Temptation and Frustration

My mantra when dealing with diabetes is "Moderation not deprivation." I use this often, especially when someone tells me I can't eat something because I have diabetes.

I do know there are things I "can't" have because I admit that I have trouble with moderation. Girl Scout cookies are toward the top of this list. Those tempting foods that are just too good to have in moderation. 

Recently our town had their yearly festival that most towns have. The carnival and the crafters. The performers and the food. Oh the food! 

My two favorite fair items would probably be a lemon shake-up and a funnel cake. Oh wait! The yumminess of the fried Snickers! Ok, three favorite things. Thankfully the lemon shake-up vendor (a local barbershop group) will make their with Splenda or without sugar if you ask. Yes, it's not as sweet, but it has a lot less carbs that way. However, I have yet to find a low-carb funnel cake or fried Snickers. Well you can have it without the powdered sugar, but how many carbs are still left?

There was that temptation. Oh the atmosphere just calls you to those food vendor stands with their yummy goodness. Yes, I admit I gave in. I ordered myself a fried Snickers, hold the powdered sugar please. I didn't order myself a funnel cake, though I did get two for my kids to share. More temptation: They didn't eat it all. Yes, I had some, reminding myself that I didn't have a whole one.

Yes, I dealt with some frustration with myself. But then I thought about it. Moderation not deprivation. Our town festival is only once a year. I had a very low carb lunch. I was walking around quite a bit, burning off many of those carbs. I decided I was more frustrated with the disease than my choices. It's frustrating that those of us living with diabetes even need to make these choices.

Reminding myself that I can balance temptation and frustration with moderation and goals is what keeps me going.