How to Break the Cycle and Embrace Healthy Habits for Type 2 Diabetes

I’m a big believer in tackling one healthy habit at a time. Choose the habit that will have the biggest impact on your life.

Receiving a type 2 diabetes diagnosis in my early 20s was a shock to my system. I was told my life needed a complete overhaul if I wanted to manage my high blood sugar and lower my risk of complications.

The thought of changing my entire life overnight was terrifying, but I knew in order to successfully manage my diabetes, I had to change the habits that were no longer serving me.

It took time to convince myself that I was ready for change. When I was finally ready to commit to my wellness journey, the first two healthy habits I adopted were incorporating activity into my morning routine and consistently taking my medications.

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Habits to change

We all have habits that are holding us back from our full potential. Hurtful habits often provide short-term gratification with long-term effects on our health and quality of life.

Whether it’s sleeping in, living a sedentary lifestyle, or swinging by the drive-through after work every day, the first step in a habit change is to make yourself aware of these habits and accept that you don’t have to stay where you are.

Some other harmful habits that could be sabotaging your wellness efforts include:

• consistently making non-nutritious dietary choices
• getting inadequate sleep
• using unhealthy coping mechanisms
• using negative self-talk

We like to tell ourselves stories about our unhealthy habits — reasons we believe wholeheartedly that we can’t change.

We don’t sleep well enough at night to get up with our alarm. We’re too busy to squeeze a workout into our day. We didn’t take anything out for dinner and nothing will defrost in time, so we need to go for fast food.

We’re amazing at convincing ourselves that this is our reality. The truth is we have the power to change our habits, but first, we have to admit that we’re lying to ourselves.

Identifying and addressing hurtful habits is crucial for breaking the cycle of self-sabotage and fostering positive change.

Healthy habits

Healthy habits are behaviors that make a positive contribution to our overall health and well-being. Adopting healthy habits involves making choices that prioritize self-care and help propel us forward toward our wellness goals.

For me, getting active, taking my medications, journaling, practicing mindful eating, and having a consistent bedtime were high on my priority list of healthy habits to embrace.

Other healthy habits to consider:

• creating a regular exercise routine
• making balanced nutrition choices
• checking blood sugar levels regularly
• drinking more water
• getting sufficient sleep
• managing your stress levels
• maintaining positive relationships

Embracing healthy habits

Self-awareness, intentionality, and perseverance are required when transforming hurtful habits into healthy ones.

Start the process by identifying the habits that no longer serve your well-being and then set realistic goals for yourself. Have patience as you adapt to the changes you’re making, and show yourself some grace.

Stumbles and setbacks are part of the journey.

I’m a big believer in tackling one healthy habit at a time. Choose the healthy habit that will have the biggest impact on your life.

Exercise

For me, it was incorporating exercise. I knew this would be a tough one for me. The stories I told myself were powerful: it was too hard, I was too big, the gym was far away, and I was too busy.

These excuses held me back because I let them.

I started getting up with my alarm instead of pressing snooze and used that extra 30 minutes as my workout time. It was hard at first, but eventually my body adjusted to its new schedule, and a new habit was born.

Taking my medications

Another healthy habit I lacked consistency with was taking my diabetes medications. I’d often “forget” and suffer the consequences. I was always tired, likely due to high blood sugar, and I couldn’t focus on everyday tasks that needed to get done.

I used a method called “habit stacking” to help me remember to take my medications regularly.

In simple terms, habit stacking is when you pair a new habit with one that you already do. Every morning I make my husband’s coffee, and my pill case is on the counter near the coffee maker. I decided to pair these two habits together. While his coffee is brewing, I take my medications.

It’s been years since I started this practice, and I’m at the point where it’s automatic — no thinking required.

Takeaway

You don’t have to change your entire life overnight when living with type 2 diabetes. In my opinion, doing so sets us up for feeling overwhelmed, and that sets us up for failure.

Rather than dive right into the deep end, choose one or two habits to work on. When those become second nature, add something else in.

Keep transforming your unwanted behaviors into healthy habits, and before you know it, you’ll have a whole arsenal of healthy habits working for you.