How to Keep
a Diabetic Diet Log
There are
several different methods you can use to keep track of your dietary intake.
A diet log is one of the easiest, and some helpful hints follow along with a
sample page to help you begin your own. As you go along, you can look back
and see your progress as you bring your disease under control.
It is important to note here that diet is only part of a true diabetes
control plan, so the log suggested here provides a place to record all
aspects of your method.
If you test your blood sugar regularly, you will need to note the reading
and time. If you have a bad reading, write down how you feel physically;
this can help you notice early warning signs your body may give. Likewise if
you are insulin dependent, note the time and dosage of each injection.
Make sure you accurately record the time of each meal as well as precisely
what you eat, and any exercise you take through the day. Exercise does not
have to be hard or gym-based; any activity such as brisk walking (shopping
or taking the kids for a walk) or even vigorous housecleaning can apply.
Commit to tracking yourself for a month, and take your log with you to all
doctor appointments. Your log can be a valuable tool in helping to determine
future treatment.
This format provides a place to keep all pertinent information, so keep it
close at hand.
As you progress through the day, you can adjust your food choices and add
medication or exercise to help keep your sugar levels stable. Make sure you
are getting adequate servings of each food group by totaling your servings
at the midpoint and bottom of the page.
Don’t be discouraged if you miss an entry or two, but do try to implement a
habit of meticulous record keeping. It will have an enormously positive
impact on both your treatment and your daily health.
Once you have managed to keep your log for a month, you can re-evaluate.
Another month of logging is a wise plan to ensure your good eating habits
have been firmly entrenched, then if you have stabilized your condition you
may wish to move to a more informal style of record keeping. You may come to
enjoy seeing the correlation between your diet and your health, however, and
many people keep a food journal long after the initial need has passed.
You will see below that there are places to enter the details of each meal
such as the number of exchanges of each type of food (carbs, meats,
vegetables, fruits, dairy and fats) as well as any activity and dosage
amounts of medication. You should also enter the times that you get up, eat,
test your sugar, and go to bed.
Diabetic Diet Log
|
|
TIME |
TEST # |
CARB |
MEAT |
VEG |
FRUIT |
DAIRY |
FAT |
ACTIV |
DOSE
|
|
AM |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MEAL ONE |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 HRS LATER |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MEAL TWO |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 HRS LATER |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MEAL THREE |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 HRS LATER |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NOON TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MEAL FOUR |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 HRS LATER |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MEAL FIVE |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 HRS LATER |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MEAL SIX |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 HRS LATER |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PM |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SNACK (OPT) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
DAILY TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

|