Short-Term Goals Lead to Long-Term DiabetesManagementLong-term goals can help you make permanent changes that can improve your health. Once you decide on along-term goal, meet with your diabetes care team to set short-term goals that will move you closer to reachingyour goal.“When we talk about the short-term goal, the 500 steps, you’re thinking tomorrow and then increasingby 100, is there anything that will come up to get in the way? Or what could come up to get in the wayof that?”“There's always something that could get in the way. I think I have to put my mind really there that thisis important, in a way, schedule it in like an appointment. I have to do that.”Once you set a short-term goal, give yourself a specific amount of time to reach it. Any short-term goal you setshould be specific enough so that you can easily measure your success. But again, only you can decide on theshort-term goals that make sense in your life.“I like exercising, and I figured I’d probably be able to get a more return on my investment quicker, andit did.”“So knowing that and knowing life happens, what would a realistic goal be for you in the next let's sayweek. When we think of realistic it ought to be doable in your real life, not your ideal life. And smallenough that we’d know if we got there and achievable.”“I think I could easily do every day 500 steps more.”Talk to your diabetes care team about specific and measurable short-term goals that you can set. And whatsmall steps you can make to help you achieve that goal.There are a lot of choices. Maybe you want to increase the number of steps you take each day to reach yourphysical activity goal.Just making sure to change from your work clothes to activity ones is a small step that can help trigger you toget more active each day.Do you want to check your feet each day to reduce your risk of diabetes foot problems? How about having asmall note in your sock drawer just to remind you?Maybe you would like to organize your pills in a weekly container, so you don’t forget to take them all? Write anote on your calendar or set your smart phone….Or could you get up 10 minutes earlier each morning to check your blood glucose?Choose a goal that you feel you can reach. And identify ways that you can help yourself reach the goal.The more short-term goals you set and achieve the closer you can get to reaching your long-term goal andmanaging your diabetes.Do you have a short-term goal that you’d like to work on?
This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.
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