Prediabetes?
This post is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for personalized guidance.
Has your provider told you that you have prediabetes? If so, this post is for you- the goal is that patients would make some dietary and lifestyle changes in order to reverse their prediabetes.
What Does Prediabetes Mean?
Prediabetes is a warning sign. It means your body is having a harder time processing sugar (glucose), and without changes, your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke increases.
Most times we take in food or drink, our blood sugar will rise. Our pancreas releases insulin to grab on to the sugar and push it into cells to be used as energy or stored as fat. When we eat in excess or have things that spike our blood sugar frequently, our pancreas and insulin cells get tired, and they can’t keep up with the demand. This causes people to have increased blood sugar over time which leads to insulin resistance, prediabetes, and type 2 diabetes. This is bad because sugar is very inflammatory on our blood vessels. Our tiny blood vessels get damaged first (think our eyes, kidney’s, brain, etc.) and it will eventually damage our larger vessels as well. This is why people with type 2 diabetes have so many comorbidities.
The good thing is that studies show that losing just 5–7% of your body weight and making consistent changes to your diet and physical activity can dramatically reduce your risk of progressing to diabetes.
Make Smart Changes to Your Diet
The goal is to help your body better regulate blood sugar. You don’t need a “perfect” diet—just a realistic and consistent one.
Focus on fiber: Whole grains (like oats, brown rice, quinoa), beans, lentils, fruits, and vegetables help slow down sugar absorption. This means our blood sugar does not spike as high because our food is digesting slower.
Cut back on refined carbs and sugars: Limit white bread, pasta, pastries, and sugary drinks. These cause quick blood sugar spikes.
Watch portion sizes: Eating smaller amounts more consistently helps keep your blood sugar stable.
Balance your plate: Aim for half non-starchy veggies, one-quarter lean protein, and one-quarter whole grains or starchy vegetables.
Choose healthy fats: Avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil can help you feel full without raising blood sugar.
Don’t aim for perfection—aim for progress. One healthy meal at a time adds up. Baby steps!!
Move Your Body Regularly
Physical activity makes your body more sensitive to insulin, helping your cells use blood sugar more efficiently. The recommendation is to start with 150 minutes per week of moderate activity (like brisk walking, swimming, or biking). That’s just 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. You can add in strength training 2x a week to build muscle, which helps regulate blood sugar as well. Taking a 10-15 minute walk after eating meals or snacks is beneficial as well. Please keep in mind that you will never be able to out exercise a poor diet. Nutrition is #1, exercise is a tool to enhance the work you are putting in.
Lose a Little, Gain a Lot
You don’t need to lose a ton of weight to see benefits. Shedding just 10–15 pounds (if you're overweight) can significantly reduce your diabetes risk. Focus on steady, sustainable changes—crash diets don't work in the long run. Everything in moderation. Stay disciplined.
Get Enough Sleep and Manage Stress
Both poor sleep and chronic stress can increase blood sugar levels. Aim for 7–9 hours of quality sleep each night. You can try stress-reducing activities like deep breathing, yoga, journaling, or spending time outdoors. People are absolutely terrible at regulating their nervous system these days. Figure out how to regulate yours- I promise it will help.
Monitor and Follow Up
Prediabetes is not a one-time issue—regular monitoring helps you and your healthcare provider stay on top of your progress.
Check your A1C every 3–6 months.
Track weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol.
Work with your healthcare team to adjust your plan as needed. You might benefit from a diabetes prevention program, registered dietitian, or health coach.
Take the information and do something with it- make changes, take the second chance. It isn’t easy, but it will be worth it! With small, consistent changes, you can improve your health, prevent diabetes, and feel better in your body. Please talk with your healthcare provider about a personalized plan that works for you.
See you next week :)
-Nina