Living a healthy lifestyle can mean many different things to many different people, but – no matter what it means to you – managing your blood sugar is an important factor! In today’s world of sugar-filled, highly-processed foods, it feels like stumbling blocks are everywhere. So, what do you do? Follow these 5 tips for managing blood sugar, of course!

For some, it means balancing work, relationships, an time spent doing household duties; for others, it may mean living life to the fullest (carpe diem) and not worrying about lifestyle choices.  But, for most, it means eating well, fitting in exercise, being free of disease, and having a lean, fit body. In order to achieve the latter, it takes some planning; after all, people don’t plan to fail, they fail to plan, right?

Certainly, balancing work, relationships, chores, and having fun are all important to a healthy and well-rounded person, but none of those things can be possible if we are not healthy! At the core of it all, we find that healthy, low-glycemic impact eating is at the forefront of the scientific research we have on how to achieve this.  By eating a low-glycemic impact diet, your body is able to naturally manage blood sugar levels which allows your body to accept the nutrients it needs from food while allowing hormones such as cortisol, leptin, and insulin to be balanced as you burn fat.

If you’re a “jump right in” type of person, then you might be just fine jumping headfirst into whatever TLS Plan is recommended to you by our free Weight Loss Profile Quiz, but most of us simply aren’t that quick to adjust. There’s nothing wrong with that!

For most of us, it’s better to make small and sustainable changes over time which allows us to adjust and create healthy habits that will stick around longer than a few weeks! Perhaps you don’t typically get in your full 64 oz of water per day. Instead of forcing the excess water into your day, maybe take the first week to focus on simply drinking 2 cups more than you usually do! Once that’s easy, just keep baby-stepping up to your goal of 64 ounces. If you are learning new ways to incorporate vegetables into your meals, try and replace one unhealthy side with a new vegetable recipe each week to help meet your 6-cup daily serving!

These little changes allow life-long habits to be created and ultimately you’ll be managing your blood sugar levels without even trying!

A good rule-of-thumb is to not go more than 4 hours without some kind of food.  By following this rule and eating low glycemic impact foods, you’ll help ensure that your blood sugar levels don’t go through a roller coaster ride of rapid increases or drops allowing your body and blood sugar to remain balanced.

Most people follow the typical regimen of breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, but don’t be afraid to switch it up so that your eating plan fits your lifestyle! After all, everyone is different. Keeping your blood sugars balanced with frequent eating supports your body and you won’t go hangry!

Don’t skimp out on this key ingredient! Fiber keeps you full, helps support your digestive system and is important to helping balance a healthy life.  Foods high in fiber include items such as:

Surely, the occasional drink is something many people enjoy but think before you drink! Alcohol doesn’t do your blood sugar levels any favors. In fact, it’s absorbed rapidly and impairs your decision making which often causes you to crave foods that won’t support your healthy lifestyle or waistline.  If you do feel you’d like a drink, there are definitely some options that are better than others.  The options to avoid include sugary drinks and liquors with soda or juices as mixers. For example, vodka and club soda is better than vodka and tonic or vodka juice because the tonic and juices have a lot of sugar!

When it comes to weight loss and managing blood sugar, added sugars are one of the biggest downfalls! The added sugars found in everything from trail mix and granola to sports drinks and sodas can spike your blood sugar levels and have you reaching for your next fix before the first is even finished! Sugars are hidden in many forms and are often found in foods that you might consider to be healthy such as flavored yogurt, low-fat foods, and cereals. Next time you shop, focus on getting your sweet fix from natural sugars such as those found in fruits!

Not all fats are created equal! Try to limit your saturated fats, such as dairy product like cheese and red meats. Salmon, avocado, oils, and nuts contain some of the best good fats out there, so focusing on lowering fat intake from other, less healthy foods is a great place to start.  For example, you could use less salad dressing or mix plain greek yogurt with a bit of low-fat mayonnaise instead of opting for full-fat mayo.

Often times fast food (yes, even chef-prepared foods) contain more sugar, fat and sodium than if you were to make that same dish at home. If you’d like to dine out, make sure to be specific when ordering and keep an eye on the way the food you choose is prepared on the menu. Stay away from plates that are fried, breaded, or braised and opt for your meal to be baked, pan-seared, or roasted instead! Asking for sauces and salad dressings on the side and for your vegetables to be cooked in something other than oil can help create a healthier option as well.

Find something you like to do whether it’s swimming, biking, hiking, skating, weight lifting, running, aerobics, dancing, walking or yoga!  Just be sure to fit it in, and don’t let life get in the way. Busy people tend to exercise first thing in the morning or during their lunch break at work, but the key is to schedule it in. Making a plan to workout out at a specific time and treating it like an appointment means you’re less likely to let something else overrun that time in your day.

Hiring a personal trainer is another great way to be sure you show up! A certified trainer will help you reach your goals based on your personal needs and restrictions.

Stress is a sure way to backtrack and fall back into unhealthy eating and skipping out on exercise.  While it’s a safe bet to say everyone has stress, learning to manage it well is going to make the difference.  Just like managing blood sugar levels is important, managing your stress level is, too!  Try incorporating some stress-relieving activities into your day such as deep breathing, journaling, or meditating.  Just a few minutes per day can go a long way!

If you are a cigarette smoker, talk to your healthcare provider about ways to quit.  Like many bad habits, it may be hard to break but quitting will not only help you breath better when it comes to exercise but will lessen the likely to develop diseases, many of which may impede your blood sugar!