Eating the right types of foods when you're Type 2 Diabetic is really important - and as you have an active job, getting the balance right is essential too.

You don't need to have a low carb diet when you're Diabetic - carbohydrate is an important part of the diet, especially when you're active and need to keep going all day. The thing to remember is that the type of carbs that you choose can have an influence over your blood sugar readings. Choose more complex carbohydrates - so wholemeal bread, wholegrain breakfast cereals, brown rice, wholemeal pasta rather than the simpler carbohydrates that you find in biscuits, cakes, chocolate etc.

Over the course of the day you should try and split your calories to reflect your activity. We would normally suggest you have:-

Breakfast - 20% of your calorie allowance (approx. 500 cals for you)

Lunch - 30% (approx. 700 cals for you)

Dinner - 30% (approx. 700 cals for you)

Snacks - 20% (split into 2 10% portions - approx. 250 cals each for you)

Some ideas of foods you could try which are rich in protein and complex carbs to keep you going might be:-

Breakfast

Poached egg on wholemeal toast

Grilled bacon sandwich on granary bread

Shredded Wheat with milk, a banana

2 slices of wholemeal toast with low fat spread, a little peanut butter

Low fat yogurt, fruit, granola cereal

Grilled 'fry up' - low fat sausage, grilled bacon, poached egg, beans, grilled mushrooms, tomatoes

Lunch

Grilled chicken salad

Tuna pitta with salad

Ham and low fat cheese toastie on wholemeal bread

Wholemeal pasta salad with chicken and sweetcorn

Jacket potato with veggie chilli topping

Dinner

Grilled chicken/ fish/ steak

Jacket potatoes

Lots of veggies/ salad

Chicken stir fry with wholemeal noodles

Homemade chicken curry with low fat sauce and basmati rice

Snacks

Babybel cheese

Slices of ham

Veggie sticks with hummus

Snack pack of cereal

Ryvita crackers with low fat cheese

Any fruits

Digestive biscuits

Stick to the basic principle of having a protein, complex carbohydrate and fruit/ veg at every meal - add in dairy foods, and some treat foods too to make up your overall diet.