Nikki's Nutrition Plan

If you have IR, or diabetes, or any special nutritional needs, I highly advocate going to a licensed nutritionist or dietitian.   I am not a nutritionist, and even among people with IR, needs can vary a great deal.  So I post my own nutrition plan so you can see what I aim to eat on a daily basis and adjust to your own needs.  I do not subscribe to any certain "diet" or plan.  I do not claim to lead a vegetarian, vegan, or raw lifestyle, though I do sometimes eat meals that would fall into those categories.  Same goes for gluten-free.  Below is a summary of my nutrition plan.

Per meal:
30g fat
30g protein
15g carbohydrates
(no more than 12g added sugar a day)

I have one, sometimes two, snacks a day.  I've found that by staying ahead of hunger, I'm not nearly as tempted to binge on sweets until I'm full!  For snacks, I try to stay around 10g carbs and 15g of protein/fat together.

Upon first meeting with my nutritionist, and hearing her "30g of fat" advice, I thought she was crazy.  I thought I would gain a bazillion pounds.  But, I do like butter and cheese, so I tried it after all.  I have not gained weight at all.  If anything, I've lost a few pounds, though that has not been my goal.  Eating more fats - especially replacing carbs I was eating at breakfast and lunch with fats - has helped fill me up so I don't have a visceral desire to sit down with a bag of chocolate chips at night time.

Balancing healthy carbs with fats and protein slows the absorption of glucose into the blood stream, thereby limiting your body's insulin response.  The key to healthy eating and managing IR for me has been finding that balance of fats, proteins, and carbs.

I try to eat nearly all my carbs from fruits, veggies, and dairy products.

I do eat some grains, mainly steel cut oats and sprouted whole grain breads.  I try to keep these items at 4 or fewer servings per week.

There a very few items I don't let myself have at all.  I don't like thinking I can never have ice cream again...so, I don't think that!  I allow myself an extra special sugary treat once a month, making sure to eat a reasonable portion after a balanced healthy meal.  I make room for it in my "carb allowance."  However, I have found as time goes on that my tastes have changed.  That cupcake doesn't taste as good as it used to.  (I know, the people who watched me subsist on chocolate through college are gasping right now.)  Now I mostly make my own baked goods and make some substitutions that allow me to follow my nutrition plan more closely while still enjoying desserts on occasion.