Food & Diet In Diabetes

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Carb Counting

What Are Carbs? Next What Are Grams? Next The 500 Rule Next Carb Guide For Lows Next How To Count Carbs? Next How Many Carbs Do I Need? Next Fast Food Carb Counts

How Many Carbs Do You Need Each Day?

Your daily carb requirement is based on your daily calorie need. Carb amounts play a major role in setting your carb boluses. It is best to make gradual changes in how many carbs you eat and adjust your insulin gradually as you go.

Fill in the blanks below to determine how many grams of carbohydrate you need each day by hand or use our interactive Carb and Calorie Estimator.

  1. First determine your desired weight in pounds:

    a. If you are overweight, a 10% loss from your current weight is ideal.

    desired weight = _______ lbs.

    b. Or base your ideal weight on this formula:

    Women: 100 lb. + 5 X ______ in. = ________ lbs.
      inches over 5 ft.   your goal wt
    Men: 106 lb + 6 X ______ in. = ________ lbs.
        inches over 5 ft.   your goal wt

    c. Use this weight if you have an average frame.

        for a light frame, subtract 10% = ________ lbs.
        for a heavy frame, add 10% = ________ lbs.

  2. Choose a calorie factor that describes your activity level:
      Very sedentary Sedentary Moderately active Active Super Active
    men 13 14 15 16 17
    women 11.5 12.5 13.5 14.5 15.5

  3. Determine your total daily calorie need:

    _________ lbs

    		 X

    _________

    		 =

    _________

    desired wt.

    		  

    cal. factor

    		  

    cal/day

  4. Then divide by 8 (1/2 of calories as carbohydrate and 1/4 gram per calorie) to determine how many grams of
    carbohydrate (CHO)you need each day:

    _________ / 8 = __________
    cal/day      
    grams of carb/day

  5. And last, decide how you want to split up this total daily carbohydrate for different meals during the day.(See example)
    Breakfast AM snack Lunch PM snack Dinner Eve. snack
    ______ grams ______ grams ______ grams ______ grams ______ grams ______ grams

To learn carb counting, these books really help: Pumping Insulin, Using Insulin, the Carb and Fat Gram Guide and the Good Carb Cookbook. A Gram Scale for your kitchen makes it easy to accurately measure carbs in cereal, fruit, pancakes, rice, pasta, and more.

See also the Glycemic Index, the Satiety Index, and How Carbs Vary.