I think one of the hardest things about diabetes is that it is a chronic illness meaning that you will deal with it every day. It can be very easy to lose motivation and want to take a “break” from having diabetes. First, these thoughts are very normal and most people will have them from time to time. The key is finding ways to stay motivated.

Here are the top 10:

1. Setting realistic goals for yourself. Do not strive to be prefect overnight. Set smaller attainable short term goals that you are likely to hit in the immediate future then in turn you will be able to hit your larger long term ones. Example- if you want to lose 50 pounds, start with trying for 5 in the next month and work your way to your ultimate goal.
2. Find fun (non food) rewards. This is a biggie. So often when we want to celebrate something we turn to food. Why is that? I do not have the answer however I can offer some alternatives- buy a new outfit, new pair of shoes, get some new nail polish, get a massage/pedicure/manicure, go see a movie, buy a new golf club. The key is finding something you love that can reward your hard work aside from food.
3. Find those key supporters. This is crucial to your success. You need people there to cheer you on when you succeed and to pick you up when you have a slip. These are the people behind the scenes from the doctors and educators and can offer support in between those office visits. Surround yourself with these people and do not hesitate to let them know when you need help or deserve some praise. Trust me if you picked the right people then they want to be there for you.
4. Make it fun. Find ways to keep everything fresh and new vs stale and boring. Look up some new apps for tracking your blood sugar results or your exercise. I use the Nike Running app (even though I only walk) but at the end of my walk the app voices cheer for me and push me on to keep up exercising. It is definitely motivating.
5. Enlist a great doctor. You will need someone you feel comfortable asking questions to and trust the answers. You will need someone that you feel that you can challenge if you do not feel that your diabetes is under control as to what their next steps are vs. “let’s wait 3 more months and see”.
6. Find something that motivates YOU. Whether it is a saying, a picture, a person, an upcoming event, a life milestone. Sounds silly but find a reason to live!! Let that be your motivation when you don’t feel like testing or taking your medication or exercising. Find that thing that makes you want to be the best version of yourself!
7.  Explore the alternative. Yes it sounds scary but read about the complications of diabetes. I am not into scare tactics however I do believe in informative choice. If you research dialysis, amputations, retinopathy, neuropathy and strokes- I think you will find that you want to do your best to avoid them which means continuing to take care of yourself and your diabetes.
8. Remember the phrase “just for today”. Anything if looked at as forever will be tiring. That is why I use “just for today” because anything can be done if thought of as just for today. So do not look at your diabetes or weight loss goals as being forever. Take it one day at a time and I promise it will seem much less intimidating.

Your “just for today” challenge is to take 5-10 minutes and think about what motivates you whether it is a person (spouse, grandchild), an upcoming occasion (vacation, wedding), a health metric (weight, A1C, blood pressure), or even better just doing it for yourself!