Easy Meal Planning for Diabetics

Meal planning is essential to a successful diabetic diet. It will prevent times when you don’t have anything ready for dinner and grab something that you probably shouldn’t be eating. The planning of meals should begin before you head to the grocery store in the form of a list and meals you are going to make for those ingredients.

Once a week you should sit down and plan what meals you are going to eat and make for the next week. When you are making your meal plan, don’t forget to include all meals and snacks too. If you are hungry and know what your next meal is going to be you are going to be better prepared.

In the beginning, meal planning will take some time. Depending on what diet your are following (the Exchange Diet, Counting Carbohydrates, or the TLC Diet) you are going to have to get used to the foods you can have, the portion sizes and how they can be cooked.

Plan each day out in its entirety. Make it realistic; don’t plan to make lasagna on a night that you know you won’t be home until late. Save the meals with more preparation for when you have time and make extra so you can have left-overs when time is tight.

When you are in the grocery store, do not go hungry. If you do, there is more chance that you will buy food that you do not need. Another trick while you are pushing around the cart is to only get what is on your list. If you are in line paying for your food and notice something that snuck its way in – put it back. This will not only make sure you stick to your meal plan but can save you money too.

Good Carbohydrates and Bad Carbohydrates

A lot of diabetic diets and diabetic meal planning center around carbohydrate intake – the amount you can have and when you should have them. This is because they play such a crucial role in managing blood sugars. Too many carbohydrates or the wrong kind can cause high blood sugars. Not enough carbohydrates can cause low blood sugars or hypoglycemia.

It is recommended that carbohydrates make up about 40% of your daily calories, but not all carbohydrates are created equal. You also need to pay attention to fat and sugar content.

Here are some carbohydrate choices that should be made frequently:

* Whole grain cereals

* Whole wheat breads and rolls

* Brown rice

* Whole wheat crackers

* Raw or lightly steamed fruits and vegetables

* Whole wheat pita pockets or wraps

Carbohydrate choices that should be made less often:

* Potato chips

* White bread

* White rice

* Other foods that have been processed

* Cookies

* Easy to eat snacks

Carbohydrates are an essential part of every diet but make sure you are including the right kinds in yours. Good carbohydrates will fill you up and not create a sudden spike in your blood sugars. Bad carbohydrates are usually over-processed, create high blood sugars, create obesity and are high in sodium.

As carbohydrates are going to make up almost half of your daily food choices it is important to fill you body with high-quality choices. Choose ones that will give you energy and not cause you to gain weight. The less processed or refined a carbohydrate is the better it is going to be for you. Even when baking, choose unbleached whole grain flour. It doesn’t make a big difference in taste but it does in the quality of carbohydrate it creates. Try whole grain flour in pancakes, cookies and cakes.

High-Fat Foods and the Affect on Blood Sugars

All diets should use fat in moderation as it can lead to an unhealthy body weight and heart disease. For a diabetic, controlling fat intake is important for the previous reason in addition to the negative affect it can have on blood sugars. Fats can be put into many different categories – healthy, non-healthy, saturated, non-saturated, trans-fat, and more.

But the bottom line with any of kind of fat is to enjoy in moderation.

Keeping on Track with your Diabetic Diet

Once you have taken the time to plan your meals for the week including snacks and have gone grocery shopping you are all set for a week’s worth of healthy eating. Well, if you can stick to your plan and only eat the foods that you bought you will be. This is easier said than done though. Everyone needs a break from a strict eating plan, but you need to know how to get back on track and stay motivated to follow your diabetic diet.

Different people with have varying reasons as to why it is hard for them to stay on track. For some it may be they are not giving themselves enough variety in their diet from day to day or even week to week. This is an easy dilemma, do some research by talking to other diabetics and your dietician for suggestions on how to mix up your eating plan.

Meal Planning for an Active Diabetic

Physical activity is recommended for any person to stay healthy. But for a diabetic it now only increases energy levels and can help maintain an ideal body weight it also helps to control blood sugars. But an active diabetic needs to take extra care and precautions to ensure they are getting enough fuel for their body so their blood sugars do not drop dangerously low – known as hypoglycemia.

The amount you exercise is going to determine how much you are going to eat on your diabetic meal plan. The more physically active you are the higher your nutritional requirements and the higher your risk is for developing hypoglycemia. The best practice when you are just starting out is to monitor your blood sugars before and after working out and during if you feel it is necessary. It is important to listen to your body and stop if you are feeling light-headed or are experiencing any of the other signs associated with low blood sugar.