Blood Sugar Diet
Taking control of your health by losing weight and feeling good are the main objectives of most diet plans. Everyone is different, so one particular diet won’t work for all of us. Many diets are followed for awhile and then dropped – causing more weight gain.
If you’re struggling with being overweight, tummy fat or type 2 diabetes, the Blood Sugar Diet may be the one that works best for you. Other diets may concentrate on weight loss through low carbohydrates, high protein or other methods.
Clinical trials have shown that The Blood Sugar Diet can greatly improve or reverse type 2 diabetes or prediabetes – and it’s the first diet to achieve that important goal. Research various diets yourself and choose one that you think would best work for you.
Basic Principles of a Blood Sugar Diet
Years of research has occurred to formulate the Blood Sugar Diet and the results have been amazing for those who have type 2 diabetes, prediabetes or those who simply want to have and maintain good health.
The Blood Sugar Diet is based on the popular and successful Mediterranean style diet plan. There are fewer refined and starch-based carbohydrates because these elements quickly transform to sugar in the blood.
Instead, this diet promotes a variety of colorful vegetables – lots of greens – and protein. Healthy fats like avocados and olive oil and unsweetened, plain yogurt are also on the list.
Not only can you lose up to 15% of your body weight in only eight weeks, but you’ll learn healthy eating habits that will help you reach your weight loss goals and keep the weight off.
The diet adheres to the theory that when you replace meals with bars and diet shakes, you don’t learn new eating habits that will keep your weight off and keep you healthy. You’ll just go back to the same meals, processed foods and those containing too much fat and gain even more weight as a result.
The biggest draw to the Blood Sugar Diet is that it can reverse some types of diabetes – and the evidence is there to prove it. You’ll learn that it isn’t the calories or portions that matter as much as it is learning a new way to eat.
It’s a formula for a healthy life. Your body controls your blood sugar levels and may become a serious problem if your level is too low or too high. In type 2 diabetes, blood sugar can no longer be controlled by the body.
Many young people are falling prey to this disease and they don’t seek help because they don’t realize they have it. The main objective of the Blood Sugar Diet is to get control of your blood sugar levels.
When that happens, you will lose weight rapidly and reach your goals faster than ever before.
Who a Blood Sugar Diet Works Best For
Anyone who has a problem or anticipates a future problem with blood sugar levels – particularly diabetes – can benefit from this diet plan. Since it’s based on the Mediterranean diet plan, you’ll get lots of fresh vegetables and a very healthy meal plan.
You may already have higher blood sugar levels than normal or have a history of diabetes (or raised lipids) in your family tree. Your waist line and tummy may be expanding, indicating that you’re storing excess weight around your internal organs.
Symptoms of unbalanced blood sugar include feeling thirsty, passing an excess amount of urine, cuts or scraps that are difficult to heal and feeling very fatigued most of the time.
The only reliable way to test your blood sugar is to have a blood test. Most people are unaware of raised blood sugar levels and only find out when they hear the doctor’s diagnosis and some damage has already been done.
If you need to lose weight (especially if you’re obese) or suspect you might develop diabetes, this diet plan is perfect for you. Be prepared for spending quite a bit of time required in the kitchen for prepping.
Chopping vegetables, measuring ingredients and sometimes weighing them and discovering new spices to make the food interesting can be time-consuming, but the results are delicious.
Although you won’t likely have hunger pangs on the Blood Sugar Diet, you might become bored with the plan. Since there’s no flexibility allowed, you might find it difficult to socialize at lunch or dinner at a restaurant since most meals would put you way above your daily allowance.
The Blood Sugar Diet doesn’t use low calorie shakes, but instead, advocates fresh and healthy foods to create meals from. The results for weight loss tend to be the same as meal replacement and the results are also proven to be healthier.
If you’re concerned about your health and blood sugar levels, this diet will work for you. If you simply want to lose weight you may want to check out other diet plans that are more acceptable to your lifestyle.
How to Get Prepared for a Blood Sugar Diet
Part of the preparation for the Blood Sugar Diet is to clear your pantry and refrigerator of all sugary, high-carbohydrate and processed foods that contain hidden sugars. You’ll want to find the nearest farmer’s market because you’ll want to eat fresh from now on.
Meals should be planned a week ahead of time to prevent last minute chaos and the possibility of going off the diet. You can find online sites that provide meals and ingredients for each week.
Some sites also include shopping lists so you can print it off and take it to the supermarket with you. Of course there will be foods you don’t like and in those cases you’ll need to substitute another meal and ingredients.
You can even find websites that will let you tweak the meals and ingredients so when you print the list out, it will be exactly what you need. Be prepared to spend a bit more to purchase ingredients for meals on the Blood Sugar Diet.
Fresh, organic and sugar-free foods cost less than sugar-laden and processed foods. You’ll likely have lots of leftovers which you can freeze and use on another day. You may also want to purchase pre-sliced or pre-packed fresh items in smaller quantities rather than a whole item.
For example, you can purchase vegetables already cut and in small containers rather than an entire vegetable. If you do find yourself with lots of leftover ingredients, consider preparing meals ahead of time and freezing them. It will save money and time.
Check out mail order or home delivery diet plans. Some have menus and ingredients specifically planned to be low-carbohydrate and low calorie. It may save you time in the kitchen and help you stay on the diet.
Kitchen gadgets help save you time during food prep and you might consider adding some to your kitchen when you begin preparation for this diet plan. You can get tools for blending, chopping and slicing and also those that make food more attractive (such as the tool that can julienne vegetables).
A food processor can make you look like a gourmet cook and can speed up the task of chopping, slicing and blending vegetables. It’s an investment that you’ll never regret and wish you had gotten sooner.
There are also mini-processors that are great for prepping smaller amounts of food – like chopping garlic, herbs and nuts. They’re great little tools and don’t take up a lot of room in your cabinet or countertop.
A box grater has been a staple in kitchens for a long time. Shredding and grating cheese, apples, zucchini, cucumber and carrots is easy and fast. The various holes in the gadget can be used for various ways you want to prepare the food.
Another must-have when preparing meals for the Blood Sugar Diet is the bench scraper. It’s usually used by bakers to scrape dough, but it works brilliantly for scooping up chopped veggies. It makes the kitchen cleanup fast and easy.
Anytime you embark on a new diet plan, there are ingredients and preparation techniques to learn and get used to. Eventually, you won’t have to think so much about the process and be able to prep in a flash.
Sample Meal Plan for a Blood Sugar Diet
Getting your blood sugar under control to prevent diabetes and other diseases can make a big difference in how you feel. The meals on the Blood Sugar Diet are designed to meet the need to stabilize your blood sugar, help you lose weight and give you more energy.
Some breakfast meals that are recommended on this diet include a vegetarian omelet made with fresh eggs and a variety of vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, onions or mushrooms. Be sure and sauté the veggies before adding them to your omelet.
Another good choice for breakfast would be a veggie frittata. Use any fresh vegetables such as squash, spinach or broccoli (use leftover vegetables if possible) to whip up a simple, but delicious frittata to get you off to a good start in the morning.
A Mediterranean salad bowl can be prepared ahead of time for lunch and give you all the nutrition you need for a balanced diet. Quinoa, cucumber, olives, tomato, hummus, red onion and olive oil can all be tossed in a bowl and eaten for nutritious and filling lunch.
Pizza rollups can be put together quickly and packed for a busy day’s lunch. Tortillas, tomato paste, black olives, mozzarella cheese and fresh basil leaves can be mixed and spread over flour tortillas. Roll them up and cut them in ½ or 1 inch spirals.
Chicken and sage risotto is a hearty and delicious dinner meal that the entire family will enjoy. Cook onion and red pepper in low fat chicken broth and “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter” and add rice and garlic.
Then, add Arborio rice and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add the cooked chicken at the end and you have a great dinner. Pair it with a salad and low-fat vinaigrette and you’ll have a dinner meal that will be asked for time and again.
Greek-style pasta is a real people-pleaser and simple to prepare. Combine tomatoes, feta, olives, spices and salt and pepper in a bowl and chill while cooking some penne pasta. Drain the pasta when done — then, heat the garlic with olive in the same pan.
Add the pasta, chilled veggies and toss. Greek-style pasta is an attractive and delicious dish to serve company. You can also add a salad made with a variety of greens to round out the meal.
Snacks for the Blood Sugar Diet might include chickpeas that have been roasted with sea salt and Tamari. Chickpeas are a staple of a vegetarian diet because it provides protein that is often lost on a vegetarian or Mediterranean diet.
Another choice for a snack could include roasted cauliflower. It can also be used for a side dish with a main meal – and it’s so easy. First, cut the cauliflower in bite-sized pieces and then toss with olive oil just until the pieces are lightly coated.
Sprinkle some salt and fresh-ground black pepper, add parmesan cheese and toss again. Place cauliflower pieces in a large casserole dish so it’s in a single layer and roast at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Turn the pieces over and cook another 15 minutes.
You’ll be eating fresh and healthy foods on the Blood Sugar Diet but you can add lots of twists to the recipes so it will never be boring.
Tips to Increase Success on a Blood Sugar Diet
There are many tips to ensure success on the Blood Sugar Diet. One thing to avoid on this diet is “diet products.” These items often contain sweeteners or sugar which keeps your hunger cues active.
Soups are especially healthy and can rapidly fill you up. They’re also inexpensive and practical. You can make a large pot of soup, freeze some and eat the rest throughout the week.
Rather than using starchy and high-carb potatoes at meals and in recipes, try using grated cauliflower. Cook or steam it for a few minutes, then mash it and serve rather than mashed potatoes. Cauliflower can also be used instead of rice.
Flavor boosters such as mustard, chili, lemon, pepper, garlic and many herbs can make any dish tastier. You won’t be adding as many calories, but you will get lots of taste. You can change your old recipes into more blood sugar friendly ones.
Another way to ensure you stay on the plan until your desired weight is achieved and your blood sugar is balanced is to join an online forum. These social online gatherings can encourage you to keep on and can provide lots of tips from those who have already been through it.
You don’t have to cook complicated meals when you follow the Blood Sugar Diet. You can poach or boil eggs and add mushrooms and spinach for breakfast or lunch. A grilled piece of chicken or fish is great for dinner with a simple salad.
As with most diets, the Blood Sugar Diet requires that you drink lots of water. If you become bored with that, try infusing some fruits and vegetables in the water – or, add a sliced cucumber or lemon to the water.
When you first embark on this diet plan, you may crave carbs, but hang in there – in a few days those cravings will subside. You’ll soon begin to enjoy the effects of the Blood Sugar Diet by realizing a balanced blood sugar level and also begin to restore your energy level.