At Precor we believe that “tomorrow will be even better because of [our] actions today”, so we’ve partnered with the American Diabetes Association to bring you some advice for diabetes prevention and awareness throughout the month of November.

1.  Block Anxiety

While organizing your life and overhauling your diet to achieve healthy goals is a good thing, it can cause stress. The best way to kick that stress? Plan ahead. Pick a night to plan a menu of meals for the week, then post a shopping list and a menu on the refrigerator.

2. Think Small to Achieve Big

If you work on a small goal for several days to a week, you are more likely to achieve it than if you bite off more than you can chew in the beginning. So think about adding minutes each day or week to your exercise routine. Each little bit adds up. Instead of going on a strict diet you can’t stick to, consider replacing that can of sugary soda with a glass of water.

3. Get Motivated

Feeling ho-hum about your goals? Collect inspirational quotes, photos of athletes you admire, magazine articles, and thoughts that you’ve jotted down. Carry your inspiration in your gym bag or tape it to your laptop.

4. Set an End Goal

Beat burnout by keeping your eyes on the prize. You might find it helpful to write out what it means to be your ideal self. For instance, you might say, “I want to be strong and lean and physically active,” or “I want to be healthy enough to watch my grandchildren get married.” Once you write it down, you can read it aloud whenever you need a boost of motivation.

5. Watch Your Words

Reaching your goal is hard work, so go easy on yourself.  Listen to the words you say about yourself—do they sound like something you would ever say to someone else?  From there, turn negatives into self-empowering positives. “I can’t eat it” sounds a lot like deprivation, while “I choose not to eat it” takes the power away from unhealthy foods and gives it back to you.

Diabetes Forecast is the healthy living magazine published by the American Diabetes Association. To subscribe and for answers to your general questions and concerns about diabetes, call 800-DIABETES (800-342-2383