1,200-Calorie Diet for Type 2 Diabetes

According to the website Medline Plus, type 2 diabetes (adult-onset diabetes) is a condition in which the body becomes unable to properly use or produce insulin, a storage hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. This calls for a restrictive diet to keep blood sugar in line. Weight loss can also help restore insulin sensitivity in diabetes, making the loss of excess pounds a crucial goal for diabetics. A 1,200-calorie diet can certainly help you to lose weight, but adhere to this approach only with the consent of your doctor, because it is a fairly low-calorie diet.

Diabetic Diet Principles

• Understand the principles of a diabetic diet so that you can adhere to the diet plan without an explicit daily menu. According to information from the Mayo Clinic, the diabetic diet revolves around carbohydrate control. The goal of the diabetic diet is to limit both the quantity and the types of consumed carbohydrates to regulate blood sugar. This means you should limit yourself to only those carbs that are slow-digesting, thus having less of an impact on blood sugar. They are vegetables, fruits and whole grains (in that order of preference). Avoid other types of carbs, including sugars, alcohols and refined flour, as these can worsen symptoms. Beyond carbs, include plenty of lean protein and unsaturated fat with every meal, because these can help to further slow digestion and prevent blood sugar from spiking to an unwanted level. Aim for a steady food intake throughout the day. On a 1,200-calorie diet, you should aim to have four small meals of 300 calories each spaced evenly apart (every three to four hours).

1,200 Calorie Menu

• For breakfast, consume two eggs (140 calories) with a slice of whole wheat toast (75 calories) and a medium apple (95 calories). This puts your breakfast at 305 calories, right on pace for a 1,200 calorie diet. For lunch, consume a turkey sandwich with two slices of whole wheat bread (150 calories), three ounces of fresh turkey (160 calories) and a small amount of lettuce and tomato (negligible calories). For dinner, consume roughly four ounces of tilapia (150 calories) with an ounce of brown rice (100 calories) and a bowl of broccoli (negligible calories). Flavor the broccoli with a half tablespoon of olive oil (60 calories). As a snack, have an ounce of roasted almonds (170 calories) with two ounces of dried apricots (140 calories). This will get you to your 1,200 calorie mark without overly upsetting your blood sugar levels.