5 Tips for Staying Healthy with Diabetes

When you or a loved one is diagnosed with diabetes, it can be difficult to adjust to your new lifestyle. Nutrition requirements and  glucose monitoring can be overwhelming. That’s why our nutrition and weight loss team put together a list of five top tips for staying healthy when you have diabetes:

1. Obtain a monitor to check your blood sugar regularly. Your glucose goals are:
   • Fasting: 70 – 120
   • 1 to 2 hours after eating: 160 or less
2. Don’t skip meals. It can be tempting to try to skip meals and snacks – especially if you’re feeling good, but you should always stick to your nutrition schedule and try to eat within 90 minutes of waking up and then again every 4 to 5 hours. Even if it’s just a “mini meal,” like an apple and a piece of light cheese, it’s important to feed yourself.
3. Focus on protein. Our diabetes management specialists and team of registered dietitians encourage diabetics to eat some protein with each meal and snack. Protein takes longer for your body to digest and will help keep your blood sugars from going too high. Protein also helps you feel full, which may help with weight loss and maintenance.
4. Stay active. By incorporating 30 minutes of exercise into your daily routine you can help your body manage blood sugar levels. Exercise is “invisible insulin” that helps your body use glucose.
5. Watch your carbs. Every diabetics should know about carbohydrates and be consistent with the amount they eat. Carbohydrates include grains, starches (like corn, peas, potatoes, and dried beans), fruit, milk and yogurt, and sweets. Your carbohydrate goals should be:
   • Men 45 – 60 grams at meals
   • Women 30 – 45 grams at meals (For all – keep to 15 to 30 grams at snacks)
   • 15 grams of carbohydrate would be approximately ½ cup of the above foods.

+ Find a registered dietitian or nutritionist who can help you develop a personalized nutrition plan.
+ Learn about In Motion’s Diabetic Counseling.