If you suffer from diabetes, you're not alone. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 37.3 million Americans, or one in ten, have diabetes. Eating nutritious, quality food is the cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle but is essential for people with diabetes. Skipping meals, lack of mealtime routine, and choosing the wrong food can create dangerously low or high blood sugar levels. Medication can help, but it also requires the right food to maintain or improve your health. Here's how to get started.
Use Meal Prep Services
Planning your meals ahead of time takes the guesswork out of a healthy diet for people with diabetes and puts you in control. If you lead a busy lifestyle or have meal planning fatigue, you can also rely on healthy meal prep and delivery services.
We offer nutritious, healthy food options for individuals and families that make it easy to eat well. Our menus taste amazing and focus on lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and portion sizes so you can feel good about eating. We also offer vegan and athlete-focused meals to enhance your performance and health without skimping on high-quality, nutritious ingredients.
Beyond healthy, healthy meal prep services should also be convenient. We offer a la carte and recurring subscriptions to deliver the meals you need in bulk to help manage mealtime.
Think About Portion Control
Studies show that portion sizes have doubled or even tripled over the last 20 years, negatively impacting our health and waistlines. Portion control is vital to managing your diabetes and blood sugar levels. Reaching for the measuring cups, spoons, and food scales is necessary. If you don't have any measuring tools handy, here are a few quick tips to follow:
- Palm of your hand - Roughly 3 ounces of meat, chicken, or fish
- Thumb from tip to base - 1 ounce of meat or cheese
- Cupped hand - 1 to 2 ounces of nuts or pretzels
Simple strategies can also help, like filling half your plate with non-starchy vegetables, including broccoli and leafy greens. The rest of your plate should be divided evenly to include lean proteins, healthy grains such as brown rice, and a small serving of fruit. You can also keep food containers handy and portion out your food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner to ensure you're staying on top of your food intake.
Keep Whole Food Snacks on Hand
Sugary snacks and processed foods are detrimental to anyone's health but specifically complicate diabetes. Studies show that the high sugar content in processed foods could contribute to insulin resistance, diabetes, and high cholesterol levels.
Instead of pre-packed snack options, reach for fruits, vegetables, nuts, and lean protein sources such as fish, chicken, or turkey. They're good options for diabetes who need to stay full and stabilize blood sugars.
Cook Healthy
You can quickly derail eating healthy with poor cooking habits. Instead of oils for frying, choose healthy cooking methods, including baking, grilling, or broiling. When you need oil, reach for healthy fats like olive oil instead of saturated fats like butter or lard.
Your snack prep should also incorporate healthy cooking habits. Air-pop your popcorn instead of drenching it in oil and better. Or reach for a bag of natural almonds instead of a packaged snack mix filled with excessive portions and sweetened with candy.
Have Go-To Options
Whether you use meal prep delivery services or want to do it on your own, you need a go-to option when things get busy. The time to prep your meals as a person with diabetes isn't when you're starving or don't feel good. Keep some go-to options in your freezer that you know are diabetic-friendly, and you enjoy eating:
- Salmon with vegetables
- Lean meat with a stir fry of vegetables and noodles
- Lean chicken or beef tortillas with vegetables or a salad
As you experiment with more dishes and make healthy eating a habit, you'll grow your go-to options that help fuel your day and satisfy your cravings.
Next Steps
Before you start any eating plan, consult your doctor or a registered dietitian for customized advice and to ensure you meet your nutritional needs.
Ready to reclaim mealtime and make it healthy, flavorful, and able to fuel your day? FitTrax creates macro-friendly meals and dishes with weekly to 21-day meal options. Or choose from our A La Carte option and bulk items to maximize your favorite flavors and nutrients. Get started today.