Thread: the menu they gave my brother

Here is the menu they gave my brother to start on. My sister asked what I thought of it, and of course, I cringed reading through it and e mailed her back and told her my very thoughts on it...but what does anyone else think? She's still new to the lc woe, and I guess the diabetes counselor told her that Atkins was bad if you do it for years non-stop and don't add anything to it, so I had to educate her on that, too - that you're SUPPOSED to add to it on a weekly basis...I'm not too sure how far she's gotten reading the book. But I did send her my copy of DANDR...I did suggest that if he was going to follow this menu, he should eat the protein first...and I also suggested that both of them should find a doctor who will be open to a low carb or even moderate carb type of diet. I had to figure out the carb count on the side there...that's not the actual carb count in milk...that's just how many servings of carbs he is having per meal...so what does anyone else think? I was also trying ot figure out how many carbs this is...guess I'll go put this on fit day to see.

Breakfast :

4 carbs 1 cup skim milk
3/4 unsweetened cereal
1/2 small grapefruit
1 slice whole wheat toast
3 protein 3/4 cup egg beaters or 6 egg whites
2 fats 2 teaspoons margarine (liquid squeeze type that has 5 g fat/serving)


Lunch:

4 carbs 1 apple
1/3 cup black-eyed peas
1/2 cup corn
1 slice whole wheat bread
4 protein 4 oz chicken breast (skinless)
3 fats 3 teaspoons margarine (liquid squeeze type)
2 vegetables 1 cup cooked zucchini


Dinner:

4 carbs 2/3 cup brown rice (counts as 2 servings)
1 small orange
3 graham crackers (2 1/2 inch square)
4 protein 4 oz lean meat
2 fat 2 teaspoons margarine (liquid squeeze type)
1 vegetable 1/2 cup cooked broccoli

Evening snack:

2 carbs 2 slices whole wheat bread
2 protein 2 oz 95% fat free lunch meat
2 fat 2 teaspoon mayonnaise
free food mustard

I went to fit day and put all this in it, and it came out to 219 g of carbs (minus the fiber)! Just makes me cringe...I'm hoping both he and my sister will find a doctor who approves low carb. I wish my sister would just continue seeing the doctor she was seeing because he approved of her doing Atkins...and I think it would be great if my brother would just switch over to her doctor as well...my dad is on the ADA diet and has been for years. He's lost 50 lbs, yes and has been able to keep it off but he hasn't been able to go off of his diabetes medication...I did tell both my siblings that if my dad switched over to doing low - or even moderate carb - he should be able to go off his medication...I've been e mailing my sister a mouthful of what I think about that menu...and I know she'll pass it on to my brother..it's a 2400 calorie menu...my sister told me she wasn't sure how many calories she needed to eat...I told her when it comes to lc, she doesn't have to worry about calories - just carbs...I also told her if a doctor didn't approve lc, then tell them my story (and if they still don't approve, find a doctor that does)...I'm the only one in the family that's not diabetic - and I know it's thanks to this woe! Had I not lost the weight and gotten on track when I did, I probably would have been down that same road. I thank God he showed me this lifestyle change...looks like I am going to be the testimony in the family that lc does work...and for the LONG term...

Sheyla

His menu is fine. Somewhat like South Beach. He should try it, and see how it pans out in a few weeks. Lowering the overall intake of fat and carbs is good for most people, especially diabetics. He will lose quite a bit of weight this way and it will regulate his blood sucrose and insulin imbalances.

You know, Barb - thanks for pointing that out to me about the green veggies! I didn't even consider that when I was reading the menu - I think I was just a little on the irritated side at such a menu...my brother went for a follow up yesterday but I don't know how that went since he and my sister both are on their way to Arkansas to spend Thanksgiving there...so I'll let you know what the doctors think he should actually be doing when he returns. I am really hoping that he will find a doctor who approves of a lower carb lifestyle rather than a doctor that approves of the ADA diet...I told my sister that he should switch over to her doctor since her doctor approves of the Atkins diet - and he's the one who put my sister on it...keeping fingers crossed and praying that he'll be wise in this decision...

Sheyla