How to Survive the Holidays with Diabetes

The holiday season takes us out of our normal schedules and habits — and presents more challenges to managing diabetes and resisting carb-loaded treats and dishes.

Thankfully, United Supermarkets' Corporate Dietician Brenda Garcia has a bunch of tips for staying on track while enjoying those family dinners and celebrations:

1) Let the protein be the star of the show. Resist the urge to skimp on protein in favor of carb-heavy favorites. Whether you're doing ham or turkey, let that protein be a good portion of your plate. Keep in mind the My Plate balance: About half your plate should be fruits and veggies, and the other half should be grains and proteins.

2) Don't completely deny yourself. You're more likely to stick to healthy habits if you give yourself a little leeway. Allow yourself a small slice of pie or a sensible serving of your favorite mashed potatoes — and then focus on low-carb alternatives for the rest of the day. You might also mix your mashed potatoes with mashed cauliflower, skip the crust on the pumpkin pie, or use a sugar substitute when making your desserts.

3) Find an accountability partner. You probably have a family member or friend who also wants to stay on track during the holidays, so make a pact to check in with each other and encourage each other to make wise choices. Your accountability partner might even have new ideas or techniques for you to try!

4) Practice mindfulness. Before you eat, check-in with yourself to consider whether you're really hungry or bored, stressed, tired, or simply following a group lead. Take a second to make sure you're making the right choices to nourish your body.

Don't forget, United Supermarkets has helpful recipes and blogs right on its website: blog.unitedsupermarkets.com. Whether you're looking for a healthy, low-carb alternative or simply something new to try, United Supermarkets can help you keep yourself and your family healthy and nourished this holiday season.