High calorie diabetic diet?

richardheath

I am prediabetic (diagnosed a few months ago), but at about my desired body weight (166 lb @ 5'11"). I'm trying to up my exercise, so I need 2,200 calories per day plus eating back whatever I burn (maybe 6-700 calories if I have a run). I have trouble most days getting enough as it is, so I've been adding protein bars and the likes into the mix.

Today, I ate too much "hidden" sugar, and ended up with bad blood sugar numbers (155 2 h after lunch; 133 2 h after dinner). So I'm just really starting to think - and research - more about just what I'm eating.

Any links to good sites, useful cookbooks or just personal suggestions etc appreciated!

caribougal

Check out www.marksdailyapple.com. Lots of diabetics do very well eating "primal blueprint". I'm not Pre-diabetic but very high risk. I've had gestational diabetes twice, have 2 siblings with it and both parents and on both sides grandparents. I know my only chance of avoiding it or delaying it is through diet and exercise. I am not currently checking blood sugar buti did thru my pregnancies so I have a vey good idea of how my body reacts to different foods, at least when my pancreas was compromized. I can tell that eating carbs mostly from fruits and veggies has stabilized my sugar.

Good luck.

AbsoluteNG

How many calories did your doctor tell you to eat? When you say prediabetic, you mean for type 2 diabetes right? There is really no reason you should be eating your exercise calories back. That's a MFP myth as I have never seen such a thing in a research paper. If there is then someone please post it. You are eating way too many calories a day for someone who is at risk of being a diabetic, at 2700 calories.


Here is some general information that i google searched. When you read this article, make sure you take note that it says absoutely nothing about eating your exercise calories back.
http://caloriecount.about.com/article/prevent_or_reverse_pre_diabetes

Awkward30

While I am not paleo or primal, I think that sort of lifestyle could work better for your situation. And even if you don't do that, you should probably make your own protein bars and such because the more you make stuff yourself, the more you have control over it. No hidden sugar if you don't add any!

Awkward30

How many calories did your doctor tell you to eat? When you say prediabetic, you mean for type 2 diabetes right? There is really no reason you should be eating your exercise calories back. That's a MFP myth as I have never seen such a thing in a research paper. If there is then someone please post it. You are eating way too many calories a day for someone who is at risk of being a diabetic, at 2700 calories.


Here is some general information that i google searched. When you read this article, make sure you take note that it says absoutely nothing about eating your exercise calories back.
http://caloriecount.about.com/article/prevent_or_reverse_pre_diabetes

They don't put it as "exercise calories" but literature consistently shows that the most favorable body composition changes are achieved when the subjects have a moderate caloric deficit from their TDEE, which by definition includes the exercise calories.

A very current and understandable review article on the topic (of course with references to the primary literature if you want more information:
Body composition changes after weight-loss interventions for overweight and obesity
Lidia Santarpia, Franco Contaldo, Fabrizio Pasanisi
Clinical Nutrition Article in press (2012)

AlabasterVerve

Health concerns prompted me to change my diet as well. I think you should look into a low carb diet. I eat LCHF but primal or even a low GI diet would probably work too.

Here's a few links:
Do Low-Carb Diets Help Diabetes?
http://goo.gl/878Hn
Low-carbohydrate diet in type 2 diabetes. Stable improvement of bodyweight and glycemic control during 22 months follow-up
Conclusion
Advice on a 20 % carbohydrate diet with some caloric restriction to obese patients with type 2 diabetes has lasting effect on bodyweight and glycemic control.
http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/3/1/22

And the diet I'm following (never felt better & no more hypoglycemic episodes):
http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf

ETA:
You also shouldn't have any problem reaching your calorie goals on LCHF since the majority of your calories are coming from fat -- calorie dense and doesn't raise your blood sugar at all unlike carbs and protein does to a lesser extent.

AbsoluteNG

How many calories did your doctor tell you to eat? When you say prediabetic, you mean for type 2 diabetes right? There is really no reason you should be eating your exercise calories back. That's a MFP myth as I have never seen such a thing in a research paper. If there is then someone please post it. You are eating way too many calories a day for someone who is at risk of being a diabetic, at 2700 calories.


Here is some general information that i google searched. When you read this article, make sure you take note that it says absoutely nothing about eating your exercise calories back.
http://caloriecount.about.com/article/prevent_or_reverse_pre_diabetes

They don't put it as "exercise calories" but literature consistently shows that the most favorable body composition changes are achieved when the subjects have a moderate caloric deficit from their TDEE, which by definition includes the exercise calories.

A very current and understandable review article on the topic (of course with references to the primary literature if you want more information:
Body composition changes after weight-loss interventions for overweight and obesity
Lidia Santarpia, Franco Contaldo, Fabrizio Pasanisi
Clinical Nutrition Article in press (2012)

Interesting. Have you read it yet? I'm trying to find out how t hey define a modest calorie deficit as in what is the magic number?

AbsoluteNG

Okay, something that I found interesting about the paper is that they prescribed 2600 calories to a group of people but those people actually ate a mean of 1800 calories. I'm still going though it to see what else i can find and i'll post if i find anything interesting.

In this respect, the HED group was unable to achieve the prescribed energy intake of 2,600 kcals•-1; a response which we reported in our initial investigation [3]. Their mean intake of 1,800 kcals•d-1 was approximately 800 kcals•d-1 lower than prescribed, but was still 320 kcals•d-1 greater than the average intake of the other restricted diet groups (e.g., VLCHP, LCMP, HCLP).

AbsoluteNG

I pretty much skimmed the paper and that was all I could find. The part on how much the high calorie group ate is in the second paragraph of the discussion. That group also did exercise.


Edit: Second paragraph of the discussion or press control+F to search the paper for key words.

yarwell

Today, I ate too much "hidden" sugar, and ended up with bad blood sugar numbers

Lots of carbohydrates in your diet, go to http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals_custom and wind the % carbs down to 30 and up the fats to compensate.

You need to look at all carbohydrates not just sugars - in your diary I saw potato, rice, bread, banana all of which come with starch which also increases your blood sugar just as fast as sugar.

richardheath

Thanks everyone! I'll look at the links later.

My nutritionist said 2,200 of which 50% should be complex carbohydrates; 25% fat and 25% protein. I have always assumed that since that is my maintenance amount, any exercise will mean I need to eat more - even before I came to MFP. I'll ask her when I see her on Tuesday, as she didn't specify either way.

BeautyFromPain

I am prediabetic (diagnosed a few months ago), but at about my desired body weight (166 lb @ 5'11"). I'm trying to up my exercise, so I need 2,200 calories per day plus eating back whatever I burn (maybe 6-700 calories if I have a run). I have trouble most days getting enough as it is, so I've been adding protein bars and the likes into the mix.

Today, I ate too much "hidden" sugar, and ended up with bad blood sugar numbers (155 2 h after lunch; 133 2 h after dinner). So I'm just really starting to think - and research - more about just what I'm eating.

Any links to good sites, useful cookbooks or just personal suggestions etc appreciated!

look into clean eating and/or the paleo diet

DonaA123

bump

rhall9058

Thanks everyone! I'll look at the links later.

My nutritionist said 2,200 of which 50% should be complex carbohydrates; 25% fat and 25% protein. I have always assumed that since that is my maintenance amount, any exercise will mean I need to eat more - even before I came to MFP. I'll ask her when I see her on Tuesday, as she didn't specify either way.

My wife is a type 1 diabetic. While it's not me, I will provide the items that we have noticed with her sugars as it relates to this type of "change." The biggest being that you are changing a lifestyle and could potentially stand to visit with an endocronoligist. What the endo will tell you is that exercise will cause a large drop in your sugar, and you need "rapid release" carbs to stay level. What you want to avoid is the slow release or slow peak carbs. Items like pizza, or starchy vegetables. It takes your body longer to break these down and therefore causes the spike after you thought you accounted for it already. So, that said, as it relates to your exercise, fuel your body first, then workout and let that fuel work it's way through. Then for the "after fuel" stick with the lowest amount of carbs. Disclaimer, I'm no Dr., so again, check this with a diabetes educator or an endo, but it should be in the general ball park.

BigGuy47

Your carbs seem very high to me, +300. I'm T2 and I try to keep my between 100 -150. The Paleo tribe keeps their carbs under 50.
Exercise is important for improving your metabolism. Of course you will need to eat more to compensate for the calories burned. A combination of both cardio as strength training is the best approach for diabetics.

yarwell

My nutritionist said 2,200 of which 50% should be complex carbohydrates

Next time you see her, ask her why she is recommending that you eat half of your calories in the form of substances that your body is struggling to cope with.

Complex carbohydrates like the starch in bread hit your blood glucose as fast as table sugar, so "complex" isn't a get out of jail card either.

VenomousDuck

I was type two and totally changed my eating. Now I am totally off all meds and have steady, normal range blood sugar. I mostly reduced carbs for several months to overcome the insulin resistance.

I was first diagnosed with my BS at 477 fasting, so I was in bad shape. 2000 mg metformin a day.

Now, I am free from that and even when I eat carbs, my body reacts like a normal person's.