reflect on what has worked really well for you over the last week and consider making any adjustments that you want moving forward that will help you.
Speaker A:And think about how making these small achievable changes are going to help build your healthy habits and make them last long term.
Speaker A:So now setting up your goal, setting up your action plan for the week.
Speaker A:So try to set a very simple, realistic goal for the week.
Speaker A:And maybe it's just adding an extra serving of vegetables to one meal a day or trying a new whole grain.
Speaker A:But remember, with your action plan, to keep it specific, doable and flexible and have fun with it, right?
Speaker A:It's all in the mindset about how you're going to approach eating well and trying new things and you know, another thing here is if you are not somebody who cooks a lot and you go out or, you know, work these tips into whatever your lifestyle is, if you are someone who orders food a lot, try a new healthy chain or healthy version or, or maybe actually try cooking a little bit and seeing how you like that or just going to the grocery store.
Speaker A:Actually, that's a good idea.
Speaker A:Now that I'm thinking about it.
Speaker A:Even if you don't like to cook, most grocery stores have some kind of packaged meals that they prepare, like in the grocery store, and even these can be better than eating out.
Speaker A:And it's maybe not quite as convenient as ordering food into your house, but it's also kind of a halfway point between buying all the ingredients and cooking it yourself or preparing it yourself and buying takeout.
Speaker A:So it's kind of like that in between.
Speaker A:So maybe if you do all takeout, try substituting two or three meals a week with one of these prepared healthier versions from the grocery store, for example.
Speaker A:Okay, to recap today we explored on how to make balanced food choices and how that can help lower your risk of type 2 diabetes.
Speaker A:And we talked about the benefits of choosing foods that are lower in calories, fat and sugar and higher in fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Speaker A:And we also covered how to build a balanced plate and the key benefits of each of those food groups.
Speaker A:So thank you for joining me today on this episode of Prevent T2.
Speaker A:I'd love to hear how your action plan is going.
Speaker A:Feel free to share a voice memo with your experiences using the link in the show notes or you can reach out to me by email.
Speaker A:In our next episode, we're going to discuss a powerful tool for staying on track, which is tracking your food.
Speaker A:I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker A:See you there.
