When Habits Shift: Overcoming Cravings and Dieting Fatigue in Diabetes Management

So, you’ve done the right thing by eating right or using medications that help curb appetite, such as semaglutide. But what happens when your body starts to adjust? Learn more about managing type 2 diabetes as your body adapts to changes in eating habits.

Understanding the shift: Is it me or the medication?

Many people make changes to their diets once they find out they have type 2 diabetes. For some, this happens more easily with certain drugs, such as semaglutide products.

For me, it was the latter. Sure, I tried to make changes, and I did succeed in some aspects, but it wasn’t until I started using Ozempic that the real changes happened. Suddenly, I couldn’t eat as much, and I wasn’t thinking about food all the time. But what happens when your body begins adjusting to these changes in eating habits?

Navigating new cravings and physical changes

While I still don’t constantly think about food and I continue to eat less, my body has adjusted a bit to the medicine. That means I now crave sweets, and that’s not a good thing when it comes to type 2 diabetes. I now have to adjust again, and that can be difficult.

I’m fortunate that I still can’t overeat as much because I fill up much faster. However, after I started cancer treatment, the sweet cravings started. This makes it harder to eat right, and I have to really struggle not to overdo it. What I try to do is have something healthier or sugar-free. Still, donuts do call my name at times. In those cases, I try to limit myself to just one, once in a while. Instead of not having it at all, I have it in moderation.

Overcoming "dieting fatigue" and mental burnout

Many of us have been there. You’ve been "good" for so long that you start to think the restriction is never-ending, and dieting fatigue sets in. And I don't mean literal fatigue. What I mean is mental fatigue—the feeling of being tired of eating right. This is the hardest part because you start to burn out and want to stop.

This discouragement comes from a variety of sources. Perhaps you’re weighing yourself daily and don’t see the results of your hard work. Even though keeping your A1C under control is the most important thing, weight loss is a plus, and for those who aren’t seeing the numbers change, dieting fatigue can start.

Focusing on long-term progress

It happens to the best of us. Your body seems to adjust and it can feel like you’re moving backward. The good news is that our bodies also adjust to feeling better, losing weight, and being more fit. The more you stick with your diet and exercise plan, the easier it becomes in the long run. The challenge is simply getting there in the first place.

Try to think of the overall plan. You’ve got your A1C under control; now you need to continue on that path to being healthier. It’s not easy. If it were, we’d all have perfect blood glucose and be in perfect shape. Just hang in there, and allow your body to embrace the good changes.