There can be bumps and hills along the journey towards self-improvement. But when a year ends and a new one is upon us, it feels easier to refocus on our untapped potential. But too often we think of all the possible things we can do, or rather the things we should do in order to avoid these bumps and hills.
Most of the time, New Year’s resolutions are just promises we make to ourselves, but deep down know we just can’t (read: won’t) keep.
Some of us try, and some of us succeed, but sadly there are more of us who make these promises with the knowledge and understanding that it won’t last. Still, we’re all determined that maybe this year will be “my year”—the year you decide to put shifts in gear, save money, get into shape, eat healthier and maybe, finally kick that terrible habit (whatever it may be) to the curb.
Because diabetes requires its own kind of hustle and bustle, it can be even more difficult to maintain a New Year’s resolution. It can leave you thinking, “What’s the point? Resolutions are just doomed to fail.” But pick your chin up because here are three simple and straight to the point resolutions that might end up sticking, and who knows…maybe you can use Dario to help you out along the way!
1. SIMPLICITY: It’s always best to start simple. Think of something you’d like to change. For example, we’re all guilty of forgetting to check our blood sugar now and then. You should always know what your glucose levels are and test yourself on a regular basis. Sometimes, it’s the things that you must do on a daily basis that we forget about, or put on the back burner. MAKE IT A PRIORITY! Believe it or not, this kind of information is quite important in managing your diabetes. At MyDario, we believe in simplifying diabetes management. Using “Reminders” in our free diabetes app, you can receive a push notification when you should be measuring your levels. You can then easily enter your blood glucose level into the glucose meter, the amount of carbs you’ve consumed, your exact insulin dose, and more.
2. GET REAL: If you’ve never been the “wake up in the morning and go for a run” type of person, then you might have a hard time starting now. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t give it a shot and maybe try something a little less intense. Making a change requires taking a risk and taking steps (baby steps if needed) outside of your comfort zone. Some exercise is always better than no exercise. Always remember that it’s ok to exercise the way that’s suitable for your lifestyle. In the “Logbook” feature of Dario, you’re able to “tag” your meal, your current mood or any kind of physical activity you’d like to log. Let’s say you just ate dinner. Did you go for a walk? Log it! (USEFUL FACT: Did you know just 20 minutes of activity can lower your blood sugars 15% or more?)
3. BREAK DOWN THE BARRICADE: Those bumps and hills I spoke about earlier brings me to number three; take a minute to write down what your roadblocks have been in the past and how they’ve stopped you from doing what you’ve wanted to do. Once you are capable of identifying these barricades, it will be so much easier to figure out a way to surpass them–hopefully even before it occurs. As time moves on, it’s easy to forget what you want to accomplish in the new year. When you make note of how your diabetes is “trending” in the app, you have the option to take a look at your “Overview” which allows you to view every bit of information you may need in order to see what works for you and what doesn’t. Plain and simple; make a list, check it twice, and if you forget, you’ll have your list to go back to. From there, it’s only onward and upward.
Life these days is never simple. But challenging yourself is always good. Keep a food journal, log your exercise for the day, and remember–Dario’s here–happy and ready to help. You can also search the database for the foods you desire and if you just cooked a fantastic meal, why not log it?! Don’t forget–one step at a time. After all, Rome wasn’t built in a day.