By Monica

On Valentine’s Day, we’re always surrounded by chocolates and candies. Myself, I enjoy pastries and chocolate cake. Managing my Diabetes through diet and exercise means I need to be mindful of what I’m eating so I can enjoy my favorite pastry and stay in control of my blood sugar.

I plan ahead. I think about what I’m eating now and what I’m planning on eating later. I remind myself that I’m enjoying a pastry now, so I need to hold off on having another one for a couple of days. Or if I know I just had a pastry on Saturday, I remind myself to hold off another day or two before I have another one. When I do treat myself to my pastry or piece of Valentine’s Day chocolate, I keep my portion small. There are times, though, that I find myself craving a pastry unexpectedly. Usually I can brush it off—I know having a big piece of cake will do damage. Or, if I’m hungry, eating something else usually makes the craving go away.

Occasionally one of my co-workers will offer me a piece of cake left over from an office party, or bring in banana bread for everyone in the office to share. At times like these, I sometimes need to decline their offer, or give my piece to someone else. I’m fortunate, though, that the people I work with are supportive and understand my needs. It really helps to have people you can be comfortable with and who are willing and able to accommodate you.

In the end, it’s not really about saying I can’t have something—it’s being conscious of what I’m eating and when, thinking ahead and maintaining self-discipline. After a while, it becomes the norm.