If you're new to GD and don't know what to do or where to start, here are 5 steps to get you going as you wait for specific instructions from your dietitian or endocrinologist.
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6 Steps to Get Started
1. Start a food log.
It doesn’t need to be specific. Log the foods and approximate amounts. Example: Breakfast – 2 eggs, 2 sausage links, bottle of water.
Use any app you like or this free printable diabetic log.
2. Eat every 3-4 hours.
Breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack.
You may have to eat smaller portions at mealtime so you're hungry again in three hours.
The 7 day low glycemic meal plan article guides you through choosing what to eat and has great quick-reference printables.
3. Eat a balanced breakfast.
Breakfast sets the tone for your blood sugar for the day. A high-protein, lower-carb breakfast sets you up for success.
Example: eggs, meat, berries
Vegan example: Walnuts, berries, coconut yogurt
4. Eat a bedtime snack.
Since the time from dinner to breakfast is a long fasting period, eating a bedtime snack is important to keep your glucose from extreme highs or lows while sleeping.
5. Track your blood sugar (if you can)
You need a glucose meter for this. Meters are sometimes covered by insurance, but if your insurance doesn't, you can buy one from any drugstore.
Check your blood sugar as soon as you wake up (before breakfast), and 2 hours after each main meal.
6. What to eat?
If you need more meal ideas after the 7-day meal plan, check out the free meal plans.
Grocery List
A grocery list for gestational diabetes should include lean proteins, healthy fats, non-starchy vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. These are all low-glycemic foods that you can pair for blood sugar management.
Can you eat foods not on this list? Absolutely! These foods are ideal for the diet, but each body is different, so you can try different foods to see what works for you. As long as you eat carbs with protein and fat (as shown here), you can just about eat what you want.
Sounds so simple, right? It is, but it's not. It takes a lot of trial and error to know what will make your blood sugars happy.
What to Avoid
Foods to avoid are foods that will spike blood sugar due to the amount of carbs in a serving, and/or the amount of simple sugars that your body doesn't have to break down. These foods are:
- sugary drinks - soda, some smoothies, fruit juices, Gatorade, etc.
- sugary foods - pie, baked goods, donuts, etc.
- highly processed foods - chips, croutons, granola bars, etc.
- foods with excessive added sugar - most granolas, ice creams, yogurts, cereals, etc.
- white flour products - pasta, bread, tortillas, etc.
- dried fruits - dehydrated fruits have more carbs than fresh.
- deep-fried foods - their trans fats fight against blood sugar management.
Must-read Resources
More Resources
Real Food for Pregnancy is an awesome read if you want to get more into prenatal nutrition, or if you plan on having more pregnancies.
It's an in-depth but easy read about what women should eat during pregnancy. The same author also wrote Real Food for Gestational Diabetes.
Rebecca
Do you havw ant info on gastropereasisans diabetes? Thank you
Traci Houston
I'm sorry, Rebecca. I don't. I did a quick search and I think this is a good place to start. There is a section on treatment options. - https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/professionals/diabetes-discoveries-practice/how-gastroparesis-affect-people-with-diabetes
A dietitian and/or GI doc would be able to help as well. Wishing you well!
Traci