The holiday season is a marathon of feasts and festivities. But for those of us managing diabetes, it can feel more like a two-month obstacle course for our blood sugar. This year, let’s change that. This is your game plan to enjoy the flavors and fun while keeping your blood sugar stable and your sanity intact.

The period from Halloween to New Year’s Day is filled with joy, but let’s be real: for those of us in the diabetes community, it can also be filled with stress. Navigating candy buckets, festive feasts, and holiday parties can feel exhausting and set you up for failure.

But what if this year was different?

What if you had a strategy for empowerment, not deprivation? This guide is your blueprint for enjoying the season while keeping your blood sugar stable. Let’s build your holiday survival plan together.

Part 1: Your Unshakable Foundation: Mindset & Daily Routines

Before we talk turkey and pie, we need to talk foundation. You can’t navigate holiday indulgences without a solid daily base. These are the non-negotiable habits that will make a festive meal a blip on your radar, not a disaster.

• Consistency is Your Superpower: On a big feast day, don’t fall into the trap of skipping breakfast and lunch to “save up” calories and carbs. This leads to ravenous hunger and overeating. Instead, stick to your standard, healthy meals. This keeps your metabolism steady and prevents you from arriving at the dinner table ready to devour everything in sight.
• Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate: Cold weather and busy schedules can cause us to drink less. Dehydration can concentrate sugar in your bloodstream, leading to higher readings. Make a conscious effort to drink water throughout the day. Before a holiday cocktail, have a glass of water first.
• Move with Purpose: You don’t need a grueling workout. A 10-15 minute walk after a meal is one of your most powerful tools. It helps your muscles use glucose for energy, significantly blunting a post-meal spike. Make a new tradition: a family walk after dinner to see the holiday lights.
• Give Yourself Grace: This is the most important rule. You will not be perfect. You will see a number on your CGM or meter that you don’t like. Do not let this derail you. One high reading is a data point, not a failure. Acknowledge it, learn from it, and move on. This is a marathon, not a sprint.

Part 2: Navigating the Holiday Minefield: Halloween, Thanksgiving & December Parties

Each holiday has its own challenges. Let’s get tactical.

🎃 Halloween: The Candy Overload
The challenge is the endless supply of tempting, high-sugar treats.

• Strategy 1: Control Your Environment. Buy candy you don’t personally like to hand out, or donate the leftovers immediately.
• Strategy 2: Indulge Smarter. Try a “buy-back” system with kids (or yourself!), trading most of the candy for a small reward. When you do have a piece, savor it mindfully. Don’t eat from the bag. Take one piece, sit down, and enjoy it. Pair it with protein or fat (like a handful of nuts) to slow the sugar absorption.

🦃 Thanksgiving: The Grand Feast
The key here is the Plate Method. Be the CEO of your plate!

1. Fill HALF with non-starchy vegetables (green beans, Brussels sprouts, salad).
2. Fill a QUARTER with lean protein (turkey, ham).
3. Fill the final QUARTER with your carbohydrates (mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potato casserole).
   You’re not eliminating carbs—you’re consciously controlling the portion. And with gravy and sauces, remember: “drizzle, don’t drown.”

🥂 The December Party Season
This is a whirlwind of potlucks and gatherings. Your best weapon? The Pre-Game.

• Never Go Starving: Have a small, balanced snack before you go—like an apple with peanut butter or a cheese stick. This gives you the willpower to make smart choices.
• The Scout Lap: Walk the entire buffet before you plate anything. Identify the healthiest options and the one or two indulgent items truly worth it to you.
• Sip Smartly: Alcohol can lower blood sugar initially, but sugary mixers cause spikes later. Opt for dry wines, light beers, or spirits with sugar-free mixers like club soda. Always drink with a meal or snack.

Part 3: Damage Control & The Day After: How to Recover and Reset

Even with the best plans, things happen. How you recover is more important than the slip-up.

• In the Moment: Don’t panic and over-correct. If you use insulin, take your prescribed correction, but don’t take extra without guidance. If you’re diet-controlled, don’t skip your next meal. Instead, go for a 15-20 minute walk and hydrate thoroughly to help your body flush out excess glucose.
• The Day After: This is crucial. Get right back on plan. Have your normal breakfast. Go for your walk. Drink your water. One off-plan meal doesn’t ruin your progress; letting it spiral into a week does. Look at your data from the day before with curiosity, not guilt. What can you learn? Use it to make a better choice next time.

Part 4: Beyond the Plate: Stress, Sleep & Schedules

The holidays challenge our blood sugar in ways beyond food. Stress and lack of sleep can raise blood sugar through hormones like cortisol.

• Tame the Stress: The holidays are a pressure cooker. Chronic stress tells your liver to release more glucose. Your defense? Protect your peace. Take 5 minutes to breathe deeply, learn to say “no,” or delegate tasks. It’s not selfish—it’s essential for your diabetes management.
• Protect Your Sleep: Late nights and travel wreck your schedule. Sleep deprivation makes your body more insulin resistant. Prioritize sleep as if it were medication—because in many ways, it is.

You’ve Got This, Squad.

As we look ahead to the festive season, remember: you are not a victim of the calendar. You are the commander of your health.

You have the game plan: a solid foundation, tactical strategies for each holiday, a graceful recovery method, and awareness of stress and sleep. This year, you have the power to not just survive the holidays, but to truly thrive through them. 

With Appreciation from Louis and Jennifer: Happy Holidays!!!!