So confused about the gestational diabetes carb diet!! HELP PLEASE!?
Posted by admin on Oct 12, 2009
This is so confusing. I need to know if this is alright. I just started my gestational diabetes low-carb diet. My three meals a day range from 30-45g of carbs while my three snacks range from 15-30g of carbs. I don’t want to keep eating just turkey sandwiches and fruits and vegetables. Would it be ok if I ate the following, as long as it is within carbohydrate guidelines?
For example ..
(3) chicken strips from Sheetz w/ nacho cheese – 26g carbs, no sugar
Grilled chicken wrap from Sheetz w/ cheddar cheese, cooked peppers & onions, bacon, & tomatoes – 31g carbs, 3g sugars
McChicken from McDonald’s w/o the bun, mayo, & lettuce (just the plain chicken patty) – 10g carbs
Can I eat this stuff (obviously not at the same meal or anything) since it’s within the carb guidelines I am supposed to follow?
Also .. some more examples .. not that I want to eat this stuff daily or anything, just using these as examples ..
Low Carb Options (each under 10g* of carbs):
• Low Carb WHOPPER® Sandwich* • (3g)
• Low Carb WHOPPER® Sandwich w/ cheese* • (5g)
• Low Carb DOUBLE WHOPPER® Sandwich* • (3g)
• Low Carb DOUBLE WHOPPER® Sandwich w/ cheese* • (5g)
• Low Carb WHOPPER JR.® Sandwich* • (1g)
• Low Carb WHOPPER JR.® Sandwich w/ cheese* • (2g)
• Low Carb BK™ Double Stacker Sandwich* (5g)
• Low Carb BK™ Triple Stacker Sandwich* (6g)
• Low Carb BK™ Quad Stacker Sandwich* (6g)
(They all come without the bun!)
My numbers weren’t that bad they said, they didn’t give me exacts though, I’m going to ask them next time I go in. I’m not asking you to verify if my diet is good — I just want to know if I am counting carbs for a diabetic diet could I eat this stuff since the carbs are within guidelines? Obviously not for every meal every day, but maybe one meal a week or something like that.
Just to add — my levels today were -
Fasting – 81
1 hour after breakfast – 103
1 hour after lunch – 105
(didn’t have dinner yet .. and YES my doctor has me monitor ONE hour after a meal, not two!)
Your doctor or nutritionist would better be able to answer your question. I had GD with my second baby and was on a GD diet to control the diabetes, and never had to follow a diet like yours. There were a few things I had to avoid obviously like real sugar and items that are considered the not so good carbs, but I guess my GD was more under control than yours. I do not know what your test scores have been.
Just diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes–diet suggestions?
Posted by admin on Oct 9, 2009
Hi,
Anyone who has been diagnosed with GD, can you help me with suggestions for meals and snacks? I have heard that breakfast is an especially difficult one, so any help would be greatly appreciated. I am being put on the GD diet, as I failed the 1 hour and one of the 3 hour blood tests w/glucola, though I am not sure if it is "full blown" or if my doc is taking precautions for the baby & my health. Either way, I gotta do this, so let me know what you eat!! Thanks:)
I had Gestational Diabetes as well.
My dietician suggested that I have 30 carbs 3 times a day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Then I would have 15 carb snacks in between these as well.
I liked Slim Fasts for breakfast. They are 23 carbs and have a lot of vitamins. Then I would have a banana or an apple, which is about 5 carbs.
Snacks were harder, but I liked string cheese, which is only about 1-2 carbs, I also liked Nature’s Valley Peanut flavored granola bars. They were 19 carbs a piece and the only granola bar that I could find that wasn’t way over in carbs.
Just pay close attention to the carbs on the labels and serving sizes. I made it the whole way through my pregnancy with just diet changes and never had to go on insulin. It is hard at first, but the longer that you are on this diet the easier it will seem.
Just diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes–diet suggestions?
Posted by admin on Oct 9, 2009
Hi,
Anyone who has been diagnosed with GD, can you help me with suggestions for meals and snacks? I have heard that breakfast is an especially difficult one, so any help would be greatly appreciated. I am being put on the GD diet, as I failed the 1 hour and one of the 3 hour blood tests w/glucola, though I am not sure if it is "full blown" or if my doc is taking precautions for the baby & my health. Either way, I gotta do this, so let me know what you eat!! Thanks:)
I had Gestational Diabetes as well.
My dietician suggested that I have 30 carbs 3 times a day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Then I would have 15 carb snacks in between these as well.
I liked Slim Fasts for breakfast. They are 23 carbs and have a lot of vitamins. Then I would have a banana or an apple, which is about 5 carbs.
Snacks were harder, but I liked string cheese, which is only about 1-2 carbs, I also liked Nature’s Valley Peanut flavored granola bars. They were 19 carbs a piece and the only granola bar that I could find that wasn’t way over in carbs.
Just pay close attention to the carbs on the labels and serving sizes. I made it the whole way through my pregnancy with just diet changes and never had to go on insulin. It is hard at first, but the longer that you are on this diet the easier it will seem.
Question about gestational diabetes….diet?
Posted by admin on Oct 6, 2009
I took my first glucose test and the cut off is 130 and mine was a 146, so they want me to come back in next week and take a 4 hour test..but..they put me on a 3 day diet…Here’s what I don’t understand…
It’s a High Carb diet? It has breads, pastas, potatoes, milk, jelly, cereal, etc on it I can eat as much as I want I just can’t eat what’s not on the list? Why would they want me to up my carbs instead of decrease???
Thanks!!
The purpose of the diet is not to treat your possible gestational diabetes, the purpose of the diet is to prepare you for the 4 hour test… to load up your blood stream with carbs to see how your body metabolizes carbs and sugars.
The four hour test will consist of drinking a glucose liquid then a blood test every hour for 4 hours. Each blood test will show how your body processes the glucose.
If it is determined that you do have gestational diabetes, you will no doubt be put on restricted carbs. But for now, follow your doctor’s advice about the test. You want to have an accurate reading.
Best of luck, sweetie. I hope everything turns out alright.
Question about gestational diabetes….diet?
Posted by admin on Oct 6, 2009
I took my first glucose test and the cut off is 130 and mine was a 146, so they want me to come back in next week and take a 4 hour test..but..they put me on a 3 day diet…Here’s what I don’t understand…
It’s a High Carb diet? It has breads, pastas, potatoes, milk, jelly, cereal, etc on it I can eat as much as I want I just can’t eat what’s not on the list? Why would they want me to up my carbs instead of decrease???
Thanks!!
The purpose of the diet is not to treat your possible gestational diabetes, the purpose of the diet is to prepare you for the 4 hour test… to load up your blood stream with carbs to see how your body metabolizes carbs and sugars.
The four hour test will consist of drinking a glucose liquid then a blood test every hour for 4 hours. Each blood test will show how your body processes the glucose.
If it is determined that you do have gestational diabetes, you will no doubt be put on restricted carbs. But for now, follow your doctor’s advice about the test. You want to have an accurate reading.
Best of luck, sweetie. I hope everything turns out alright.
Gestational diabetes & diet .. ?
Posted by admin on Oct 3, 2009
I have GD, I was borderline with my GTT (just one or two points over on two tests) so I was diagnosed .. I follow my diet strictly and never slip up at all. Not even think about it. This is since week 29 or 30 and I am now at 36 weeks and 1 day. My baby shower was today and I had a piece of cake. Did anyone else do this? I also ate some turkey stuffing, and a cheesecake cupcake. This is all I ate that had any carbs, though. I’m scared something will happen to the baby now! Anyone else deal with this?
Nah, you’re fine. One day off the wagon isn’t enough to significantly affect the baby’s weight gain. As long as you don’t make a habit of it you’re fine.
Also, cheesecake doesn’t send my blood sugars up. I think there’s so much fat in it as well as some protein!
I had a piece of cake at my shower, too. Don’t worry, it won’t be too long before the baby is born and you can relax about food.
Gestational diabetes & diet .. ?
Posted by admin on Oct 3, 2009
I have GD, I was borderline with my GTT (just one or two points over on two tests) so I was diagnosed .. I follow my diet strictly and never slip up at all. Not even think about it. This is since week 29 or 30 and I am now at 36 weeks and 1 day. My baby shower was today and I had a piece of cake. Did anyone else do this? I also ate some turkey stuffing, and a cheesecake cupcake. This is all I ate that had any carbs, though. I’m scared something will happen to the baby now! Anyone else deal with this?
Nah, you’re fine. One day off the wagon isn’t enough to significantly affect the baby’s weight gain. As long as you don’t make a habit of it you’re fine.
Also, cheesecake doesn’t send my blood sugars up. I think there’s so much fat in it as well as some protein!
I had a piece of cake at my shower, too. Don’t worry, it won’t be too long before the baby is born and you can relax about food.
I have gestational diabetes. What should my blood glucose be THREE hours after a meal?
Posted by admin on Sep 30, 2009
I’ve been doing so well with this gestational diabetes diet that I’ve grown a little bored testing. But today (I’m 36 weeks and two days pregnant), I had a small lunch OUT at a restaurant, where I didn’t really know exactly how many carbs I consumed. Probably too many carbs and not enough protein. My one-hour-post-lunch test is supposed to be less than 140, per my doctor, but it came back high: 159. Opps. So I had a bad lunch after all. But after two hours, I tested again, and it was 175! 120, I am told, is what the max should be after two hours. What should my level be after three hours? Everything I find online gives the levels for the three-hour glucose screening test. This is just a regular after-meal test, three hours later instead of one or two.
I failed my glucose screening test primarily because my sugar after two hours went higher when it should have gone lower. But I don’t want to have my afternoon snack before my blood sugar comes back to a level where it should.
Gestational diabetes is a form of Type II Noninsulin Dependent Diabetes, which is a risk factor for the development of diabetes in the nongestational state.
Gestational diabetes is associated with a number of pregnancy and newborn problems and complications the most common being excess weight gain by the mother and the delivery of a newborn who is heavier/larger than would be otherwise expected.
Your blood glucose level 3 or more hours after any meal should be close to that of a fasting level which is in the 75-125 mg/dl range. A single reading of 159 or even 175, if your other glucose readings are in the range I quoted, is not something to worry about. The effects of diabetes are due to prolonged exposure to elevated blood glucose levels.
Review your dietary recommendations as your glucose level at any point in time is due to three factors:
1. Your total recent caloric intake (not the proportions of carbohydrates, protein and fats).
2. Your recent energy expenditure (exercise!).
3. Any medication you may have taken for diabetes.
While overall the proportion of carbohydrates, protein and fat is very important in the control of diabetes all of these food sources will raise your blood glucose (not gram for gram equally). Testing your glucose at one and two hours after eating is going to provide you with confusing results due to the unpredictability of pancreatic insulin release after eating a given meal, your state of hydration, hepatic glycogenolysis (glucose release from liver stores), the rate of absorption of nutrients from your intestines, the degree of insulin resistance you have (the primary cause of Type II Diabetes) amongst several other factors.
Your goals are to:
1. Follow closely the total daily caloric intake recommended by your physician which should take into account the additional needs of the growing fetus.
2. Follow closely the physician-recommended levels of exercise (even daily walks) which will act to keep your glucose down.
3. The proportion and types of carbohydrates, protein and fat you are eating as recommended by your physician.
4. The times you are to measure your glucose.
Remember, it is not a single glucose reading that is important but it is the trend of readings which determine glucose control. Also, be sure to keep a check on your glucose level long after you delivery your baby as Gestational Diabetes is a risk factor for development of Adult Onset Diabetes.
The following link is an excellent resource with other important links for Gestational Diabetes. It is by the American Diabetes Association:
http://diabetes.org/gestational-diabetes.jsp.
Congratulations and Good Luck with your newborn!
DrEarp
How much protein is too much with gestational diabetes?
Posted by admin on Sep 27, 2009
How much protein is too much? I read that too much or too little can cause preeclampsia .. but I’m on the gestational diabetes diet & sometimes meat is all you can eat! (Well, of course vegetables, but it gets old eating the same thing day in and day out .. ) But how much is "too much" .. ?
I think you would have to eat a lot of meat to cause a problem …I had GD too and I just ate a normal serve each meal .
Any tips re diet for Gestational Diabetes?
Posted by admin on Sep 24, 2009
Just been diagnosed and now on 3 tablets per day – you build up over 6 days. Sugar levels are all over the place it seems no matter what I eat and feel wierd most of the time – like I need sugar and can’t have it! Any tips? I know what I should be eating as my dad was Type 2!
Your sugars should get better as you get more medication, but they start you slowly (metformin, right?) because if you get it all at once you have gastrointestinal distress.
For now, concentrate on switching over to 5-6 small meals a day, always with whole grains or other low-glycemic carbohydrates. Never have a carb without a protein. Get plenty of protein and veggies.
It helps to get away from sugars and sweet stuff because then you stop craving it. However, there are a few tricks. One trick I’ve used that really gives you a rich chocolate flavor is to take unsweetened cocoa powder (I like the dark chocolate variety) and mix it up with light cool whip. If you only have like a 1/4 cup at a time it’s about 30 calories and it’s not enough to raise your blood sugars. Eat it really slowly and it tastes like chocolate mousse.
Also, SF ice creams and all the products with splenda taste a LOT better than they used to! The danger is not to have too much, and as gross as it sounds, if you can have some protein at the same time as some SF ice cream it will keep your blood sugar from spiking as much. So I always make myself have like a piece of cheese first, then I have my little mug or bowl of SF ice cream.
Good luck, I know the metformin can make your stomach hurt, so hang in there. And there is always insulin! Insulin works very well in pregnancy, but I think they figure they are more likely to get women to take their medicine if they don’t have to inject it.
