My Food Choices.
Tomatoes, in any shape or form.
Pasta, whole grain or whole wheat.
Bread whole grain or whole wheat.
96% lean beef, usually ground.
Pork tenderloin.
Egg whites.
Extra virgin olive oil.
Beans, especially red kidney beans.
Peanuts, whole unsalted, or fresh ground no sugar added.
Jam, no sugar (Good Good) brand.
Spices, raw, just about any kind, but not spice blends.
Green coffee.
These are the foods that I have been eating for the last year and a half. I eat them in different combinations just to break up the monotony.
I have gravitated to these foods because they are foods that I like and I can keep them within the Glycemic load and Saturated Fat numbers and still keep the calories between 2000 and 3000 on a daily basis.
In The Beginning
When I first started this journey, I tried many different combinations of foods that I really liked. My whole thought process was to eat the foods that I liked. That way when I was back to the normal ranges of A1C and Lipids, I would be able to maintain the diet without wanting to go back to the old way of eating.
What happened was that I discovered why my A1C and Lipid numbers were so high.
Eye Opening Moment
I discovered that most of the foods that I really liked, were way to high in saturated fats, cholesterol and sugar. I had to eat so little of them to stay under the Glycemic Load the Saturated Fat numbers, that I was not getting enough calories. Plus I just wasn’t satisfied.
I was used to eating larger quantities of these foods in each meal. Then when I had to cut the amount of food in each meal, in order to keep within the Glycemic Load & Saturated Fat numbers, it quickly became a psychological stumbling block.
That is when I started searching for foods with lower Glycemic Index numbers and meats that were the leanest cuts and foods that were high in protein without the fat.
Different Versions
Enter: whole grain and whole wheat bread, whole grain and whole wheat pasta. 96% lean ground beef. Tenderloin pork and extra virgin olive oil. Foods with no sugar added, like spaghetti sauce, tomatoes in a can, ground peanuts and fresh vegetables.
So as you might have figured by now 96% ground beef and any food without sugar and low in sodium are probably pretty bland. Your right!
Needless to say my raw spice collection grew exponentially.
Figuring It Out
I eventually started coming up with meal plans that kept me within the numbers as far as Glycemic Load and Saturated Fat go and also kept my calories between 2000 and 3000 per day.
As time went on I found myself eating certain meal combinations more than others. And then I realized that I was eating the same six or seven different meals over and over again.
These six or seven different meal plans and variations of them have been my staple now since I’ve been back into the normal range of lipids and A1C.
These are foods that I really like They stay in the numbers and they allow me to maintain my A1C and lipid count.
And so I am happy. My doctor is happy. I lost 50 pounds in the process. I feel great. And life is good.