Diabetes Management
& Goal Setting

The goal of diabetes education is to help people with diabetes practice these behaviors every day. This can be difficult, but it does work by helping lower blood sugar (glucose), blood pressure, and cholesterol. Most people with diabetes know self-management is important, but many find it overwhelming.

The more realistic and specific your goals are, the more likely you are to achieve them.

Set a few smaller goals at a time and don't try to do it all at once. It takes time to build new habits and break old ones.

Smaller Diabetes Goal Examples:

• I will eat a piece of fruit instead of ice cream after dinner on 4 days each week for the next month.
• I will walk for 15 minutes during my lunch break on 5 days each week for the next month.
• I will choose unsweetened tea instead of soda when dining out a restaurant for the next month.
• I will check my blood sugar twice daily, fasting and 2 hours after supper, for the next month and store in my logbook.
• I will make an appointment with my ophthalmologist for a dilated eye exam by the end of this month and yearly thereafter to prevent serious vision problems.

Lastly, Slipping up once in a while will happen—we are all human! Just be sure to get back on track the next day.

Next Article: Diabetes Behaviors & Triggers