At risk for Diabetes, struggling to get enough calories...

A person cannot do IIFYM and a pre diabetes diet 100%. There will be some COMPROMISES.

Seriously get back to that doctor for more instructions. Ask to see a dietitian for nutritional counseling.

You might need more fats. Keep the carbs low and increase the fat.
For example, Greek yogurt for breakfast can be the full fat (10%)
Have the chicken with skin.
Have full fat milk.
Instead of chicken nuggets order the sandwich but take the bread off.
Subway does not have good low carb options. Perhaps only eat half the bread on the sandwich.
Here is a link about low carb and fast food.
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/eatingout/a/lowcarbfastfood.htm

Good luck.

Of the 3 macros only fat does not affect blood glucose levels. Both proteins and carbs are metabolized and can raise blood sugar levels. However protein does so much more slowly than carbs. Excess protein is not converted to fat unless you are eating at a calorie surplus.

I am a type 2 diabetic, I try for 40% protein, 30% fat and 30% carbs. I aim for my protein goal first and don't worry about going over. To reach my protein goal I include supplements in my diet.. I use my carb goal as a maximum. I make up the rest with fat. These percentages are more along the lines of IIFIYM and differ what my diabetic educator recommended. The diabetic educator actually had more carbs.

The biggest thing you can do as a pre-diabetic is to lose weight. Losing weight will make your body more sensitive to the insulin it is already producing. As I have lost weight I have gone from insulin dependent (1 shot per day) to no insulin. I have seen my A1C drop from 10.5 to the non-diabetic range. Hopefully after the next blood work I will be able to start weaning myself off metformin as well.

You're over thinking this... I was diagnosed early last year and anything below 5.7 is NOT diabetes but you are right on the line... I had yearly checks and I went from 5.3 to 7.8 in one year. My body was a mess. I weighed almost 250lbs and had zero exercise and ate nothing but crap. I had let myself go for the last 10 years or so and paid the price... sad because I was always into sports and lifting weights but let all that lapse.

Now for the good news... I have no sign of diabetes anymore. My A1c is pretty rock steady at 5.1 and has been since about 3 months after I was diagnosed. It's been at that level for over a year now. I can never say I don't have diabetes because it's like luggage, once you have it, you always have it, but it's 100% controllable (type 2) and wasn't that hard to fix. My doctor is still amazed how fast I turned it around.

If you can, see a dietitian, they will fill you in on the **** you shouldn't eat, but it's not complicated. This was my process

#1- Stay AWAY from high glucose loads. That means NO white bread, NO white pasta and NO insane sugary treats like chocolate bars, butter tarts and such, although once in a while it won't hurt you. Brown breads (whole grains) and such are fine. For some, like me, it was an acquired taste, but now I love it. When I do have the odd regular pasta I find it tastes like crap, and much prefer the whole wheat stuff now. Some are better than others so try a few brands and you will find one you like.

#2 -EXERCISE... I went nuts and got back to my college workout routine until the lbs came off. I lost 65 lbs in three months. Kept a diary of my food intake until I found this site which made it easier. That was it, no sign of diabetes for over a year now.

Exercise I did was what I knew... Started lifting again HARD...about 2 hours a day 6 days a week and worked my way up to a 1 hour jaunt on my elliptical machine and the weight came off fast! I got down to 185 lbs or so and went from a 40 waist to a 36. I am now at about 200 lbs with still a 36 waist. Goal is 210 with a 34 " waist, and I have no doubt I will hit it but I did get tennis elbow which is finally healing, that slowed me down for about 3 months!

Once the weight was off there is no need to do insane workouts, but I do enjoy them now and don't think I will ever stop. I work out with weights 4 days a week and do 5 days of cardio for about 30 minutes now. Wednesday is no lift day but I do cardio and take the weekends off completely.

Your very lucky that you've caught this early. You will be able to beat this back. I wish I had my medical done maybe 6 months early and I could have done the same, but it's still working out well for me.

Hope this made sense. Friend me if you need more info and fire me a message!

Cheers,

Mark