craftybear

how many calories is he to have a day (then you can figure each meal for the calories, carbohydrates, protein and fat)

sunflower126

If he likes eggs, Eat Beaters or other egg substitute works well.

Chasing Hawk

To cut down on the fat even more, use cooking spray. Our "fried eggs" are cooked with cooking spray. I saute veggies too with it.
We hardly eat anything fried in oil. That includes french fries, I now cook those in the oven with some seasoning (Mrs. Dash) and cooking spray. I broil our fish, oven cook chicken on a rack or in my rotisserie.
We eat a really low fat diet to lose weight and usually stick to it.
Family members on my Mom's side are prone to diabetes, so I watch what I eat and try to lose weight.
You can season Pork chops with fat free Italian dressing and throw them on the grill. Avoid overly processed foods and refined baked goods, even those so called sugar free things out there. Make your own goodies, so you can keep track of what goes into your body.

Rhonda

I make my own chicken veg soup. It is heart healthy and has nothing bad for you in it. Vegs and chicken and chicken broth with a jar of applesauce added for a bit of sweetener. It is really really good! My mom used diced apples when she made hers but I substituted applesauce as it was what I had.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-30772-1.htm

RoxanneS

First of all.....take a deep breath...and realize that his sugar readings are NOT YOUR RESPONSIBILTY!!!!! My husband has familial (family related) diabetes, his mother, father, and all 4 siblings have diabetes, along with heart disease but not cholesterol problems. We have found that even a few 'bad' foods, regulated by pills or insulin, is not the end of his life. He has been a diabetic, heart problem patient from 1998, and he is 80 years old. Remember to enjoy life to it's fullest, and make whatever good food choices you can. Life is not to be lived "Military!" AND DEFINATELY STAY AWAY FROM REDUCED SUGAR OR SUGAR FREE!!! (Aspartame is a wonderful ant killer.) As to the fat...the body needs enough to keep fit. Olive oil is the best because of the Omegas in it. Fish is also great.
Live life large, and our prayers with you

Mariah

My hubby was diagnosed with Diabetes about 7 yrs. ago. When he told me, I was sure I would kill him with my cooking, but I didn't.
He is like your husband; meat and potatoes. This is what I did;
I eat the same thing as does he, which makes it so much easier. Fix meat dishes 2 times a day. If we have a big meal at night, then only cereal, juice, coffee, maybe a piece of toast for Breakfast. Then that same day for Lunch, we can have Sandwiches, chips, glass milk, cookie,that is it. Then for Dinner, meat and potatoes or another Starch--rice or noodles, depending on the meat. Also a Salad, and a dessert early in the eve.
So, basically, I didn't go to a whole new way of cooking; just adjusted what we had been eating so we ate less meat--fats and watching Carbs.
I bought Diabetic Cookbooks, but they had recipes with exotic ingredients I never bought, and I never used them.
His doctor suggests that a Diabetic eat 6 times a day; 3 meals, with a light snack between meals, and a small something before going to bed. The snacks are like Corn Chips, a cookie, apple, ect; not much, but something light.
He will get used to it, and you won't notice it being difficult. Just adjust the Carbs to 2 times a day, and meat 2 times a day.
Let me know how you are doing!
Mariah.

gail-r

Ok, he survived the first full day with me taking care of him. And his blood sugars were better than they have been, he was low enough at lunch time that he didn't need to have any insulin until dinner. He was so cute last night, I told him that if his readings were below 200 all day that he could have 4 oreo cookies for a bedtime snack. He was so excited to get his oreo's that he was really good all day about eating only what I gave him. So, we made a deal, if his sugars are good then he can have his cookies and milk for a bedtime snack. I'm hoping this will give him the incentive to be good about what he eats. I'm feeling better today knowing that I didn't kill him the first day. I'm going to get a good carb & calorie book today, yesterday I made an excel spreadsheet to keep track of what he eats and his medicine. I'm hoping that will help me know if his sugar levels spike or drop a lot what it was that caused it, if it was food.

Thanks everyone for you help, kind words of encouragement and advice. I think I'm so lucky to have so many wonderful friends on this board. It isn't just a "quilting board" it is more of a "BFF board". I wish we were all neighbors!!

Hugs and much love to all of you.
Gail

mickey

so sorry to hear the news. I was diagnosed in December also. I am lucky, Pills not insulin. Was put on a 1200 calorie diet, i was always hungry. Best advise i was given ---IT IS NOT just about calories IT IS CARBS.

the formula 30 carbs for breakfast
15 carbs for snack between BR & L
45 carbs for Lunch
15 carbs for snack between L & S
45 carbs for supper
and 15 carbs for bedtime snack IF NEEDED

i rarely eat all the carbs I am allowed, and i no longer feel starved. my sugar is staying between 80-110--depending on the carb load.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE watch the sodium content, and if his feet start to bother him have him elevate them above his heart(in the recliner or on the bed with feet propped on pillows) this will help flush the salt back to his kidneys.

amma

That is such wonderful news :D:D:D I hope that his sugars will continue to drop over time. It is a very drastic change in diet.. glad to hear he as a good attitude towards it :D:D:D

Mariah

Sounds like he is doing good. The docs have told him it takes 3 weeks for anyone on any kind of eating change to allow 3 weeks to not feel starved.
It gets easier as you go along. I can about count what he can and can't eat in my head. I eat the same thing, so that makes it easier also.
Something we have learned as we go along is to for him to eat an early evening meal, then Dessert by 7:30. If he wants something before bed, he will eat some peanut butter or a few crackers.
We also have learned that lots of things cause blood sugar to go up; mostly emotional upsets. As long as we just go along about the same, his b.sugar stays the same.
Mariah