Living with diabetes means that I have to pay special attention to the timing and combinations of macronutrients on a meal to meal basis.

I started following a plant-based diet over three years ago, which has allowed me to achieve my best diabetes management yet. I credit my insulin sensitivity, Time in Range (TIR) and average blood glucose level (BGL) to the powerful two-punch combo that is exercise and a plant-based diet and the other pillars that make up my approach to healthy living.

I start my day with 2 glasses of water before going for a long walk in the park with my dog, Dennis. Hydration is an important factor when it comes to blood glucose control. After depositing around 3-4 thousand steps in the bank, I immediately go for a swim in the ocean.

After my swim, it’s coffee time! Depending on my BGL and the type of activity that I’ll be doing next, I’ll either have a black coffee (long black or batch brew) or an oat milk latte. I’ve written a detailed article about the relationship between coffee and glucose metabolism which you can read here.

I make the most of the energy from the caffeine by smashing a workout. My training program varies daily but usually involves an array of modalities such as cardio, calisthenics, and lifting weights. 

BREAKFAST 

I like to fast until around midday because I’m simply not hungry in the morning. I always honour my appetite hormones so I only ever eat when I’m hungry. I’m not militant about the duration of my fast. Some days I eat around 1-2 pm, other days I’ll eat before midday, but on average I break my fast around noon.

My first meal of the day (which is also my post-workout meal) varies depending on the season. In summer I’ll have a smoothie bowl or overnight oats. In winter I’ll have a warm bowl of porridge. This is the meal where I eat the vast majority of my daily carbohydrates because it’s when I’m most insulin sensitive and glucose tolerant. I like to keep my saturated fat intake relatively low at this time.

Overnight oats/porridge 

Ingredients: wheat-free rolled oats, almond milk, banana, Medjool date, blueberries, cinnamon, hemp seeds, flax meal, chia seeds, walnuts, 1 Brazil nut (for my daily dose of selenium) and a scoop of plant-based protein powder. 

Smoothie bowl

My smoothie bowl contains most of the same ingredients but I use frozen banana and blueberries, and instead of the oats I add a sprinkle of granola for some added crunch on top.

LUNCH

For lunch, I like to eat a large variety of vegetables, whole grains and legumes. I make sure to have a fairly even balance of carbs and fat. The more colourful the better. Lunch is usually a buddha bowl or a giant salad.

Ingredients: leafy greens, tempeh, avocado, hummus, beans, lentils or chickpeas, and sprouted flourless seeded bread. If I feel like something sweet to finish I’ll wait 15-20 mins and have a piece of fruit such as an apple or whatever is in season. Right now the nectarines and peaches are amazing.

DINNER

I like to have a low carb dinner so that it doesn’t impact my blood glucose levels before bed and so that I can reduce my insulin requirements. I have dozens of amazing go-t0 plant-based dinner options. I often go for a high-protein legume-based pasta or curry.

Healthy Bunless BUDS Burger

Lately, I’ve been loving bunless burgers using Love BUDS patties, especially on a hot summer night. Sometimes I’ll cook the patties on the barbeque and other times I’ll just use a pan on the stovetop. Plant-based meat alternatives offer a solid hit of protein and are very satiating. I make sure to stack my BUDS burger with a few layers of different vegetables. If you’re unsure whether plant-based meat alternatives are for you, read this article I wrote.

Ingredients: Cabbage, lettuce, tomato, beetroot, carrot, pickles, saurkraut and sprouts. And just in case those aren’t enough plants I make sure to eat my BUDS burger alongside a leafy green salad dressed with balsamic vinegar and a drop of olive oil.

SNACKS

For snacks, throughout the day I’ll stick to fruit and a small amount of nuts/nut butter and dark chocolate (>85% cocoa). I love walnuts for their healthy fats and peanut butter. Sometimes I’ll opt for powdered peanut butter because it is much higher in protein and lower in fat. I’m very mindful about snacking on calorie-dense foods like nuts and chocolate so I limit myself to about 1 tbs of nut butter per day and no more than 1-2 squares of chocolate. If I want a sweet treat I’ll make a date bomb i.e 1 pitted Medjool date cut in half with a tsp of peanut butter and a square of 85% dark chocolate on top.

So there you have it. That’s my day on a plate as someone living with diabetes following a plant-based diet. Over the years I’ve learned how to make the appropriate portions for me based on my metabolic rate, activity levels and caloric requirements. Everyone will be slightly different so I encourage you to find your daily dose through trial and error.