Wednesday, March 25, 2009

YUM, CEREAL

As you know, the balanced protein and carb diet balances blood sugar because it uses protein to slow down the carbs that enter your blood stream. The rule is: equal amount of protein grams to go with every carb gram, each time you eat.

I like this approach because not only has it helped me lose 110 pounds, but it means I can actually have carbs. Of course, the carbs need to be WHOLE GRAIN, so you get fiber, but it is still possible to have the yummy taste of cereal in the morning without breaking any of the rules.

Step 1: find a good whole grain cereal that has 25gm carbs or less. I like REDUCED SUGAR CINNAMON TOAST CRUNCH.

Step 2. mix a scoop of whey protein with one cup water. I like BANANA SCREAM whey protein from Champion Nutrition.

Step 3. Pour the whey liquid over the cereal and enjoy! at 23 gm protein and 25 gm carbs, it is perfectly balanced.

And, voila! You have all the goodness of those tastes you loved as a kid, without the blood sugar spike.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

NO MAGIC SUPPLEMENTS

I am just as guilty as anyone else who has just been diagnosed diabetic. I went on a frantic search on the internet, looking for what supplements would lower blood sugar. I spent a whole lot of money looking for that magic pill that would mean I could eat like I used to eat.

Let me tell you now, and save you a bunch of money. That magic supplement does not exist.

What works is rebuilding your diet from the ground up, using just in time food, and hitting your target numbers for fat, protein and carbs. This is important because it is best to GAIN muscle as you lose weight and manage blood sugar. It is muscle that burns calories, so if you hit your target numbers for fat, protein, and carbs, you gain muscle as you lose fat. That means you are ramping up your metabolic rate with the food you eat. Over time, it can make quite a difference.

Once you get the hang of hitting those targets, then you can add in supplements that do work. They don't have to fight all the bad food that spikes blood sugar, and the diet produces muscle gain. The payoff comes when you have learned how to plan your meals, eat five or six times per day, and take your supplements.

See my posts on Alpha Lipoic Acid and Benfotiamine, the work horses for diabetes. But hit your target numbers first. No magic here, just good food, and a higher burning metabolism over time.