Diet
Many people think that having diabetes means you cannot eat your favorite foods. But you can still enjoy many of the foods you like. Portion sizes, or the amount of food you eat, affects your blood glucose. Ask your health care team to refer you to a dietitian who helps people with diabetes. The two of you will design a meal plan that is right for you and can help you reach your goals. Also keep the following tips in mind. 

• Count carbohydrates (also called carbs): Breads, tortillas, biscuits, rice, crackers, cereal, fruit, juice, milk, yogurt, potatoes, corn, peas, and sweet potatoes tend to raise your blood glucose levels more than other foods. Ask your health care team what amount of carbohydrates is right for you and how to keep your carb intake at a reasonable level. 

• Choose foods low in saturated fat: Cutting down on foods that have saturated fat can help lower your low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad”) cholesterol and prevent heart disease. Saturated fat can cause blockages in your blood vessels. Foods low in saturated fat include fish that are high in omega-3 fatty acids (salmon, trout, sardines, and tuna), lean beef, lean pork, chicken breasts, ground turkey, and avocados.

Losing Excess Weight
Managing or losing extra weight can be challenging, but it is possible with support and a plan that works for you. It is important to be kind to yourself and take it one step at a time. Here are a few tips that may help get you started. Remember: Before starting any weight-loss plan or diet, check in with your healthcare provider to make sure it is safe for you. 

• Get at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise each day. Examples of aerobic exercise include walking briskly, dancing, rowing, swimming or water aerobics, and biking. It is OK if it takes several weeks to build up to a practice of 30 minutes daily. The most important thing is to be physically active. Daily physical activity helps lower your blood glucose and blood pressure and control your cholesterol levels. Your health care team may want to check your heart function before you start new activities. They can help you plan the exercise program that is best for you, especially if you have pain in your legs when walking or during other physical activity. • Track your meals. Research shows that being mindful of what you eat can help you trim calories. Try writing down what you eat each day. 

• Make more meals at home. Cooking meals at home is an easy way to cut back on excess calories. Dining out or ordering fast food makes it harder to control the amount of cholesterol, salt, and fat in your food.

• Increase the fiber in your diet. Your diet should include high-fiber foods, such as fruits, vegetables, dried beans and peas, oatmeal, and whole-grain breads, cereals, and pasta.

Medicines 
Some people need medication as well as meal planning and physical activity to reach their blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol targets—at least at first. Talk with your health care team about whether you need medications, and if so, which ones would best help you reach your goals.

Other Ways to Monitor Yourself and Stay on Top of Your Health  

• Check your feet every day for cuts, blisters, red spots, and swelling. Call your health care team right away about any sores that will not heal. Also, ask your health care team to check your feet at every visit.

• Get an eye exam each year to check the blood vessels in your eyes for any early warning signs of damage. Contact your health care provider if your eyeglass prescription changes within a year.

• Have your urine tested each year to check how well your kidneys function.

• Get a flu shot every year and a pneumonia vaccine at least once to prevent being hospitalized if you get sick. When you turn 65, you should get another pneumonia vaccine, unless you have had one in the past five years