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Meal planning is one of the key enablers for diabetics to be successful with controlling and reversing their diabetes. Unfortunately, many diabetics don't perform meal planning because they think it's boring, they think it's time-consuming, or they don't know how to properly meal plan -- especially to improve their diabetes and their overall health.
Proper meal planning is all about organization, planning, and good recipes!
From the Author: Mr. McCulley admits that it was very intimidating when he realized everything that he would have to do to manage his diabetes. Trying to navigate through the various activities every day was very intimidating and confusing at times. There was a lot to remember: from pricking his finger 6-8 times a day, to recording the blood glucose readings, analyzing the readings, injecting himself with insulin 4 times a day, taking other medications (i.e. Coumadin, Lipitor), planning meals, preparing the meals, shopping for groceries, making doctor appointments, recordkeeping, and finding time to exercise.
Mr. McCulley was surprised to discover that there was no structured, systematic step-by-step process that would guide him through managing his diabetes on a daily basis, including how to do meal planning -- something he took for granted before he got sick. As a result, once he got well and wrote the book, he decided to develop a set of meal planning diagrams, charts and journal templates that would make it easier for diabetics to perform proper meal planning.
In addition, the author
expanded his Death to Diabetes cookbook to demonstrate that meal
planning is not boring and it's not time-consuming. In fact, proper meal
planning will save time and will save money, and can even be enjoyable.
Key aspects of proper meal planning include:
- How to shop for groceries
- How to read food labels
- How to select the proper foods
- When to shop for groceries and why
- How to save time and money when grocery-shopping
Another
key enabler is meal preparation. Once you purchase the proper foods,
it's very important that you know how to prepare the meals such that you
obtain maximum nutrition from the meals. For example, if you overcook
the vegetables, then, you destroy many of the key nutrients that your
body needs to fight the diabetes.
Key aspects of proper meal preparation include:
- The best oils for salads, cooking, etc.
- How to prepare super meals
- How to prepare quick meals that are healthy
- How to prepare snacks that are healthy
- How to prepare quick lunches
- How to prepare vegetables
- How to prepare vegetable soups
- How to prepare stir-frys
- What herbs/spices to use with what foods
- How to transform comfort foods into healthier foods
- How to transform your favorite meals and desserts into healthier meals
- How to reduce the fat and sugar in your meals but keep the meals tasty
As a result, Mr. McCulley had no choice but to eat the foods that they prepared. Mr. McCulley admits during his lectures that the primary reason that he changed his eating habits was not because it was healthy and good for him -- it was because his mother made him eat lots of vegetables; and, he was afraid of disagreeing with his mother.
But, after his mother, daughter, and sister returned home, Mr. McCulley knew it was up to him to continue eating healthy. But, he admits that he struggled with the grocery-shopping, meal planning, and meal preparation. It was a lot easier to just stop by McDonald's or Kentucky Fried Chicken, or order a pizza from Pizza Hut.
Because Mr. McCulley wasn't much of a cook, he put together some quick charts and diagrams that helped him with his grocery-shopping, meal planning, and meal preparation. As a result, he was able to stick to the diet plan that his mother had started.
But, after a few months, Mr. McCulley found that he was missing some of his favorite foods, i.e. ice cream, apple pie, steak, fried chicken, french fries, pizza. He found it difficult to accept that he could never eat any of these foods every again for the rest of his life!
So, Mr. McCulley used his biochemistry background to analyze these desserts and other foods to better understand how these foods harm our bodies. He then figured out how to transform these foods into healthier versions of his favorite foods!
So, Mr. McCulley added some information in Chapter 14 and the Appendix to help people transition to eating a healthier diet but not feel deprived of their favorite foods! Consequently, it would make it easier to stick with the program.
Note: If you want to make it easier for you to be successful with reversing your diabetes, then, get the popular CD: Diabetes Diet, Nutrition & Food Tips and listen to an explanation of the Diabetes Diet by the author. This will allow you to get started with the program before you finish reading the book.
Diabetic Diet (Low-Carb) Meal Planning
A
low-carb diabetic diet can be an effective way to control your blood sugar, lose
weight and improve your cardiovascular health, as long as you choose
healthy, nourishing foods to make up your low carb meals.
To plan a low carb diabetic diet meal, you should follow the Death to Diabetes Super Meal Model. Another option is to think about which carbs you are going to include first. Once you have determined which carbohydrates you will be eating and how much, you can add protein and fat to make up the main focus of your meal.
1. Calculate the specific amount of carbohydrates you will consume during your meal. This will depend on the specific diet plan you are following and your current phase on the plan. In a plan allowing 20 g of carbohydrates per day --- a typical number for the introduction phase of most low-carb diets --- this may be divided up into 5 g each at breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack. A plan or phase allowing 100 g of carbohydrates per day may give you room for 20 to 30 g per meal.
2. Choose your base carbohydrates from healthy, low-carb vegetables first. Remember that when you look up the carbohydrate content of vegetables, you should subtract the fiber content from the total carbohydrate content, since fiber is not digested. Vegetables with 1 g of carbohydrates or less per 1/2-cup serving include lettuce, bok choy, celery, endive, spinach, cauliflower and cucumber. Other good choices for low-carb vegetables include radishes, peppers, cabbage, eggplant, asparagus, avocado, onion, pumpkin, zucchini, turnips, broccoli and fennel.
3. Add fruits, legumes, cheese, nuts, seeds and whole grains if your diet plan and allowable daily carbohydrate intake allows for it. Some extremely low-carb options include ricotta cheese, almonds, blueberries and sunflower seeds. A diet plan that allows 20 g or more of carbohydrates per meal may give you some room to add a slice of whole grain bread, black beans, apples, peaches, sweet potatoes, carrots, oatmeal or a cup of milk to your meal.
4. Choose a protein to be the focus of your low-carb meal. This could be fish, beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey, seafood or eggs. Your meal may contain more than one protein source, such as an omelet made with eggs and salmon or a soup containing both beef and lamb.
5. Add healthy fats to your meal. Choose monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats such as extra virgin olive, coconut and walnut oils. Cook your meal using a small amount of oil or drizzle oil over your food after cooking.
6. Cook your chosen ingredients as simply or elaborately as you desire. You can use a recipe provided by the Death to Diabetes cookbook or create your own. Simple methods of preparing your low carb meal include gently sauteing the ingredients together in a pan or wok on the stove top, creating a salad with your ingredients or roasting everything in the oven.
Note: If you don't like to count calories, then, just follow the Death to Diabetes Super Meal Model.
Here is a variety of low-carb meal options that will satisfy your taste and hunger, and, will still control your blood glucose level.
Low-Carb Breakfast Options
Skip the toast and eat the eggs. Eggs are often recommended on
low-carbohydrate diets because they supply protein and contain next to
no carbs. Experiment with eggs at home and try them scrambled, yolked
and hard boiled. Pair eggs with lean meat such as turkey, bacon or ham,
and wash them down with green tea or lemon water.
Another option is to try scrambled eggs with ¼ cup of shredded cheddar cheese and ½ cup of chopped tomatoes for 3.5 g of carbohydrates and only 2.5 g of sugar. If you are concerned about cholesterol and fat, scramble four egg whites and make into an omelet filled with 1 cup of sliced mushrooms and ½ cup of cooked spinach for 5.5 g of carbohydrates and just 1.5 g of sugar.
Eggs are a smart breakfast choice on low carbohydrate diets, because they are carb-free and low in fat. If you want a fat-free option, use liquid egg whites. You can incorporate lean ham or turkey bacon into your breakfast, which provide protein without much fat. An asparagus omelet with goat cheese is a healthy breakfast option you can make at home that only contains 6 g carbohydrates and 9 g of fat. This recipe calls for liquid egg whites, eggs, fat-free milk, chopped scallions, chopped fresh thyme leaves, chopped parsley, salt, ground black pepper, asparagus, crumbled low-fat goat cheese and chives for garnish. You can substitute the goat cheese for fat-free cheddar cheese if you wish to further reduce the fat content.
Eggs are high in protein and provide most of your essential vitamins and minerals, according to the American Egg Board. You can boost the nutritional value of your breakfast by turning eggs into an omelet loaded with low-carb veggies such as peppers, onions and mushrooms; or dice up cooked chicken breast, bacon strips or tofu for extra protein. Adding cheese will increase the calcium and vitamins A and D in your breakfast.
Another low-carb egg option for breakfast is artichokes Benedict, which substitutes artichokes for the English muffin. Make diet-friendly Hollandaise sauce with liquid egg substitute, trans fat-free margarine, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard and cayenne. Add Canadian bacon and this breakfast contains only 16 g of carbohydrates and provides 18 g protein.
Another alternative for breakfast is to make homemade sausage by blending together raw, extra lean turkey with 1 tsp. of fennel seeds, a dash of salt, black pepper and 1 tsp. of Italian seasoning. Cook on the stovetop or under the broiler and serve with a low-carb wheat wrap for a breakfast with 11 g of carbohydrates and 1 g of sugar.
A low-carb, low-sugar breakfast can start with eggs. Eggs contain only trace amounts of carbohydrates and no sugar. Try scrambled eggs with ¼ cup of shredded cheddar cheese and ½ cup of chopped tomatoes for 3.5 g of carbohydrates and only 2.5 g of sugar. If you are concerned about cholesterol and fat, scramble four egg whites and make into an omelet filled with 1 cup of sliced mushrooms and ½ cup of cooked spinach for 5.5 g of carbohydrates and just 1.5 g of sugar. Another alternative is to make homemade sausage by blending together raw, extra lean turkey with 1 tsp. of fennel seeds, a dash of salt, black pepper and 1 tsp. of Italian seasoning. Cook on the stovetop or under the broiler and serve with a low-carb wheat wrap for a breakfast with 11 g of carbohydrates and 1 g of sugar.
Other Low-Carb Breakfast OptionsYogurt with Berries: A healthful low-carb breakfast can include fruit, and berries are a solid choice because they are rich in vitamins and antioxidants. Choose plain low-fat or non-fat yogurt and add your own fresh or frozen berries to avoid the added sugar found in flavored yogurts. According to the "Berry Carb Chart" strawberries, raspberries and cranberries all have around 2 g of carbs per quarter-cup serving.
English Breakfast: A traditional English breakfast includes fried eggs, bacon, sausage, grilled mushroom and tomato, baked beans and fried bread, according to Project Britain. You can turn this into a healthy, filling, low-carb feast by omitting the toast and replacing it with extra tomato and mushroom. If you are concerned about fat, swap bacon for turkey bacon and substitute a veggie sausage for meat sausages.
Baked Apple with Cottage Cheese: Apples are low-calorie and may help protect against heart disease and promote digestive health, according to the University of Illinois, and a baked apple makes a simple, nutritious hot breakfast. You should always eat apples with the skin on to get the maximum amount of fiber, which will help you feel full for longer, and to take advantage of most of the apple's vitamin C content, which is just under the skin. Try topping your apple with low-fat cottage cheese and a sprinkling of cinnamon to add calcium, protein and vitamins A and D to your breakfast.
Low-Carb Lunch Options
Salads can actually be filling low-carb lunch options if you load them
with protein. Use spinach in your salad to obtain iron and top it with
your choice of protein such as tuna, salmon, chicken or shrimp. Toss in
more fruits and vegetables for extra vitamins and minerals such as
asparagus, tomatoes, sprouts and avocado, which provides healthy fat.
Vegetables are sources of complex carbohydrates and fiber that won't
spike your blood glucose levels.
Buffalo chicken bites are another lunch option you can make at home with cubed boneless, skinless chicken breasts, hot-pepper sauce or barbecue sauce, trans fat-free margarine, canola oil, salt, freshly ground black pepper and celery stalks on the side. This tasty lunch supplies 16 g of protein and only 1 g of carbohydrates.
Lean turkey wraps are a good low-carb lunch option because they are low in fat and carbs as well as quick and tasty. Spread honey mustard or your low-fat sauce of choice on a slice of turkey. Place a reduced-fat slice of Swiss cheese on top and add spinach, which is packed with vitamins A and K, and potassium. Salads also make healthy low-fat, low-carb lunch options, such as a tuna salad on spinach or grilled chicken salad on watercress and kale. Feel free to load up on nonstarchy vegetables when you make a salad because on many low-carb diets, vegetables are your main source of carbohydrates. Add nutrient- and antioxidant-rich vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus and brussels sprouts.
Another lunch option is to make a large salad made with 2 cups of Romaine lettuce, 1 cup of alfalfa sprouts, 1 cup of radishes and 4 oz. of grilled chicken. Dress with 1 tbsp. of olive oil and the juice of one lemon for 13 g of carbohydrates and 5 g of sugar. You could also make a lunch of 4 oz. of steamed shrimp with ¼ cup of brown rice and ½ cup of broccoli for 17 g of carbs with just 1 g of sugar. Vary your protein choices if you tire of shrimp or chicken. Choose from seared pork tenderloin, lean steak, turkey cutlets, white fish or salmon.
Low-Carb Dinner Options
Fish is a healthy low-carb dinner option because it supplies your body
with protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which support brain and heart
function. Make five-spice salmon on a bed of spinach with finely grated
lime peel, fresh lime juice, extra-virgin olive oil, finely chopped
fresh ginger, Chinese five-spice powder, sugar substitute, salmon
steaks, fresh baby spinach leaves and pressed garlic. This salmon dinner
contains just 5 g carbohydrate and supplies 24 g protein.
Lean meats, such as sirloin steak, turkey breast, ham, duck and chicken are excellent low-fat, low-carb options for the main dish at dinner. Fish is another healthy option and the fat in fish has essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which support heart health. Steak au poivre is a tasty dinner option you can prepare at home, that only contains 7g of fat, 8g of carbohydrates and provides 21 g of protein. The ingredients for this warm, diet-friendly dinner include crushed garlic, crushed peppercorns, beef tenderloin steak that is trimmed of all visible fat, olive oil cooking spray, chopped onion, strips of bell peppers, minced garlic, beef-flavored bouillon granules, ground paprika and fat-free evaporated milk for a saucy finish when mixed with water, bouillon granules, paprika and peppercorns.
Another option is to make tacos by wrapping broiled, extra lean ground beef mixed with chili powder and chopped garlic in leaves of romaine lettuce. Top with a few slices of avocado for 4 g of carbohydrates and less than 1 g of sugar.
Another low-carb, low-sugar option is a thinly pounded chicken breast wrapped around 1 oz. of soft goat cheese and chopped chives. Serve with 10 asparagus spears for 2.5 g of carbohydrates and only trace amounts of sugar. If you need a quick option, simply broil any fish, poultry or lean meat and have it with 1 to 2 cups of green beans, sautéed bok choy, steamed cauliflower or mixed greens for 10 g or less of carbs and 5 g or less of sugar.
Low-Carb Snacks
Keep your blood sugar low throughout the day by minimizing carbohydrate
and sugar consumption. Snack on foods that are low in simple
carbohydrates such as vegetable sticks and hummus, cheese or nuts.
Stuffed baked tomatoes make a yummy after work snack and contain only 4 g
of carbohydrates. The recipe calls for plum tomatoes, shredded
part-skim mozzarella cheese, roughly chopped fresh basil leaves, minced
garlic, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, salt and freshly ground black
pepper.
Dessert Options
Believe it or not, you can indulge in desserts and still adhere to your
diet. Just refrain from commercial and restaurant desserts because they
are generally loaded with unhealthy fat, sugar and simple carbohydrates.
Make healthy desserts at home such as fruit smoothies made with mixed
berries, unsweetened almond milk, ice and sugar-free vanilla pudding or
nonfat plain yogurt.
Meal Planning Made Easy!
If you want to learn quickly how to meal-plan and design super meals and snacks, and how to still enjoy some of your favorite foods (but still maintain good glucose control), then, get the very popular CD "Diabetes Diet, Nutrition & Food Tips" and/or the Meal Planning Tool Kit.
If you want a structured meal planner (with table charts), then, we recommend the Death to Diabetes 90-Day Meal Planner, or the 90-Day Boot Camp Meal Planner.
But, if you're going to get the 90-Day Boot Camp Meal Planner, you may want to get the more comprehensive 90-Day Boot Camp Program because it also contains healthy, balanced recipes.
If you need recipes to help with your meal planning, we recommend the Death to Diabetes cookbook, which also contains and cost-saving and time-saving meal planning ideas.
Note: If you order printed copies of the cookbook and meal planner, we will send free copies of the 6 meal planning tools.
You can also order the Grocery-Shopping & Meal Planning, but that information is included in the cookbook.
If you only need a meal planner for a typical day, then, we recommend the 1-Day Meal Planner or the 1-Day Meal Planning Guide. However, these 1-page planners should only be used as guides or memory-joggers.
If you would like more structure and meal planning guidance to make it easier for you to reverse your diabetes, obtain the cookbook and one of the following meal planners:
If you would like to make meal planning easier, obtain our six most popular meal planning tools to help you on your journey to wellness.
The tools include a color meal planning guide, detailed meal plan, Super Meal Model Meal Plate diagram, favorite foods chart, diabetes management tracking chart, reverse diabetes 10-steps guide, and workshop folder.
The color Super Meal Planning Guide provides a simple overview of what a meal plan should look like for one day. You can use this 1-page guide as a template to design your meals for the rest of the week.
The 4-page detailed Super Meal Plan provides a very detailed meal plan for a typical day, with very specific foods for a healthy breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner.
The Super Meal Model Meal Plate diagram is one of our popular tools because it shows on one piece of paper what your meal plate should look like, plus it identifies the foods to avoid, and it identifies the key supplements for diabetics. This diagram along with one of the meal planners eliminates the need to h ave to count calories! Halelujah!
The Favorite Foods Chart is another popular tool, because it shows a list of everyone's favorite foods and comfort foods in one column, and the alternative (healthier) foods for each of those favorite foods in the adjacent column. Many of our clients use this chart when they go grocery-shopping.
The Diabetes Management Tracking Chart helps diabetics track and record their activities from sunrise to sunset, without having to spend a lot of time writing. Many of our clients use this chart instead of the diabetes journal to track their progress.
The Reverse Diabetes 10-Steps Guide helps clients remember the program's 10 steps that they should be following without having to go back and extract the information from the 400-page book.
Get these popular meal planning tools to save you time, money, and frustration.
If you need help with designing a super meal, a super salad, or a super smoothie, and you're not ready to get the cookbook or juicing book, then, get the How to Design a Super Meal, Salad & Smoothie meal planning guide.
If you only want one or two of these planning tools, then, you can get most of them separately:
Meal Planning Guide
Detailed Meal Planning Charts
Super Meal Model Meal Plate Diagram
Favorite Foods Alternative Healthier Foods Chart
Diabetes Management Tracking Chart
The Reverse Diabetes 10-Steps Guide
90-Day Boot Camp Program
Note: Here's what one of the weekly meal planning table charts looks like:
Here's an example of a blank meal planning table chart that you can fill out to customize to your needs:
To summarize, for the best combination of meal planning, grocery-shopping, and meal preparation, we recommend that you get one or more of the aforementioned 90-day meal planners along with the Death to Diabetes cookbook, and, maybe the Meal Planning Tools.
Note: If you're not sure what you want, just contact our office and we will help you.
