I can’t tell you what to eat, how much to eat or where to eat. Again, diabetes is not a one-size fits all thing. But let me give you my opinion on what has been working for me for the past 8 years. These are the things I’ve learnt, the things I’ve done and the things I’ve tried…

If you go online there are thousands of diets, eating plans or food preferences for people. It’s fucking overwhelming when people on Instagram or any other social media channel tell you to eat this, don’t eat that, this is good, this is bad. There is vegan, not vegan, carnivore, this diet, my mom’s diet, my girlfriend’s diet, the other diet, blah blah blah…  so what the fuck should I eat ?

I have never followed a diet in my life, I think all diets are bullshit. Unless you have celiac disease combined with other illnesses and you have to follow a specific, very strict and limited diet or you have food allergies; then yes; you need to see a nutritionist who will work on a specific meal plan or diet designed for YOUR specific condition, body and lifestyle.

This is my approach and opinion when it comes to eating food:

For diabetics, in my case type 1, and this applies for type 2 diabetics as well; It all comes down to what you put inside your body, and by that I mean REAL, HEALTHY, WHOLE food.

Absolutely everything that you eat will affect your blood glucose levels. EVERYTHING. The only exception is water, I think. Please read that again.

Let me say it again: All comes down to what you eat, STOP eating SHIT. The processed cookies, the ice cream, the sodas, potato chips, all the boxes of cereal with tons of sugar etc. you don’t need any of that, trust me, you will not die if you stop eating that, you will be okay if you stop eating those, and if you do want to eat any of that, do it in moderation/balance but first, EARN them, E.A.R.N them.

For 7 years I’ve been able to control my blood sugars with healthy food choices and exercise. And you know what I realized ? the better food choices you make, the less insulin you will require and the better control of your glucose levels you will have.

I can tell you that I have fought diabetes through exercise and healthy food alone. Exercise and healthy foods are my best friends. Today and for the rest of my life they will be. I have seen people around me eating cakes at birthday parties, ice cream, dessert after dinner or lunch, eating bread before the food arrives in restaurants, eating cookies and desserts. I drank water. Fucking boring you might think. Well it might be, but we are talking about my health, and your glucose levels, if not in range, will affect absolutely everything in your body, from your eyes to your toes.

This requires a tremendous amount of discipline.

Different foods are delicious and they are part of our daily social lives. They provide comfort, pleasure or just a way to gather families, share with friends, go on dates and enjoy life in general. We need food.

Where am I trying to get to ?

Some people say that when you use insulin you can eat whatever you want. Oh I have insulin, let me sit down and eat a gallon of ice cream. In my opinion let me tell you this: you are wrong. You are so fucking wrong buddy. Absolutely wrong. Why do I say this ?

Absolutely every fucking piece of food you put in your mouth will affect your sugar levels, so let me ask you this:

Is it easier to calculate an insulin dose for a meal of rice, potatoes, bread and a protein? or is it easier to calculate an insulin dose for a low carb salad and a protein like chicken or steak ? you know what I’m trying to say right ?

What am I trying to say:

THE MORE CARBS, PROCESSED FOODS, JUNK FOOD, SWEETS AND SUGARS THAT YOU EAT IN GENERAL; THE MORE INSULIN YOU NEED TO TAKE, AND THE HARDER IT IS TO CONTROL GLUCOSE LEVELS.

Read that again and if you can, print it in big, bold letters and read it everyday.

So can you eat anything you want because you have insulin? Good luck with that…

Remember all carbs turn into sugar. All of them do…

People have this idea that if something is sweet it has sugar, and if it doesn’t taste sweet it doesn’t have sugar.

“Sugar Free”

You might read in the supermarket the products that are “sugar free” so you think you can eat all of those. Pay attention to the carbs and other ingredients in those products. “Sugar free” is a marketing strategy from companies that sell millions of dollars every year and their only goal is to make money, those companies don’t give a single fuck about my diabetes or your diabetes.

I will explain how to read food labels in another blog post.

All carbs turn into sugar

Examples: potatoes, pasta, bread, rice, noodles, baked goods, crackers, chips, sugar, etc, the list goes on…

Almost all the food out there has sugar, this is why I said that diabetes sucks, but at the same time I have found a lot of products and some companies out there making foods like keto or with very low sugar content. God bless those companies and the people who are working hard to make products for us diabetics and all people in general. There are many alternatives nowadays, you just need to look for them and find them.

In my experience since I was diagnosed I’ve learnt that sugar is an addictive substance and it is a bad deal, period. The less you eat processed foods/sugars the better you will feel. Trust me on this one, I know what it is to feel full or bad after eating lots of processed food, carbs or junk food and I know what it is to feel well from eating mostly salads and whole foods everyday of the week.

I believe in balance. I’m going to be honest here, not going to pretend that all my food and lifestyle is perfect all the time because it is not, I’m human. I make mistakes and I will screw up and that’s ok, I have learnt to live with it, it’s part of the journey.

I eat burgers (this is why I work out I guess, my motivation lol), pizzas and sometimes I’ll have a sweet thing, but I’m conscious and keep it controlled.

I’m always aware of the food choices I make, Diabetes requires awareness.

The idea is to change the mindset when it comes to eating. Yes, change starts in your mind, It takes time but it is worth it, I promise.

Enough talking…. the following are the foods I eat most of the time. I’m not going to tell you to measure food or weigh or count foods. This is not a bodybuilding competition. We are all different and we are all free to choose, but keep in mind that real, whole foods are the key. Feel free to use this as a guide, or starting point and do what works best for you.

What makes a balanced meal ?

Simple: Proteins, Fats and  Carbohydrates.

I eat a minimum of 3 meals per day: breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

I try to eat very low carbs, by this I mean that I eat a few carbs at night before or after my workout. Your body needs carbs because of the energy they provide, especially if you lift weights or do any type of physical activity. The amount of carbs you eat also depends on your lifestyle or job. Everyone’s needs are different. It is a waste of my time to give you a meal plan because your lifestyle might be or is completely different from mine. So I’m not going to waste my time doing that.

Here’s a list of the foods I eat. I’m highlighting in orange color the ones I eat most of the time.

Low Carb Vegetables:

Artichoke

Asparagus 

Bell peppers

Beet

Broccoli

Brussels sprouts

Cabbage

Carrot

Cauliflower

Celery

Cucumber

Green beans

Kale

Lettuce (all types)

Spinach

Mushrooms 

Onions

Rutabaga

Snow peas

Summer squash

Tomatoes

Turnips

Watercress

Winter squash

Zucchini

Healthy Carbs:

Whole wheat pasta

Legumes

Whole wheat bread

Black beans

Oatmeal

Quinoa

Apples

Sweet potatoes

Broccoli

Blueberries

Protein:

Eggs

Ground beef

Steak

Brisket

Ribs

Roast

Tenderloin

Flank

Shoulder

Liver

Pork

Chicken

Ground turkey

Processed meats: bacon, sausage, hot dogs, corned beef, bratwurst, prosciutto, salami

Salmon

Sardines

Trout

Tilapia

Tuna

Shrimp

Scallops

Healthy Fats:

Avocado

Salmon

Tuna

Sardines

Trout

Nuts

Extra virgin olive oil

Chia seeds

Whole eggs

Nuts/Seeds:

Almonds

Brazil nuts

Cashews

Pecans

Pine nuts

Pistachios

Hazelnuts

Walnuts

Peanuts

Sunflower

Sesame

Chia

Flaxseeds

Dairy:

Eggs

Cheese (all types)

Heavy cream and half and half

Unsweetened almond milk

Unsweetened soy milk

Sour cream

Plain whole milk yogurt, regular and greek

Kefir

Whole milk and buttermilk

Fruits:

Avocados 

Blueberries

Raspberries

Strawberries

Blackberries

Apples

Oils:

Olive oil

Sunflower

Canola 

Sesame 

Coconut

Avocado oil

Condiments:

Mayonnaise

Mustard

Unsweetened ketchup

Guacamole

Beverages:

Water

Coffee: BLACK, NO SUGAR, NO CREAM, NO BULLSHIT

Unsweetened Tea (iced or hot) 

Stevia sweetened beverages

Extras:

Garlic

Herbs

Spices

Seasonings with no added sugar

Salt 

Pepper

Foods to avoid or minimize:

If you read, it says minimize, it doesn’t say eliminate, I still eat some of these, but very minimal.

Grain products both whole and refined

Cereal

Bread

Pasta

Rice

Most snack foods

Starchy vegetables: potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn

Legumes: kidney or black beans, lentils, peas, chickpeas

Fruits other than those listed above and fruit juice

All sweeteners: sugars, syrups, honeys, and nectars

Foods with added sugars: sweets, candy, soda, some snack foods, and some condiments

Alcohol

Certain artificial sweeteners and foods with sugar alcohols

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The reason why I’ve been able to control my diabetes and again, this is different for everybody, is because I’ve cared about it, I have learnt to eat healthy foods, I’ve learnt to cook my own meals, I’ve learnt to make better food choices in general when it comes to eating, I’ve been working out 5-6 days a week for the past 8 years. I’ve taken this seriously.

If there’s a point I want you to really understand is the following: from now on you shouldn’t live to eat, you should eat in order to live. Does that make sense? It’s pretty much saying instead of eating for pleasure or for taste, eat healthy whole foods in order to nourish your body so this beautiful machine can keep working for you and not against you. That’s it, simple.

Do you know who feels good eating healthy, whole nutritious food ? you, yeah you …

@dieabeast