- Treat pasta, rice and potatoes as the SIDE dish to your meal, not as the main dish. Instead of making spaghetti with meatballs on the top, switch your thinking. Have meatballs as the main dish with a small side of pasta (size of closed fist). Have a large salad or vegetable as well.
- Carbs are more filling if they are higher in fiber.
- It’s okay to make one dietary change at a time. Change the things you are ready for.
- The model for most restaurants is MOSTLY CARBS. Chicken might come atop 4 cups of pasta (that’s 120 grams!). If you would like to have bread or chips at the meal, it’s a good idea to order a protein with vegetables as your entrée.
- Try to buy foods with 1 ingredient (egg, fruit, vegetable, chicken, fish, beans). Try to buy packaged/processed foods with short ingredients lists — 5 or less is best.
- SUGAR FREE IS NOT CARB FREE. This is a marketing tool. Always check the grams of TOTAL carbohydrate, not sugar grams.
- Grains/crackers—try for at least 3 grams fiber per serving. I like Triscuits, Ak-Mak Crackers, air-popped popcorn or Trader Joe’s Olive Oil Popcorn, or Skinny Pop.
- For sweets try single portion foods like a York Peppermint Patty. Or go for frozen yogurt and keep the bill for your yogurt under $2 if it is self-serve.
- Juices—strictly limit-dilute w/ 80% water.
- Starbucks/Coffee Bean—get a small latte or mocha and get a biscotti or nuts if you want a snack
- If you are unhappy, or finding things difficult, come back and meet with Beth for motivation, guidance and troubleshooting! You can get in touch with me here!
I am a diabetic and regular pasta (or white rice for that matter) makes my sugar soar. I find whole wheat pasta and brown rice are much more tolerated, and has much less affect on my blood readings. Also, I find Trader Joe’s whole wheat pasta to be very palatable and far superior to others.