When the Honeymoon’s Over

For many people, the first few days, even weeks, of a new diabetes control program are exciting and rewarding. Water weight comes off right away, pants button more easily, and shirts and blouses are already more comfortable. Your glucose levels are staying within your goals. People new to a diabetes control program feel good. And they should feel good because they’ve taken a positive step toward creating a healthier lifestyle.

However, this period of a diabetes control program doesn’t last. In fact, this honeymoon period may be over for you now, too. This Well-being article:

• Explains the “honeymoon”
• Describes the frustration when the honeymoon ends
• Describes the acceptance phase of diabetes control and explains why it is important to get past the frustration and move toward acceptance

The Diabetes Control Honeymoon

This feel-good period of a weight loss program has been called the Honeymoon Phase by Dr. Daniel Kirschenbaum in his book, The 9 Truths About Weight Loss. He says that this phase is characterized by such behaviors as careful record keeping and exact adherence to meal plans. The same can be said for a diabetes control program that includes weight loss, exercise, and changes in lifestyle.

If you talk with veterans of diabetes control programs, this phase is often described as the easy part. People like the first few weeks of a diabetes control program. They follow a plan and get results. They feel great and love how they feel about themselves. For some people, this phase lasts about a month.

Facing Up to Reality

After the honeymoon, people in a diabetes control program have to begin to deal with the reality of managing their diabetes every day. They become frustrated at having to stay with a diet while everyone else seems to eat what he or she wants. They become angry and talk about how unfair metabolic differences are. Conversations about the unfairness of diabetes punctuate their day. In this phase, people with diabetes often stop record keeping. They may play around with the meal plan, changing it to fit their desires. They may stop exercising, or go back to old lifestyle habits. People can stay stuck in this phase for months. Each day, they renew their commitment to the program, only to end the day with something like, “I deserve this treat.”

Accepting the Reality

The last phase is the one all veterans of diabetes control programs hope to reach. It’s called the Acceptance Phase. At this point, they finally accept the fact that they really do need to eat differently than they used to, be more physically active, and manage negative emotions. They no longer look at this as a temporary period in their life. They realize that it is a way of life that will enable them to stay healthy so they can live life to the fullest because they are effectively controlling their diabetes.

Although this may sound a bit Pollyannaish, it’s not. People in this phase will tell you they don’t like all the changes they’ve made in their daily routines. In fact, if they could return to some of their old habits without losing control of their disease, they would. But because they’ve accepted the reality of their situation, they do what they have to do to take care of their health. They focus on the rewards and not the difficulties of diabetes control.

An Acceptance Story

Mike was overweight and had diabetes. His doctor told him that losing weight could help him manage his diabetes, maybe without medication. When Mike started his diabetes control plan, he knew he needed to exercise. But when? Because of his job, Mike couldn’t predict what time he would finish each day. And besides, he wanted to go home and spend time with his three young sons.

So Mike hired a personal trainer to meet him at the gym three days a week at 6 a.m. Mike really disliked these early morning workouts. He knew that he would need the support of and accountability to the trainer to get him there. After a month, Mike began going to the gym on his own. That was a year ago.

Today, Mike is maintaining a 16-kilogram weight loss. He still goes to the gym three days a week at 6 a.m., and rides his bike on the weekends. Mike admits that he still struggles to get up at 5:30 a.m. But he has resolved that, for now, this is what it takes for him to manage his diabetes. He doesn’t want to go back to taking his diabetes medications. So, even though Mike doesn’t like the early exercise routine, he doesn’t stop because he’s focusing on the great results. The benefits of his exercise routine far outweigh the negative health effects of not exercising.

Mike also is using healthy self-protection. He’s a proactive person who takes reasonable steps to make sure he succeeds. People like Mike make sure they have the food they need to eat on hand. They carve out time to be active, and they protect that time. They call ahead to restaurants, plan active vacations, and take their meal replacement products to the amusement park. They plan for success and don’t leave it to chance.

Where Are You?

What phase do you think you’re in?

Honeymoon Phase

Frustration Phase

Acceptance Phase

At this point, you may be moving beyond the Honeymoon Phase. Chances are that you may actually see yourself in two phases. It’s not uncommon to bounce around as you move toward the final phase of acceptance.

Summary

• The honeymoon is the early phase of a diabetes control program when you’re still excited and highly motivated to stick with the program and control your diabetes.
• The frustration that follows when the honeymoon ends can knock you off track unless you’re prepared to use your tools and strategies — and to persevere.
• If you persevere, you will come to what is called the Acceptance Phase of diabetes control. When you reach this phase, you’ll have made important well-being changes that will help you go the distance and reach your goals.