Adjusting the Meal Plan (August 2012)

Our One Day Meal Plan may not exactly fit your individual needs, so we’ve provided some ideas for how to adjust carbohydrates and calories below.

For Less Carbohydrate…

Your healthcare provider may ask you to limit carbohydrates more than our meal plan suggests. This means you should cut back on the carbohydrate foods that you eat throughout the day. To keep your calorie intake about the same, substitute sources of lean protein or healthy fats in their place. Here’s an example:

To lower carbohydrate intake for the day and keep calories about the same (make it closer to 38% of calories), make the following adjustments to our original meal plan:

  • Have your pancakes without syrup at breakfast.
  • At lunch, turn your pita sandwich into a salad by omitting the pita. Add another cup of arugula or another leafy green, use 1/3 cup of reduced-fat mozzarella cheese instead of the reduced skim mozzarella, and add ¼ cup of diced avocado. The Basil Pesto Cream can act as a dressing!
  • For your afternoon snack, replace the watermelon with 6 ounces of light yogurt.
  • At dinner, have 1/3 of the recipe for Fillet with Shallot, Zucchini, and Tomato. Don’t mix your sautéed onions and mushrooms with cous cous. Instead, leave the cous cous out. Cook up 1 slice of turkey bacon, chop it up and add it to the onions and mushrooms. 
  • Add another tablespoon of chopped pecans on top of your grilled peaches.

To Adjust Calories…

Depending on whether you are trying to lose, gain, or maintain your weight, you may have different calorie needs as well. Here are some ideas for adjusting the calories in our One Day Meal Plan.

To cut about 200 calories:

  • Omit the peanut butter at lunch time. (This saves about 210 calories.)

To add about 200 calories:

  • Add a mid-morning snack with one medium-sized apple and 1 tablespoon of almond butter. (This adds about 195 calories.)

*Note: Our meal plans are developed based on the American Diabetes Association’s general nutrition guidelines. However, nutritional needs can vary from person to person. Your healthcare team can help you set up a meal plan that works for you and will help you meet your health goals.

Featured Cookbook

The Diabetes Seafood Cookbook

by Barbara Seelig-Brown

Find over 100 recipes that deliver seafood’s nutrition-dense benefits without skimping on taste.

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I don't do any physical activity other than what I need to do for my usual activities, such as going to work or school, grocery shopping, or doing chores around the house.

I do some moderate exercise every day in addition to doing my usual activities. For example, I walk about 1.5 to 3 miles a day at about 3 to 4 miles an hour. Or I do something else that's moderately active.

I am very active every day in addition to doing my usual activities. For example, I walk more than 3 miles a day at about 3 to 4 miles an hour. Or I do something else that's very active.

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If you want to lose weight, you may need fewer calories. You should talk with your health care team for more personalized recommendations, but this calculator can help to get you started.

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*Estimates are rounded to the nearest 200 calories. An individual's calorie needs may be higher or lower than these average estimates. Developed from the 2010 US Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

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About Our Meal Plans

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