Are you prediabetic or diabetic and attempting to lose weight? Here are 3 examples that you can keep in mind while dining out (from the Webmd article "Best and Worst Meals for Diabetes-Savvy Dining”).

Worse Bet #1: Farm Breakfast

The count: 2,060 calories, 276 g carbs
3 pancakes, 2 sausage links, 1 hash brown patty, and 2 scrambled eggs

No food is off-limits with diabetes, but this brunch will blow your carb and calorie budget in a hurry. Experts suggest that meals for people with diabetes should have 45-75 grams of carbohydrates, depending on individual goals. Your body weight, activity, and medications all matter. This meal packs enough carbs for four to five meals.

Better Bet #1: New American Breakfast

The count: 294 calories, 40 g carbs
Oatmeal with blueberries and scrambled eggs with spinach and light cheese

This quick meal delivers protein in a scrambled egg, and just 40 carbs, mostly from fiber-rich oatmeal and blueberries. Fiber slows digestion to help prevent blood sugar spikes. People with diabetes need to watch all types of carbs: cereal, bread, rice, pasta, starchy veggies, sweets, fruit, milk, and yogurt. Spread your total carbs across the day.

Personal Trainer Wisdom: While I think your philosophy should be figuring out what you can get away with when it comes to eating, you have to be careful if you’re prediabetic or diabetic. In many cases, a meal overloaded with carbs can send you into a coma (a concern that shouldn’t be taken lightly….something I learned firsthand when a loved one passed several years ago). With this being said, you need to be mindful of your choices. If a meal is made on the farm, it must be healthy, right? I wish (although I love my visits to the Ray Farm in southern Indiana every summer). Although the farm breakfast is a favorite go-to, a whopping 276 g of carbs will send your blood sugars levels to the moon. Pancakes, potatoes, and syrup, oh my! Settle for WebMD's better combination of complex carbs and protein. Don’t kid yourself though: There are carbs in most dairy products. Choose unsweetened almond or coconut milk with your oatmeal to please your favorite Chicago personal trainer. Annnnnnnd, by the way, WebMD, some foods SHOULD be off-limits….but that’s another conversation.

Worse Bet #2: Chips, Salsa, Burrito

The count: 1,760 calories, 183 g carbs
Chips, salsa, and everything you imagine on the burrito

Before one bite of burrito, you can get 98 grams of carbs and 810 calories in a basket of chips and salsa. If you're trying to slim down and eat less sodium, like many people with diabetes, the burrito adds 950 calories. You also get way more than a whole day's worth of sodium.

Better Bet #2: Beef and Bean Enchilada

The count: 443 calories, 48 g carbs
Beef and beans, and veggies in a corn tortilla shell topped with salsa and light sour cream (with a side of guacamole and chips)

Lean beef and black beans make this Mexican dish a good option for a diabetic diet. The fiber in the beans can help lower blood cholesterol and control blood sugar. Go heavy on the veggies and light on cheese. Enjoy 10 small corn chips (1 ounce) with a little guacamole.

Personal Trainer Wisdom: I love Mexican food. Please believe me when I say that it can be healthy. Of course, this isn’t true when you have something with the name “basket” in it (as well as “burrito as big as your head”). We want carbs…but the good carbs though (think: veggies, beans, legumes, etc.). Anything with corn or flour will push you beyond your limits. If you need a tortilla shell, choose a non-GMO corn tortilla shell and cut down on the size. An enchilada may be a smaller option right up your alley. Still be mindful of your calorie/fat, increasing consumption of cheese.

Worse Bet #3: Southern Rib Plate

The count: 2,510 calories, 83 g carbs
Ribs, macaroni and cheese, and corn on the cob

This classic Southern meal loads too many splurge foods onto one plate. Fatty pork ribs are dripping in sugary barbecue sauce and flanked by macaroni and cheese and corn on the cob. Corn is a high-carb vegetable, with about 19 grams of carbs in one medium ear. It's just too much, all around.

Better Bet #3: Pork Tenderloin Meal

The count: 360 calories, 42 g carbs
Pork tenderloin, broccoli, and pureed cauliflower

Pork tenderloin is one of the leanest and most versatile cuts of meat. Here it's prepared in a Dijon mustard glaze, and served with steamed broccoli and mock mashed potatoes. Pureed cauliflower stands in beautifully for carb-heavy white potatoes. Round out the meal with a whole wheat dinner roll.

Personal Trainer Wisdom: Even I will admit that this isn’t a fair tradeoff, WebMD. Most people won’t say, “I really, really, really want ribs with the mac and cheese but I guess I’ll have the alternative: Pork tenderloin.” Since you’re in the mood for a treat, I recommend the following instead: A well-done portion of ribs without the bbq sauce (cook off the fat and remove the carbs from the sauce), collard greens with minimal oil and no bacon, and corn on the cob. Less fat, calories, and carbs! Sorry, no mac and cheese, gang.

Photo Credit:
Andrea Woo Wordpress.com–Will this dish send you into a diabetic coma?

Article Credit:

Author: Michael Moody Fitness with excerpt sourced from the article "Best and Worst Meals for Diabetes-Savvy Dining" on Webmd.com.