Meal Plans

[dlife]

I am trying to collect some new ideas to include into my diet. Please do share your regualr meal plans here. Is there any thread about meal plans or food journals on the site?

[fgummett]

I don't plan my meals... although I strive to have breakfast every day and other meals at regular intervals. I eat freely of the foods I listed in the thread you were in recently by riosmom. I don't count calories but I do avoid carbs... I may effectively end up eating fewer calories, as this kind of food is rich and self-limiting... try eating a stack of toast and jam as opposed to a stack of pork-chops ;)

[EdnBama]

I don't have meal "plans" either. I try to be aware of the carb content of the foods I'm eating ... and keep a rough idea of calories and fat but I don't track it or plan that strictly.

[dlife]

Makes sense. You can follow a strict meal plan at the most for one month without deviation...but making small, healthy changes in diet and just being aware of what's going inside would be more practical. Thanks Frank and EdnBama.

[pdxdennisj]

I don't "plan" meals. Since I'm a type 2 and my medications and my meds are constant I try to keep my carb intake constant. I have a number of alternatives for each meal that I have found work for me diabetes wise. I just keep stocked up on the stuff that works. Every once in a while I have a "crazy day". In my case I try to keep my breakfast and dinner carbs in the 30-40 range and lunch in the 20-25 range.

[EdnBama]

You are welcome, dlife.

[davef]

I'm with the others, I don't follow a meal plan per se, that's far to hard (for me) to maintain over a long period. What I have done over the past year is eat by my meter. I test before and two hours after each meal, that way I have learned how various foods affect my BG levels and this enables me decide what to eat, what to eat sparingly and what to avoid. I find this gives me a more "normal" approach to the eating side of life.

Like Ed, I strive to be aware of the number of carbs I have in a meal and I try to keep the number of carbs relatively low or at the very least balanced with fiber.

[riosmom]

Yesterday my husband and I went to breakfast at our favorite local restaurant. They offer a breakfast buffet (at a great price of $6.95 per person!) He dined on egg and cheese omelets, breakfast sausage links, bacon, grilled sliced smoked sausage, & ham slices. He had two big plates! Two hours later his BG was.........85! He had little or no carbs. Felt full and satisfied for hours. When he was first diagnosed he felt really sad because he knew his days of donuts and french fries were over. But he loves meat, so I told him, "Hey it's like you've won the Meat Lovers Lottery. Now you can eat all you want, lose weight and be healthy" It changed his perspective of the whole situation.

[dlife]

David, that's a neat approach. I'd like to follow that too, eating by the meter. Your a1c is fantastic. Kudos to you :-)
Riosmom, that's what they call looking things on the brighter side, that makes to see them in a totally new perspective. Glad it's working for your hubby,you should be really appreciated for being such a supportive wife.

[dlife]

I am sorry....my smiley always has horns...didn't figure out yet how to remove them..looks so mean.

[davef]

David, that's a neat approach. I'd like to follow that too, eating by the meter. Your a1c is fantastic. Kudos to you :-)


All I can say is that it's what I learned here on the forums and has certainly worked for me. When I was DX'ed I was initially told to test morning and night (just twice a day). After joining here I spoke to my Doctor and explained that I really didn't see what I would gain or learn from so little testing, he completely agreed with me and wrote a new script for more test strips. I tend to test:

Morning for FBG
Before Lunch
2 Hours after Lunch
Before driving home (or anytime I drive)
Before dinner (unless I eat shortly after arriving home)
2 Hours after dinner
Before Bed

Some days (now that I understand how most of my meals work for me) I don't test as much. I always test after eating out, eating something new or eating something I normally avoid. It's easy to avoid testing when you know you have eaten something that does not work for you, but do test as it will remind you why you avoid certain things.

For example last night we brought the children to see Madagascar 2 (which is really funny) and then as a last Holiday treat we all went to TGI Friday's for dinner. I ordered a burger but got them to hold the bun, I hardly touched the fries but "treated" myself to done onion rings (supposedly to share but I know I ate most of them). I tested 2 hours PP and was at 169 (9.4) :eek: So now I know to either avoid the onion rings or to only have very very few.

I have certainly found that eating by the meter allows me to eat more "normally", be in control of my diet without too much trouble, control my numbers and either lose or at least maintain my weight.

Give yourself time to learn, if you slip, then pick yourself up and put the slip behind you, mark it down as a lesson learned and move on.

[dlife]

So testing is the key factor in our diet, is it? I am not testing as much yet...but I should admit though I frequed out about pricking my fingers so many times a day before, now it's more like a game, I eat something very good and can't wait to check how it had lowered my numbers. I need to do more experimenting though with different types of foods.

Glad that you and family had a great time David. Madagascar 2, cool. Did you watch it in Imax? Your last sentence in the above post makes a good quote btw..I am gonna save it, it's very inspirational :)

[princesslinda]

Testing truly is key. For me, it's an accountability. I watch what I eat as I know i'm going to do that 2 hr test. Also, you can't always go by how you feel...something might push you high and you still feel fine, so unless you test, you won't know the best foods to eat.

[dlife]

Very true PrincessLinda. Testing is accountability, so helps us keep the control.