How much should I eat each day?

• First of all you should know how much your calories you should ingest per day. This should be discussed with a dietitian. Secondly, you have to learn to count carbohydrates. This is because they break down into glucose thus impacting your blood sugar level. It is important to have the same amount of carbohydrates every day, and at the same time. This is especially true if you are taking medication or insulin. This helps you avoiding high blood glucose level fluctuations.
• It is important that someone teaches you how to measure food portions and to read food labels. If you are taking insulin a dietitian can teach you how to adjust your insulin dose according to the amount of carbohydrates in your meal.

All that said it is highly recommended to make decisions with your doctor and to learn to personalize your eating plan with him/her. We give the following sample menu just as an example of how an eating plan can be organized.

First of all the daily eating plan should be based on your size, physical activity level, and your treatment. The following sample is tailored on a patient that needs 1200 to 1600 calories per day.

• Breakfast. Whole-wheat pancakes or waffles, one piece of fruit or 3/4 cup of berries, 6 ounces of nonfat vanilla yogurt.
• Lunch. Cheese and veggie pita, medium apple with 2 tablespoons of almond butter.
• Dinner. Beef stroganoff; 1/2 cup carrots; side salad with 1 1/2 cups spinach, 1/2 of a tomato, 1/4 cup chopped bell pepper, 2 teaspoons olive oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar.
• Snacks. Two unsalted rice cakes topped with 1 ounce of light spreadable cheese or one orange with 1/2 cup 1 percent low-fat cottage cheese.