For diabetics, weight control is not a choice but a necessity. Maintaining a healthy weight is essential to maintaining healthy blood sugars. With proper monitoring and medication, diabetics can eat essentially any food, as long as meals are prepared properly and paired with regular exercise.
Portion Size
One of the most important issues to master in meal planning is portion control. The portions generally eaten today are much larger than necessary. Having small portions split up throughout the day can help maintain steady blood sugar levels and keep the metabolism working steadily throughout the day.
As a general rule, portions should be about the size of your fist. Plan meals with small portions of various food groups---for example, a small chicken breast, a scoop of rice and a salad.
Planning Ahead
Coming up with the week's meals in advance is time-consuming but helps enormously with weight management. Plan meals and snacks ahead of time and go shopping once a week to eliminate impulse purchases.
Carbohydrates can be dangerous for both diabetics and those trying to manage their weight. Carbohydrates are broken down into sugars, which affects glucose levels. Complex carbohydrates come from foods that can be broken down into nutrients, such as rice, whole grains and fruits. Simple carbs are more harmful. Candy and sodas contain carbohydrates but cannot be broken down into useful nutrients. When planning meals, keep carbs at a minimum---less than 50 percent of your diet. This doesn't mean to overload on meat and eliminate carbs all together. Instead, include a small portion of carbs in each meal. This will provide a filling meal with fewer calories.
Buying frozen or prepared foods can help with meal planning, but be sure to watch out for sodium, which is generally used in high levels to preserve canned and prepared foods. Sodium is linked to problems like high blood pressure, which is especially dangerous for diabetics. If you buy canned veggies, rinse them with water before use to reduce the sodium content.
Snacking
Snacks are important in meal plans. Eating smaller meals two or three times a day is an unrealistic expectation for most people and can lead to binge eating when it's finally time for dinner. Instead of snacking on chips or cookies, eat vegetables or fruits with cheese or peanut butter. These snacks provide protein without a lot of added fat. Crackers can make good snacks but be sure the sodium content is low.
Many diabetics turn to sugar-free foods to satisfy cravings for sweets, but this may not be wise. Sugar-free foods contain sweeteners, many of which are artificial and are generally bad for you---some are linked to cancer. Each person is different, but for many diabetics, having sweets means simply having one cookie instead of three, or taking a smaller slice of cake. Popsicles with real fruit and frozen yogurt are also healthy ways to get sweet foods without artificial ingredients.
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