Living well with diabetes

5 tips for managing diabetes

1. Keep a healthy body weight. Even losing just a few pounds may help you control your diabetes and reduce your risk for complications. According to the 2023 Standards of Care from the American Diabetes Association, a modest, sustained weight loss of just 5% of initial body weight has been shown to improve blood sugar control in people who are overweight or obese.¹

2. Eat a healthy diet. There’s no one diet that’s best for managing blood glucose levels, but there are some nutrition guidelines that can help. Eating meals and snacks at certain times of the day can help keep your blood sugar stable. It may help to spread out the carbohydrates you eat by having a little bit of carbs with each meal and snack.² Talk with your healthcare provider about when you should eat meals and snacks. Meal timing can also affect how some diabetes medications work.

The diagram below shows how to fill the different portions of a plate to help manage blood sugar levels and lose weight.²

3. Stay active. Exercise helps improve your body’s sensitivity to insulin, which helps cells take in more glucose to prevent it from building up in the blood.²

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends:

• At least 30 minutes of cardiovascular activity, five days a week.
• Strength training twice per week.³

4. Practice healthy sleep habits. Diabetes may lead to sleep problems and poor sleep may lead to higher blood sugar levels the next day.⁴

There are many things you can do to try to get better sleep, including:

• Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.
• Have a nightly relaxation ritual to do before bed.
• Keep your bedroom cool, dark and quiet.
• Talk to your healthcare provider about your sleep problems.

5.Take medicines as prescribed. Your healthcare provider may prescribe insulin or oral medication to help maintain your blood sugar level. It’s important to take these medicines as prescribed.

Interested in learning more? Visit www.HumanaNeighborhoodCenter.com to register for live and on-demand health education classes.

This is for informational purposes only and does not replace treatment or advice from a healthcare professional. If you have questions, please talk with your doctor. Talk to your doctor before beginning an exercise program or making any changes to your diet.

Sources

1. “Obesity Management for the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes,” Standards of Care – American Diabetes Association, last accessed May 13, 2025, https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/46/Supplement_1/S128/148043/8-Obesity-and-Weight-Management-for-the-Prevention.
2. “Healthy Living with Diabetes,” National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, last accessed May 13, 2025, https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/healthy-living-with-diabetes.
3. “Get Active,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, last accessed May 13, 2025, https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/living-with/physical-activity.html.  
4. “New Beginnings Mini-Lesson: Sleep Health,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, last accessed May 13, 2025, https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/php/toolkits/new-beginnings-sleep-health.html.

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