Pre diabetic diet

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Hi I just found out that I'm a pre diabetic. ..I'm nervous to eat..Dr said no bread.pasta.or sweets! They gave me 6 months to get better before I have to start medication. .I need help anybody else prediabetic ..what do you eat?
Dr told me chicken n salad but that seems boring for 6 months lol
Please help!

Replies

  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    If you are overweight, you need to focus on calories, and lose weight. Also add exercise if you are sedentary. Daily, even if it is just a walk.
    Regarding what to eat, at least until you have things under control, avoid refined sugars: candy, soda, added sugar to food etc
    Other carbs are fine, in moderation. It is not so much about avoiding carbs, as spacing out carbs throughout the day. So, a small bowl of pasta might be fine, and a bowl of grapes or two slices of bread, but not all of them at the same meal.
    Check here: http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/planning-meals/diabetes-meal-plans-and-a-healthy-diet.html
    And of course if the dr has given you a meal plan with more specific instructions, follow it.
  • MissElectricEyeliner
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    Even though the Low Carb group gets a lot of hate in the forums, you may want to give it a try. Many diabetics use the low carb method to lose weight and improve health. They might be able to help you out.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-group
  • V_Keto_V
    V_Keto_V Posts: 342 Member
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    The ADA has a good set of Medical Nutrition Therapy on their website. Alternatively, a DASH or Mediterranean diet are pretty similar in terms of what foods are recommended; the ADA is a bit more specific in terms of quantifying kcal and Macro goals, so a combo seems plausible.

    Bust out the pen and paper and let the trial and error begin...self monitoring with blood glucose is helpful too. Seek out a registered dietician if things go astray in terms of planning and execution. The ones ADA certified can help you with self monitoring blood glucose as well (although nurses, pharmacists, and M.D.s can do this as well).
  • gaelicstorm26
    gaelicstorm26 Posts: 589 Member
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    I'm Type II and I eat bread and pasta. It's about portion control. You need a lifestyle that is sustainable. In the diabetic community, a lot of people really believe that pre-diabetes is still diabetes and needs to be treated as such, which means a diet that is low(er) in carbohydrates. It's the simplest thing you can do right away to help stabilize your BG readings.

    A dietitian will be able to help you with meal planning. I focus on getting most of my calories from fat, protein, and lower glycemic fruits and vegetables. I still eat bread and pasta but I measure it out with a food scale.

    Increasing your exercise in important as well. Please note that higher intensity exercises can spike BG for an hour or so but will usually lower your BG for the next 12-14 hours.

    Consider joining the low carb lifestyle group. Many of us are diabetic and eat this way from necessity. It is easy to eat well (and deliciously) without feeling deprived. Remember that you must supplement missing calories from carbs with either protein or fat. Choose the right path for you--something sustainable.

    Best wishes.
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
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    Even though the Low Carb group gets a lot of hate in the forums, you may want to give it a try. Many diabetics use the low carb method to lose weight and improve health. They might be able to help you out.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-group

    I agree - Low Carb is how you will cure yourself! Eliminate Milk, Bread, Pasta, etc, to start.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    edited September 2015
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    V_Keto_V wrote: »
    The ADA has a good set of Medical Nutrition Therapy on their website. Alternatively, a DASH or Mediterranean diet are pretty similar in terms of what foods are recommended; the ADA is a bit more specific in terms of quantifying kcal and Macro goals, so a combo seems plausible.

    Bust out the pen and paper and let the trial and error begin...self monitoring with blood glucose is helpful too. Seek out a registered dietician if things go astray in terms of planning and execution. The ones ADA certified can help you with self monitoring blood glucose as well (although nurses, pharmacists, and M.D.s can do this as well).

    Good suggestions!
    South Beach Diet phase 1 may be a good place to learn as well. And, as others have mentioned a controlled carb/lower carb diet may be a good fit as well. Regardless, I'm SURE you can eat more than chicken and salad....
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    Yi5hedr3 wrote: »
    Even though the Low Carb group gets a lot of hate in the forums, you may want to give it a try. Many diabetics use the low carb method to lose weight and improve health. They might be able to help you out.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-group

    I agree - Low Carb is how you will cure yourself! Eliminate Milk, Bread, Pasta, etc, to start.

    Why would anyone eliminate dairy to treat diabetes?
    And if the OP is overwhelmed by the idea of no longer eating pasta, bread etc, which wsa the original question, why would she follow a low carb diet?
  • umayster
    umayster Posts: 651 Member
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    aggelikik wrote: »
    Yi5hedr3 wrote: »
    Even though the Low Carb group gets a lot of hate in the forums, you may want to give it a try. Many diabetics use the low carb method to lose weight and improve health. They might be able to help you out.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-group

    I agree - Low Carb is how you will cure yourself! Eliminate Milk, Bread, Pasta, etc, to start.

    Why would anyone eliminate dairy to treat diabetes?
    And if the OP is overwhelmed by the idea of no longer eating pasta, bread etc, which wsa the original question, why would she follow a low carb diet?

    Not dairy, just milk.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    umayster wrote: »
    aggelikik wrote: »
    Yi5hedr3 wrote: »
    Even though the Low Carb group gets a lot of hate in the forums, you may want to give it a try. Many diabetics use the low carb method to lose weight and improve health. They might be able to help you out.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-group

    I agree - Low Carb is how you will cure yourself! Eliminate Milk, Bread, Pasta, etc, to start.

    Why would anyone eliminate dairy to treat diabetes?
    And if the OP is overwhelmed by the idea of no longer eating pasta, bread etc, which wsa the original question, why would she follow a low carb diet?

    Not dairy, just milk.

    ???
  • KittensMaster
    KittensMaster Posts: 748 Member
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    Hi I just found out that I'm a pre diabetic. ..I'm nervous to eat..Dr said no bread.pasta.or sweets! They gave me 6 months to get better before I have to start medication. .I need help anybody else prediabetic ..what do you eat?
    Dr told me chicken n salad but that seems boring for 6 months lol
    Please help!

    Eat a lower carb diet. The Dr pointed out the worst offenders.

    Any meat and all fibrous veggies are good for you.

    Exercise to burn the glycogen out of your blood on a regular basis. Fairly long and intense cardio will do that. Consistently doing that will burn calories, help you lose weight if you are eating at the correct calorie amount, and lower your A1C.

    It isn't difficult. Just a daily thing to do.

    I reversed my type 2 by doing that.

    It does matter what you eat. Just eating a deficit will not work well for you if you get lots of high glycemic foods. You need to follow the doctors dietary guidelines and eat at a deficit.

    Check out FairLife milk. Double filtered with half the sugar and 19g of protein per serving.

    Swiss cheese is lower sugar

    There are some low carb pasta products out there.

    Exercise is your friend.






  • umayster
    umayster Posts: 651 Member
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    aggelikik wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    aggelikik wrote: »
    Yi5hedr3 wrote: »
    Even though the Low Carb group gets a lot of hate in the forums, you may want to give it a try. Many diabetics use the low carb method to lose weight and improve health. They might be able to help you out.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-group

    I agree - Low Carb is how you will cure yourself! Eliminate Milk, Bread, Pasta, etc, to start.

    Why would anyone eliminate dairy to treat diabetes?
    And if the OP is overwhelmed by the idea of no longer eating pasta, bread etc, which wsa the original question, why would she follow a low carb diet?

    Not dairy, just milk.

    ???

    Just clarifying that milk is the only dairy that has much in the way of carb count.

  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    I was pre-diabetic for years, holding off full diagnosis through careful diet, diabetic type 2 for years, and now in remission from significant weight loss.

    As soon as I was diagnosed pre-diabetic I started eating like one and I generally keep to these principles to this day.

    First of all, work to have a "balanced plate" at every meal. This is easy to visualize and is likely the best advice I ever got.

    http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/planning-meals/create-your-plate/

    The second is to get used to eating on a routine. Eat at the same time every morning. Have a small snack two hours afterwards. Lunch at the same time and so on.

    You will be taking over your blood sugar balance that most people allow the pancreas to do for them. You want to get a balance of fat, carb, and protein in every meal.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    jgnatca wrote: »
    I was pre-diabetic for years, holding off full diagnosis through careful diet, diabetic type 2 for years, and now in remission from significant weight loss.

    As soon as I was diagnosed pre-diabetic I started eating like one and I generally keep to these principles to this day.

    First of all, work to have a "balanced plate" at every meal. This is easy to visualize and is likely the best advice I ever got.

    http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/planning-meals/create-your-plate/

    The second is to get used to eating on a routine. Eat at the same time every morning. Have a small snack two hours afterwards. Lunch at the same time and so on.

    You will be taking over your blood sugar balance that most people allow the pancreas to do for them. You want to get a balance of fat, carb, and protein in every meal.

    This is all great advice.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    I am another prediabetic. I essentially cured myself by eating a low carb high fat (LCHF) diet; I generally eat very low carb and am in ketosis. The LCHF diet does work. My fasting blood glucose is out of the prediabetic range (except while I am sick -boo) and my blood glucose levels are very stable; usually between a 4 and 5.5.

    The first couple of weeks of giving up starches is a bit hard, but if you go very low carb (below 50g per day) you will probably lose your carb cravings. I was amazed at how mine went away within the first week.

    Going low carb usually involves dropping foods made from flours (bread, muffins, etc.), potatoes, rice, corn and other grains, foods with added sugars (beyond a very small amount), and some fruits are restricted (like bananas which have a lot of sugar in them).

    The majority of your diet would be meats, eggs, cream and cheese, coconut, avocado, nuts, olives, butters and oils, (full fat) salad dressings, and veggies (kale, cucs, celery, spinach, peppers, broccoli, etc), and a few berries.

    I disagree with much of what @jnatca wrote because it wouldn't work for me, but we have very different ways of eating, and it obviously worked well for her. It may work for you too.

    But, you don't need carbs at every meal. Most people do not need to consume carbs at all, but I won't deny there are benefits (taste being one) to eating good veggies. As for the starchy carbs and sugar, I believe people don't need those at all, and any beneficial nutrients can be attained from other sources.

    Staying LCHF will balance your blood glucose simply because you aren't raising your glucose levels. My highest BG reading of the day is usually my morning one (FBG); as soon as I eat LCHF, it starts to drop.

    Check out the Low Carber Daily for more info. Good luck.
  • w117seg
    w117seg Posts: 14 Member
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    My father-in-law is Type II and almost every day he will eat a Chipotle salad. With the right ingredients he can have a pretty mega salad and stay low carb. He doesn't eat the dressing, and I'm pretty sure he gets the guac...