The holiday season is a time of social gatherings, most of which include eating. Managing diabetes is challenging even without the holiday stress. The focus on food can make it even more stressful. Use these tips to get through the next several weeks without jeopardizing your personal health goals.
1. Exercise
Make time to exercise during the holidays. Exercise is a great stress reliever from holiday preparations. Go for walks and enjoy the winter wonderland. Walk to your holiday party, if possible.
2. Eat the Best and Skip the Rest
Be selective. Taste the things that are most appealing to you. If you try something and don’t like it, don’t finish eating it. Why take in calories and not even enjoy them?
3. Don’t Go Hungry
This is a rule that should never be broken! Don’t go all day without eating and expect not to over-compensate when bombarded with delicious foods. Instead, eat a small, satisfying snack before you go. It is easier to fight temptation when your stomach is full.
4. Leave the Table
Get away from the buffet table as soon as you can. Find a conversation partner and move away from the presence of the food cues.
5. Take Time
When eating at a dining room table, take your time! Take at least 20-30 minutes to eat. Remove your plate when you are done. The goal is to be satisfied, not stuffed.
6. Beware of Alcohol
Alcohol has almost as many calories as fat, and it can increase your appetite and dull the senses. Drinking less means better health and safer traveling.
7. Be Assertive
Make the food choices you want, not choosing foods because you are being pressured. Practice polite refusals.
8. Make Reasonable Expectations
Many foods we eat during the holiday season are only available now. Don’t let this cause you to eat compulsively. Enjoy your favorite holiday foods in moderation.
If you have diabetes, you know how challenging it can be to manage. The dietitians and certified diabetes care and educational specialists (CDCES) at the Diabetes Center have 83 years of combined diabetes experience and are ready to work with you to help develop a plan for managing your diabetes. To make an appointment with the Altru Diabetes Center, call 701.780.6400 or visit the diabetes center page.
