Meal Ideas

Have you seen Zonya Foco's "Lickety Split Meals for Healthy People on the Go" it is a great guide to meal planning/preparation and is quick and easy, but healthy cooking. I borrowed it from my local library and it was good.
Also, there's Leanne Ely's book series "Saving Dinner" and website savingdinner.com.

GOod luck.

T., I would suggest you talk to a nutrionist. I have been seeing Kaaren Chinello up in Evergreen and she is wonderful. Her number ###-###-####, or ____@____.com can tell her you were referred by B. Whitelaw. Good luck.

I have been making my own trail mix from scratch. I compare prices to get the dried fruits, nuts, and seeds that I like. If you can get them at a Costco or Sams club it usually costs less per ounce. I have heard that almonds help balance blood sugar.

Have you had your thyroid levels tested as well? I had a hyper thyroid that transitioned to hypo (slow)...

You may want to make an appointment with a nutritionist for advice.

Soups are quick and easy for work and so are salads. I think eating fresh foods is also important.

T.,

I was in a networking group a few years ago with a Naturopathic Physician out of Boulder that deals with Insulin Resistance. Her name is Mary Shackelton and her website is www.allnaturaldoc.com. It may be worth making an appointment with her to talk about nutrition--I remember her as being very knowledgeable. Good luck!

I was hypoglycemic when I was pregnant. I couldnt eat any sugar at all, not even fruit or my body would freak out. Avoid any sugar, corn syrup, artifical or natural sweetners, these simple sugars are broken down into glucose very quickly. Avoid white processed starches like white bread and white rice as these are just one molecule away from simple sugars. Eat lots of protein and veggies, these take longer to digest and break down into glucose and therefore keep your bloodsugar more stable over a longer period. Eat whole grain starches. Our primitive diet consisted of protein and veggies, I think sugar is just another addictive white powder! I like to eat like a European, a fine meat and cheese with a veggie and cracker. In the morning I would have a whole wheat bagel with peanut butter or cream cheese, tomato and hard boiled egg or cottage cheese. Try smoked salmon, havarti cheese, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers with rye crackers in the afternoon. Nuts make a good snack too, packed with protein. Make sure you have a good breakfast and dinner.

I think the most healthy thing anyone can do is to cut out processed sugar and corn syrup from the diet. Also, no artificial sweeteners. Those things wreck the liver and the liver is in control of everything else.
Agave nectar is a wonderful sweetener that has a very low glycemic index. It can be used in moderationg. Stevia is another great sweetener that dont's affect insulin levels at all.
Then just eat healthy meals. Salad with some turkey or a sandwich on a whole grain pita. Fruit in moderation should be ok, if you are not eating sugar elsewhere.
I'm not insulin resistant, but I have kept 50 pounds off for 5 years by not eating processed sugar.

Hi T.-
My mom has been diabetic for over 15 years and some snacks that are good for you would be to balance protein with carbs, like a small apple with string cheese or another cheese comparable in oz. Nuts are a great protien-walnuts and almonds are really great. Try to eat low-glycemic fruits like blueberries, apples, plums, oranges...there is also some really great sites for balanced eating here is a site I really like http://www.eatingwell.com/ Hope this helps!

Hi T.,

I am Inulin Resisant as well, and one book in particular was wonderful for me. It is "The Insulin Resistance Diet". I understand how you feel with regard to eating right and working. I have a 14 month old son, one on the way, I work full time teaching 5th grade, and I am wrapping up my Master's program, so believe me, I get it! Try this book, it makes the cooking easy and lunches easier. It works for me!

Hi T.,
I, too, gained weight as I reached my 50's. It is typical of women who are close to menopause to have their metabolism slow down. Insulin resistance is also common and can be totally controlled, in most circumstances by diet. There are very good ways to combat this.
I managed to lose 27 pounds and keep them off by changing my diet and adding a whole food product called Juice Plus. I found that with the Juice Plus capsules (which have 17 dehydrated fruits, vegetables and grains) I was able to let go of my sugar cravings. As you have heard from all the other people who are giving advice, sugar is deadly to your diet. It also depresses your immune system. It is also sneaky. Read the labels of the processed foods and beverages that you may be using. 4 grams of sugar is equal to 1 teaspoon of sugar, so a "diet" protein shake with 28 grams of sugar, really contains 7 teaspoons!!. Many processed foods have a very high amount of sugar and very little nutrition. Cutting out most processed foods is a good idea, also cut out white flour and white rice products as they raise the glycemic index quickly.

I found that if I carried around a snack bag of fresh fruits and vegetables that were ready to eat, I could take care of my food cravings by eating as much of these as I wanted. (It is recommended by Harvard University that we eat 9-13 servings of fresh, raw fruits and vegetables every day! Most of us can't, won't or don't do that.) I would frequently eat two or three types mid morning and another 2 or 3 in the afternoon. My favorites are grapes, mini carrots, bananas, apples, celery, broccoli, and mandarine oranges. Then at a regular meal time, I could have smaller portions and not feel deprived. Low calorie soups and salads are great for the meals. I also started buying only whole grain bread and pasta products. The whole grains must be listed on the label first! I stopped buying foods with trans fats, because they clog up your arteries. Even if it says 0% trans fat, read the ingredients. If hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats are listed, they are trans fats. Even a small amount can increase your chanses of a heart problem.

I also used the Juice Plus Thins, which are completely safe wafers that provide fiber and control hunger. They also balance your blood sugar level and keep the metabolism up.

The Complete Juice Plus shake mix is the best one around. It is low in calories and in sugar, and provides soy protein and many dehydrated fruits and vegetables. I used this as a meal replacement and made it into a smoothy with other fruits, juices and soy milk. I still do it every day, because it tastes so good and fills me up, and is quick and easy to do.

I hope these ideas help. I was a yo-yo dieter for years before I found Juice Plus and changed my diet. I went from a size 14 to a size 6-8 in 6 months. Now shopping is fun!

Good luck, and don't give up, or just blame your genes, you can conquer the weight and insulin resistant problems.
Check out my web site if you want to find out more about Juice Plus and read the research about it. www.madjuicer.com

You might check out "The Diet Cure" or "The Mood Cure" by Julia Ross. They have been great for us and I have recommended them to others who have found them helpful. You really only have to read the chapters that apply to you. GL

Hi T.,

I am also insulin resistant, and three years ago, I lost 65 lbs. and I've kept it off very well. It was a very long journey to understand what was happening to my body. I finally had to go to a doctor who specializes in weight loss, and this doctor tested me for everything under the sun. My diet consists mainly of protein and vegetables. Not a lot of fruit and not much carbs. I eat mainly the whole grains if I eat carbs at all. I drink tons of water. I exercise regularly, which helps to stabilize my blood sugar. The doctor figured out the amount of protein for me each day and the amounts of everything else based on my resting metabolic rate (not an expensive test). I love to eat vegetarian meals also, but a lot of those veggie products have a lot of carbs in them, so I have to be really careful to count the carbs as well as the protein in them. It seems like a boring diet, but I have learned how to prepare things without a lot of added fats and condiments. It does take some experimenting. Please be very careful of the diet shakes out there. Most of them are loaded with sugar or sugar substitute. My doc says these turn to carb or fat in your body, and for me, my blood sugar couldn't take it. I stay away from most sugar and sugar subs if possible. I hope I have helped a bit. Let me know if there are specifics you would like. Sincerely, J.. P.S. When I first went to my doctor, my hemoglobin A1C was 5.9 (diabetic is considered 6.0). My hemoglobin A1C now is 5.2. Back in the normal range.

Welcome to the world of PCOS. Some online research (google PCOS or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) will give you some great information & resources. I have had friends with PCOS use the South Beach Diet with great success.

Good Luck!
A.

I can completely relate. I had gestational diabetes with my son and now I am pre-diabetic and losing weight has been very difficult. I joined Curves a couple of years ago thinking exercise alone would help. It gave me lots of energy, but the pounds kept piling on even though I was following my diabetic diet of limiting carb and eating 6 meals a day.
I finally went on the Curves diet a higher protein diet where you also watch calories, fat, and carbs on January 1. I have lost 9 pounds so far. I eat a pretty big breakfast, a morning snack, a healthy lunch, an afternoon snack, and finally a semi-light supper. Some of the foods I eat for snacks are: 24 shrimp and 10 baby carrots, 3/4 cup cottage cheese with 4 strawberries or other fruit mixed in with a little splenda, 6 oz of turkey or ham with 2 rye krisp crackers. Breakfast is usually 1 cup of egg substitute (I like southwestern style) with canadian bacon and cheese or a smoothie with 4 strawberries or other fruit, milk and a container of light yogurt and meat. The diet is spelled out in the curves book for 6 weeks and you can continue it until you are at your goal weight or just need a break from dieting.
At the very least eliminate white flour products such as pasta and bread from your diet and do not eat extra sugar like pop, dessert, etc. Good luck! By the way Curves has a wonderful special until March 15 if you bring in a bag of food for a food bank. (The best deal you will get all year long!)

"The Sugar Solution" by the editors of Prevention magazine

It has recipes, eating guidelines, and exercises.
Quick tip: Beans and oats slow down the absorption of sugars into your bloodstream.

I found that eating right is only part of the problem. People need to increase their exercise, too. I'm horrible at it. I hate to walk but if I walk around the block after I eat then I do better. Also, I found I eat better during the day if I've had a simple breakfast. I eat yogurt so that won't work for you but they have these good from lean pockets or so. I'd stick with fresh fruit, even just a banana. That kick starts your metabilism. (SP) I also try not to eat late at night. I hope this works. Good luck!!!!

I had gestational diabetes so I had to follow a very strict diet when I was pregnant. Some of the snacks that the nutritionist I met with were such:

1 small piece of fruit and a string cheese

1 sugarfree pudding and a hand full of nuts (almonds, soy nuts)

carrots or celery and 1 1/2 graham cracker

1/2 peanut butter sandwich

There are also a lot of snack bars out that you could eat, just make sure they are less that 15g carb and have at leats 10g protein. You will have to read the packages but they are out there and some of them are actually pretty good.

I have a diabetic daughter so I am a bit familiar with insulin and how your body reacts to it. If you are insulin resistant the number one thing you can do is exercise. Make sure you are getting in at least 45 minutes of rigorous exercise every day. This is the most important factor in getting your insulin receptors to work better. It's not just about excess weight, the activity is really important. Also, avoid fast absorbing carbohydrates like white rice, potatoes, white flour, and sugar (lactose in milk and milk products is okay). These are murder on your insulin system. Eat a lot of fruit and veggies. Make sure all of your bread and other flour products are 100% whole grain. Check out Dr. Bernstein's "Diabetic Solution". He has some great ideas on eating with very little carbs and with no fast absorbing carbs. He has another book with recipes and food suggestions. You may not be diabetic, but with insulin resistance it would be best to eat like one. It's good you don't like yogurt because store yogurt is loaded with sugar.

A shake that is really good and has no sugar is:

1 cup milk
1 frozen banana (this makes the shake really sweet)
berries (these are optional)

Good luck!

T. - I too am insulin resistant and had the same problem with weight gain (10 lbs/year). I eventually saw my doctor and he recommended I see a nutritionist. The nutritionist I saw was with Cherry Creek Nutrition and was awesome. She was a little pricey - I think it was $65/session, but worth every penny. She recommended three sessions total and I ended up going more because it was so helpful. Unfortunately, I do not have any recipe ideas for you, but can tell you that I had to radically alter my diet. I cut back on processed foods and bread products limiting myself to 4-5 servings of whole grains per day (which was especially hard given the fact that one serving of bread is actully just one slice). I also had to cut down my portion size (1 serving of fruit=half a large banana and don't eat more than 2 servings of fruit at a time), get a food scale, etc. It was a hard adjustment especially the first month. I found what was helpful was to make a big thing of chicken stir-fry (for example) with brown rice measure everything out that night and then just grab the pre-measured serving for lunch. I must say, the dedication worked. I had to look at it as a lifestyle change rather than a diet because I can never go back to eating the way I used to or I will gain all the 20lbs I lost in 5 months back. Good luck to you. I know how frustrating it can be.

Hi T.,

I wrote a book that may help you with more than meal ideas. It is called Shopper's Guide to Healthy Living. It takes only four hours to read and is written to help the beginner learn how to eat healthy. It even has tear-out shopping lists to take to the store with you. Going back to eating the way we were meant to is the best way to help your diabetes.

The book is available on www.amazon.com

You may want to check out the web site www.raystrand.com DR. Strand knows and understands the importance of nutrition, and he incorporates nutritional medicine in his practice. He is a pioneer, in the movement to turn the tide of america's most subtle, yet serious, health care crises-obesity and diabetes.
Enjoy life live well!

Nutritionals you can trust! www.jerrbiz.usana.com
USANA Health Sciences Independent associates
Jerry & suzanne Hanson

I've had a lot of problems with my health related to diet too, although mine were migraines and low energy. I stumbled across "Eat 4 Your Type" which is a book that literally saved my health. I experimented a lot and came up with my own safe foods and wrote them down for others in my situation. You can try my protein smoothie that I made up. It kept my energy level consistent all day while I was working as a nurse. It's very filling and has a high content of protein to help you lose weight. You can find the recipe on my website under the link Healthy Eating at daizymaizy.com I also have a couple links to some good web sites. Good luck!

I'm insulin resistant, too, and half your age. My doctor taught me how to "rate my plate". She basically took a plate and drew a line down the center, dividing it in half. She then divided one half in half again. In the two smaller halves go my starch and my protein. In the larger portion of the plate go my veggies. What you need to take into consideration is that not all veggies were created equally. Carrots, peas, potatoes, and corn actually count as starches and not veggies. Try switching to whole wheat pastas, brown rice, and I use sweet potatoes (great at regulating blood sugar) instead of regular potatoes. As far as snacks go, I cut up fruits and veggies to take to work. One of my favorites is celery with salsa. Hummus is also a great dip with lots of protein. Weight Watchers has some great recipes and I also purchased a Diabetic Cooking cookbook. You can also go to thedailyplate.com and create an account (it's free) to help you track you calories and daily activity. I've been doing it since 1/25/08 and have lost 10lbs. Good Luck!

When I was nearly 100 lbs overweight, and told I was borderline diabetic, the doctor gave me a pamphlet on diabetic diets and what you should eat. I also followed the advice of what to eat and what not to eat from the SugarBusters Diet. Basically, cut out the whites--bread, pasta, starches... Cut out the sugars as much as you can, too--I was told not to worry about calorises, but sugars and carbs and choose the lowest. I lost 100 lbs over two years and felt better than ever. Good luck.

What if I told you that you could eat healthy chocolate to help with your insulin levels, give you energy and lose weight!? I have a healthy chocolate business - www.ExcitedAboutHealthyChocolate.com
The chocolate is made with a patented pure unprocessed cocoa and the acai berry - the two highest antioxidants in the world! One healthy chocolate nugget is equal to a 12 oz bag of spinach in antioxidant value! There are no added sugars, fats, waxes or fillers! Even diabetics can eat this chocolate and it helps them! I would love to send you some information. Check out my website and let me know if you're interested in learning more!

T.,
My husband and I started a nutritional program in Dec. for the purpose of lowering cholesterol using healthy food and no drugs. One of the side benefits was losing weight and stored fat we thought we had to live with forever. We are both in our 50's. Check out www.balancepointhealth.com. It is a new web site so it has many design flaws but it will give you info on how to contact them if you are interested.
P. S

Fruits and veggies, all that you want! String cheese? Protein bars (I particularly like Cliff Bars). Cottage cheese? Make a fruit smoothie with whey protein in it. Penut butter. WATER. Truscuit crackers. Whole grain breads. Brown rice. Does that help?

Keep cut up fresh veggies and fruit handy in the fridge, eat five meals a day small ones. I get busy and forget to eat so if I have something handy I snack during the day to make up for it. I gained 45 pounds after my divorce, I lost 22lbs when I got bronchitis in December (not a healthy weight loss) but it turns out because I wasn't eating at night when I would be hungry and have time to eat when the kids were in bed! Just stopping the snacking after 6pm, drinking green tea and lot's of water in four weeks I lost that weight. I had no appetite at night and that helped too. There all sorts of great links for healthy diets. If you don't like yogurt try fruit smoothies for breakfast. Keep lot's of protein loaded snacks around like nuts, whole grain breads, peanut butter around. I buy the 100 calorie snack bags too, my kids love them and it is enough to satisfy me during the day. I also make low fat dip for fresh veggies, with low fat sour cream and ranch dry dressing mix, that I love to snack on. There are a lot of healthy frozen meal choices nowdays too, Amy's organics are good as healthy choice meals are easy, quick and yummy. Do not skip breakfast! That will throw your whole metabolism off for the day! Even breakfast bars, whole wheat bagels, or even Carnation instant breakfast are good choices. Good luck.

There is a terrific cookbook called "The Low-Carb Cookbook" by Fran McCullough. It is geared towards an old off of the Atkins diet called Protein Power which were all geared towards diabetics. The cookbook is basically full of life-style eating rather than dieting. The food is great and the recipes are pretty simple. I know you want something fast and easy, so I'm giving you this info because if you know what you can eat and what is good for you, then you can better know what will work that is fast and easy. I could give you tips, advice and all that for years...I gain weight in my middle so I am geared towards this type of living since where I gain weight causes so many problems due to fat being stored around organs and is a higher risk for diabetes. This just might be a good start for you to hold on to and keep like a handbook in your kitchen.

Hi - I also work full-time & just had the 45 b-day!! I'm very fortunate that I have trails behind my work so I get out at lunch for exercise - crucial to keeping healthy. I drink slim fast w/ milk in big coffee mug for breakfast every day. Then either fruit & cottage cheese or snack bar around 10am. The bars I like the best are the slim fast bannana snack bars or the power bars nut naturally (nuts...full of protein). For lunch I generally have lean cousine or smart ones but always add frozen veggies to the plate. All of this is so easy to take to work. Good luck, M.

T., do you know that excess weight equates to where you are protecting your self emotionally? Sugar issues ie., diabetes, hypoglycemia etc. are always based from a place where the sweetness in life feels a bit shaky. There is a product called Xylitol that's in most natural foods stores that is an amazing sweetner and is the only non-sugar sweetner that diabetics and people with Candida can use with no drama in the body. I've used it to cook and bake with for years and it's very clean.
Seems like you've gotten yourself to a place where your relationship with you is looking for some nurturing. Be GOOD to you and focus on the value you bring to this life and see if that committment doesn't help soften the life you're living.
Keep Breathing, J.