Skip to main navigation Skip to main content Skip to footer For Medicare For Providers For Brokers For Employers Español For Individuals & Families: For Individuals & Families Medical Dental Other Supplemental Explore coverage through work How to Buy Health Insurance Types of Dental Insurance Open Enrollment vs. Special Enrollment See all topics Shop for Medicare plans Member Guide Find a Doctor Log in to myCigna
Home Knowledge Center Wellness Library Diabetes: Coping With Your Feelings About Your Diet

Diabetes: Coping With Your Feelings About Your Diet

Overview

Your feelings can affect how well you take care of yourself when you have diabetes. Negative emotions about food and your diet can make it harder to follow a healthy eating plan. But your feelings can also help you. If you feel like you're doing something good for your health, it may help you stay motivated. You can feel better about your eating plan and yourself.

To deal with your feelings in a positive way:

  • Learn about your eating plan for diabetes. You can have all the types of foods you like. The key is to learn how to fit them into your meal or snack plan.
  • Talk with other people who successfully follow an eating plan for diabetes. Find out what foods they like and how they have worked them into their meals.
  • Try new foods and new recipes to put some variety into your meals so you won't feel deprived.
How to deal with negative feelings about your diet for diabetes

How to deal with negative feelings about your diet for diabetes

Our emotions influence what we eat, when we eat, and how much we eat. So negative feelings can interfere with how well you can follow your diet for diabetes. If you can let go of those feelings, you'll be more likely to follow a healthy diet. These tips can help you manage your feelings.

  • Give yourself permission to make choices.

    People often think that following a diet for diabetes means giving up foods they like and having to eat foods they don't like. But actually, you have choices. Try this exercise.

    • Make four lists: foods you like, foods you dislike, foods that are "bad" for diabetes, and foods that are "good" for diabetes.
    • Cross out the foods in the "foods I dislike" list. You don't have to eat them. You can eat any of the foods in the other three lists.

    The fact is:

    • There are no "good" or "bad" foods.
    • You don't have to give up the foods you like.
    • You may need to eat some foods in smaller amounts and less often to prevent high blood sugar. But you can learn to fit them into your diet.
  • Recognize your feelings.

    Make a list of all the feelings you have about a diet for diabetes and why you have them. For example:

    • You may feel guilty about eating certain foods, such as chocolate cake, if you think they are "bad."
    • You may feel angry or resentful if you think you can't eat the foods you like.

    Don't judge yourself by your feelings. It's what you do with them that matters.

  • Let go of your negative feelings.

    Just identifying a negative feeling isn't enough to get rid of it. You'll need to do something. Record how you plan to deal with each negative feeling. Here are some ideas:

    • Write about what you feel. Then read it aloud to yourself.
    • Talk with your family, a friend, or your diabetes specialist. You may learn that your negative feeling is based on something that isn't true.
    • Join a diabetes support group. Most people with diabetes have had negative feelings about the diet and are willing to share how they dealt with those feelings.

If your feelings keep getting in the way of taking care of yourself, talk with a health professional about counseling.

Current as of: September 20, 2023

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff

Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Ignite Healthwise, LLC, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.

© 2024 Ignite Healthwise, LLC. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Ignite Healthwise, LLC.

Related Links

Quick Tips: Smart Snacking When You Have Diabetes Carbohydrate Foods Counting Carbohydrate Grams or Servings Diabetes: Using a Plate Format to Plan Meals Food List for Diabetes Diabetes: Counting Carbs

<cipublic-spinner variant="large"><span>Loading…</span></cipublic-spinner>

Page Footer

I want to...

Get an ID card File a claim View my claims and EOBs Check coverage under my plan See prescription drug list Find an in-network doctor, dentist, or facility Find a form Find 1095-B tax form information View the Cigna Glossary Contact Cigna

Audiences

Individuals and Families Medicare Employers Brokers Providers

Secure Member Sites

myCigna member portal Health Care Provider portal Cigna for Employers Client Resource Portal Cigna for Brokers

The Cigna Group Information

About Cigna Healthcare Company Profile Careers Newsroom Investors Suppliers The Cigna Group Third Party Administrators International Evernorth

 Cigna. All rights reserved.

Privacy Legal Product Disclosures Cigna Company Names Customer Rights Accessibility Non-Discrimination Notice Language Assistance [PDF] Report Fraud Sitemap Cookie Settings

Disclaimer

Individual and family medical and dental insurance plans are insured by Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (CHLIC), Cigna HealthCare of Arizona, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Illinois, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Georgia, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of North Carolina, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of South Carolina, Inc., and Cigna HealthCare of Texas, Inc. Group health insurance and health benefit plans are insured or administered by CHLIC, Connecticut General Life Insurance Company (CGLIC), or their affiliates (see a listing of the legal entities that insure or administer group HMO, dental HMO, and other products or services in your state). Accidental Injury, Critical Illness, and Hospital Care plans or insurance policies are distributed exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, are administered by Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, and are insured by either (i) Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (Bloomfield, CT); (ii) Life Insurance Company of North America (“LINA”) (Philadelphia, PA); or (iii) New York Life Group Insurance Company of NY (“NYLGICNY”) (New York, NY), formerly known as Cigna Life Insurance Company of New York. The Cigna name, logo, and other Cigna marks are owned by Cigna Intellectual Property, Inc. LINA and NYLGICNY are not affiliates of Cigna.

All insurance policies and group benefit plans contain exclusions and limitations. For availability, costs and complete details of coverage, contact a licensed agent or Cigna sales representative. This website is not intended for residents of New Mexico.

Selecting these links will take you away from Cigna.com to another website, which may be a non-Cigna website. Cigna may not control the content or links of non-Cigna websites. Details