Diabetes and Counting Carbs

I am a diabetic and have been for over 9 years.  My Mom had type 2.  Usually that is related to weight but not with my Mom she was, as my brother-in-law once said, 'a bag of bones'.  And yet she was insulin dependent.  I also have other family members who have diabetes who are not overweight - it's just in our genes. When my Mom passed in 2003 I started using her blood sugar monitor.  That's when the challenge began.  My first reading was 230.  My Brother who had been helping me learn how to use the monitor (he's diabetic too) looked at me wide eyed when the reading came up.  Not good.  I had no idea that your blood sugar should be around 100.  So it was off to the Doctor for me.

Fortunately I got a Doctor that wanted to try to help me rather than just putting me on Medications.  So I was off to meet with a dietitian and learn about carbohydrate counting.  After several months of trial and error I was able to control my Blood Sugar with JUST DIET AND EXERCISE.  No medication for me :)

I have had several people ask me how to do it and thought I would share with you all.  Please note that I am not a dietitian and this is 'my' method.  Run it by your Doctor first if you are concerned.  But it's easy - truly.  It's just a matter of assigning a carb amount to the food that you eat and then staying within certain dietary numbers for each meal and snacks.  I will show you how I do it :)

So everything in my life that I eat, that is a carbohydrate, has been given a 15 carb rating.   I do everything by approximations.  Which means some of these meal items are worth a little more and some a little less but they are all worth around 15 carbs each (or a multiple of 15).  Oh, and I drink a ton of water.  Most of my drinking at meals is water.  I would rather use my carbs for something more fun to eat :)

My eating pattern is:
30-45 Carbs for Breakfast
15 Carbs for Snack
30-45 Carbs for Lunch
15 Carbs for Snack
30-45 Carbs for Dinner
15 Carbs for Snack

I should also mention here that I eat 'normal'.  I have no extremes in my diet (not vegan or only organic or DASH or whatever) and I eat junk food and desserts too.  I just work them into the menu. 

So let me give you a basic method for counting:
Meat and Veggies (except those below) are basically free (unless you have a lot of sauce on the meat). 
Starches like Potatoes, Pasta and Rice are measured in 1/2 cups for 15 carbs. 
Fruit (except dried) is also measured in 1/2 cup or a medium sized fruit for 15 carbs.
Bread is 1 slice, 1/2 a bagel and one small roll are all 15 carbs. 
Milk and milk products (like yogurt, cheese and cottage cheese) have carbs too - 1 cup fat free milk, one slice of cheese, one 6 oz container of yogurt and 1/2 cup cottage cheese - 15 carbs. 
Now becareful - some veggies have hidden carbs - especially your yams, sweet potatoes, potatoes, and winter squashes.  Just watch them.  And sauces can kill you if you don't know what is in them.  And if you drink alcohol - this would be a great time to quit since alcohol is high in sugars.

So here is some idea of how I eat:

Breakfast

30 – 45 Carbs

1.  1 serving of Oatmeal and 1 cup of non-fat Milk (45)

2.  1 serving of Kashi without dried fruit, one hard boiled egg and 1 cup of non-fat Milk (45)

3.  1 egg, 1 slice of toast and 1 cup of non-fat Milk (30)

4.  ½ cup peach slices, 1 slice of toast and 1 cup of non-fat Milk (45)

5.  ½ bagel, 1 tablespoon of cream cheese, 1 egg, 1 cup of non-fat Milk (45)

6.  1 Slice French Toast, Sugar free Syrup, 1 cup non-fat Milk (45)

7.  ½ bagel, 1 Tablespoon of cream cheese, ½ cup peaches, water (45)

8.  ½ bagel, ¼ cup cottage cheese, 2/3 cup orange juice (45)

9.  1 quarter Belgian waffle, ¼ cup applesauce or ¼ cup sugar free syrup, 1 cup non-fat Milk (45)

10.  ¼ cup egg beaters, ¼ cup onion, mushrooms and zucchini, 1 Tablespoon shredded cheese, 1 slice toast, 1 cup non-fat Milk (30)

11.  1-8” Tortilla, ¼ cup egg beaters, 1 Tablespoon shredded cheese, 1 breakfast sausage, ¼ cup salsa, 1 cup non-fat Milk (30)

12.  1 serving of oatmeal with milk and 1/2 cup smoothie (45)

13.  1 cup smoothie, a hard boiled egg and 1 slice of toast (30)

*2/3 cup of orange juice may be substituted for Milk

Snack

15 Carbs
1. ½ cup non-fat Milk and 1 slab of Graham Crackers
2. 2 long celery sticks and 1 Tablespoon of Peanut Butter
3. 2 cups popcorn plain
4. Apple with 1 Tablespoon of Peanut Butter (or plain)
5. Sugar Free Jello
6. One serving of fruit*
7. 1-8”tortilla rolled with mustard and deli ham slice.
8. ¼ cup low fat cottage cheese with ¼ cup fruit cocktail
9. ½ cup ice cream, frozen yogurt, no toppings
10. 3 Ritz crackers and 1 slice of cheese
11. ½ cup pretzels
12. 10 peanut butter pretzels
13. 1 cup sugar free hot chocolate

* One Serving of Fruit – ¼ cup raisins, one apple, ½ cup applesauce or peaches or fruit cocktail, ½ banana, one orange, ½ cup grapes

 Lunch

30 – 45 Carbs

1.  1 slice of bread, 3 slices of Deli Turkey, Mustard, one serving of fruit*, water (30)

2.  ½ can of soup, ½ cup carrots** with fat free ranch dressing, one serving of fruit*, water (30)

3.  1 cup chili, one serving of fruit*, water (45)

4.  One 8" Tortilla, 3 slices of Deli Turkey or Ham, Romaine Lettuce, 2 Slices of Tomato and Mustard, one serving of fruit*, water (45)

5.  Chicken Salad – One cup of Lettuce, 1 Tablespoon shredded Parmesan, ½ cup cooked chicken, 2 Tablespoons Dressing, water (30)

6.  1 grilled cheese sandwich, ½ cup carrot sticks**, water (30)

7.  ½ can soup, ½ sandwich, water (30)

8.  ½ peanut butter and jelly sandwich (limit peanut butter to 1 tablespoon and Jelly to 1 Tablespoon), ½ cup carrot sticks**, one serving of fruit*, water (30)

9.  One Hot Dog and Bun, ½ cup carrot sticks**, one serving of fruit*, water (45)

10.  One Corn Dog, ½ cup of carrot sticks**, one serving of fruit*, water  (45)

11.  ½ bagel, Deli Turkey or Ham, Mustard or Fat Free Mayo, Lettuce and Tomato, one serving of fruit*, water (30)

12.  1 slice of bread, Canned Tuna (or Chicken or Beef) made up with celery and fat free mayo, Lettuce, one serving of fruit*, water (30)

*One Serving of Fruit – ¼ cup raisins, one apple, ½ cup applesauce or peaches or fruit cocktail, ½ banana, one orange, ½ cup grapes

** side salad may be exchanged for Carrot Sticks (fat free dressing only)

Dinner

30 - 45 Carbs

BASIC COMPONENTS -  3-4 oz of Meat or Protein (beans), 1 cup of approved veggie (steamed, salad-ed, stir-fried, etc.), 1 serving of carb (1/2 cup rice, medium potato, 1 cup pasta, 1 slice bread), Water or diet soda. 

1.  3-4 oz of Salmon, Large Salad*, 1 slice of bread or 1 med baked or steamed potato, water or diet soda (45)

2.  1 hamburger with low carb bun (no cheese), lettuce, tomatoes, water or diet soda (30)
3.  1 medium slice of beef roll (family recipe), gravy, large salad*, water or soda (45)
4.  1 BBQ Chicken Breast, ½ cup veggies**, ½ cup rice, water or diet soda (15)
5.  1 cup pasta, 1 cup spaghetti sauce with 3 meat balls or 1 cup San Francisco Sauce (My Alfredo sauce made with apple juice), 1 tbs. grated Parmesan cheese, large salad*, 1 dinner roll, water or diet soda (45)
6.  1 hoagie roll, 3 deli slices of roast beef, 1/3 cup au jus, large salad*, water or diet soda (45)
7.  1 slice of pizza, large salad*, water or diet soda (30)
8.  Meat (chicken or Beef) and Veggie** Stir-fry, ½ cup rice, water or diet soda (15)
9.  1 cup Homemade Chili, 1 corn muffin, large salad*, water or diet soda (45)
10.  1 cup twisty pasta salad with chicken on a ½  cup of fresh spinach  (family recipe), water or diet soda (30)
11.  Large Salad* with 1 grilled chicken breast on top, dinner roll, water or diet soda (15)
12.  1 ½ cup of Hamburger Pie (Hamburger, Mashed Potatoes, mixed veggies), water or diet soda (45)
13.  2 Salmon Cakes, cream sauce, large salad*, water or diet soda (30)
14.  Chicana (family crock pot recipe), 2 small 6" tortillas, fat free sour cream, large salad*, water or diet soda (30)
15.  1 ½ cup of beef stew, water and diet soda  (45)
16.  Medium Size Piece of pot roast, 1 medium potato, 1/3 cup cooked carrots, water or diet soda  (30)              
17.  1 Sloppy Fred (family name for Sloppy Joe's), large salad*, water or diet soda (30)
18.  2 slices of Ham, ½ cup rice, ½ cup veggies, water or diet soda (15)
19. 1 ½ cups ham stew (family recipe), water or diet soda (45)
20.  1 med BBQ steak, 1 med baked potato, ½ cup veggies, water or diet soda (15)
21.  Dinner of your choice

** Veggies may include – green beans, corn, peas, mixed veggies, broccoli, carrots, stir-fry zucchini, onion and tomato,

* Salad may include – romaine lettuce, celery, spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, broccoli, sliced almonds, feta, grated Parmesan,

As you can see, I don't starve myself.  I do all the snacks - they are really important for maintaining your Blood Sugar stays constant.  And that is it.  I just did this for months and months and lost the weight I was carrying and my Blood Sugar has maintained it's self.  Enjoy!