Overcoming barriers to healthy eating
Changing your eating habits can be challenging. But the benefits of keeping your blood glucose levels in balance, and reducing your risk for diabetes-related complications make your meal planning efforts well worth it.
Any time you need to make lifestyle changes, you’ll probably face some obstacles or barriers. This is perfectly normal. However, if you prepare for the obstacles that may get in your way, you are less likely to be discouraged. There are steps you can take to get past your meal planning obstacles.
Some general tips
- Start small. Don’t try to change everything at once. Eating regularly and balancing the amount of carbohydrate you eat during the day should be your top priorities. Then you might try to cut down on the amount of fat you eat, examine your portion sizes, and use less salt. But you don’t have to make all of these changes right now. Focus on one or two at a time. Once you’ve made those changes a routine part of your meal planning, then you’ll be ready to move on to the next round of changes.
- Enlist support. Everyone benefits from eating healthy, not just people who have diabetes. So if you live with others, try to get your family or housemates to make the changes with you. When everyone is eating healthy, you can support each other and there will be fewer temptations.
- If you slip, get back on track quickly. Adopt a healthy meal plan that is realistic. No one – including you – can eat right all of the time. So don’t expect to be perfect. Know that you will bow to temptation now and then. When it happens, though, get back on track as quickly as you can.
- Take note of the benefits. Make a point of noticing when you start seeing the benefits of following your meal plan. Note the changes in your blood glucose levels and the response to what you eat each day. As you start to see the results of healthy eating, you will want to stick with it.
Overcoming specific barriers
The following outlines some of the barriers people who have diabetes may face when trying to make changes in their eating habits. It also includes suggestions for overcoming these barriers. You can use it as a guide in your efforts to change your eating habits.
| Possible barriers | Suggested solutions |
|---|---|
Healthy foods cost more |
Healthy eating can be healthy for your wallet too! A healthy diet is rich in whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables. You can save money when you substitute these healthy items for meats that are more expensive, processed or prepared foods, and sugary or salty snacks. |
Would miss your favorite foods and the foods you grew up with | Following your meal plan doesn’t have to mean giving up your favorite foods. Often you can make minor changes in the preparation method or substitute low fat ingredients and still have a tasty product. Or maybe you just need to eat a smaller portion of your favorite dish. Look in your bookstore or library for cookbooks that focus on recipes for people with diabetes. Check out the Changing Life With Diabetes online menu planner for recipe ideas. |
Feel like meal planning would be too difficult for your family or housemates |
Food can be central to family life. And loved ones are not always willing to change their eating and cooking habits to accommodate your needs. Talk to your loved ones about the changes you are trying to make in your eating habits and how these changes will help you manage your diabetes. Ask for their support and patience as you work on making these changes. |
Worry you would have to avoid eating out at restaurants or others’ houses |
The best approach to this issue is to plan. If you are dining at a friend’s home, try to find out in advance what time the meal will be served. You may need to eat a snack before you leave home. If you take insulin, you may need to adjust the time of your pre-meal injection based on when the meal is served. Many restaurants have healthy choices available. However, serving sizes in restaurants tend to be large, so you may need to leave half or more of some foods on your plate or bring it home for later. Sharing a meal with someone else is a good way to avoid overeating. |
Feel like it would take the pleasure out of eating |
Most people find that as they eat healthy foods, they develop a taste for them. From time to time you may still crave snack foods and it’s okay to have them occasionally. But over time, you will start to choose healthy foods first because they are what you truly prefer, especially as you realize how much better you feel when you eat them. A diabetes cookbook can help you learn interesting and appetizing ways to prepare healthy foods. Also, check out the Changing Life With Diabetes online menu planner, which has more than 68 diabetes-friendly recipes. |
You don’t want to give up all of your favorite foods |
You don’t need to exclude any foods from your meal plan – but you may need to adjust how much and when you eat them based on their affect on your blood glucose. So, if you love home-baked cookies, for example, talk to your diabetes educator or dietitian. He or she can give you ideas on how to incorporate your favorite foods into your meal plan. |
Following my meal plan is too much work |
Try to pay attention to how you feel during each day. When you don’t follow your meal plan, you may feel tired or lack energy. If you skip meals, your blood glucose levels may drop and you may experience (low blood glucose) hypoglycemia symptoms. In the end, taking the time to follow your meal plan will help you manage your blood glucose, which will ultimately help you feel better. |
Don’t think it will help you |
According to the American Diabetes Association the goals of healthy eating include:
|
Tried dieting before and had a bad experience |
Most adults have tried a “diet” of some kind at some time in their lives. It seems like every few months a new diet sweeps the country promising quick weight loss. Most people find that these diets simply don’t work. People generally lose some weight for a while – a few weeks, even a few months. But more often than not, they eventually gain it back (plus a few pounds). Meal planning and dieting are very different things. Dieting is a short-term practice with a short-term goal – rapid weight loss. Diet “success” is measured in lost pounds. Meal planning is a way of life with a long-term goal – managing your diabetes. |
Eating right, with or without diabetes, is a daily challenge for everyone. For people with diabetes, following your meal plan will help you look and feel your best, manage your blood glucose levels, and reduce your risk of diabetes complications.
