This content originally appeared on diaTribe. Republished with permission.

By Ben Tzeel

Ben Tzeel, a registered dietitian and strength coach who has lived with type 1 diabetes for over 20 years, discusses his every day eating habits and what others with diabetes should know.

If I had a dollar for each time someone with diabetes asked me, “Ben, what do you eat each day to maintain your blood sugars in range?”…I could probably retire right about now.

As a registered dietitian, certified diabetes care and education specialist, and strength coach who has lived with diabetes for greater than 20 years, I can understand why they’d ask me this query.

And given my affinity for diving into the research and the time I spent doing diabetes-focused research in graduate school, I can say, I’ve tried nearly every weight loss plan permutation possible: high carb (over 300g of carbs per day), low carb (under 50g of carbs per day), intermittent fasting, carb backloading (leaving my carb consumption for the evening only), also. The list goes on.

I desired to try each so I could get an idea of how I physically and mentally felt on each of those eating patterns, how my blood sugars would respond (due to a continuous glucose monitor, or CGM, and Dexcom’s 7-day overview reports), how my body performed during exercise, and whether or not I could follow every one long run.

Ultimately, I used to be in a position to take elements from each experience and boiled down my journey into the way in which I eat now, which works for me and is perfect for my blood sugars.

Before I break it down, I just wish to preface it with the proven fact that I even have patients who eat COMPLETELY in another way than I do. The goal is to search out one of the best ways of eating for you and your goals, not to easily match what the dietitian and diabetes educator does.

11:30 a.m.: Post-workout breakfast/brunch

• 3 eggs
• 3 egg whites
• 3.5 cups spinach
• 3 ounces mushrooms
• Protein shake (peanut butter, almond milk, non-dairy protein powder; my favorite is Carnivor)

The primary time I eat is after my workout. I typically work out around 9:30 a.m. for about 60-90 minutes. I personally decide to work out fasted, because it tends to work higher for my blood sugar stability, especially on days where I’m lifting weights. Because I even have minimal insulin on board, it helps me to not stress a couple of blood sugar drop and allows for smaller tweaks to my basal and bolus insulin up until the primary meal.

This eating schedule roughly follows 16:8 intermittent fasting guidelines. I personally have found it really works higher for me and my blood sugars to not eat until in a while (although if I even have a low, in fact I’ll “break” the fast to treat it). Sometimes it’s closer to fifteen:9; I don’t get super specific right down to the minute because it doesn’t are inclined to make an enormous difference. I also prefer to eat fewer, sometimes larger, meals versus many smaller meals, because it makes me feel more full. It makes me joyful.

I focus heavily on the protein and the veggies. Breakfast is a meal where oftentimes veggies are skipped, which may result in an absence of potassium within the weight loss plan. Given it’s after my sweat-heavy workout, I like that I even have a burst of potassium along with the protein to assist my body get well. (A one who has a deficit in potassium isn’t only more more likely to experience cramping and lowered workout performance, but might also notice high blood sugars linger for longer.)

I select a non-dairy protein powder because, in each my personal and patient-facing experience, there appears to be a correlation between dairy-based protein powders and more drastic spikes in blood sugar. I exploit a brand called Carnivor that’s beef-based (and is the richest tasting chocolate protein powder I’ve had up to now).

I’m not super carb heavy within the morning, as I find I’m more insulin resistant until the afternoon, so I don’t go overboard with my carb intake early within the day.

This breakfast takes a complete 10 minutes to make, so it’s an amazing option for after I’m on the go.

3:30 p.m.: Snack/lunch

• Chicken snack wrap (high-fiber tortilla, 4 ounce Tru Grill grilled chicken strips from Costco, 1 ounce of part-skim cheese, 1 tablespoon of olive oil mayo)
• 6 stalks of celery
• 1.5 ounces of Lay’s BBQ chips

That is what I’ll have in my mid-afternoon break between groups of patients.  What I like about that is that it takes all of 60 seconds to create the wrap, and I may be seated, have my snack, and move on with the day afterwards.

I strive for no less than 35-45 grams of protein per sitting to attain my protein goal every day and maximize muscle protein synthesis, the primary recovery mechanism within the body.  My blood sugars also benefit from the regular flow of protein through the day, as protein is a stabilizer for blood sugars.

Fiber is a nutrient that doesn’t get a variety of shine, and the largest focus within the diabetes world appears to be whether to count it or not towards total carbs for dosing purposes. Fiber has a ton of advantages, including improving the makeup of bacteria within the digestive system in addition to keeping you feeling more full.  My preferred tortillas from Ole Xtreme Wellness contain 11 grams of fiber, which is a pleasant boost towards the every day goal of 30 grams that I set for myself. The celery contributes towards that focus on as well while providing a potassium boost (potassium is my favorite nutrient, if you happen to couldn’t tell).

I also eat Lay’s BBQ chips because, well, life is simply too short to not eat the foods you enjoy, but more importantly, to indicate that I’m not eating perfectly ‘clean,’ as some would expect. They surprisingly have a solid contribution of vitamin C and potassium as well, and so long as I measure them out and dose appropriately, their impact on my blood sugar is minimal, they usually can assist in replenishing my glycogen stores (glucose stored within the liver) from my earlier workout.

7:30 p.m.: Dinner

• 6 ounces chicken with honey mustard
• 8 ounces of cauliflower rice
• 1 medium potato, diced and mixed with light whipped butter
• 1 pint Enlightened ice cream
• 3 ounces strawberries
• 1.5 ounces walnuts, if I’m still hungry

I actually, really like dinner. It’s my favorite meal of the day. I be sure that with dinner I’ve reached my personal calorie, protein, and other nutrient targets. I also prefer to end the day with something sweet, as that’s my personal preference, but I be sure to decide on smart options.

My fruit and vegetable goal for the day is reached with a big bowl of cauliflower and a few strawberries. I’d steal a few of my fiancée’s potatoes since she does a pleasant job with them, they usually work great as a posh starch option.

Between the chicken and the ice cream – more on the ice cream in a moment!! – I definitely hit the protein goal.

I like Enlightened ice cream since it has 20 grams of protein per pint, it accommodates fiber, it tastes implausible, and truthfully, it has a fairly low impact on my blood sugar since it is sweetened by allulose (a naturally occurring sugar and low-calorie sweetener with 90% fewer calories than sucrose), which has little to no impact on blood sugars. My go-to Enlightened flavor is Brownies & Cookie Dough light ice cream. SO GOOD.

Top takeaways

I emphasize protein, fiber, veggies and fruit, and getting sufficient fuel for my body at the best times of day. I do eat carbs, but not as many as some would expect. What I call my “sweet spot” – the carb range where I typically feel my best – tends to be between 130-180 grams of carbohydrates per day.

After all, there’s nobody perfect way for one and all with diabetes to eat. It’s about finding what’s best for you, your body, and your blood sugars, and rolling with it. Your sweet spot could also be considerably higher or lower than mine, and that’s okay! The goal is to search out that sweet spot on your body where your Time in Range, energy levels, and workout performance are at their best, and to remain there – something our team of dietitians helps individuals with diabetes do on a regular basis.

If individuals are intrigued by how a lower- or higher-carb way of eating would work for them, I typically advise people to maneuver up their carb counts up or down slowly and check in with themselves each step of the strategy to see how those aspects (blood glucose control, energy, and workout performance) are impacted.

And remember: It’s OK to indulge a little bit bit, so long as you control portions and concentrate on options with less sugar and more fiber and/or protein. While I do periodically have an actual dessert (a favourite is bread pudding), I are inclined to follow options just like the high-protein Enlightened ice cream as my sweet treat, as it really works inside my blood sugars rather a lot higher.