A goal is defined as a, “written, specific, personally meaningful, and challenging statement of intent, which has a measurable outcome and a completion date”.  Your goals must give a distinct target or end-point to work towards that must also be easy to measure and specific.  Without these you’ll never know if you have achieved the goal.  You can’t just say lose weight or gain energy.

Make the target very clear and specific.  Sit down for 15 minutes and work through 3 short-term and three long-term goals’ minimum, but don’t be afraid to do more.   You must also be honest and realistic with a self-evaluation of your strengths and weaknesses so that you can set appropriate and challenging goals.

Also, you must be honest with your process as you move towards a goal.  If the goal is too hard or too easy, you can adjust it.  If it is easily accomplished, reset for a higher standard.  It is okay to adjust the goal based on your feedback and learning.  By having a deadline or time-line for your goal, you are able to examine your progress and re-visit the feasibility of the goal.

COMMIT your goals to paper

1. REVIEW YOUR GOALS on a regular basis.  Make your list of goals accessible, so that you can review it regularly.  Frequent reminders will help keep you on track.
2. BE SPECIFIC set the goal to exactly what you want to achieve.
3. BE REALISTIC begin by setting small, attainable goals in order that they will propel you into future success.  For example, set a simple goal that you will avoid excess food at a party this weekend.  Set another goal as simple as having a great workout tomorrow.
4. FOCUS ON THE SHORT-TERM GOALS as short-term changes in behavior will help you reach long-term goals.  Set small goals to get the ball rolling, and success will breed success.
5. AS YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL return to your list and update the entire set of goals.
   At this time, I want you to pledge your full commitment to the program.  To be successful, you must dedicate yourself to the following goals:

List 3 short-term goals:
1. __________________
2. __________________
3. __________________

List 3 long-term goals:
1. __________________
2. __________________
3. __________________

Also plan your turbulence training workouts so that you get it done in less than 45 minutes.  Your body’s metabolism will be so revved up that you will still be burning tons of fat and calories all day long.  Once you understand that everything you do each day takes you either closer to or farther from your goals, then and only then will you be on the fast track to success.

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Creator, Turbulence Training

Article source: http://ezinearticles.com/5667408

Disregard them, and you may well be taking a big gamble with your mental and emotional well-being.

Instead of bringing misfortune, however, the 13 habits promise a life of vigor and vivacity. There are, of course, no guarantees, but many of the practices mentioned here have been published in scientific journals. Disregard them, and you may well be taking a big gamble with your mental and emotional well-being.

Healthy Habit No. 1: Eat Breakfast Every Morning

Breakfast eaters are champions of good health. Research shows people who have a morning meal tend to take in more vitamins and minerals, and less fat and cholesterol. The result is often a leaner body, lower cholesterol count, and less chance of overeating.

“That one act [of eating breakfast] seems to make a difference in people’s overall weight,” says Melinda Johnson, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association (ADA). She says breakfast can hold off hunger pangs until lunchtime and make high-calorie vending machine options less enticing.

Not only that, researchers at the 2003 American Heart Association conference reported that breakfast eaters are significantly less likely to be obese and get diabetes compared with nonbreakfast eaters.

Another study in the International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition showed that people who consumed breakfast cereal every day reported feeling better both physically and mentally than those who rarely ate cereal in the morning.

For kids, breakfast appears to enhance alertness, attention, and performance on standardized achievement tests, reports the ADA.

To get the full benefits of breakfast, the Mayo Clinic recommends a meal with carbohydrates, protein, and a small amount of fat. They say that because no single food gives you all of the nutrients you need, eating a variety of foods is essential to good health.

Yet, even with so much scientific support that breakfast does the body good; many people still make excuses not to eat in the morning. They include not having enough time and not feeling hungry. For these people, Johnson suggests tailoring breakfast to the day.

“When I’m getting ready in the morning, I don’t really want to take the time to eat breakfast because that would mean sacrificing sleep,” says Johnson. “So I bring my breakfast with me, and I know I have an hour when I’m reading emails in the office when I can eat it. By that time, I’m hungry because I’ve been up for almost a couple of hours.”

Healthy Habit No. 2: Add Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids to Your Diet

The AHA recommends a serving of fish two times per week.

Besides being a good source of protein and a food relatively low in the bad type of dietary fat called saturated fat, fish has omega-3 fatty acids — which have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Healthy Habit No. 2: Add Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids to Your Diet continued…

Fatty fish such as mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna, and salmon, are rich in two kinds of omega-3 fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

Foods such as tofu, soybeans, canola, walnuts, flaxseed, and their oils contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which convert to omega-3 in the body. Even though the benefits of ALA are controversial, the AHA still recommends foods containing it as part of a healthy diet.

In addition to their heart-health benefits, there is some evidence that omega-3 fatty acids may also soothe an overactive immune system, says Johnson. Even though this benefit is still being studied, she says there appears to be a link between getting more omega-3s in your diet and reducing allergies, asthma, eczema, and autoimmune disorders.

Healthy Habit No. 3: Get Enough Sleep

“Your body has to have enough time to rest,” says Michael Fleming, MD, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). Otherwise, he says you may find yourself feeling cranky and tired.

This may sound like common sense, but according to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), more than two-thirds of older adults suffer from sleep problems and many American adults don’t get the minimum amount of shuteye needed to stay alert.

Sleep is vital to good health and to mental and emotional well-being. The NSF reports that people who don’t get enough slumber are more likely than others to develop psychiatric problems and to use health care services. Plus, sleep deprivation can negatively affect memory, learning, and logical reasoning.

Not enough ZZZs can also be hazardous. More than one-half of adult drivers — some 100 million people — say they have driven drowsy in the past year, according to NSF polls. About one out of five of these drivers — 32 million people — say they’ve fallen asleep while driving.

Each year drowsy driving causes more than 100,000 car crashes, 1,500 deaths, and tens of thousands of injuries, reports the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The NSF recommends taking a 15 to 20 minute nap. Because it takes about 30 minutes for the caffeine to work, taking a nap while you wait for the caffeine to kick in can help restore alertness.

To avoid the pitfalls of insufficient sleep, make sure to get at least seven to 10 hours of slumber each night. Kids need more sleep, depending on their age.

Healthy Habit No. 4: Make Social Connections

Volunteer. Go to church. Join a club. Whatever you do, do it with people. Communal activities are good for your physical and mental health, according to a study published in the March/April 2004 issue of the American Journal of Health Behavior.

It makes sense, says C. David Jenkins, PhD, author of Building Better Health: A Handbook of Behavioral Change. He says social ties have many benefits, including:

• Providing information. You may think for instance your frequent nosebleeds, coughing, and sneezing episodes are trivial, but when a close friend or relative hears of it, he or she may encourage you to go to a doctor. If the symptoms turn out to be a serious condition, the social tie could have saved your life.
• Instrumental help. Friends and family can provide physical support in time of need. They may help with cooking, cleaning, running errands, doing grocery shopping, and driving to the doctor’s office.
• Emotional support. Sharing a problem with a trusted person can help alleviate an internal burden. “It’s a load off your chest,” says Jenkins.
• Offering a sense of belonging. This feeling not only helps reinforce a person’s identity, it also assists in preventing and overcoming depression and anxiety.

Community ties also help improve mental functioning, says Fleming. Group activities can help keep the mind active and maintain desirable levels of serotonin — the brain chemical associated with mood. “Lack of social interaction will [decrease] serotonin levels,” says Fleming.

Healthy Habit No. 5: Exercise for Better Health

We already know that physical activity has a bounty of benefits, which makes it so puzzling why so many people just don’t do it. According to the CDC, more than 60% of Americans do not get regular exercise.

In case you needed an incentive, here is a review of the advantages of exercise, per the National Cancer Institute:

• Helps control weight
• Maintains healthy bones, muscles, and joints
• Reduces risk of developing high blood pressure and diabetes
• Promotes psychological well-being
• Reduces risk of death from heart disease
• Reduces risk of premature death

Studies have also shown a link between exercise and a reduced risk of certain cancers.

Besides its long-term effects, moving your body has immediate benefits, says Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise. The short-term results of exercise include helping people to think and move better, manage stress, improve mood, and get an energy boost.

The excuses that people often give to not exercise are the precise reasons to exercise, says Bryant. People who say they are too tired or don’t have time to workout don’t realize that exercise gives people more energy and allows them to be more productive with the rest of their time.

Healthy Habit No. 6: Practice Good Dental Hygiene

Flossing your teeth every day could add 6.4 years to your life, according to Michael Roizen, MD, author of RealAge. In his book, Roizen lists flossing as one of the most important daily activities — along with exercise and quitting smoking — that could extend life span.

Roizen’s calculation may raise some eyebrows, but the idea that oral health is connected to overall health isn’t far-fetched.

The mouth, after all, is an integral part of the body. “Teeth have a blood supply, and that blood supply comes from the heart,” says Richard Price, DMD, consumer advisor for the American Dental Association (ADA).

Researchers suspect that the bacteria that produce dental plaque enter the bloodstream. They say these bacteria are somehow associated with the inflammation that occurs with plaque that blocks blood vessels and causes heart disease.

Other researchers have found links between oral bacteria and stroke, diabetes, and the birth of preterm babies and those that have low birth weight.

In addition to preventing disease, flossing and brushing can help keep your pearly whites intact for more than just cosmetic reasons. Teeth help you chew food, speak properly, and smile — which, according to Price, can help you keep your dignity.

Healthy Habit No. 7: Take Up a Hobby

Look up the word “hobby” in the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, and you will find the definition as “a pursuit outside one’s regular occupation engaged in especially for relaxation.”

Since they are relaxing activities, hobbies are usually enjoyable. Some people find joy in craftwork, bird watching, sports, going to flea markets, walking in the park, or playing cards.

The joy may help people live healthier and recover better from illness. For one thing, taking part in hobbies can burn calories, more so than just sitting in front of the TV.

In a study of people who had undergone surgery, Jenkins found that people who were involved in hobbies before their operation had better recovery six months later, compared with people who did not have hobbies.

The participants with hobbies tended to have more drive and interest in things and other people, says Jenkins. “It was a more active orientation to life.”

Healthy Habit No. 8: Protect Your Skin

Our skin starts to age as soon as we are born and, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), the best way to protect it and look younger is to stay out of the sun.

The sun has harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays that can cause wrinkles, dryness, and age spots. Overexposure can cause sunburn, skin texture changes, dilated blood vessels, and skin cancers.

Avoiding the sun, however, is not always ideal or practical. To reduce the risk of skin damage, the AAD offers the following tips:

• Always wear sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher.
• Don a hat with a brim and wear other protective clothing.
• Don’t deliberately sunbathe.
• Try to avoid sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Healthy Habit No. 9: Snack the Healthy Way

The ADA recommends five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day as part of a healthy diet. These plant foods can do many things to boost good health, including:

• Reduce the risk of some cancers
• Beat the signs of aging
• Improve memory
• Promote heart health
• Enhance the immune system

One way to incorporate fruits and veggies into your diet is to have them as snacks. “If you can do one thing [to improve your health], concentrate on getting fruits and veggies,” says Johnson. “They are low in calories and high in nutrients.”

She says baby carrots and cut-up produce make tasty, convenient munchies. Other healthful snacks include low-fat yogurt and nuts (in moderation).

The best time to snack is when you are hungry between meals, says Johnson. But beware: Cravings could easily be mistaken for hunger cues, especially for people who are dieting.

Healthy Habit No. 10: Drink Water and Eat Dairy

Water and milk are essential fluids for good health, but they can also help with shedding pounds.

Healthy Habit No. 10: Drink Water and Eat Dairy continued…

The body needs water to keep properly hydrated and individuals vary widely in how much water they need. Joints need it to stay in motion, and vital organs such as the heart, brain, kidney, and liver need it to work properly.

If you don’t get enough water, the body goes into emergency mode, and clings to every single water molecule it can find, reports the University of Minnesota Water Resources Center. The stored molecules appear as extra weight. The weight is only released once the body gets enough water.

The calcium in dairy, on the other hand, is known to be important for strong bones and teeth. Studies have also shown it can help prevent high blood pressure, kidney stones, heart disease, and colon cancer.

In the weight loss arena, three 8-ounce glasses of low-fat or fat-free milk appear to encourage body fat loss while maintaining muscle mass, according to the ADA. The dairy consumption must be part of a balanced reduced-calorie meal plan.

Healthy Habit No. 11: Drink Tea

“Decaffeinated tea is better,” says Fleming, noting that the caffeinated variety can be dehydrating, and sugary drinks can lead to weight gain.

There is some evidence that tea may help in improving memory, and preventing cavities, cancer, and heart disease. Fleming says, though, that the overall research is still inconclusive.

“There may well be some beneficial effects of tea, particularly the potential antioxidant effect, but we don’t have great data on that right now that is that specific.”

However, there’s no doubt that a cool iced tea can be a refreshing treat during hot days. Try flavoring your tea with juices, fruits, cinnamon sticks, ginger, and other condiments.

Healthy Habit No. 12: Take a Daily Walk

We already mentioned the merits of exercise in habit No. 5. Now, here’s a tip on how to incorporate physical activity into your daily life: WALK.

We’re not talking about taking the time out of your busy schedule to work out — that’s important, too — but infusing life- and limb-saving movement into your waking hours.

“Just move. Pace during phone calls, while you’re brushing your teeth, while watching your son’s soccer game,” says Bryant, noting that every 20 steps a person takes is 1 calorie burned.

An eight-year study of 13,000 people also showed that people who walked 30 minutes daily had a significantly reduced chance of premature death compared with those who rarely exercised, reports the American Council on Exercise.

And there are plenty of opportunities to move those legs:

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Walk to the store.
• Window shop at the mall.
• Leave your desk and visit your co-worker instead of sending him an email.
• Walk and talk with friends instead of meeting for a meal.

Healthy Habit No. 13: Plan

There is, perhaps, no better word in the English language to better illustrate how you can incorporate healthy habits into your everyday life.

“A little planning goes a long way,” says Johnson. “Eating healthy never happens by accident.”

For the most part, neither do good fitness, skin protection, healthy teeth, weight loss, and social ties. Many of these habits take effort that need to be scheduled into busy lives.

To eat healthy, for example, it would help to set aside time to draft a menu, make a grocery list, go to the store, prepare meals, and pack breakfast and lunch.

View Article Sources

Published June 14, 2004.
Medically reviewed Jan. 24, 2006.

SOURCES: Melinda Johnson, RD, spokeswoman, American Dietetic Association. Michael Fleming, MD, president, American Academy of Family Physicians. C. David Jenkins, PhD, author, Building Better Health: A Handbook of Behavioral Change. Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist, American Council on Exercise. Richard Price, DMD, consumer advisor, American Dental Association. American Heart Association web site. Mayo Clinic web site. American Dietetic Association web site. National Sleep Foundation web site. National Cancer Institute web site. American Academy of Periodontology web site. ABCNews.com: “Help or Hype: Consumer Products for Periodontal Care.” American Dental Association web site. 21st Century Dental web site. HarperCollins.com: “Michael F. Roizen.” WebMD Medical News: “Social Connections Build Healthier Lives.” American Academy of Dermatology web site. National Institute on Aging, AgePage: “Skin Care and Aging.” 5 A Day web site. American Council on Exercise web site. American Heart Association: “Why Should I Be Physically Active?” University of Minnesota Water Resources Center: “Water Will Help You Lose Weight!”

By Dulce Zamora
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD

Reviewed on December 14, 2007

© 2004 WebMD, Inc. All rights Reserved.

Sometimes, living with diabetes can seem like a full-time job — trying to keep up with everything you need to do for proper diabetes care.

“Diabetes is a very time-consuming disease to manage well,” says Karmeen Kulkarni, MS, RD, CDE, and former president of health care and education for the American Diabetes Association. “The medication, the food, the physical activity — you add life in general to that whole picture and it ends up being quite challenging.”

Time-Saving Diabetes Care Tips

Kulkarni and other experts shared these tips with WebMD to help you get organized and manage your time while keeping up with all your diabetes care duties.

• Use a datebook, Palm Pilot, or other scheduling system to write in times for important diabetes care tasks, such as checking your blood sugar, taking medications, exercising, and doctor’s appointments.
• Reinforce your diabetes care schedule by putting up sticky notes or other messages as reminders. “The more reminders around the home or office, the better,” Kulkarni says.
• Keep all your medications, needles, test strips and other supplies in one place in your home. That way, you won’t waste time looking for things. And you’ll see at a glance which supplies are running low. Don’t wait until the last minute to get new supplies.
• Take a diabetes care “travel kit” whenever you leave the house, not just when you’re on vacation. Pack the kit with all of your medical supplies, snacks, and water. Don’t forget to include glucose tablets or hard candy in case you have low blood sugar. “Whenever you leave home, you could be caught in a situation where your blood sugar drops, and you’re in an emergency situation,” says Pamela J. Kelly, a Chicago consultant who has counseled people with diabetes on managing their time.

If you’re struggling to manage your diabetes, find a care partner, such as a spouse or friend. “People with diabetes a lot of times will get very sad or depressed. Either they’re not managing their diabetes at all, or they’re having a tough time because it’s a constant struggle,” Kelly says. A care partner can help. “They’ll understand your situation, your medication, any other diseases you have,” Kelly says. “They’ll understand what to look for and how to help you.”

Doctors’ Visits

These days, doctors’ visits can be quick, 15-minute sessions. The key to getting the most from your appointment: plan ahead.

• Write a list of questions and concerns before your visit so you don’t forget anything important. Do you have any new symptoms? Have you had trouble with low blood sugar? Do you have questions about foods or medications? Be your own advocate. “You shouldn’t take for granted that your provider’s going to cover anything,” says Andrea Zaldivar, MS, C-ANP, CDE, clinical director at North General Diagnostic and Treatment Center.
• Bring all of your medications in a bag for your doctor to review. Include your diabetes drugs and those for other health conditions.
• When you talk with your doctor, mention your top concerns first. Don’t save them for last, or you may not have time to address them adequately.
• Write down what your doctor says so that you can remember the instructions. Or bring a friend or relative to help take notes.

Meal Planning

With today’s busy schedules, it’s hard for everybody — not just those with diabetes — to find enough time to prepare healthy meals and snacks. Some pointers:

• Keep the right foods on hand. “Most of us, research shows, eat about the same 100 foods most of the time,” Kulkarni says. “Be familiar with those foods, and have a balance in terms of nutrition.” For example, keep whole-grain breads, cereal, milk, vegetables and fruit well-stocked in your home.
• Find easy, diabetes-friendly recipes that take less than 30 minutes to prepare. Diabetes cookbooks can help.
• Buy bagged broccoli, bagged lettuce, baby carrots, and cherry tomatoes to cut down on chopping and preparation time.
• Stock your pantry with commonly used ingredients, such as low-sodium broth, whole-grain pastas, and lentils. “If you’ve got basic ingredients, you can always throw something together,” Kulkarni says.
• Consult with a registered dietitian about your diet. Ask him or her to teach you how to read food labels so that you can evaluate convenience foods to make sure they’re not too high in carbohydrates, salt, or fat.

Exercise

Many a diabetes educator who talks to clients about exercise hears this refrain: “I just don’t have the time.” Yet exercise is crucial for improving blood glucose control and controlling weight. Some ways to fit exercise in:

• Look closely for opportunities to exercise in your daily schedule. “Try to find pockets of time. Do you have 15 minutes here or 10 minutes there?” Kulkarni says. Go for a walk or climb stairs at work during those short snatches of time. “It doesn’t have to be a whole hour block in one day. Nobody seems to have that kind of time.”
• Use the buddy system. If you plan to meet three or four times a week with someone to exercise, “there’s some accountability there,” Kulkarni says.
• Work with a personal trainer. The appointment is scheduled, and because you’re paying for the session, you’re less likely to skip out of exercising.

By Katherine Kam
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD

If you have diabetes, you already know the drill.What you eat, when you eat, and how much you eat can send your blood sugar skyrocketing — or make it plummet. For better or worse, “diet and diabetes” go together like salt and pepper.

So if you need a little motivation to eat better – and who doesn’t? – consider this: with diabetes, you’re at high risk of the nerve pain and damage called diabetic neuropathy. What can start as a little tingling or numbness in your feet can turn into major problems with walking, working, and leading an active lifestyle. Diabetic neuropathy can also wreak havoc with your digestion, your sexual response, and make it hard to feel normal body sensations – like the signs of plummeting blood sugar or a heart attack.

Fortunately, a balanced diet that helps treat nerve pain is really no different than the standard diet advised by the American Diabetes Association, says Dace L. Trence, MD, an endocrinologist and director of the Diabetes Care Center at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle. “The emphasis is really on blood sugar control,” she says. “Certainly, if a dietary change might facilitate that, of course, it would be advisable.”

Good glucose control can protect the health of your nerves – and may even help prevent diabetic neuropathy, says the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC). You see your doctor only every once in a while, but you eat several times every day. No matter what medications you may be on, your diabetes diet has a constant – and colossal – impact on your health and well-being, with every bite you take.

Tip 1. Eat a Balanced Diet

Why?

Remember the good-old food pyramid you learned about back in school? A balanced diet includes a variety of foods: carbohydrates (starches), fruits, vegetables, milk and dairy, meat, poultry, fish, and healthy fats. Eating a balanced diet helps you keep your glucose within target levels, control your weight, and reduce the risk of complications like neuropathy, heart disease, and stroke.

The goal.

Step out of any food ruts you’re in. Try new foods, and include all of the major food groups in your diabetes diet.

How?

The shape of your diet will depend on how active you are, whether you’re a man or a woman, and whether you’re trying to lose weight.

The American Diabetes Association offers these general guidelines, but check with your doctor to fine-tune your specific plan:

Choose a variety of nutrient-dense foods and beverages among the basic food groups.

Balance calories from foods and beverages with physical activity to manage body weight.

Choose fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, and whole grains often.

Eat 2 cups of fruit and 2 1/2 cups of vegetables daily (for someone eating 2,000 calories)

Make at least half the grains you eat whole grains.

Decrease saturated fats and trans fatty acids by choosing lean meats and poultry, and low-fat or non-fat dairy products.

Substitute monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats (from fish, nuts, and vegetable oils) for saturated and trans fat fats.

Choose and prepare foods and beverages with little added sugars or caloric sweeteners.

Eat less than 2,300 mg per day of sodium.

Limit alcohol to no more than 1 drink for women and 2 drinks for men.

Regular physical activity of at least 30 minutes a day for adults and 60 minutes for children.

Tip 2. Spread Your Meals Throughout the Day

Why?

Skipping meals and overeating can send your blood sugar plunging – and then through the roof. Since diabetic nerve damage and pain can decrease appetite and make it harder to digest food, several smaller meals may work better for you. Plus, some diabetes medications work their best when you’re taking them in concert with regularly scheduled meals.

The goal.

Find a workable schedule for meals and snacks that fits your real lifestyle – not one you wish you had. Be realistic about planning your diabetes diet around your work, driving time, feeding kids, and other commitments.

How?

Aim for 3 small meals and 3 healthy snacks each day to balance out your blood sugar: Breakfast & a mid-morning snack Lunch & a mid-afternoon snack Dinner & an evening snack

Tip 3. Go for Complex “Carbs”

Why?

Carbohydrates digest more slowly and don’t “spike” your blood sugar the way sugars do. They also fill you up faster, so you’re less likely to overeat, and they give you more vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

The goal.

Most of what you eat should be healthy carbohydrates. Include whole-grains, fruits, vegetables and low fat milk. Whole grain breads and cereals, brown rice, beans, lentils, potatoes, and corn tortillas are good choices.

How?

Shop the perimeter of grocery stores, where you’ll find the freshest foods. Avoid temptation in the middle aisles, where canned, boxed, and frozen goods are shelved. Reach for the least-processed version of any food. Try to cut out prepared, pre-mixed foods like stove-top dinners: they’re not “helpers” when it comes to diabetes and nerve pain. Have fun trying a new kind of starchy vegetable, like baked yams, oven-roasted carrots, or cooked lentils, instead of white rice or dinner rolls.

Tip 4. Forget “Supersizing”

Why?

Most people are shocked to realize how small “official” serving sizes are. A serving of carbs? Only 1 slice of whole-grain bread or 1/2 cup of cooked oatmeal. A serving of dry cereal? Only 3/4 of a cup – that’s smaller than your average cup of coffee. Meat, fish, or poultry? A mere 3 ounces is a serving – that’s about the size of a cassette tape – once it’s cooked. Go for that 16-ounce porterhouse and you’ve just eaten nearly 6 dinners-worth of protein.

The goal.

Get in the habit of reading food labels to find out the real portion sizes for the foods you enjoy. And do the math. If you double up on a special treat one day, subtract that from your next day’s diet planning.

How?

Split entrees or dinner-size salads when you eat out, or have a small salad and appetizer instead of an entree. Keep a good diabetes diet book on hand to find portion sizes for fresh foods like fruits and vegetables. Buy a new set of measuring cups and spoons and keep them out on the counter, so you’re more motivated to measure servings.

Tip 5. Jump on the Wagon

Why?

Alcohol is toxic to nerves, says the ADA. Your liver has two main jobs: to clear toxins like alcohol from your body, and to convert carbohydrate into blood glucose your body can use. But drinking sidetracks your liver; it won’t start working to level out blood sugar until it “sweeps” the alcohol from your bloodstream, so blood sugar swings can result. And if you have diabetic neuropathy, drinking may spur on pain, tingling, and other symptoms, says the ADA.

The goal.

To be safe, the ADA advises people with advanced diabetic neuropathy not to drink at all, since it’s possible that nerve damage can be brought on even by light drinking (fewer than 2 drinks a week). If you do drink, they advise no more than 1 drink a day for women and 2 drinks a day for men.

How?

Try a variety of mineral waters with a fresh slice of lemon, lime, or orange for flavor. Make a “Virgin Mary”: spice up tomato juice with a splash of hot pepper sauce, lemon juice, dried herbs, and a stalk of fresh celery – but hold the liquor. If you do celebrate occasionally, never drink on an empty stomach. Have your drink with or after dinner, to help prevent sugar “lows.”

Tip 6. Eat Less Fat

Why?

Nearly 9 out of 10 adults with type 2 diabetes are overweight, says the ADA. Losing weight can lower blood glucose, give you more energy, lighten the load on feet already sore from nerve pain, and lower your risk of heart disease and stroke.

The goal?

Try to stick to 3 – 5 servings of fat a day (or as advised by your doctor). Remember that 1 serving of fat is only 1 teaspoon of olive oil or margarine.

How?

These days, “low-fat” is everywhere. But read food labels carefully. “Lite” doesn’t always mean “low-fat.” Find out how many grams of fat are in each serving of the foods you enjoy. No matter how rushed you feel, avoid grabbing fast foods on the go. A single fast-food meal could cost you a week’s worth of fat servings. Fill up on low-fat soups, salads with low-fat dressing, and raw veggies that satisfy your taste buds with a variety of flavors and textures. And remember to relax and enjoy your meals. That way, you’re less likely to overeat from stress, and more likely to savor the flavor of foods. Your nerves will be glad you did.

By Rebecca Buffum Taylor WebMD

Feature Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD