If you have prediabetes or diabetes, you probably received strict marching orders from your doctor along with the initial diagnosis:
- Start eating right
- Get regular exercise
- Try to lose some weight
- Check your blood glucose levels regularly
Like many people, you may have started out highly motivated to make the necessary lifestyle changes. And it’s possible that your efforts helped lower blood glucose levels, blood pressure, and cholesterol.
But in time, you may have grown weary of your new diet and exercise plans. You may have gone back to eating too much and exercising too little. If so, you’re not alone. Research shows that about six months after a diagnosis of diabetes, blood glucose levels often creep back up and other health improvements diminish.
Losing motivation to maintain healthy habits isn’t unique to people with diabetes. The phenomenon has been well studied in people trying to quit smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol. But even though changing behaviors is very difficult, it doesn’t mean it’s OK to give up. Long periods of not eating healthy and not exercising can lead to higher blood glucose levels. It can also lead to an increased risk for serious diabetes complications.
The good news is researchers have identified a number of strategies that can help you get back on track and stay there.
Key to success
A few key messages have emerged from research on motivation and diabetes self-management.
- People are more likely to succeed when they get help and support of others.
- Learning more about diabetes seems to inspire people to follow guidelines for controlling the condition.
The need for support and education overlap. That is probably why many people who work with a diabetes educator are successful at managing the disease.
- A diabetes educator is a healthcare professional who works with patients to change behaviors that will help control diabetes.
- An educator may help with:
- Forming better diet and exercise habits
- Taking medications properly
- Monitoring blood glucose levels
- Diabetes educators are often nurses. But dietitians, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals with expertise may also be one.
Research shows that working closely with a diabetes educator can help you succeed and sustain significant reductions in blood glucose levels.
In one study1, people with type 2 diabetes were split into two groups:
- Those who met with a doctor only.
- Those who had checkups, met with a diabetes educator, and attended a five-week, 12-hour diabetes-education program.
The second group more than doubled their blood glucose improvements. This was compared to those who only met with their doctor.
Other research underscores the potential benefits for people with diabetes who receive comprehensive education, support, and encouragement.
In a study from Israel2, people with type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure and cholesterol were split into two groups:
- Those who saw their doctors only.
- Those who saw their doctor and took an education course on how to control blood glucose levels.
After 8 years, the group who also attended education classes saw more health benefits than those who didn’t take the education course. This included:
- 35% fewer heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems
- 40% less retinopathy (which can rob vision)
- 50% lower risk for kidney disease
The findings showed that the education group’s blood glucose levels, blood pressure, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL “bad”) cholesterol were significantly lower at the end of the study.
If you’d like to meet with a diabetes educator, ask your healthcare provider for a referral. Or check with your local hospital or the American Association of Diabetes Educators website. Many insurance providers cover the visits.
Getting support, setting goals
You may want to consider joining a diabetes support group.
- Support groups offer education on managing diabetes.
- They also are places where you can meet and learn about the experiences of others with the condition.
- Studies found that people in diabetes-education groups achieved a 0.87% reduction in A1c levels over two years.
- People also reported feeling more confident in their self-management skills.
Ask your doctor to direct you to a diabetes support group in your city or town. You can also consider an online support group. The American Diabetes Association offers a number of message boards. Check out this online community.
If you prefer a one-on-one relationship, peer coaching is an option to consider.
- A peer coach is a person who is successfully managing his or her diabetes.
- A peer coach is often a volunteer. He or she has undergone formal training to help others improve their disease-management skills and to provide support.
- Studies have shown that working with a peer coach can help improve glucose control.
Peer coaching is becoming more common. Your doctor or local community health center may be able to connect you with a peer coach.
A peer coach or diabetes educator can help you set goals. Setting goals is a proven step to improving motivation.
- Several studies have found that people with diabetes manage the disease more successfully if they identify specific, realistic goals for themselves. For example:
- How many minutes they plan to exercise each week.
- How much weight they want to lose in a month.
- People who worked with a diabetes educator to make behavioral goals reduced their blood glucose levels two times more than those who didn’t set goals.
Family and friends as motivators
You can enlist family and friends to help you stay motivated. Just make sure they understand how to take the right approach.
- Research suggests that shame and guilt are not successful motivators.
- A partner who scolds and criticizes you for eating a cheeseburger, drinking a soda, or skipping a workout may actually make matters worse.
A good listener who offers encouragement can help reinforce your motivation.
References:
- Ronald Aubert. Annals of Internal Medicine, October, 1998.
- R. Rachmani. Diabetic Medicine, March, 2005.