Once you understand that habits can change, you have the freedom and the responsibility to remake them. Once you understand that habits can be rebuilt, the power of habit becomes easier to grasp and the only option left is to get to work.

Charles Duhigg

➡️ Making Changes One Step at a Time

When setting goals for your diabetes, it is important to tailor them specifically for you. What works for another person with diabetes may not work the same for you. Instead of focusing on bigger goals that you want to achieve, try creating a few smaller goals and accomplishing them one at a time. By setting these smaller, more realistic goals, you can continue to stay on track and stay motivated to change.

Believing that you can achieve your goals is a major part of actually accomplishing them. It takes time and energy to develop new habits and break old ones, so try not to get discouraged if you do not see results right away. If you end up getting off track with your goals, do not worry! We are all human and slip-up from time to time. Just do your best to get back on track as soon as you can!

➡️ Tips to Help You Get Started

Implementing lifestyle changes and setting realistic goals for yourself can be difficult. Use some of these tips to establish your goals and work towards achieving healthier habits and an overall healthier lifestyle!

  • Focus on one change at a time. This will prevent you from becoming overwhelmed with a lot of new changes at once.
  • Acknowledge where YOU are at with your diabetes and what changes you think would benefit YOU the most. Be honest with yourself.
  • Find a support system that will keep you motivated to achieve your goals. Even if your goals are not the same as those of others, you can help each other be accountable.
  • Think about a couple of things you are willing and able to change and set goals for each of them. Use these three ideas to structure your goals:
    • What is the behavior that you will change? Be specific, don’t just say you want to be healthy, say you will change the way you eat.
    • How often will you perform this new habit?
    • Do not try to change too many things at once. Be realistic about what you can accomplish.
diabetes goals

🤓 Example of Realistic Goals

When making new goals, make sure the goal states how often you are going to make this change, is specific to the changes you are going to implement, and is something that is realistic for you to change.
  • Four days a week (How Often) I will eat a cup of strawberries instead of a cookie for my evening snack (Realistic and Specific).
  • Five days a week I will take a 30-minute walk right when I get home from work.
  • Five days a week I will drink a glass of water with each meal instead of sweet tea.
Summary Diabetes is a life-changing diagnosis that requires developing new habits and implementing lifestyle changes. Knowing where to start when setting goals for yourself can be difficult, but we at Iowa Diabetes are here to help!
When creating these goals, it is important to keep them small and realistic. This allows you to achieve smaller goals that will eventually add up to a big change.
By keeping the tips we’ve shared in mind, you can be on your way to better management of your diabetes and a healthier lifestyle!