Sustain a Lower-Carbohydrate Diet With These Tips
People with health conditions like prediabetes can feel overwhelmed when it comes to what to eat. With the many restrictions, definitions and rules – it can be easy to “go big!” on changes yet still crave, feel hungry and backslide into bad habits.
“All-or-nothing approaches aren’t sustainable, so let’s discard those ideas at the start,” said Avera clinical dietitian Morgan Willard MS, RD, LN, Avera Care Coordination. “Going from zero to 100 mph with changes never works.”
Instead, a few key ideas can help:
- Go slow and don’t let the oceans of information overwhelm you. Learn a little, each day.
- Carbs, protein, fats and fiber will all still be in your diet. You just need to understand how much.
- Finding what works for you – for your breakfasts, lunches, snacks and supper – is possible.
“When the goal is to manage blood sugars, education about how your body processes certain foods is key,” said Willard. “I work with many people, every day, and most thought they couldn’t do it. But now, they have the tools they need to thrive.” Creating a diet plan that works for your lifestyle is also critical.
From a nutrition standpoint, not all carbohydrates and sugars are exactly the same.
“Carbs from whole, fiber-rich foods are generally healthy and have a lesser impact on blood sugar,” Willard said. “In contrast, when you eat food with added sugars and refined carbs, it tends to create blood sugar spikes.”
It can also drive cravings for additional carbs, Willard added.
Tips to Swap Carbs During the Day
Whether you do it occasionally or all the time, consider these swaps.
- Swap out lettuce for bread when you make a sandwich. Or try doing an open-faced sandwich to cut carbs in half. If you’re going out, find places that make lettuce-wrapped burgers.
- Use zucchini, spaghetti squash or heart of palm in place of pasta.
- Use cauliflower rice to substitute rice or, mix both for a half-and half version.
- Instead of chips and salsa cut up veggies with guacamole or hummus.
- Swap nuts for candy.
- Try quinoa. Mix in a salad or with roasted vegetables so you’re not scooping a big pile on your dish.
- Try eggs in the morning. Make an egg bake or egg muffins to reheat on busy mornings.
Simple Steps – One at a Time – Really Work
When you’re diagnosed with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, it’s easy to feel doom, gloom and resignation.
“Don’t go there,” Willard said. “Healthy changes to lifestyle and diet can happen. Just take it slow.”
Making sustainable changes is partly psychological, and that’s where all-or-nothing thinking can be damaging. Try to think of your situation in a more positive light:
- Don’t think about next Thanksgiving or your birthday celebration meal: just focus on your next breakfast, lunch or supper.
- Focus not on how much you’ll miss pizza, pasta and ice cream. Look instead on how much your loved ones and friends will miss you if these conditions shorten your life.
- Rather than what you shouldn’t eat, focus on what you can eat, for example, lean meats, colorful vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats. You’ll find good, belly-filling dishes you can still enjoy. And you may still be able to enjoy special treats in small portions.
- Planning starts with your grocery list. Make sure you have the fresh, whole foods and all the ingredients you’ll need to make the delicious meals you want to eat.
“Having a plan and sticking with it can keep you from making less-than-optimal food choices, such as a fast-food run," Willard added.
Creativity can be a game-changer.
“Creative approaches to change can help you find options to eat that you’ll end up loving,” Willard said. “Remember that no food is ‘good or bad’ – and most can still be in your life, with appropriate portion sizing and food-pairing strategies.”
Carbs, Fiber and Portion Sizes
Not all carbs are the same. Complex carbs like whole grains or brown rice often deliver more nutrition and lasting energy.
When it comes to carbs, focus on these ideas:
- Understand refined and unrefined carbohydrates. When talking about whole grain bread vs white bread, whole grain is less processed and includes fiber which allows for slower digestion and feelings of fullness. Other unrefined foods include:
- Whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa and oatmeal
- Beans and lentils
- Vegetables like peas, corn, carrots and squash
- Fruit
- Use your plate space as a guide. Cover only one-quarter (or better, one-eighth) of your plate with carbs. Fill the rest with lean meats, other proteins and vegetables.
- Fiber content can help you pick better. Foods without much are likely more refined and less apt to fit your plans and strategy.
- Serving size is the “queen” of nutritious eating. Carbs and sugar add up, even when you’re eating something less refined, like whole beans, fresh fruit or lentils.
- Thirsty? Find a low-sugar or no-sugar option that can serve as a refreshing substitute to soda and other sweetened beverages, which deliver a large dose of sugar in a single serving. Just plain water is better yet.
- Be aware of burnout. Any restrictions can lead to boredom with basic foods, and that feeling can lead to cheating or overdoing it. Use herbs and spices to flavor your veggies.
- Look for hidden carbs. Many processed foods such as peanut butter, spaghetti sauce and salsa have added sugars.
“Many of us grew up with half of our plates full of carbs and sugar-rich foods – it’s just part of culture here,” Morgan said. “Making changes can be hard – but it can happen.”
Talk to an Avera diabetes educator for tips on the changes that are best for you.
Read more about ways to manage and prevent prediabetes.
