Now these are MY goals!These are also my sisters goals. We have diabetic specialists watching over us. You might require more Net Carbs per day and so please check with your doctor! Also, those of you NOT having Metabolic Syndrome could have different Net Carb goals. So make sure you check, but in short, Dr. Atkins recommends 20 Net Carbs for greater weight loss and diabetes control and 40 Net Carbs for moderate weight loss.
WARNING: make sure that if you are diabetic or think you are diabetic that the lowering of carbs or raising of fats doesn’t interfere with medications you are taking. Especially insulin! This needs to be carefully managed if you are on insulin! Always, always check with your doctor!
But maybe seeing what I am doing will help you!
My diabetic eating goals
- 20 Carbs if I need to lose weight. Preferably evenly spaced throughout the day. (20 Carbs for weight loss; 30 Carbs for diabetic maintenance for forever.)
- MOST carbs should come from vegetables, at least at first!
- 3 to 4 ounces of protein for three main meals each day.
- A serving of healthy fat for three main meals each day.
If you are like me, I am not going to weigh out meat and cheese. But in realistic terms here are visual size equivalents that I found helpful:
- 1 teaspoon is the size of the tip of your thumb from the knuckle up
- 1 ounce of cheese is about the size of your thumb
- 1 to 2 ounces is a handful (nuts, etc. spread out on your palm)
- 1 cup is about the size of your fist
- 3 ounces of protein is about the size of the palm of your hand
What I know I have to do
- Avoid sugar, refined flour, trans fats and starches. Basically, anything white… avoid. Sadly, this includes most grains and root vegetables.
- Eat high fiber vegetables, protein (fish/seafood, poultry, beef, pork, eggs, soybean), healthy fats (olive oil, avocados, nuts, butter), dairy (cheese, yogurt) and later when I can add more Net Carbs, berries and melons.
- Some legumes, higher starch vegetables and whole grains could be allowed, but go sparingly. You just have to watch your Net Carb count.
It’s that simple. I also discovered:
- Erythritol: Glycemic index 0, insulin index 2 is a diabetics best sugar substitute. Brand name: Swerve. Of course, Stevia is always a good choice. Truvia is a mix of erythritol, stevia and a little sugar.
- This Way of Eating or WOE is higher in fat. Be careful of the sugars you are eating! If you cheat, you may actually gain weight!
Does this mean you are going to starve? On the contrary, I’ve been stuffed full on some days within a 20 Net Carb quota! It is all in how you work your meals and snacks!
You can check out the Atkins’ plans at this link:
You can also read more about going Low Carb at:
