How to Reverse Diabetes During Your Workday

Do any of these sound familiar?

Are you so rushed in the morning that you don't take time to have breakfast?

Are there sweets and treats brought in several days that tempt you?

Is the stress of your job making you want to eat to feel better when you get home?

Are you so busy that you can't or don't take time for lunch?

Do you go out to restaurants for lunch most days?

What changes can you make?

1. Take time to grab breakfast. If you're not hungry drink a small smoothie or juice. If you can't take time to sit down and eat, grab a granola or breakfast bar or fruit on the way out the door. Try to choose something with a few grams of fiber for the benefit of hunger control and blood sugar stability.

2. Create a wellness contest at work to make everyone want to practice healthier habits.

Instead of allowing donut trays and sweets to sit around the office, suggest that only fruits and veggies be brought in and designate days for sweets such as Fridays only. Start a walking program and get pedometers for a 10,000 steps club.

3. Limit the frequency of eating out for lunch to once a week as well. Brown bag it the rest of the week by planning ahead on the weekends and picking up sandwich foods, healthy frozen dinners, salads, pita pockets, fruits, and veggies. Or take leftovers to work. If you don't have time for lunch at least take a snack break. You will be more productive if you get a break and have some energy and nutrition.

4. Have healthy snacks available at work and plan a morning and afte
oon snack if you need them. The afte
oon snack especially can help keep you from overeating in the evening. Great choices include fruits, veggies, yogurt, granola, string cheese, nuts, or even a little dark chocolate if you crave something sweet.

5. Find ways to manage stress during your work day such as deep breathing, walk breaks, or at least make sure you take a few minutes to distress once you get home, even if it means listening to your favorite music while you prepare dinner.

6. Plan no-cook evening meals for those days when you work later and know you won't have time to cook. Make a couple large batches of entrees on the weekend and then plan a salad, sandwich or pizza night to save you from having to cook several nights of the week.

7. Replace soda, even diet, with water. Flavor your water with lemon or frozen berries to make your own naturally flavored water.

Now, these ideas will all work but what's the one key to putting them into action to reverse diabetes?

PLANNING

The #1 thing you will need to do is sit down one day each week and plan your meals. If we don't plan ahead and have the right foods on hand we just grab what's available, which usually is not the healthy choice.

Start your plan today, take control of your health, and start to feel the benefits of reversing diabetes!