Getting back to healthy eating after the holidays

@retiredteacher Carol, my doctor will not endorse it but if you check online there is evidence that cinnamon helps diabetes 2. I use Ceylon Cinnamon that you can purchase on Amazon or in Whole Foods (much less money on Amazon). Also, Ceylon Cinnamon has less coumarin and if you are using a lot you don't want the higher amount of coumarin. Since Ceylon cinnamon is much milder tasting I can put about a whole teaspoon in my morning oatmeal or yogurt. I am convinced that is why my A1c was only 5.8. Following is from the Livestrong site, but many sites say the same thing, and many sites say it is helpful for diabetes 2.

What is the difference between cinnamon and Ceylon cinnamon?
Ceylon cinnamon has a sweeter, more delicate flavor than cassia does, which may make it preferable for flavoring desserts and lighter dishes. But the more important distinction may be the presence of a chemical called coumarin, a natural plant chemical that acts as a blood thinner.
JK

@contentandwell I have seen ads for cinnamon, but I haven't tried it. I don't like oatmeal but sometimes I could sprinkle it on something. I have added Turmeric to see if that helps and started back with B-12. I also had someone suggest Blood Boost, and that looks interesting. It seems that lately the natural supplements are more effective than high priced meds prescribed.
Carol

I have added tart cherry juice to my diet for help with arthritis pain. My cardiologist has approved this for daily intake. I choose tart cherry juice that has no added ingredients in it.

@retiredteacher - Thank you for sharing the "Healthy holiday habits: How to get back on track" link. How did you know that I need that?
I have already celebrated with too many goodies, so I want to feel ready to resume my normal eating and exercise on Jan 2. As I read the article, I felt especially encouraged by this tip - "Think of one healthy step you can take today to get back on track. For instance, if you overate at a party last night, forgive yourself and focus on eating healthy today."
For me, forgiveness and focus are important. If I feel guilty, then I dwell on the problem (too many goodies) and that only makes me crave more. I try to adhere to eating a balanced diet. I also have labs due in late January!

I am going to be extra aware of what goes into my mouth. There- I said it. WIsh me luck!

Who else has read the article? What will you do to get back on track?

@rosemarya I feel the same way. I definitely have not been a good girl. Since I have developed the severe pain in my feet, exercise is not possible---too much pain with no relief. But, I must get back to my diabetes diet and stop the too many "illegal" foods. I know my A1C is going to be off of the charts when I go Monday, but, I'll just have to deal with it. MY being good won't start until January 2nd because I have New Year's Eve and New Year's Day to prepare our traditional fare. Then on Jan 2nd, I'll have to get back on the wagon. I hope it is moving slowly because with my feet and extra holiday pounds, I can't run and jump on!
Good luck and tight restraint to us both.
Carol

Over the last many months I’ve lost almost 40 pounds. My plan was simple - eat less. For the the last two months, my goal was not to continue to lose but rather to maintain. Now I’m focusing back again on losing weight by eating less. I track everything I eat which helps me regulate what and when I eat. I don’t eliminate foods as I know that’s not sustainable but I rather eat a small portion. Good luck!

@dsisko, Thank you for this well timed message! Because of you, I have started today to return to my non-holiday eating habits. Day 1 is entered in my healthy-history notebook.
I like your habit of tracking what you eat. That sounds like a good way for me to follow my goal of being aware of what goes into my mouth. One meal at a time - One day at a time.

@rosemarya @dsisko, I am with you to get back to my routine diabetic diet. I will start tomorrow because today we have to have a New Year's Day Southern traditional meal. It is not on the diabetic list! But, tomorrow, it's back to what I have to eat to control my diet and my husband's. His heart disease and my diabetes diet are compatible so we can eat the same foods. I had an appointment with my endo Monday and was sure my A1C would be off the charts. It was higher at 6.7 but Dr. wasn't too disturbed. He likes for it to be 6.0 or under, but he will accept 6.0 to 7.0 since that range is what the American Endocrinologist Assn and the American Diabetic Assn say it should be. Under 6.0 is really good; 7.0 is all right, but anything else is not. I was up from last visit, but I told him I had cheated, so he didn't get too disturbed.
Thanks for this reminder and I need to get my journal ready to write down everything.
Carol

Happy New Year!
In my attempt to get back to a healthy eating pattern like many of us do as a New Year's Resolution, I have been tracking the foods that I eat for a couple of days! My designated notebook has a designated place on my cluttered countertop. I have learned already that I am not going to starve if I skip a snack that I think I 'need'.
@dsisko, @grillgirl, @retiredteacher, @contentandwell, How about you? What is your take-away from the healthy eating link that Carol has shared? https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/healthy-holiday-habits-how-to-get-back-on-track/art-20270846/

I like "don't try to do too much at once" and "falling off track doesn't mean you've failed" from the article. When I track my foods, I discover that I have room to eat more if I stop eating certain foods. For example, if I skip the slice of cake, I can eat a higher quantity of healthier foods and feel more satisfied and less hungry overall. I've used the app "Lose It" to track my calories for several years. When I stop tracking, I gain, when I track, I maintain or lose. Good luck to all!