One of the highlights of my day is teaching people with diabetes how to cheat.
Many years ago, the message for people with diabetes was simple and stern: no sweets. Now I enjoy telling clients that they can have cake and cookies, and that they don't always have to be sugar-free, either. The key is knowing how to cheat around your diabetes.
Follow my four simple rules to help you indulge and not pay for it later.
Rule #1: Plan on it
If you're going to enjoy some dessert after a meal, eat fewer carbohydrates at that meal. For example, if it's your birthday and you're out celebrating, eat protein and non-starchy vegetables and less bread, potatoes, and pasta before the cake arrives.
Rule #2: Count your carbs
Even though I just told you that you can eat cake, that isn't a license to overeat. The key is to keep thinking about carbohydrates. The carbohydrate content of that piece of chocolate-frosted cake can be higher than your usual carb intake for an entire meal. Read food labels or look up specific brands so you'll know about how many carbs you are going to spend on your splurge.
Rule #3: Calories still count
Don't forget that the key to cheating is balance and moderation. It may help your blood glucose level after the meal to cut out carbs and save them for dessert, but the calories still add up. Excess calories will lead to weight gain, which generally increases your blood glucose levels. Be sensible about how much and how often you cheat.
Rule #4: Enjoy it
I encourage my clients to satisfy their cravings but to keep the above three rules in mind.
When you do choose to cheat, eat slowly, savor it, and don't beat yourself up afterwards. There isn't a food in the world that's forbidden to you just because you have diabetes, so enjoy it!
