Nutrition Help - Low Glycemic Meal Planning

AprilH81

I've recently been diagnosed with PCOS and I may be insulin resistant but we are still doing tests.  If I am IR (and even if I'm not it might be helpful) it has been recommended that I to move to a low glycemic index lifestyle.

I'm trying to find a chart/checklist to help me build healthy(ier) meals.  I tend to exist more on carbs and meat with a huge side of junk food.  When I'm trying to lose weight I do great with portion sizes but hate most exercises and I realize that I need to make some lifestyle changes.

For those of you who are knowledgable about nutrition help me out?  Other than "less junk more veggies" what doe a well balanced meal actually look like?  

I would love to find a "plug and play" type chart/app that helps me build a meal. I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that an otherwise intelligent person like myself doesn't know a lot about this!

southernbelle0915

DH's mom is diabetic so we always try to make low carb meals when she visitsvisits or when we visit. It's a lot of salads and meats. She can definitely do carbs, she just has to count them.

I usually just google a ton of diabetic recipes and go from there. Diabetic cookbooks, magazines and recipe sites often list the GI for the recipe.

That's really all I know since we only cook this way a couple times a year.

OliveOilsMom

I've been diagnosed PCOS as well.  My diet is probably similar to yours!  Of the veggies I do eat, they are the ones that are less good for you, like potatoes and corn.  H doesn't eat veggies at all except for salad and potatoes.  So we have been slowly changing our diet.  I have also bought smaller sized portions of veggies that I will eat and H (since he is the main cook) will make a pack of them for me to eat with dinner.

I did look into low glycemic cookbooks.  There was a slow-cooker one that I really liked and looked like it had good recipes, but I didn't make the purchase.  I read the book "PCOS & Your Fertility".  It outlined a diet of foods to introduce and foods to remove.  I have done my best to adhere to the suggestions in the book.  I recommend the book anyway as it really helped me understand all the ins and outs of PCOS.

I have also recently started using the supplement myoinositol, which makes me feel overall better.  I don't feel so sluggish anymore.  While it has not happened for me, some of the reviews PCOS patients stated was that they began ovulating regularly again.  It is sold under a brand name of Pregnitude, I think.  But I buy it in pure powder form from Amazon and mix it with water.  It makes the water taste slightly sweet, but otherwise there is no flavor.  The supplement makes me feel so good, I will probably continue to take it even after we are done TTC.

Sorry I don't have specific recipes, but I hope that you are able to get your PCOS under control!  We are in the process of having further testing done with the doctor in hopes of TTC. 

FutureMrsN3312

I was just diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes.  I met with a nutritionist last night.  I can PM you a meal plan she gave me?  Its low carb high protein.

AprilH81

Thanks @oliveoilsmom !  You aren't the first to recomend myoinositol, I'm a little hesitant to start something right before my appointment with my RE (first appointment is on May 19th).  What research I've seen lends me to believe it is harmless and might actually help.

The good news is DH loves veggies and just about any food you can imagine.  I wouldn't call myself picky, but I am the more selective eater of the two of us.

I also love the starchy "veggies" of corn and potatoes.  I like cucumbers, raw carrots and raw spinach and most lettuces but most other veggies run from "meh" to no way am I eating that.  I do like a lot of fruits but those contain a lot of natural sugars so I shouldn't go overboard there.  

lyndausvi

I'm suppose to be on a diabetic like diet do to my hypoglycemia, but I'm really as good as I should.  

Anyway, when I start to feel out of whack I use Myfitnesspal.com to track my foods and keep me in check. Myfitnesspal tracks your nutrients which is pretty helpful.  A scale is a must.  It's a real eye-opener on portion size.

 As far as meals go.   I fell the best when I eat a simple dinner of a protein, veggies and a starch.   When I eat like that I feel more balanced. Proteins include fish, chicken, pork and steak.  It's pretty simple and easy to make.  I eat like that about 4 nights a week (days when DH is at work).   I try to limit my breads and pasta to only 1-2 days a week (each). So they are not totally removed from my system, just limited.  When we were away I ate a lot of carbs and I could feel my body go out of whack.  

julieanne912

One cooking blog I really like is Kalyn's Kitchen.  It's geared towards low-carb/South Beach Diet cooking, but I bet there would be a lot on there that would work for your needs too. http://www.kalynskitchen.com/