For Leslie in Atlanta re: advice from nutritonist for vegetarian type 2 diabetic

[Guest guest]

Hi, Leslie- I will try to condense what I learned in my nutrition

classes into something short that makes sense. The nutritionist

basically gave me a meal plan to follow with the number of exchanges

I was allowed at each meal following the carb exchange values set by

the American Diabetes Association. The booklet containing that

information lists just about everything you can think of, food

wise. I am allowed a certain number of exchanges (1 exchange= 15

grams of carbs) per meal and per snacks, which include three meals

at set times each day and two snacks, one in the AM around 9:00 AM

and PM around 4:30. Sometimes I am not hungry at that one, so I

just skip it. I get up at 4AM for my job, so my breakfast is at

4:30 AM, Lunch at 12:30 PM and dinner at 6:30 PM. So whatever I

chose ot eat, whether it be fruit, vegetable, pasta, bread, rice,

etc, has to be in the amount to equal the number of exchanges i am

allowed. The protein option are limited because I don't eat meat,

but they gave me other ideas from the list as to what i can use, I

was severly limiting my protein intake due to my diet, so I was glad

to get this information.

 

I am 5'2 " and at 126lbs right now, so they also allot me 1400

calories per day. And as just asn example, I am allowed 2 starch

exchanges, 1 fruit exchange and 1 protein exchange(equal to 5 grams

of protein) for breakfast. SInce I usually can't eat that much as

once, they really streeses this pont-to be sure to eat and

carbohydate and a protein with eat meal and snack. The carbs give

you the fast energy you need, and the protein keeps the carbs from

being digested to fast, keeping the blood sugar from spiking too

high.

 

They also taught us how to read food labels, which was really

helpful. Be sure to check the serving size-there is usually two or

more servings in each can, box and container of food products. The

product you are using shoul have no more than 3 grams of fat per 100

calories, otherwise it is considered an unhealthy product. If a

product is high in fiber, deduct the grams of fiber from the carbs,

and use that number to calculate the exchange information. For

every gram of sugar alcohol of sugar, add 1/2 gram to the carb count.

 

I have been following this for two weeks now, lost four more pounds

with light exercise, and feel full all the time.

 

Hope this helps-feel free to e-mail me privately if you have any

questions.

 

Liz, Orlando, FL