** Before using this or any diet plan, please check with your Doctor.

This is just what I use and like. This is just a way of tracking carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

Carbohydrate Choices
A carbohydrate choice is the amount of a food that has about 15 grams of carbohydrate and varying amounts of protein and fat.
Grains/Beans/Starchy vegetables Serving Size Carb Choices

Bagel, small Baked beans Beans (pinto, garbanzo, kidney), cooked or canned Bread Cereal, cooked Cereal, unsweetened, ready-to-eat Corn Dinner roll English muffin Hamburger or hot dog bun Lima beans, cooked Pancakes, 4 across Pasta (macaroni, noodles, spaghetti), cooked Peas, green Potato, baked or boiled Potato, mashed Rice, white or brown, cooked Squash, acorn or butternut, cooked Tortilla, 6 across Waffle, 4 across

1 bagel (2 oz) cup cup 1 slice (1 oz) cup cup cup 1 roll (1 oz) 1 muffin (2 oz) 1 bun (2 oz) 2/3 cup 2 pancakes cup cup 1 small (3 oz) cup 1/3 cup 1 cup 1 tortilla 1 waffle

2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Fruits/Fruit juices

Serving Size

Carb Choices

Apple or orange Banana or pear

1 small 1 medium

1 2

Berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries) Canned fruit in juice or water Cherries or grapes Dried fruit Fruit juice Grapefruit Melon (watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew) Prunes Raisins

1 cup cup 12 - 15 cup 1/3 - cup medium 1 cup cubes 3 prunes 2 Tbsp

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Milk/Yogurt/Milk Substitutes

Serving Size

Carb Choices

Milk, skim or low-fat (1%) Milk, reduced fat (2%) or whole Rice beverage Soy milk, low-fat or nonfat Yogurt, low-fat, artificially sweetened or plain Yogurt, low-fat, sweetened, with fruit

1 cup (8 oz) 1 cup (8 oz) - cup (4-6 oz) 1 cup (8 oz) - 1 cup (6-8 oz) - 1 cup (6-8 oz)

1 1 1 1 1 2-3

Combination foods

Serving size

Carb choices

Asian entre (no rice) Burrito, bean, flour tortilla, 7 long Burrito, meat, flour tortilla, 7 long Chili, casserole, or hot dish Frozen dinner 8 - 11 oz Frozen dinner, reduced calorie, healthy, 8 11 oz Hamburger with bun, regular size Lasagna, 3 x 4 piece Macaroni and cheese Pasta or potato salad

1 cup 1 burrito 1 burrito 1 cup 1 dinner 1 dinner 1 burger 1 piece (1 cup) 1 cup cup

1 3 2 2 2-3 2-3 2 2 2 1

Pizza, thick-crust, medium Pizza, thin-crust, medium Soup (bean, noodle, or vegetable) Soup (cream) Spaghetti or pasta sauce, canned Sub sandwich, 6 long Taco

1 slice (1/8 pizza) 1 slice (1/8 pizza) 1 cup 1 cup cup 1 sub 1 taco

2 1 1 1 1 3 1

Sweets/Snacks

Serving size

Carb choices

Chips, potato or tortilla Cookie, 3 across Crackers, snack Frozen yogurt, nonfat or low-fat Graham crackers Granola bar Ice cream or light ice cream Muffin, small Popcorn, popped, no fat added Popcorn, microwave light, popped Pretzel twists, mini Pudding, sugar-free Syrup, honey, or table sugar

10-15 chips (1 oz) 1 cookie 4-5 crackers cup 3 squares 1 bar (1 oz) cup 1 muffin (1 oz) 3 cups large bag 15 pretzels ( oz) cup 1 Tbsp

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1

Free Foods
Free foods have less than 5 grams of carbohydrate and less than 20 calories per serving. Unlimited One Serving is Free Diet soft drinks Condiments (catsup, taco sauce, mustard), 1 Tbsp Mineral water, sugar-free Jams and jellies, low sugar or light, 1-2 tsp Seasonings Salad dressings, fat-free, 1 Tbsp Sugar substitutes Syrup, sugar-free, 2 Tbsp

Vegetables

(Aim for three or more servings a day.)

Each serving has about 5 grams of carbohydrate, 2 grams of protein, and 25 calories. One serving is cup cooked or 1 cup raw. Three servings at one meal or snack equal one carbohydrate choice.
Asparagus Cauliflower Mushrooms Tomatoes Beets Celery Onions Turnips Broccoli Cucumbers Pea pods Zucchini Cabbage Green beans Peppers Carrots Greens, all varieties Radishes

Meat/Meat Substitutes
Each ounce has about 7 grams of protein, 3-8 grams of fat, very little or no carbohydrate, and 50-100 calories. Bake, broil, roast or grill meats. An average serving is 3 ounces - about the size of a deck of cards.
Beef, choice cuts, fat trimmed Hot dog, regular Beef, prime cuts Lamb roast, chop or leg Chicken or turkey, no skin Lunchmeat Ground beef, lean or extra lean Lunchmeat, low-fat Ground chicken or turkey Pork sausage or ribs Ground turkey breast Pork roast or chop, fat trimmed Ham Veal roast or chop, fat trimmed Meat Substitute (serving size equal to 1 ounce meat) Cheese, regular, 1 oz Peanut butter, 2 Tbsp Cheese, part skim or reduced fat, 1 oz Salmon, canned in water, cup Cottage cheese, cup Soy burger, 1 oz (may contain carbohydrate) Egg, 1 medium Tofu, cup Egg substitute, cup

Fats
Each serving has about 5 grams of fat, little or no carbohydrate or protein, and 45 calories.
Unsaturated Fats (better choice) Saturated Fats (less healthy) Margarine, soft, 1 tsp Bacon, 1 slice Margarine, reduced fat, 1 Tbsp Butter, 1 tsp Mayonnaise, 1 tsp Cream, table or light, 2 Tbsp Mayonnaise, reduced fat, 1 Tbsp Cream cheese, light, 2 Tbsp Nuts, 1 Tbsp Cream cheese, regular, 1 Tbsp Oil, 1 tsp Gravy, 2 Tbsp Peanut butter, 2 tsp Shortening, 1 tsp Salad dressing, 1 Tbsp Sour cream, 2 Tbsp Salad dressing, reduced fat, 2 Tbsp Sunflower seeds, 1 Tbsp

Using Food Labels

Serving Size: All of the information on the label is based on this portion size. If you eat double the serving size, the amount of nutrients you get will be doubled as well. Total Carbohydrates: This shows the total grams of carbohydrate in one serving. Total carbohydrate includes all starches, sugars, and dietary fiber. About 15 grams of carbohydrate is equal to one carbohydrate choice. You can ignore the total grams of sugar listed on the label. If a food has 5 or more grams of fiber, subtract the total grams of fiber from the total carbohydrate before using the conversion guide. Foods with more than 3 grams of fiber per serving, along with water, can help relieve constipation.
Conversion Guide Total Carbohydrate Carbohydrate Choices Grams (g) 0-5 0 6-10 11-20 21-25 26-35 26-40 41-50 51-55 56-65 66-70 71-80 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5

My Food Plan
Breakfast
2-3 Carbohydrate Choices 0-1 oz Meat 1-2 Fat

Lunch

3 Carbohydrate Choices Vegetable 3 oz Meat 2 Fat

Afternoon Snack

1 Carbohydrate Choice 0-1 oz Meat 0-1 Fat

Dinner
3 Carbohydrate Choices Vegetable 3-4 oz Meat 2 Fat

Evening Snack
1 Carbohydrate Choice 0-1 oz Meat 0-1 Fat