Prediabetes Diet Plan: 1,500 Calories

Prediabetes is a condition where your blood sugars are higher than normal, and it can progress to type 2 diabetes if no lifestyle changes are made. The good news is that changes to lifestyle habits like diet and physical activity can help reverse the symptoms of prediabetes. In this easy plan, we take care of the nutrition by mapping out 7 days of delicious meals and snacks that will help you maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Because weight loss plays an important role in lowering blood sugars and preventing diabetes, we capped this plan at 1,500 calories per day to promote a healthy weight loss while feeling satisfied and meeting your needs. Looking for a different calorie level? See this same plan at 1,200 and 2,000 calories.

Learn More: 7 Simple Ways to Reverse Prediabetes

To keep you feeling full on fewer calories and to keep your blood sugars in check, each day has at least 30 grams of fiber from whole grains, legumes and fresh produce. Fiber helps to slow down digestion, which is why you'll feel fuller when eating more of it. At the same time, that slow digestion means the glucose from food will reach your bloodstream at a more gradual pace. Plus, we included plenty of lean protein from chicken, turkey and fish, and a balanced amount of carbohydrates at all meals and snacks to keep blood sugars stable. Regular physical activity is another important lifestyle change that can help lower your blood sugars and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Including 30 minutes of walking most days, or at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week, can have a big impact.

How to Meal-Prep Your Week of Meals

A little meal prep at the beginning of the week can go a long way to make the week ahead easier.

• Chopped Rainbow Salad Bowls with Peanut Sauce: 1. Prepare Chopped Rainbow Salad Bowls with Peanut Sauce to have for lunch on Days 2, 3, 4 and 5.
• Apple-Cinnamon Overnight Oats: 2. Prepare 2 servings of Apple-Cinnamon Overnight Oats to have for breakfast on Days 2 and 3.
• Peanut Butter-Oat Energy Balls: 3. Prepare Peanut Butter-Oat Energy Balls to have for snacks throughout the week.

Day 1

Prediabetes Tip: In the Cucumber Turkey Sub Sandwich, we substitute a cucumber instead of a sub roll for a veggie-packed twist on a classic sandwich. It's a great way to enjoy a lower-carb sandwich and, as a bonus, it also saves on calories. It's totally fine to have bread when you have prediabetes, but the rolls for subs, hoagies, grinders-whatever you want to call them-tend to have more carbs than what's recommended for a single meal. When you're really craving a sub, go for a smaller 4-inch sub and load up the rest of your plate with veggies to help balance things out and keep your blood sugar levels from going too high.

Breakfast (382 calories)

• 1 serving Berry-Kefir Smoothie

• 1 hard-boiled egg with a pinch each of salt and pepper

A.M. Snack (105 calories)

• 1 medium banana

Lunch (355 calories)

• 1 serving Cucumber Turkey Sub Sandwich

• 1/2 cup raspberries

P.M. Snack (195 calories)

• 1 cup blackberries
• 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

Dinner (477 calories)

• 1 serving Salmon with Curried Yogurt & Cucumber Salad

• 1/2 cups Basic Quinoa

• 1 serving Basic Green Salad with Vinaigrette

Daily Totals: 1,513 calories, 111 g protein, 151 g carbohydrates, 30 g fiber, 59 g fat, 14 g saturated fat, 1,309 mg sodium

Day 2

Prediabetes Tip: Managing prediabetes and preventing diabetes is all about lifestyle changes and developing healthy habits. Starting a walking routine is often more sustainable than trying to go too hard at the gym. Walking with your family after dinner or during your lunch break is a great way to start. Try to build up to 30 minutes or more a day of physical activity. Moving your body as much as you can helps lower sugars and prevent diabetes.

Breakfast (344 calories)

• 1 serving Apple-Cinnamon Overnight Oats topped with 3 Tbsp. toasted pecans

A.M. Snack (165 calories)

• 1 cup blackberries
• 2 Tbsp. almonds

Lunch (486 calories)

• 1 serving Chopped Rainbow Salad Bowls with Peanut Sauce

• 1 cup raspberries

P.M. Snack (73 calories)

• 1 Peanut Butter-Oat Energy Ball

Dinner (452 calories)

• 1 serving Green Veggie Bowl with Chicken & Lemon-Tahini Dressing

Daily Totals: 1,520 calories, 66 g protein, 177 g carbohydrates, 44 g fiber, 68 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 1,396 mg sodium

Day 3

Prediabetes Tip: You'll see raspberries as snacks quite a bit in this healthy plan. Here's why-berries, like raspberries and blackberries, are higher in fiber than most fruits. Fiber helps keep us full and is digested slowly, which helps keep blood sugar stable and ward off overeating and late-night hunger pangs.

Breakfast (343 calories)

• 1 serving Apple-Cinnamon Overnight Oats topped with 3 Tbsp. toasted pecans

A.M. Snack (73 calories)

• 1 Peanut Butter-Oat Energy Ball

Lunch (517 calories)

• 1 serving Chopped Rainbow Salad Bowls with Peanut Sauce

• 1 medium apple

P.M. Snack (64 calories)

• 1 cup raspberries

Dinner (511 calories)

• 1 serving Sheet-Pan Maple-Mustard Pork Chops & Carrots

• 1 serving Basic Green Salad with Vinaigrette topped with 1 Tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese

Daily Totals: 1,509 calories, 54 g protein, 167 g carbohydrates, 42 g fiber, 74 g fat, 11 g saturated fat, 1,762 mg sodium

Day 4

Prediabetes Tip: Because it rarely has symptoms, prediabetes can be difficult to diagnose. If you're overweight, had gestational diabetes in pregnancy or if you have family members with diabetes or prediabetes, then you're at increased risk for high blood sugars and should discuss this with your medical provider. And just remember, prediabetes doesn't always lead to type 2 diabetes-taking the right steps can set you on a different path toward a healthier you.

Breakfast (382 calories)

• 1 serving Berry-Kefir Smoothie

• 1 hard-boiled egg with a pinch each of salt and pepper

A.M. Snack (105 calories)

• 1 medium banana

Lunch (422 calories)

• 1 serving Chopped Rainbow Salad Bowls with Peanut Sauce

P.M. Snack (151 calories)

• 1 cup blueberries
• 1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

Dinner (429 calories)

• 1 serving Chicken & Kale Taco Salad with Jalapeño-Avocado Ranch

• 1/4 cup pico de gallo and 1 oz. tortilla chips (about 7 chips)

Meal-Prep Tips:

1. You'll use cooked shredded chicken in tonight's dinner. Try preparing our Best Poached Chicken to use tonight and reserve 1 cup to use for lunch on Days 6 and 7. If you don't have time to poach chicken, rotisserie chicken works great as well.

2. Prepare 2 servings of Apple-Cinnamon Overnight Oats to have for breakfast on Days 5 and 6.

Daily Totals: 1,489 calories, 80 g protein, 183 g carbohydrates, 36 g fiber, 56 g fat, 10 g saturated fat, 1,464 mg sodium

Day 5

Prediabetes Tip: It can be difficult to find the time to make a healthy breakfast during busy mornings, but it's well worth it! When we skip breakfast, we often overeat at lunch or make less healthy food choices because we let ourselves get too hungry. Overnight oats are a great solution. They lend themselves to many flavor combinations, take minimal time to prepare and are portable. If oatmeal isn't your thing, there are plenty of other tasty make-ahead breakfast recipes to try, like baked egg muffins, smoothie packs and freezer breakfast burritos.

Breakfast (344 calories)

• 1 serving Apple-Cinnamon Overnight Oats topped with 3 Tbsp. toasted pecans

A.M. Snack (73 calories)

• 1 Peanut Butter-Oat Energy Ball

Lunch (422 calories)

• 1 serving Chopped Rainbow Salad Bowls with Peanut Sauce

P.M. Snack (84 calories)

• 1 cup blueberries

Dinner (516 calories)

• 1 serving Hearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew

• 1 serving Basic Green Salad with Vinaigrette

Evening Snack (70 calories)

• 3/4 cup Strawberry-Mango Nice Cream

Meal-Prep Tip: Make the Honey Mustard Vinaigrette to have for lunch on Day 6 and dinner on Day 7.

Daily Totals: 1,509 calories, 60 g protein, 187 g carbohydrates, 44 g fiber, 65 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 1,867 mg sodium

Day 6

Prediabetes Tip: One of the quickest ways to drastically reduce sugar in your diet is to limit sugary drinks, like soda, juice, sports drinks and sweet tea. Drinks with natural sugar, like fruit juice, still spike our blood sugars. Sticking to water, seltzer and unsweetened tea as much as possible helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels. If you regularly drink sweetened beverages, changing to low-sugar or diet options first can make the shift to no-sugar-added drinks feel more doable.

Breakfast (344 calories)

• 1 serving Apple-Cinnamon Overnight Oats topped with 3 Tbsp. toasted pecans

A.M. Snack (73 calories)

• 1 Peanut Butter-Oat Energy Ball

Lunch (405 calories)

• 1 servingCurried Chicken Apple Wraps
• 1/2 green apple, sliced (leftover from prepping the wraps)
• 2 cups mixed greens topped with 2 Tbsp. each Honey Mustard Vinaigrette and 2 Tbsp. sliced almonds

Meal-Prep Tip: Prepare the full recipe of Curried Chicken Apple Wraps and save half the chicken salad for lunch tomorrow.

P.M. Snack (197 calories)

• 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 cup raspberries

Dinner (429 calories)

• 1 serving Charred Shrimp, Pesto & Quinoa Bowls

Evening Snack (70 calories)

• 3/4 cup Strawberry-Mango Nice Cream

Daily Totals: 1,518 calories, 100 g protein, 164 g carbohydrates, 41 g fiber, 61 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 1,426 mg sodium

Day 7

Prediabetes Tip: Trying to change everything at once can be overwhelming. Any time you're trying to make a health change, or in this case, prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes, focus on one or two habits to change first. Once that feels good, change another habit. Starting with small changes and building on them is more realistic and sustainable. Lifestyle changes (instead of strict diets and too-intense gym routines) are more effective in the long run.

Breakfast (376 calories)

• 1 serving Avocado-Egg Toast

• 1 medium banana

A.M. Snack (62 calories)

• 1 cup blackberries

Lunch (372 calories)

• 1 servingCurried Chicken Apple Wraps
• 2 medium carrots, cut into sticks
• 3 Tbsp. hummus

P.M. Snack (73 calories)

• 1 Peanut Butter-Oat Energy Ball

Dinner (478 calories)

• 1 serving Grilled Skirt Steak with Corn-Tomato Relish
• 2 cups mixed greens
• 2 Tbsp. Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
• 1 (2-inch) piece whole-wheat baguette

Serve the steak over mixed greens dressed in vinaigrette.

Evening Snack (146 calories)

• 2 cups air-popped popcorn tossed in 2 tsp. olive oil and a salt to taste (1/8 tsp.)

Daily Totals: 1,507 calories, 84 g protein, 158 g carbohydrates, 38 g fiber, 68 g fat, 12 g saturated fat, 2,022 mg sodium

Watch: How to Make Charred Shrimp, Pesto & Quinoa Bowls

Don't Miss!

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