How to Start a Diabetic Meal Planning Program

Day one at the Diabetic Food Addict, today I start counting calories and setting up a diet that will keep me on track. I have chosen a diet of 2,000 calories because that is the recommended amount for a larger man who is looking to lose weight.

Most of the websites I've visited recommend the services of a dietitian for this task, but I don't have that option. Thank you very much health insurance plan that doesn't cover squat until I've already paid out $3,000 that I don't have.

This video will help you understand how important it is to maintain a well balanced diet:

Without the services of a dietitian I have printed out the various diabetic exchange lists from the Mayo Clinic website. I then printed out the information I found for making a Diabetic Diet Weight Loss Plan. This was very helpful as it laid out how many exchanges (servings) of each food group should be included in a specific calorie diet. In my case for a 2,000 calorie diet I needed the following:

8 Starches
2 Milk and Yogurt
4 Vegetables
2 Meat or Meat Substitutes
3 Fruit
Up to 4 Fats

All this information is a bit over whelming when you have it printed out and laying in a pile to look at. I decided the best bet might be to list out the foods I normally eat and see just how far out of line I was. The best tool to accomplish this is the Nutritional Label found on all food packaging.

The serving size listed on the packaging may be different than the serving size on the exchange list, it's a simple matter to decipher how many exchanges there are to the package serving size. Divide the Mayo Clinic figure by the package figure and you will come up with the actual exchange value.

In short order I discovered that there are many little things I can do to improve my diet and reduce my calorie intake. First off the bowl of shredded wheat I customarily have for breakfast is half the calories of the bowl of Grape Nuts I sometimes alternate with. Plus the gob of peanut butter I have been adding to the bowl of cereal wipes out most of my meat and fat allowance for the day. There will be some changes needed here.

This whole process is going to be a major adjustment for me, I have a more than hearty appetite. Measuring quantities and calculating calories is time consuming. This will slow me down from my usual goal in eating, filling my hungry stomach. I suppose that's a good thing.