One of the hardest things?about living with diabetes?is making changes in your?eating and exercise habits.?Knowing the things you?need to do—and even?wanting to do them—may?not always be enough to?make them happen. A recent?study focused on behavior?change may have some keys?that can be helpful in?your life.
The study examined?something called the self-determination?theory.?According to that theory,?there are three basic needs?that help us to start and?maintain healthy behaviors:
1. A need for feeling?like we determine?and control our own?behaviors.
2. A need to feel like we are?good at what we do or?are competent.
3. A need to feel?understood and cared?for by others.
If people believe those?needs are being met, they are?better able to make changes?and have a greater sense of?well-being, physical health?and mental health.
THE NEED FOR CONTROL
One of the problems with?making changes to better?manage diabetes is that you?may often feel as though?these changes are decided?by others. Healthcare?providers—and even friends?and family members—have?a lot of advice about what?you should eat, how often?you should check your?blood glucose or what type?of medication you should?take. It can feel like there are?a lot of shoulds in diabetes.
The first step in making a?change is to decide what is?important to you and how?changing your behavior?will make it better or solve?a problem in your life.?Remember that this is your?diabetes, not someone else’s.
Rating the importance to?you on a scale of 1 to 10,?with 1 being unimportant?and 10 being very important,?is a good way to understand?your feelings and choose?a first step. Starting with?what is most important?to you will increase your?chances of being successful.
BELIEVE YOU CAN DO IT
The study also found that?the most important factor?for success in changing?behavior is the belief that?you can succeed. If you don’t?think you can do it, it’s easier?to give up when things don’t?go so well. It’s much harder?to find the motivation to?stick with a behavior over?the long-term if you don’t?believe in yourself. Rating?your confidence on a scale?of 1 to 10 is a good way?to figure out how sure of?yourself you are. If you?cannot rate yourself at least?a 7, try to figure out what?you can do to raise your?confidence level.
Rather than starting?with changing your diet or?exercise, you will be more?successful if you start by?making a plan to build up?your belief in yourself. You?may also decide that it’s?not the right time to focus?on a certain behavior. For?example, if you’re finding?it too hard to stop eating?potato chips as a snack,?choose another behavior?that might be easier to work?on (and that you feel?confident that you can?do), like going for a walk?after dinner every night.
FEELING UNDERSTOOD
The third factor is to feel?that others care about you.?Your family, friends and?other people with diabetes?can help you ?feel supported?as you manage diabetes?and make changes in your?lifestyle. It is also important?that your healthcare team?respects your right to make?your own choices, helps?you feel more confident and?cares about you and your?health. Finding support is?important, especially as you?begin to make changes to?your eating plan or level of?physical activity.
There is no magic trick?to making changes in your?lifestyle to manage your?diabetes better and to?improve your health. The?keys to being successful?are to choose what is?important to you, to believe in yourself and to?get the support you need.