Type 2 Diabetes and Healthy Eating - Are You Eating With Purpose?

In today's time and age where so many people seem to be continually dieting, it can be hard to know what to eat that is healthy. Most of us merely let our cravings guide us. What foods do we feel like eating that day? Which foods do we think will most benefit us? Which foods do we have at home? While these are all reasonable questions, they do not necessarily help you choose the best foods to nourish your body.
Eating with a purpose is all about thinking more constructively as to why you are eating a particular food and making sure all the foods you do eat have a reason for being consumed. Let us look further at this concept.
1. Identifying Your Purpose. First, you need to define your purpose for eating a particular food. You can do this in a variety of ways...

• To start you need to consider your fitness goals. What do they tell you about the foods you should be eating?
• Next, think about what your doctor has said to you. Has he indicated there are any main health areas you should be working on? The foods you eat will largely influence your health, so do not take this lightly. Choose the wrong foods, and you will not be following your doctor's orders and get the results you want.
• Finally, also consider your desires. What do you want for your body? What do you hope to achieve both aesthetically and health wise? That can give you an indication of the purpose of your eating.

2. What Reasons Are There? So now you need to think about the reason you are eating. Some of the most common ones could include you are eating...

• for more energy,
• to burn fat,
• to combat hunger,
• to stabilize your blood sugar levels,
• to increase your antioxidant intake,
• to build stronger bones,
• to help create larger muscles,
• to help relax your body,
• to help nourish your heart,

and on and on it goes. There is an unlimited number of reasons to eat different foods, but your job is to match your goal to the foods you are consuming. When you do that, then you know you are on track.3. Choosing Foods To Match. Now, this brings us to the last step in the equation, and that is determining the foods to match your goals. Which foods will help you achieve your goals? Which foods won't?
Every time you sit down to eat, you should ask yourself, if the food you have chosen will bring you closer to reaching your goals or further away? Make sure your meal is doing you a favor, not taking away from your hard work and efforts.

Although managing your disease can be very challenging, Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. You can make simple changes to your daily routine and lower both your weight and your blood sugar levels. Hang in there, the longer you do it, the easier it gets.