I have dropped from a Hba1c of 91 at diagnosis by lowering my carbohydrate intake to what my meter shows give normal levels for me.
My Hba1c was at the top end of normal at the last test, ad I'll take that - but I did need to remove foods with sugar, grains and anything starchy such as potatoes, rice, pasta - so I lived on protein and fat mostly, until I saw lower BG levels after eating. I did eat low carb foods - I set a limit of 10 percent - but that does leave lots of variety, even allows for small bowls of frozen berries and cream a couple of times a week - but to advise a diabetic to eat plenty of fruit shows a degree of ignorance which is quite breathtaking when it is from a doctor.
To maintain your weight you should find that eating plenty of meat, fish, cheese, eggs, and other proteins with fats will do it, plus having cream in coffee and on the small portions of fruit as you can tolerate it - then add in low carb veges, salad stuff, with salad dressings - nothing low fat or coated.
I always laugh when I see things advertised as made from things such as 100 percent cod or chicken breast and not mentioning that it is then fitted with a thick layer of solid and cheap carbohydrate to make it look bigger and feel that you've eaten something.