Hi, I’m Julija — the founder of HIgedi. I’m not pregnant with gestational diabetes anymore (thank goodness), but guess what? A whole bunch of habits from that chapter decided to move in permanently.
Some are genuinely healthy. Others are just funny little quirks that remind me how much that season changed me — in ways I didn’t expect.
So here’s to the silver linings.
Who knew a splash of salad dressing or a spoonful of tomato sauce could be so carb-happy (or jam-packed with added sugar)? Before GD, I would’ve never thought to flip over a bottle and squint at tiny print.
Now? I’m that person. I check for carbs, protein, fiber — and yes, sometimes I put things back on the shelf in quiet horror. Honestly, I feel a bit like a detective.
I used to be the girl who skipped breakfast, grabbed a coffee, maybe nibbled on something random mid-afternoon, and then devoured half the fridge at night.
Gestational diabetes had other plans. Suddenly I was eating every few hours, balancing carbs and protein like my life (and pancreas) depended on it. Because, well, it kind of did.
The wildest part? I still mostly keep that pattern now. Turns out my energy, mood, and even sleep thank me for it. Who knew.
Okay, confession: I’ve always been a water girl. Even pre-GD, I’d show up with a giant bottle wherever I went. But living through GD just gave me even more reason to keep it up — and shout it from the rooftops.
Because dehydration + funky blood sugars = absolutely not.
Before GD, I didn’t think much about how certain foods made me feel. But paying such close attention to my numbers — and by extension, how I felt after eating — made me way more in tune with my body.
Now I notice if I’m getting jittery, foggy, unusually tired, or extra snacky later. It’s not about being obsessed; it’s just being aware.
If GD teaches you anything, it’s that perfection isn’t possible — but patterns are powerful.
That’s a pretty solid life lesson to carry forward.
Maybe the biggest shift? Learning that being healthy isn’t about perfection. It’s about patterns, about what you do most of the time, not beating yourself up for the one time you had the cupcake.
GD forced me to see the bigger picture, and it’s a perspective I desperately needed.
Leftovers used to be “meh, if I have to.” Now they’re part of my toolkit. A piece of leftover chicken or salmon with some veggies? Easiest snack or mini-meal ever. I just watch my portions and make sure it’s balanced, then call it a win.
Because honestly, GD humbles you — in the best, sometimes funniest ways.
🥜 Carrying snacks everywhere
Purse, car, random coat pockets… I used to side-eye people who pulled out almonds mid-convo. Now that’s me. Honestly? It’s not even always for me. Half the time it’s for my 3-year-old sugar babe who decides he needs something random in the middle of the store. Those snack breaks give me a peaceful moment to compare labels while he happily munches away.
⏰ Planning life around meals
Once upon a time: spontaneous 9pm dinners. Now: “Can we meet at 5:30? I kind of need to eat then.” Slightly awkward, majorly worth it.
🙅♀ Saying no to food I don’t want — even if it’s homemade or “just one bite!”
It’s amazing what happens when you learn it’s okay to politely pass. My body, my choice.
🏃♀ Move regularly! I literally mean it.
Sometimes that means taking a quick walk after dinner while everyone else chills — and yes, it gets me some funny looks. Other times, it’s my husband teasing me: “Do you really have to walk all the way to the fridge for another handful of strawberries instead of just bringing the whole bowl?” (Answer: apparently, yes 😄). But hey, my blood sugar — and my digestion — thank me for it.
📱 Logging what I eat, or at least mentally noting it
Not in a diet-y way. Just in a “Hey, that meal worked great — remember it” kind of way.
💧 Always asking for water first at restaurants
Because starting off hydrated is the real power move.
😅 Checking menus online ahead of time
Pre-GD me thought only super restrictive dieters did this. Now, especially when I’m going out with a group I haven’t seen in a while, I don’t just randomly order from the menu—I check it out beforehand and choose deliberately. It helps me feel more confident and less stressed about making good choices (though yes, sometimes I still end up with “not that healthy or balanced” foods).
So yeah… weirdly, thank you gestational diabetes.
You gave me habits I’ll keep forever — habits that make me feel steadier, happier, and yes, a little smug when I breeze past the 4pm crash.
Pregnancy may be long over, but these lessons? Sticking around for life.
— Julija
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