4 Tips For Managing Diabetes and Food Cravings
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Everybody has food cravings - maybe the more you feel prohibited from them, the stronger they get. We have three choices - keep on fighting, give in, or find a smart compromise. This week's video gives 4 tips for managing diabetes and food cravings. Check it out.
Table of contents
Add An Extra Thought
Today‘s topic is food cravings! Do you have food cravings and struggle with how to have your favorite food while managing your diabetes? Stay tuned, I’m going to give you four great tips.
For people with diabetes, we have to add an ”extra thought” when we are looking to indulge in a particular food. That extra top-of-mind thought is trying to keep our blood sugar steady as possible while enjoying some favorite foods. I hear you. I know it’s not the same for people who don’t have diabetes. People who have a full-functioning pancreas and don’t experience insulin resistance can eat whatever, and their body will automatically level out the blood sugar into the target range.
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Target Blood Sugar
Here are some ideas of what you can do as you lean into your craving while keeping your blood sugar in target:
1 - Portion control
Portion out a serving instead of eating directly from the original bag or box. It’s extremely hard to know exactly how much you ate if you eat from a big serving. We will talk about distracted eating later. Purchase prepackaged single-serving foods or make your own portion control package with resealable bags or eco-friendly/reusable bags.
2 - Shop for “better for you” versions of your craving food.
You may have heard me mention this before; I’m most definitely a fan of chocolate. Years ago, I started eating dark chocolate because when you compare the nutrition information, the darker chocolates are lower in carbohydrates and contain more flavonols which offer a lower risk for heart disease. And there is some research, although not conclusive, showing an association with a lower risk of insulin resistance and high blood pressure. So, darker chocolate is better for your food than milk chocolate. And I’m able to purchase portion-controlled dark chocolate, so it’s a win-win.
Check if there is a better for you version of your food craving - is it lower in fat, calories, or carbohydrate? And the best test is to check your blood sugar before eating that food choice and then two hours after. Do the comparison of how that original food vs. the better for you food affects your blood sugar reading.
3 - Distraction, distraction.
Try to avoid distractions like watching tv, texting, reading, or talking on the phone-especially when you are eating a favorite food. You don’t want to miss out on the enjoyment, the flavor, the texture, the smell, the mouthfeel. Be in the moment as you savor the food.
4 - Swap one food for another.
It’s a matter of balancing the food into your plan. I’m a believer that all foods can fit. There may be times that you need to cut back on one food in order to balance in another food. Managing diabetes is a bit of a juggling act. You are trying to balance the amount of food you are eating, your exercise and if you are taking medications, these all help balance the blood sugar readings.
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Do you have food cravings? If yes, What type of food do you crave? Is it salty, sweet, or a mixture of salty-sweet, or sour?
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Until next time, cheers to your health.
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