Adding Incentives to Your Management Plan

I have been very busy over the last month and half and have neglected my duties as a blogger! In addition to teaching nursing chemistry classes at Spring Hill College, I am currently working on a local mayoral campaign. It's been difficult to find time to write for the blog, but I promise to do better!

Around the holidays, my wife likes to torture me by leaving out fun-size holiday chocolates in a variety of locations in our home. As tasty as these treats can be, eating them can be a poor management decision because, let's be honest, you can't stop with just one! It's not just a momentary elevation in blood glucose levels that a person with diabetes should be worried about, however. Studies have demonstrated that the consumption of foods with sugar and/or high fructose corn syrup can increase LDL (bad) cholesterol. This is a topic that I have previously discussed on this blog.

The Nutcracker dolls closely

guard fun-size chocolate 

pieces in our home.

So, is it ever ok to just indulge and enjoy these delicious chocolates? I say yes, but only if you have earned it through exercise. In his book Not Dead Yet, Phil Southerland explains that he began biking when he was young because he realized that if he biked long enough, he could have a snickers bar and his blood glucose levels would still stay in range. Like Mr. Southerland, I too have found that I can have a piece of chocolate (or two) without much impact on my blood glucose levels if I have engaged in 40+ minutes of cardiovascular exercise. This includes things like walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, playing tennis, shooting hoops, or raking leaves. Hopefully, for your sake, it's not raking leaves because if you're like me, you loathe that activity. More important, you can eat that piece of chocolate or few bites of cheesecake (not a fat, huge piece) because exercise helps raise HDL (good) cholesterol; thus, adding a layer of cardiovascular protection. Incentives can also prevent the occasional (or frequent) sugar binge because you can still eat the sweets you love in moderation. At the end of the day, good management is all about living a life of moderation.

I like having incentives in my management plan because it keeps me accountable. I enjoy having a few pieces of chocolate, and since it's something I want, I'm willing to do the work to earn it. Adding incentives to your management plan is easy. First, come up with a plan. My plan goes as follows: if I exercise for 30 minutes, then I can eat 1 piece of chocolate; If I exercise for 1 hour, then I get 2 pieces, and so on. Second, put your plan in writing and sign it. This makes you psychologically more likely to follow it. As long as you stick to your plan, you can enjoy the sweets you love guilt-free and still maintain good control!