My Diabetic Journey: Here Come the Holidays

My diabetic journey has not been easy. No one ever said it would be and I never expected it to be easy. However, the journey gets tougher when the holiday season arrives every year. Thanksgiving is on the horizon. Christmas is less than 50 days away, and New Year’s Day is less than two months from now.

I have always had trouble with food. Not that it is an excuse because every culture has their food-related hobbies, but I am Italian. Our entire culture is centered around food. When families get together for even the smallest event, there is a large spread present.

There’s a running joke in Italian families that you cannot turn down a meal, especially when it is offered by your Nonna or grandmother. It’s almost an insult to say no to a meal or “light” snack when offered one from an Italian. Self control is a necessary skill to have when dealing with diabetes.

My Diabetic Journey: My Struggles With Food

My struggles with food go back to when I was a teenager. Even though I was quite thin as a child (I had to wear slim pants in school), I still ate more than my fair share of food at meals and for snacks once I hit high school. This eventually led to developing poor eating habits that followed me into college and adulthood.

What makes matters worse is that I continued to eat and gain weight knowing that diabetes runs in my family. It truly is challenging when everything that tastes good is bad for you.

I have been battling those same eating habits since being diagnosed as a Type 2 diabetic. There have been times where I have conquered those habits for a couple of months in a row, shedding pounds and staying strong. Then, there are times where I fall back into a realm of constant snacking and eating too much at dinner.

The Problem With Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday to truly look at everything you are thankful for in life. It is also spent sitting around a table with quite a bit of food. Turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, pies, cookies and cakes. It is hard to stick to a diet when the holidays arrive.

What makes matters worse is that I have never liked Turkey, the main dish for Thanksgiving. Turkey is not my thing. Not the lunchmeat version. Not the fresh turkey breast you can get at a restaurant. And certainly not the turkey you have on Thanksgiving.

Because of my disdain for turkey, my mom would make chicken parm on Thanksgiving. So, despite avoiding turkey, I would still find myself eating a lot of food. Multiple helpings of chicken. Plenty of rolls. Dessert too, if there were options other than pie.

The Gap Between Thanksgiving and Christmas

There is a nice little gap between Thanksgiving and Christmas where I tell myself I will eat better so I can indulge more once Christmas arrives. That never seems to come to fruition for me. Between the Christmas party at the firehouse, the staff Christmas party at St. Charles, and constantly being on the go; eating right takes a back seat.

The gap is not long enough to get back on track with my diet before Christmas arrives. I know this sounds like a lot of excuses. It does to me too. But, maybe if I put them in writing it will force me to make better decisions this year. Hopefully I will eat fewer rolls. Or, I might eat less seafood on Christmas Eve (Feast of the Seven Fishes).

Either way, seeing my mistakes on paper hits harder. I know what I look like in the mirror. It makes me angry. My anger then turns to stress. Then, my stress turns into binge eating. It is a coping mechanism. It is also a vicious cycle that I seem to be unable to break.

My Diabetic Journey: New Year’s Day Brings New Resolutions

Hope springs eternal on New Year’s Day. There is the promise of a better year ahead if you struggled in the previous year. Many people love setting goals for the new year for themselves, resolutions to improve their lives.

But, what does New Year’s Day bring? A celebration with family around the table. A traditional meal for New Year’s Day is ham. Ham is often paired with mashed potatoes, rolls, and other carbs. While ham is a good option for diabetics due to it being a source of lean protein, the side dishes that are served with it defeat the purpose.

Are you worried about the holiday season and your diet? Have you struggled with bad food habits during the holidays? A little willpower goes a long way towards improving those bad habits. Let’s talk about it in the comments section.

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