Glycemic Index Help
Dr. said to limit my carbs to 20 - 30g's a day...what can I eat?!?!?
I went to the Dr. to be checked out for diabetes the other day. I don't have it, but she wants me to "diet" like a diabetic would, drastically limiting the amount of carbs I eat a day to 20 - 30 grams. She said that chicken, lean meats, red meats high in protein, peanuts, egg whites, and salads w/o dressing, croutons, and tomatoes were good, but what about breakfast food and all that? Can someone tell me how to read labels to better understand how many carbs I REALLY take in when I eat? Or maybe send me a link to reading labels better as well as the most updated version of the glycemic index? Seriously, I got a really vague desciption of what I can eat by just being told "proteins, and fruits and veggies low on the glycemic index". How the hell am I supposed to know what ones are low enough for me to eat?! I'd like to have a wide variety of things I could eat, rather than eating salads day after day. Any help whatsoever would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much! Just to clarify, I'm not some total junk food junkie, but I will admit that I am a total pasta and soup lover. I eat about 1,200 - 1,500 calories a day and walk regularly for at least an hour. I know what servings are, and eat equal to or less than the recommended amount on labels. And I'm not an athelete and i'm insulin resistant, so how can carbo-loading or a rant on the importance of carbs for energy really help me when I said they had to be limited?! You don't need like 60% of your daily food intake to be carbs in order to live, especially if you're diabetic or insulin resistant and your doctor says to lay off the carbs...
Public Comments
- labels can try to trick you. look at how many servings per container. then multiply that number by the number of carbs. keep a food jornal if you have to.
- There is a large body of evidence showing a relationship between food consumption and athletic performance. A poor diet will almost certainly have a negative effect on the performance of even the most casual athlete. A good diet with adequate calories, vitamins, minerals, and protein will help provide the energy required to finish a race or simply enjoy a recreational sport or activity. Recommendations The diet recommended for an athlete differs little from the diet suggested for any healthy individual. The food guide pyramid is an excellent resource. However, the amount of each food group needed will depend on the type of sport, the amount of training and the time in relation to activity or exercise. Calorie needs vary with the size, age, sex and physical activity performed by the individual so the number of servings a person requires will vary. CARBOHYDRATES Complex carbohydrates are a diet staple. They are found in foods such as pasta, bagels, whole grain breads and rice. They provide energy, fiber, vitamins, and minerals and are low in fat. Carbohydrate loading (a concerted diet/training regimen) will increase the body's energy stores of a carbohydrate called glycogen. Carbohydrate loading has been shown to improve performance in endurance-type activities lasting more than 1 hour. The classical method of carbohydrate loading has been abandoned and replaced by a modified method which is safer and equally effective at increasing muscle glycogen. The most important factor influencing glycogen stores is to consume 50 - 60% of calories from carbohydrates on a daily basis.
- Diet Guidelines http://www.diabetes911.net/readit/chapter10.shtml Blood Sugar Management http://www.dlife.com/dLife/do/ShowContent/blood_sugar_management/
