Gestational Diabetes Meal Plan



Looking for a gestational diabetes meal plan?  Look no further.

A medical condition characterized by high blood glucose levels that is discovered during pregnancy is what we call "gestational diabetes". This is usually the result of hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy.  

Some background into the causes of Gestational Diabetes

The increased hormonal activities and stress associated with pregnancy is generally thought to be the cause and women who have gestational diabetes are at higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes after pregnancy.  This is what happened to me!  

Pregnant women who are at risk for diabetes should follow a meal plan for gestational diabetes. Also, expectant mothers who are already diabetic at the time of conception will also need to follow this type of diet in order to maintain healthy blood sugar levels during pregnancy. 

Routine screening for gestational diabetes mellitus is recommended during the second trimester for all women in order to limit the negative impacts it can have on mother and baby. If it is not properly managed it can lead to pregnancy-induced hypertension, premature birth, congenital abnormalities, large fetus size, future obesity, diabetes in the infant, and some other birth complications.

What to look for in a gestational diabetes meal plan

A gestational diabetes meal plan requires dietary modifications that the mother may not be used to but are essential to control this form of diabetes. This can be accomplished through individually developed dietary prescriptions based on lifestyle requirements and metabolic nutrition. Basic changes include reduced intake of simple sugars and starches such as syrups white rice, white bread and white table sugar.

Basically, eliminate all of the white stuff! (except organic whole milk)

Simple sugars and starches are replaced with free range or organic meats, plenty of green vegetables and healthy fats like olive oil (cold), coconut oil, grass fed butter, etc.

To make starting this type of gestational diabetes meal plan easier, a registered dietician will employ exchange lists to make their clients meal planning easier. Exchange lists were first developed specifically for diabetic meal planning but they have become a basic tool for almost all dietary recommendations and food guides.

Another system to manage diabetes, carbohydrate counting, has recently begun to see more widespread utilization. This system allows the client to keep an accurate track of carbohydrate intake during the course of the day.

Our Gestational Diabetes Diet Meal Plan

My gestational diabetes diet meal plan has been very successful for me throughout all three of my pregnancies, despite having a high stress job and problems with blood sugar that caused me to be type 2 diabetic after my pregnancies.  By following this meal plan, I was able to avoid taking insulin – meaning I managed my blood sugar levels with diet alone.  I also did not develop preeclampsia even though I was at high risk for it. 

The cornerstones of this plan are influenced by the research of Dr. Tom Brewer , Dr. Bernstein and the Weston A Price foundation.

Gestational Diabetes Diet Plan

While I was pregnant I made sure to get all of the following each day.

Protein – 6-8 servings per day aiming for 120 grams of protein per day of wild caught salmon, grass fed beef or lamb, organic chicken, organic turkey

Vegetables – 6-8 servings of vegetables per day with at least 4 servings of dark green vegetables

Healthy Fats and Oils – 3-6 servings per day of grassfed butter, cod liver oil, avocado, avocado oil, olive oil (cold only), coconut oil in salad dressings, sauces and for cooking.

Fruit – 2-3 servings per day of either citrus or berries

Water – Unlimited

Salt – Salt food to taste

Sample Meal Plan

Here is an example of exactly what I would eat in a day.  In addition to the below, I drank filtered water and herbal tea throughout the day and I always salted my food to taste.

½ Hour before Breakfast:

12 ounces of filtered water with ½ lemon squeezed in

Breakfast:

3 eggs cooked in butter served over easy on top of ½ cup steamed spinach, salted to taste

Glass of Milk

Mid-day snack


Organic, whole milk cheese sticks, celery sticks with almond butter (or peanut butter)

Before Lunch: 

12 ounces of filtered water with ½ lemon squeezed in


Lunch: 

Leftover homemade pot roast from the night before with leftover broccoli

Or

Big Cesar Salad with a full, sliced chicken breast, no croutons, lots of homemade ceasar dressing with anchovies

Mid-Afternoon Snack

Protein smoothie with 12 ounces of whole milk, a spoonful of coconut oil, 2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder, 1 scoop green superfood powder, blue berries and strawberries

Before Dinner:

12 ounces of filtered water with ½ lemon squeezed in


Dinner:

Grass-fed Ribeye Steak or Grilled Wild Caught Salmon

2 green veggies, usually mixed salad greens with avocado oil vinegrette and an artichoke or Brussel sprouts

1 baked sweet potato with a tablespoon of butter

Dessert:

Fresh Berries – strawberries, blueberries, kiwi berry, black berries, raspberries with organic cream

Before Bed:

12 ounces of filtered water with ½ lemon squeezed in



As you can see from the above example, my meals were easy to make, nutritionally dense, rich in vitamins and minerals that my body needed to make my baby and totally satisfying to eat.  Remember, I was doing this while I had young babies to raise and was working a high stress corporate marketing job.

I also gained the perfect amount of weight for each pregnancy.  After pregnancy and while I was breastfeeding I continued eating the same diet and my pregnancy weight just melted away.

To save on meat costs, I purchased my free range, grass fed/finished beef from a coop so I was only paying around $6 per pound (for steaks, roasts, ground beef combined)


Creating your own gestations diabetes meal plan

A good gestational diabetes meal plan takes into account all of the nutrition you should be getting for both you and your baby. Although the above meal plan worked great for me and has been successfully used by hundreds of my students, you should consult with a pregnancy nutritionist to develop an individualized dietary plan that is be most effective for you. 

More Information


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