Diet plays an important role in helping you manage your diabetes, and if you are overweight, it may be able to help you lose weight and lower your blood sugar. Following a balanced, low-calorie diet, such as a 1,300-calorie diet, can help you lose the weight and reach your blood sugar goals. Consult your physician before starting any weight loss plan.
Diet Plan
When following a calorie-controlled diet, you can use the diabetes exchange diet plan to help control your calories and balance your intake of foods. On the exchange diet, you are allowed to eat a certain number of servings of food from each of the food groups. A serving of food in each group contains the same amount of calories, carbohydrates, protein and fat, allowing you to exchange items within each group when meal planning. For example, at breakfast, you can exchange 1 cup of milk for a 6 oz. container of sugar-free yogurt. On the 1,300-calorie diet you can have six servings of starch, four servings of meat, three servings of fruit, three servings of vegetables, two servings of milk and three servings of fat. Food servings should be divided as equally as possible among three meals. Eating regular and balanced meals can help you better manage your blood sugar and hunger.
Breakfast
For breakfast, include two servings of starch, one serving of fruit, one serving of milk and one serving of fat. A balanced diabetic breakfast would include 3/4 cup of unsweetened ready-to-eat cereal, 1 cup of nonfat milk, a small banana and 1 slice of whole wheat toast with 1 tsp. of margarine. Make most of your milk choices low-fat or nonfat to help limit your calorie intake.
Lunch
For lunch, you can have two servings of starch, two servings of meat or meat substitutes, one serving of vegetables, one serving of fruit, one serving of milk and one serving of fat. A low-calorie, diabetic lunch sample meal might include a 6 oz. baked potato topped with 2 oz. of low-fat cheese, 1 tsp. of margarine and 1/2 cup of steamed broccoli, served with a 6 oz. container of nonfat, sugar-free yogurt and 17 grapes.
Dinner
Your dinner meal should include two servings of starch, two servings of meat or meat substitute, two servings of vegetables, one serving of fruit and one serving of fat. A sample dinner meal might include a 2 oz. broiled turkey burger on a whole wheat bun, 2 cups of mixed greens with 1 tbsp. of low-fat salad dressing and 1 cup of cubed melon.
