Why Diabetics Struggle With New Year Goals

...And Why It’s Not a Discipline Problem.

Every year, as January approaches, I see the same thing happen with diabetics. There’s genuine hope, a fresh start, and a promise that this year will be different. And then, a few weeks in, frustration starts creeping in. Blood sugars feel harder to manage, energy drops, cravings ramp up, and eventually the familiar thought shows up: Why can’t I just stick to this?

Most of the time, people blame discipline or motivation. I hear it constantly. But after working with diabetics for years, I can tell you with confidence that discipline is rarely the real issue.

Most diabetics are not failing because they lack willpower.
They struggle because no one ever taught them how their physiology actually works.

Blood sugar and energy are directly connected.
When blood sugars run high, your cells cannot properly access energy. This can happen even when you are eating foods that are considered “healthy.” On paper, everything may look fine, but at a cellular level, energy is not being delivered efficiently. The result is constant fatigue, low drive, and the feeling that even simple tasks require more effort than they should.

I see this all the time. People tell me they are eating well, training consistently, and doing what they think they are supposed to do, yet they still feel exhausted. Workouts feel harder than they should. Focus is off. Motivation disappears. That is not a mindset failure. It is a physiological response.

Low cellular energy drives cravings, not weakness.
When your cells cannot access enough energy, your body looks for fast fuel. This usually shows up as cravings for sugar, simple carbohydrates, or constant snacking throughout the day. Your body is not being undisciplined. It is trying to correct an energy problem the fastest way it knows how.

This is why telling diabetics to “just try harder” almost always backfires. Biology will win that fight every time.

January often makes the problem worse, not better.
As January gets closer, many diabetics respond by tightening control even more. They eat less, train harder, cut carbs aggressively, and tell themselves they need to be stricter. I understand why people do this, but when blood sugar stability is already compromised, this approach often makes things worse instead of better.

This creates the burnout loop.
Restriction increases, energy drops further, cravings rise, and blood sugars start swinging more unpredictably. Eventually, frustration takes over and the belief that you failed settles in.

Guilt follows burnout almost every time.
Thoughts like “I just need more willpower,” “I always mess this up,” or “I will start again on Monday” become familiar. This internal dialogue is incredibly common, but it is also deeply misleading. Willpower does not fix blood sugar instability, and trying harder does not change how your physiology responds.

Most plans were never designed for diabetics.
Most nutrition and fitness plans assume stable hormones, normal insulin signaling, and predictable energy levels. Diabetes changes the rules, yet many people are still trying to follow advice that was never meant for them. When those strategies fail, the blame gets placed on the person instead of the plan.

Here is the truth most diabetics need to hear.
You did not fail your New Year goals. Your strategy failed you.

Blood sugar control, energy, and fat loss are not personality traits. They are learned skills. When you understand how your body actually works and build a system around that, consistency becomes possible without relying on constant motivation.

This year does not need more discipline.
It needs a smarter system built specifically for diabetics. That is exactly what I teach inside my free Blood Sugar Control Masterclass. If you want January to feel different this time, learning how to work with your physiology instead of fighting it is the best place to start.

Chat soon,

Shawn