Your Long-term Solution To Take Control
What I’ve learnt in the last 20 years working as a dietitian in the area of diabetes management is that education programs and providing advice doesn’t directly translate to behavioural change.
When first diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, everyone wants to know what to eat.
You may look on the internet, see many different opinions, contradictory advice, news stories, clickbait headlines, social media mixed messages, expert and anecdotal opinions and dietary zealots proclaiming to have the best system, short term fixes. A google search of “what to eat with Type 2 Diabetes” generates about 731 million hits.
This results in confusion, and this breeds frustration.
But knowledge is not the only solution.
You may see a doctor, dietitian or nutritionist who provides
A handout, and generic information. However, that may not fit into your budget, lifestyle, personal preferences
A list of foods to cut out or a meal plan with rules about eating
Information overload - too much detail without actionable steps
And, we know that the recall in medical appointments is only about a third of the advice provided.
The current model of providing nutritional advice, sending clients on their way and hoping that things go well is fundamentally flawed, and unsuccessful for the vast majority of people. Despite the fact that knowledge and awareness are important, they are simply the kick start to your health journey. The abundance of nutrition and health information should have already generated a population of optimal nutritional and health status, but this isn’t the case. So what’s missing?
Just as NYE resolutions don’t work, an intention to make significant activity and dietary changes is not sustained, and a wish doesn’t achieve results.
What happens? Intentions fade, life gets busy. Monday’s plans are a distant memory by Wednesday. Answers to questions get forgotten, if in fact the correct questions were asked in the first place (hello “is keto the best diet?”).
Quick fix strategies, and 6 weeks transformations provide short term results.
But we are playing the long game.
Diabetes is a long term condition, and we need a long term solution that fits the diabetes journey.
Clients sometimes come to a consultation with good food knowledge, and some of my clients have been known to say “ I know what you’re telling me”. Or “I know what to do, but for some reason I DON'T DO IT”
But there is a difference between knowing something and doing. Transformation lies in the implementation rather than the knowledge. [link to blog article knowing stuff https://deconstructingdiabetes.com.au/diabetes-diet-information/2018/4/11/does-knowing-nutrition-stuff-changing-nutrition-stuff]
The implementation involves moving from the knowledge stage to the intention of change (link to article: https://deconstructingdiabetes.com.au/diabetes-diet-information/keeping-to-new-year-plans )
, then actually starting to change and finally taking measures to prevent relapse or stopping change. Behaviour change occurs as a result of habits that are performed consistently.
In the words of James Clear – Atomic Habits – Success is the product of daily habits – not once in a lifetime transformations.
We have asked clients what’s missing and they have told us they need a way to keep them on track – so we have changed the way our service is delivered.
We have developed a series of tools : daily and weekly habits checklists and a diabetes habit journal that are currently in a written form – these tools cover the areas of dietary intake, planning and organisation, movement and activity, as well as health and diabetes tasks.
Daily and weekly reflection, highlighting successes and challenges, goal setting and developing an action plan for the future.
We know what gets measured actually gets managed. And what gets recorded forms the basis upon which future dietary advice, and change can be made.
This is the reason Deconstructing Diabetes is moving towards package programs rather than the traditional model of a “one off” dietitian consultation. The clients who are in our programs achieve much greater health outcomes, improve diabetes control, are more involved in their management, feel supported, accountable and empowered.
Our focus is on the “How to Eat” rather than just “what to eat”.
And that’s why we provide you with the skills to make good food choices, and create lasting habits rather than follow a meal plan or list of foods that are “good or bad”.