With diabetes, there are some specific rules you should keep in mind. If you are taking insulin or other medicine you need to be ensured what you’re eating before, during and after exercises. First, and the most important part is hydration. Making sure you are hydrated before, during, and after sports can assure stable blood sugars overall.
Before
It’s all about carbs and proteins. If you count them correctly – then you’re good! Up to 30 grams of carbs in a snack is ideal. For pre-workout snacks try freshly cut fruit, simple sandwiches with peanut butter or just a small bowl of oatmeal. Always eat breakfast, no matter what your blood sugar is.
Empty stomach might raise it but a meal will keep it balanced. The best time to eat your treat would be at least 30 minutes before your workout session.
After
After a workout always check your blood sugar. Refuel yourself with lower-carbohydrate snacks such as fruit bars, apples, boiled eggs. Healthy fats will bring your glucose back on track. Same as mentioned above, wait at least 30 minutes after a workout to enjoy your snack.
Other power-up snacks can be non-fat yoghurt, bananas, various nuts. Take into consideration, if you’re going on a long bike-trip or a marathon, you will need to store your backpack with more than just one granola bar.
Nonetheless, there are many points that may vary your blood sugar: intensity of a workout, length of it, timing.
If you take insulin or other medications, be sure to consult with your doctor if you need to make any changes for the exercise.
Understanding how physical activity affects your diabetes management is important. Usually, it’s learning to plan your meals ahead. Keeping an eye on your blood glucose and being prepared in case of a hypoglycemic incident are vital key points of self-care. But when you are minded and aware – working out will turn out to be a joy!
Struggling to get diabetes friendly recipes? Or feeling stuck with the same food? Follow these simple step-by-step videos and prepare easy yet delicious diabetes-friendly dishes.
1. Fried Egg
Ingredients:
2 tsp of butter
2 large eggs
1 half of a bell pepper 1 oz spinach
3 sun-dried tomatoes pieces
2 salt pinches
2 black pepper pinches
Preparation:
In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium-high heat. Add in spinach, and season with salt and black pepper. Cook it stirring gently until the spinach leaves wilt. Set aside.
Crack the eggs into the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes until the egg whites are set. Carefully flip the eggs and cook to desired doneness. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper
Add prepared spinach and eggs into the serving plate, slice the bell pepper, sun-dried tomatoes and serve on the side. If desired sprinkle with some sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Nutritional value:
Total calories: 389 kcal
Total carbs: 7 grams
Total protein: 21 grams
Total fat: 32 grams
2. Chia Almond pudding
Ingredients:
1 tbsp raw blackberries
4 drops of stevia liquid
3.5 oz unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 pinch of cacao
1 tbsp of coconut oil
Chopped almonds for topping
Preparation:
Combine chia seeds, almond milk, coconut oil and stevia in a bowl.
Microwave in 45-second intervals until the mixture is hot. Don’t forget to stir in between. Then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge overnight.
Serve with berries and sprinkle some cacao on the top
1/4 cup hazelnut milk 1/4 cup blueberries fresh or frozen
Preparation:
Separate egg whites from yolks and place them in two different bowls.
In the bowl containing the egg yolks, add in all the wet ingredients and mix well. Then add in the dry ingredients and mix until well incorporated. Do not mix in the blueberries yet.
In the other bowl containing the egg whites, beat on high speed until peaks are formed.
Pour the egg whites into the pancake batter along with the blueberries and gently fold with a spatula until mixed well. It’s important not to overmix the batter at this point.
Let your batter sit for 5-10 minutes to allow it to thicken.
Preheat a large non-stick pan over low-medium heat and drizzle olive oil. Use butter if you don’t have any oil.
Gently pour pancake batter by large spoonfuls onto the skillet. Cook until bubbles form and edges are dry which takes about 3-4 minutes. Flip then cook for another 2-3 minutes. Repeat until batter is finished.
Serve and enjoy with butter and maple syrup.
4. Panko-Ranch Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins, about 1 lb total
1/2 cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs
3 tbsp canola oil
4 long romaine lettuce leaves
1/2 med. cucumber, thinly sliced
Yoghurt ranch dressing:
1 cup yoghurt
¼ cup chopped cilantro
¼ cup chopped parsley
1 clove of garlic
Salt and pepper for seasoning
Preparation:
Place the chicken in a medium bowl with 1/4 cup of the ranch dressing; toss until well coated. Place the breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Coat the chicken pieces, one at a time, with the breadcrumbs. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and immediately reduce to medium-low heat. Cook for about 12 minutes, gently turning occasionally, until chicken is golden and no longer pink in the center.
Remove the strips from the skillet, and sprinkle with salt. Serve 4 strips with 2 Tbsp of ranch dressing for dipping. Save 4 of the chicken strips.
Line each lettuce leaf with 1/4 of the cucumber slices, 1/2 Tbsp ranch dressing, 1 Tbsp cilantro, and 1 chicken strip. Serve with lemon or lime wedge, if desired.
5. Taco stuffed sweet potatoes
Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
2 cloves garlic minced
1 packet taco seasoning
1 cup chunky salsa
5 medium sweet potatoes about 12-14 ounces each
Toppings (optional):
shredded Mexican blend cheese
diced tomato
diced avocado or guacamole
sour cream
Preparation:
Brown ground beef and garlic in a large skillet over medium high heat. Drain grease and add the taco seasoning and salsa.
Reduce heat to medium low and cook for about 5 more minutes until mixture has thickened and is heated through.
While the meat is cooking, poke holes all over the sweet potatoes and cook in the microwave for 8-10 minutes on high, turning sweet potatoes over once halfway through. If potatoes aren’t soft enough, continue cooking 1-3 minutes more. I usually cook two potatoes at one time, but if your microwave allows, you could cook all four at once. Allow sweet potatoes to cool slightly, then slice them lengthwise and fluff the insides with a fork.
Spoon the cooked taco meat over the sweet potatoes and add desired toppings such as shredded cheese, diced tomato, avocado, guacamole, or sour cream. Enjoy!
6. Garlic Butter Chicken Bites with Lemon Asparagus
Ingredients:
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks
2 bunch of asparagus, rinsed and trimmed
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or Herbes de Provence
1 tablespoon hot sauce, optional (we used Sriracha)
1/2 cup (125ml) low-sodium chicken broth
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon minced parsley
Crushed red chili pepper flakes, optional
Slices of lemon, for garnish
For the chicken seasoning:
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
Preparation:
To prepare the chicken bites recipe and asparagus in garlic butter sauce: start to slice chicken breasts into bite-sized chunks and season with salt, pepper, and onion powder. Let sit on a shallow plate while you prepare the asparagus.
Wash and trim the ends of the asparagus, then blanch them in boiling water for 2 minutes, then soak in ice water to stop the cooking asparagus. This way, asparagus will cook faster and evenly in the skillet. You can skip this step if you have skinny asparagus. Drain and set aside.
Heat half butter and olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Gently stir-fry the chicken bites on all sides until golden brown. Lower the temperature, add one teaspoon minced garlic and Italian seasoning and stir and cook with chicken bites until fragrant. Remove the chicken bites from the skillet and set aside to a plate. You might have to work in batches to avoid crowding the pan and have steamed chicken bites instead of brown.
In the same skillet over medium-high, add minced garlic then deglaze with chicken broth (or wine). Bring to a simmer and allow to reduce to half the volume. Add remaining butter, lemon juice, hot sauce, parsley. Give a quick stir to combine.
Add the blanched asparagus and toss for 2 minutes to cook it up. Add the sauteed chicken bites back to the pan and stir for another minute to reheat. Garnish the chicken and asparagus with more parsley, crushed chili pepper, and lemon slices and serve your garlic butter chicken bites and asparagus immediately. Enjoy!
7. Low-Carb Caprese Chicken Bowl
Marinated chicken ingredients:
1 small skinless and boneless chicken breast (113 g/ 4 oz)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (15 ml)
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Italian seasoning
pinch of salt
Salad:
2 cups fresh spinach or any greens of choice (60 g/ 2.1 oz)
Place the chicken breast in a sealable container with the olive oil, vinegar, Italian seasoning, and salt. Transfer to the refrigerator to marinate anywhere from 10 minutes to overnight.
Heat a pan over medium high heat. Transfer the chicken along with the marinade to the skillet and sear 4-5 minutes per side until the chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a cutting board and slice.
In a small jar, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Set aside until ready to serve.
Assemble the salads by placing the veggies and mozzarella in a bowl.
Top with chicken and dressing. Serve immediately.If you’re packing the salad to go, store the dressing separately.
Line with a parchment baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Slice the zucchini, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake about 25 min until golden. You can also use other keto-friendly vegetables, such as jicama or kohlrabi, but they will need a little longer to bake (about 35-40 min)
Prepare the breading. Whisk an egg in a bowl. Set aside. Combine the Parmesan cheese, almond flour, onion and garlic powder, and paprika. Add salt and pepper.You can replace the Parmesan cheese by grated Cheddar Cheese if you want less net carbs. But then you won’t get such crisp.
Slice the cod fish into 1-inch pieces. make sure that it is boneless. You can use any kind of white fish, such as haddock and hake. We chose cod because it has a dense fillet.
Dip each piece in the egg mix, after that in the breading mix to cover completely. Repeat this procedure for a denser crust. Start frying immediately.Heat the oil to 350°F. Fry the fish about 3 min until golden brown and crispy and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate for 2 minutes. So excess fat will remain on the towel and you will get crispy slices.
For the sauce combine all the ingredients in a food processor and proceed until smooth.You can also adjust the density of the sauce. If you want it to be thinner, add a little more oil and whisk again.
Serving:
Serve fish with zucchini chips and avocado mayonnaise sauce. You can roll a cone from kraft paper and put it in it. Add another slice of lemon for little more piquancy.
9. Almond yoghurt
Ingredients:
Sour Cream 3 ounce
Heavy Whipping Cream 1 tablespoon(s)
Stevia liquid 1 teaspoon(s)
Almonds 1⁄2 ounce(s)
Preparation:
1. In a medium bowl combine the sour cream and whipping cream.
2. Add the Stevia one tsp at a time until you reach desired sweetness.
3. Mince or chop almond nuts and put on the top of your yoghurt
4. Serve in a cup and enjoy.
Nutritional value:
Total calories: 303 kcal
Total carbs: 6 grams
Total protein: 5 grams
Total fat: 30 grams
10. Low Carb Beef and Cabbage
Ingredients:
Ground Beef, 85% Lean 5,3 Ounce(s)
Garlic Raw 1 Clove(s)
Ginger, Ground 1 Pinch(es)
Salt 1 Pinch(es)
Freshly ground black pepper 1 Dash(es)
Cabbage, grated 1⁄2 Pound(s)
Olive Oil 1 Teaspoon(s)
Apple Cider Vinegar 1⁄2 Teaspoon(s)
Red Pepper (cayenne), Ground 1 Dash(es)
Preparation:
1. Take a large skillet, brown the ground beef with chopped garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper.
2. Remove beef from skillet.
3. Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add cabbage and cook until it begins to brown.
4. Stir vinegar and red pepper into cooked cabbage. Add in browned ground beef and continue
cooking until well heated.
Enjoy your meal!
Nutritional value:
Total calories: 536 kcal
Total carbs: 14 grams
Total protein: 30 grams
Total fat: 38 grams
Almost every diet includes a recommended calorie intake. However, very few include the necessary information about what it actually means. What is a calorie? What are its origins? And most importantly, how do you calculate them in meals? Let’s tackle all of these questions one by one.
What is a calorie?
To put it simply, a calorie is a unit, or a measurement of energy. Our bodies take it from the meals we eat and use it as fuel for everyday tasks – from walking to thinking, sleeping, or even creating new ideas with your brain. Even when we think that we’re not using any energy, our body organs are pumping it out every minute.
Unused calories are then stored as fat. Your body needs it, however, when you consume way more calories than your body can burn, it can easily lead to unwanted weight gain.
-There are “good” and “bad” calories. Nuts, berries, veggies, legumes, eggs, etc. – all of these are considered as “good” calories and should be the foundation of a healthy diet.
-The “bad” calories usually come from high-sugar food, such as fizzy drinks, bagels, sweets, chocolate bars, burgers, and more. They give you pleasure and make you feel full (for a while), but they don’t provide your body with anything healthy or nutritious. In other words, these are just empty calories.
How to calculate calories in meals?
Calories help you track your intake, set limits, and achieve desired results.
Counting them is easy when you’re preparing home-cooked meals. Quite often, the whole “math system” is written on the back of the package. If not, then you need to use measuring cups and spoons – simply add up the numbers you get and see what’s the total.
The foods you choose are just as important. Aim to spread out your carbohydrate intake throughout your day and check if the calories you consume are aligned with your goal. Naturally, your calorie intake can always be adjusted if you suddenly start exercising more, or you feel like your weight isn’t going down even if you follow the diet plan.
How calories affect weight loss?
To lose weight, you would need to consume fewer calories than you burn each day. That means, you should either cut back on the calories you consume or increase your physical activity to burn them off.
Cutting back on carbohydrates will also help you to reduce the amount of “bad,” empty calories that your body tends to store.
