Is the Weight Watchers plan using the point system good for people with diabetes? I have been told pro and con regarding this.

You’ve asked a good question and one that frequently comes up in our support group. Weight Watchers, as with any diet, has its good and bad points.

Weight Watchers promotes eating from all the basic food groups, eating less fat and overall small portions. When using the point system, it is common for people to eat various amounts of points at each meal. They can also skip meals and eat larger portions at one time. All within the total allotted points for the day. This can be a challenge for people with diabetes.

If you have a “sputtering” pancreas, one that’s lost the ability to produce insulin quickly for meals or in the right amount, eating all your calories (or points) at one time can set you up for a high blood sugar after the meal. Taking the healthy eating plan that Weight Watchers promotes and spreading it across the day, spacing meals four to five hours apart, is a good plan for most people with diabetes.

How will you know if it works for you? Test your blood sugar before you eat and one to two hours after you eat a meal. If your blood sugar is within target range, you have been able to match your insulin to the foods eaten.

One last comment about any “D-I-E-T”. Most diets, if they are very different from how you normally eat, fail with time. I hope that you are looking not only to today but down the road as well. Eating a healthy diet, filled with lots of veggies, fruits and other carbohydrates as well as modest amounts of protein is best for all of us. I hope you have the opportunity to work with a diabetes educator who can help you incorporate this into your life and learn to interpret your blood sugar response before and after meals.

KS