Tag: prediabetes

If you’ve been diagnosed with prediabetes and wondering if and how to reverse it, you’re not alone. Although you probably got next to zero information from your doctor on how to manage this (let alone reverse prediabetes), there is hope!

So today we’re covering:

• 1-The guidelines for diagnosing prediabetes,
• 2-Why it’s actually a good thing you were diagnosed,
• 3-How genetics play into the possibility of reversing prediabetes,
• 4-and What the best plan of action is to reverse prediabetes.

Guidelines for diagnosing Prediabetes

Let’s start out with defining what the criteria are for a diagnosis of prediabetes and how that plays into your goals in reversing prediabetes.

Usually prediabetes is diagnosed with a test called A1C (sometimes called HbA1C). This gives an average of your blood sugar levels from the past 3 months.

Sometimes your doctor will also do a fasting blood glucose test as well, because if your fasting blood glucose, or blood sugar levels, are above a certain number, that can also indicate insulin resistance, which is what is causing prediabetes.

So normal A1C levels are at 5.6 and below; prediabetes levels are between 5.7 and 6.4; and then if you go beyond 6.4, you’re in the Type 2 diabetic range.

The absolute goal in managing prediabetes is to reverse it altogether, or at the very least prevent your body from reaching the Type 2 diabetes state.

Because the further you get into higher blood sugar levels and A1C levels, the more damage your high blood sugar is doing to your body, and you have a dramatically increased risk of heart disease and stroke, not to mention other diabetes-related conditions like kidney damage, nerve damage, and blindness, just to name a few.

Why would a prediabetes diagnosis be a ‘good thing’??

Well, prediabetes is as a warning sign that your insulin sensitivity is decreasing, even if you haven’t had any symptoms.

More than 1 in 3 adults is prediabetic, and the majority of them don’t know that they have it.

So I know you’re probably freaked out, maybe bummed out that you’ve gotten this diagnosis, but I’m telling you—this is a blessing in disguise.

Because that majority that don’t know they have prediabetes usually finally find out they’re full-on Type 2 diabetic only when they have other serious health problems that show up.

And it’s much more difficult to reverse type 2 diabetes, if at all, once it gets to that point.

So if you’re serious about your health, this warning sign tends to be a much stronger motivator than, say, wanting to get in shape before someone’s wedding or swimsuit season.

Because once those things are over, most people tend to revert right back to the diet and lifestyle that created the prediabetic state in the first place.  

This diagnosis can prompt real dramatic up-levels in your health that you stick to.

Genetics and reversing Prediabetes

If you have the genetics for diabetes, which can be inherited from your mother or father’s side of the family (or both), that means you will need to be very vigilant in your dietary and lifestyle choices.

Many people get into a prediabetic state from diet and lifestyle alone that don’t have the genetics for diabetes, and it *can* be easier for them to reverse their prediabetes diagnosis. That doesn’t mean that with the genetics it can’t be reversed.

But it does mean that it’s that much more important for you to make dietary and lifestyle changes that STICK to keep your body out of that danger zone where blood sugar levels are damaging your body.

So that means that these positive changes you need to make in your diet and lifestyle are ones you’ll keep from now on.

The thing is—once you make those changes and see how amazing you feel every day, you’ll just inherently want to stick with it and WANT to feel your best every day.

How to reverse Prediabetes- the *best* way

Now if you’ve been frustrated by your doctor’s office and the lack of information he or she gave you except maybe a prescription, you are absolutely NOT alone!

This is one of the most common complaints I hear from clients.

And it’s really no wonder—most people know right off the bat that this diagnosis means dietary changes for sure. But many people don’t know that there are lifestyle changes that can help significantly as well.

The best lifestyle changes to reverse prediabetes

1) Quit smoking if you smoke. Smoking will accelerate damage to your body, so take the steps to quit.

2) Lose weight. Now, not everyone with a prediabetes diagnosis is overweight. However, losing even 5-7% of your body weight can help increase your insulin sensitivity, thereby helping to control your blood sugar with that goal of reversing your prediabetes. {More on this in a bit…}

All of the lifestyle and dietary choices we’re covering should help you do that, so let’s get into it–

3) The total lifestyle framework I use in my practice to explain the relationship between lifestyle and diet factors in your health and wellness is called the CORE 4 of wellness.

These 4 things work synergistically for or against you in your health. And using this system to reverse prediabetes is no different.

So let’s talk about them and how they can play a role in reversing prediabetes and/or getting off of blood sugar medication.

1: Calm: stress management for prediabetes

The connection between stress and blood sugar levels is undeniable. Chronic stress triggers the release of hormones that can elevate blood sugar levels.

 Incorporating stress-relief techniques into your daily routine becomes pivotal in prediabetes management.

Practices like meditation, deep breathing, and mindfulness not only contribute to stress reduction but also positively impact your blood sugar control.

Prioritizing mental well-being is an integral aspect of your holistic health journey in reversing prediabetes.

2: Oscillate: exercise for prediabetes

Oscillation is about increasing daily movement as a whole.

But understand that Physical activity is a formidable ally in your prediabetes journey. Exercise enhances your body’s ability to use insulin effectively, which improves blood sugar control.

Aim for a mix of cardio like brisk walking, swimming, or cycling, and strength training to build muscle mass.

Consistency is key; even small bouts of physical activity throughout the day—or increased oscillation– can contribute to better blood sugar management.

Incorporating exercises you enjoy has been shown to make daily movement more sustainable, meaning you keep it up long-term, and hopefully permanently.

3: Rest: sleep for prediabetes

The next letter is R, which stands for Rest.

Sleep has been shown to have a huge effect on blood sugar as well.

Amid the various factors influencing prediabetes management, sleep often is unknown or completely forgotten.

Lack of sleep in time and quality can increase insulin resistance and raise your risk of developing diabetes. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep every night.

Prioritize a consistent sleep schedule, create a soothing bedtime routine, and cultivate an environment conducive to restful sleep.

By nurturing healthy sleep habits, you’re providing your body with the support it needs to better manage your blood sugar levels.

4: Eat: your prediabetes diet

This is your diet and/or dietary style intended to reverse prediabetes.

The word “diet” can often be a source of confusion and anxiety.

What should you eat? What should you avoid?

There’s a lot of information about which diet is best for what, and I know that’s what you’re probably looking for right now, to know where to start.

The key when you’re starting out with a prediabetes diet lies in informed choices.

First and foremost, every single body is different, and it’s going to react differently to any dietary style.

This is why I start my clients out with learning how to eat a CLEAN anti-inflammatory diet, and how to balance each meal.

CLEAN eating to reverse prediabetes means eliminating ultra processed foods as well as refined sugars and refined flours.

This also means aiming for a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, lean proteins, and healthy fats. This blend provides your body with essential nutrients while preventing rapid spikes in blood sugar levels.

Portion control is another crucial aspect. Instead of overwhelming your plate, focus on smaller, balanced portions.

A trick I use at home is to use the middle-sized plates for meals—not the huge dinner plates, and not the tiny dessert plates—the middle sized one that’s probably meant for salads.

It’s also helpful to eat your protein first, your fiber-filled vegetables next, and then save complex carbs for the end of the meal.

Now in this CORE 4 category, we also need to revisit weight loss.

Weight loss may be a key factor in helping you reverse prediabetes, as studies have shown that shedding just 5-7% of your body weight can significantly reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

That being said, reducing your total carbohydrates can help lose weight. So eating your macros in this order can help you feel full before you get to your carbohydrates, helping you eat less of them, because the other macros fill you up first and give your body time to signal that you’re full.

But…. keep reading… 👇

5: Weight loss to reverse prediabetes

Now, not everyone with a prediabetes diagnosis is overweight. However, (again) losing even 5-7% of your body weight can help increase your insulin sensitivity, thereby helping to control your blood sugar with that goal of reversing your prediabetes.

💎All of the lifestyle and dietary choices we just covered helps with that, BUT—I left this one last because I want to emphasize that if you’re jumping into losing weight before learning how to balance your blood sugar and monitor those levels— you’re making a HUGE mistake.

When people diagnosed with prediabetes or other insulin resistance conditions jump into weight loss programs, 2 things happen-

1: The first thing is that they may lose ‘weight’, but they usually are also losing muscle mass, which is critical to keep and even build up if you have prediabetes.

Muscle mass helps increase your insulin sensitivity, which keeps your blood sugar lower, which helps lower your A1C.

We often get the word ‘weight’ confused in this context, but fat loss is what we’re going for here—NOT muscle loss, and muscle weighs more than fat.

Once that weight loss program goes by the wayside, people will gain the weight back.

2: And then the second thing that happens is that they’ve wasted a ton of time and money because they STILL don’t know how to balance their blood sugar—they’ve just been eating a bunch of foods designed to put you in a caloric deficit that aren’t right for your body when you also need to have balanced blood sugar.

So you’re back at square one.

💎Learning to balance and monitor your blood sugar really should be the very first thing you do start reversing that prediabetes diagnosis.

Because once you balance your blood sugar by learning to eat anti-inflammatory foods, and then incorporate lifestyle factors that accelerate those dietary changes, you’ll inherently start to lose body fat.

At that point, when these are daily habits that you’ve upleveled to keep your blood sugar balanced, that’s the time to jump further into weight loss, because at that point, it’s a just a matter of numbers with calories and macros —all WITHIN the correct foods that you’ve learned WORK for your body to have balanced blood sugar at the same time.

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If you’ve been diagnosed as prediabetic you’ve undoubtedly heard, read, or maybe been told your doctor that weight loss can help. But- you’ve still got questions.

So let’s start with this: What’s been shown in studies is that there is an undeniable relationship between excess weight and insulin resistance.

Insulin resistance, a hallmark of both prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, occurs when the body’s cells become less responsive to the effects of insulin. This condition results in elevated blood sugar levels and, over time, can lead to type 2 diabetes.

Excess body fat isn’t just a passive spectator; it’s been shown to be a driving force.

Prediabetes is like a warning light, telling us our blood sugar is higher than normal but not diabetic-high yet.

Extra weight pushes this progression, making insulin resistance go even more haywire, leading to type 2 diabetes.

This means that getting a grip on prediabetes early on is crucial.

Taking action quickly gives us a shot at slowing that progression and even the possibility of reversing prediabetes. Introducing lifestyle changes, including weight loss, helps restore insulin sensitivity.

In fact– studies show that shedding even 5-7% of your weight can have a significant impact on blood sugar and insulin sensitivity.

It is possible to turn your prediabetes story around through weight loss. Studies show that early action, combined with dietary and lifestyle changes, can yield fantastic results.

Strategies for weight loss to reverse prediabetes

Starting the journey to weight loss needs a well-rounded strategy. Sustainable weight loss doesn’t come from magic pills; it comes from a balanced mix of healthier eating, regular movement, and lifestyle changes.

Keep in mind that slow and steady wins the race. Quick weight loss might sound appealing, but it often drags down muscle mass and slows metabolism.

Muscle mass is really important because it helps increase your sensitivity to insulin, thereby helping with blood sugar balance.

Gradual weight loss lets your body adjust and holds onto precious muscle. It’s not just about dropping pounds; it’s about losing body fat while retaining that muscle, and making changes you can stick to in the long run.

Common mistakes in trying to lose weight after a prediabetes diagnosis

Here are the 5 most common mistakes to watch out for when planning weight loss after being diagnosed with prediabetes, working backwards down to the #1 mistake.

Mistake #5: Jumping into keto

 One popular dietary trend that has gained substantial attention is the ketogenic diet, commonly known as the keto diet. While the keto diet has garnered a reputation for its rapid weight loss potential, it’s important to approach it with caution, especially if you’re grappling with prediabetes.

The allure of the keto diet lies in its promise of quick results. By significantly restricting carbohydrates, the body starts relying on stored fat for energy, leading to initial weight loss. However, it’s essential to consider the potential downsides, especially in the context of prediabetes and diabetes prevention.

While this approach can yield impressive victories on your scale, it can also inadvertently trigger the loss of lean muscle mass.

This muscle loss is counterproductive to the goal of improving insulin sensitivity, which hinges on maintaining and even enhancing muscle mass—especially since we begin losing 3-5% of muscle mass each decade after the age of 30.

Insulin sensitivity is closely intertwined with muscle health. Muscles are highly responsive to insulin because they act as a key player in regulating blood sugar levels. So, when muscle mass diminishes, insulin sensitivity can decline, potentially worsening blood sugar and A1C levels.

The other thing is that it can extremely hard to maintain keto long term. This is VERY restrictive diet, and many people find it very hard to stay in ketosis. If you’re not in ketosis, you’re essentially eating a ton of fat with just enough carbs or protein to keep your body from burning fat.

⚡It’s really important to adopt dietary approaches that promote not only weight loss but also the preservation of lean muscle mass while giving your body what it needs to be nourished and heal, while being sustainable long-term.

Mistake #4: Skipping meals

Unless you’re following a very specific intermittent fasting schedule and you know what you’re doing, skipping meals can lead to erratic blood sugar levels and excessive hunger, potentially causing overeating later in the day.

Another factor in skipping meals, whether or not in an intermittent fasting protocol that isn’t widely known is that this approach needs to be timed correctly for women that are are not in menopause. This is because of varying levels of hormones throughout the month. It’s better to work with your cycle in this context, in the correct way.

⚡As a general rule, aim for regular, balanced meals and include healthy balanced snacks to keep blood sugar stable.

Mistake #3: Overemphasis on supplements and/or medications

The supplement market is flooded with products claiming to accelerate weight loss. Relying solely on supplements and/or medications without addressing dietary choices and lifestyle habits is a common mistake.

Focus on obtaining nutrients from whole foods, and consult your doctor before starting supplements—especially since supplements can interfere with medications and certain conditions.

Being prescribed medication to help your blood sugar is sometimes one of the first things a doctor will do at a prediabetes diagnosis. And many of these medications boast weight loss benefits as well.

The thing is, each medication works differently, it affects each person differently, and guess what—it’s not a magic pill.

You STILL have to do the work to make dietary and lifestyle changes to sustainably and safely lose the weight.

⚡So don’t take the medication you may have been prescribed with the mindset that it will fix the issue. If you’re staying in the same unhealthy dietary and lifestyle pattern that got you into a prediabetic state, a medication won’t be able to provide your body with nutrients, movement, and stress relief.

⚡YOU have to do that part of the equation—especially getting your blood sugar balanced.

Mistake #2: Neglecting physical activity

Weight loss isn’t just about what you eat; physical activity plays a vital role, especially in terms of prediabetes.

Many people diagnosed with prediabetes solely focus on diet changes and ignore exercise.

Part of this is about what we already covered with maintaining and hopefully increasing that lean muscle mass to help with blood sugar control. Regular physical activity helps burn calories, improves insulin sensitivity, and supports overall health.

⚡Aim for a mix of cardio, strength training, and flexibility workouts while also increasing overall daily movement.

Mistake #1: Not learning to balance blood sugar before diving into weight loss

Here’s the thing- high A1C levels are what dictate this prediabetes diagnosis. A1C levels are an average of your blood sugar levels over a period of 3 months.

So- yes- studies have shown that losing body fat can help restore insulin sensitivity which will help blood sugar *some*, but if you’re still eating foods that aren’t right for YOUR body and instead keep your daily blood sugar levels high, you’re ignoring the basic driving factor to this condition.

This is what learning an anti-inflammatory diet + lifestyle can do for your body.

Reduce the inflammation, increase muscle mass, and balance your blood sugar.

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One of the most important decisions you can make is a Prediabetes diet to start with after diagnosis- when your goal is to reverse prediabetes or at minimum prevent the progression to Type 2 diabetes.

Studies have shown that making dietary and lifestyle changes are the most effective way to reverse prediabetes.

So today we’re talking about:

1. How your diet impacts your ability to manage prediabetes,
2. How to create and start a prediabetes diet, and
3. The biggest predictor of being able to reverse prediabetes with diet.

I’m sure you are well aware that your food choices can be the difference between either stabilizing or disrupting your blood sugar levels.

It’s important to really grasp that connection between what you eat and how your body responds to be your north star in what to do after your prediabetes diagnosis.

How food affects your blood glucose levels

Let’s start with how foods affect your blood sugar levels in general, meaning nearly everyone can expect this type of response, and then also your unique response to food.

So first of all, when you eat food, your body release insulin in response to any foods that raise your blood sugar levels. Insulin is like the key that allows glucose into the cells in your body to get it out of the bloodstream where it can start to damage your blood vessels, heart, and other organs.

In general, you can expect a low blood sugar response to protein, a low response to fat, and you can expect a much larger response to carbohydrates.

And then within the carbohydrates category, you can expect a faster and larger response to sugar and refined carbohydrates like flour and flour-based foods. Complex carbohydrates are released much slower in the blood stream as they’re digested.

Your unique body type and situation may make some of these responses more exaggerated or less. This depends on your DNA makeup, how you’ve been eating and your current lifestyle choices, how long you’ve been eating this way, and any other conditions you may have that could affect this.

So the question then becomes—how do I create a prediabetes friendly diet that will help with that goal of getting off of medication and/or reversing prediabetes, and most of all, preventing the progression to type 2 diabetes.

An anti-inflammatory diet is perfect for managing prediabetes because it focuses on balancing blood sugar and reducing chronic inflammation—both of which influence insulin resistance.

That’s where a framework that I use with clients comes in.

It’s called the CHEAT codes to wellness, and it’s an acronym. It’s a series of steps to easing into an anti-inflammatory diet that’s unique to you and your personal needs.

Right now we’re covering the C in the cheat codes framework–

So the clean eating sort of speaks for itself, but the core of this is cutting out sugar and refined carbs, as well as unhealthy fats, poor quality proteins, and basically ultra processed foods.

Any dietary framework worth following will have clean eating at its core.

That’s because the foods we’re cutting out give severe blood sugar spikes and are inflammatory, which contributes even further to insulin resistance.

So the key component to reducing inflammation is balanced blood sugar.

This will mean learning the basics of balanced meals to help you feel full longer.

Designing or choosing your meals to include a mix of carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats helps prevent rapid blood sugar fluctuations. This approach promotes sustained energy levels and helps keep your metabolism in check.

What this means is that, for example, breakfast and snack choices like granola bars or flavored yogurts will need to be replaced with something more balanced since these types of choices are mostly carbohydrates and usually have sugar in them with very little protein, fiber, or healthy fats to create that balance, which we’ll talk more about in a bit.

You’ll also need to focus on portion control.

Practicing portion control ensures that you’re eating the right amount of food to support your body’s needs without overeating. This is gonna be key if you’re also trying to lose weight.

This can feel a little overwhelming if you are an emotional eater and hooked on sugar and flour.

So it’s gonna be important to know if you have that type of relationship with food, because eating larger portions of carbohydrates tends to be a problem for those with insulin resistance like prediabetes since we’re shifting the amounts and types of carbohydrates in the diet.

If you think you’re in that category and would like a strategy for freeing yourself from sugar and refined carbs, as well as emotional eating, check out these articles –> HERE.

How to create and start your Prediabetes diet plan around nutrient-rich foods

Now, I want to start with this- Most people want to dive into a weight loss plan from the get-go because their doctor said to lose weight.

That’s actually a huge mistake—because if you focus solely on weight loss you’re ignoring the fact that your body has severely unbalanced blood glucose and needs specific types of foods that are nutrient-rich and work to balance your blood sugar to start healing that insulin resistance FIRST.

Building a prediabetes diet plan revolves around a variety of nutrient-rich foods, and a specific distribution of macronutrients.

What this means is that – quality proteins, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and fiber-rich foods and recipes form the foundation of a prediabetes-friendly eating plan.

Eliminating sugar, refined carbs, and unhealthy fats while increasing other nutrient rich foods contribute to stable blood sugar levels. Incorporating a colorful array of fruits and vegetables adds not only flavor but also valuable vitamins and minerals that can also aid in blood sugar control.

So the biggest change to your diet will most likely be in the type of carbohydrates and balancing those.

Carbohydrates for Prediabetes

When we’re cleaning up our diet, it’s important to understand that carbohydrates are not necessarily the enemy; it’s about choosing the right ones.

Understanding the distinction between complex carbohydrates and simple carbs empowers you to opt for options that provide sustained energy without causing rapid blood sugar spikes.

Simple sugars include any type of sugar, syrup, and fruit juice. There are a ton of other hidden names for sugar. Other simple carbohydrates are flours.

Replacing all those simple sugars and simple carbs with healthy carbs like whole grains, legumes, and vegetables supports your journey toward better blood sugar control.

The BIGGEST predictor of being able to reverse prediabetes with diet

Lastly, I want to talk about the biggest predictor of being able to reverse prediabetes- which is getting your blood sugar balanced and being able to monitor and sustain this.

To do this you’ll need to make make informed choices when it comes to your prediabetes diet.

Knowing the difference between what is helping and what is just being a band-aid is extremely important.

Informed choices can include things like:

• knowing how to read food labels,
• knowing what carbohydrates are best for your blood sugar to stay stable by regular monitoring,
• and even knowing what dietary style will be best for you personally.

This is because some dietary styles will just mask the real issue (insulin resistance) and may not be sustainable long term.

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So, you’ve left your doctor’s office with a prediabetes diagnosis and are incredibly frustrated at the lack of guidance from him or her, and super confused on what the heck to do from this point.

No worries, because we’re gonna talk about the 3 MOST IMPORTANT things you should as soon as possible after a prediabetes diagnosis to pull you out of the confusion and get you started on a plan that’s right for you and your body.

But first let’s define what that prediabetes diagnosis means in terms of your A1C levels.

What a prediabetes diagnosis means

Prediabetes is a condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not yet high enough to be classified as type 2 diabetes.

Normal A1C levels (which are a 3-month average of your past blood sugar levels) are up to 5.6; From 5.7 – 6.4 is considered prediabetic; And then from 6.5 and up is type 2 diabetic

A prediabetes diagnosis is basically like a yellow traffic light, telling you to slow down and make some pretty critical changes.

More than 1 in 3 adults in the US have prediabetes, what’s scary is that the majority are completely unaware that they even have it.

This bridge between normal blood sugar levels and diabetes isn’t a small thing; For one- it increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and other related health issues.

Understanding the factors that contribute to prediabetes is crucial so you have the knowledge and tools to try and reverse your prediabetes diagnosis, and these first steps into that process is what we’re covering today.

What to do after a prediabetes diagnosis and what to control

Ok so let’s dive into those 3 most important things– and since I’m sure that the first thing your doctor probably did at your appointment was push a prescription on you, medication is where we’re gonna start… but it’s the #3 thing, and we’re gonna work backwards to the #1 most important thing.

#3: Do Your Homework on Medications and Supplements for Prediabetes and Know Their Place

Now I want to say first of all that I’m so sorry your experience may have been so frustrating at the doctor’s office. Mine was the same (yep–I’m a nutritionist that was diagnosed with prediabetes), and I hear this story over and over again with clients.

I was shocked at the lack of guidance and instead had a prescription pushed on me.

The thing is, a lot of people get really offended at being told they need to take a medication instead of getting recommendations on nutrition and lifestyle changes.

So I’d like to suggest thinking about the medication in two different ways:

First and foremost know that medications are simply a band-aid for the underlying condition of insulin resistance that is causing the prediabetes diagnosis which came from high A1C levels.

However, starting out with a medication could serve as a bridge method to mitigate some of the damage to your body while you’re getting your diet and lifestyle under control, and learning how to balance your blood sugar with those diet and lifestyle upgrades.

Everyone’s circumstances are different, but a huge part of this decision comes down to side effects of the medications and if insurance will even cover it.

What I understand currently is that medications like metformin may be covered with a prediabetes diagnosis, but these other drugs that contain semiglutide which are the GLP-1 drugs, are may not be covered. Each insurance provider has their own specific coverages and terms so you’ll need to check your own if you want to go this route.

Knowing what I know about prediabetes and insulin resistance, jumping into this route for weight loss is a huge mistake, though, and I’ll explain that more when we get into the #1 mistake.

So while your goal may be to reverse prediabetes and/or get off medication, don’t be afraid to use the help of the prescription as a temporary bridge between preventing more damage in the here and now, and your end-goal of a completely upleveled diet and lifestyle that can keep your blood sugar under control hopefully without the medication.

As far as supplements go, there are a million and one that claim to balance blood sugar and absorb carbs to prevent them from being absorbed into your system.

I can’t attest to whether these even work unless there’s been a clinical trial and it’s published in a peer-reviewed journal. So there is evidence that berberine can help possibly as much as metformin, but there’s still some controversy as to the dosage on that.

Bottom line on the supplements is that this may be an option if you want to use something as that bridge, but aren’t able to get a prescription. But at the end of the day, they’re still just a bandaid.

# 2: Diet + Lifestyle Changes

You probably already have done some research and know that diet and lifestyle are going to be your biggest tools in your goal of reversing prediabetes.

So, first and foremost, If you smoke, it’s time to quit. Smoking increases the risk of diabetes complications and makes it harder to control prediabetes. So get support to kick the habit if you need it.

So when it comes to the majority of your lifestyle changes, there are 4 major ones that you need to pay attention to because not only do they all work together, but they all play a critical role in managing blood sugar.

Embrace Physical Activity

Exercise isn’t just for weight loss; it’s your secret weapon against prediabetes. You don’t need to train for a marathon; even a daily walk can work wonders.

Exercise helps your muscles use up sugar for energy, and strength training builds that lean muscle, both of which lead to better blood sugar control.

Mind Matters: Stress Management

Stress and blood sugar levels have a disctinct connection. When stress strikes, your body releases hormones that can lead to higher blood sugar. So, it’s time to make stress relief a priority.

The Role of Sleep in Reversal

Sleep is more than just rest; it’s a crucial player in blood sugar management.

Sleep deprivation can prevent the reset of hormones that help you feel full the next day, which can lead to overeating, and makes it harder for your body to control blood sugar.

Prioritize sleep as part of your holistic approach to lowering your A1C.

Revamp Your Diet for Reversal

The diet game plan can be different for every single person. This is because everyone’s body reacts differently to different macro distributions depending on a lot of different factors.

So when you’re starting out after a prediabetes diagnosis, I recommend starting with an anti-inflammatory diet.

For some this will mean a dietary style that includes meat, for others it may mean going plant-based. No matter which direction you go with that,

Opt for smaller, balanced meals throughout the day to keep your blood sugar levels steady.

Think of your plate as a puzzle – fill half with veggies, a quarter with lean proteins, and the remaining quarter with complex carbohydrates like beans, legumes, low glycemic fruit, and whole grains.

You can also have a small amount of healthy fat. This balanced combo keeps your energy stable and your blood sugar in check.

# 1: Balance and Monitor Blood Sugar

And the #1 thing for you to do after being diagnosed with prediabetes is to balance and monitor your blood sugar.

Balancing your blood sugar is the thing that lowers your A1C. Your A1C getting under that 5.6 mark is what gets you OUT of the prediabetic range.

💎So learning how to get your blood sugar balanced with your diet and lifestyle changes is really the VERY FIRST thing you need to do after a prediabetes diagnosis—before you even worry with weight loss.

This is why I said before that the medications strictly to lose weight after a prediabetes diagnosis can be a huge mistake.

The GLP-1 or semiglutide medications don’t teach you anything about balancing your blood sugar levels. They simply make you not hungry and slow down your digestive system, which introduces problems of its own, but when you stop taking it, you’re back at square one and STILL don’t know how to balance your blood sugar levels.

The way you know you’re keeping those levels balanced is by monitoring your blood sugar levels. This becomes your compass. This helps you understand how certain foods and activities affect your body and blood sugar.

Self-testing involves using a blood glucose monitor to measure your blood sugar levels at various times throughout the day.

These readings help you understand how different factors like types of foods, amounts of foods, and things like exercise and stress influence your blood sugar levels.

You can go buy a manual glucose meter at your pharmacy, or you may want to try and use a continuous glucose monitor. A manual monitor comes with a lancet or a little needle, and you’ll have to also get test strips.

You can get these for under probably $40 at a local pharmacy. Like anything else, some models are more expensive than others.

A continuous glucose monitor is a little device that attaches to your skin, and it connects to a device or an app on your phone. This measures your blood sugar through your skin and interstitial fluid.

I have another article that discusses what these are and how I was able to get a continuous glucose monitor if you’re interested in being able to monitor your blood sugar in real-time without all the finger sticks.

And very last- I want to emphasize the role of support on this journey.

One of the main goals of TRUEWELL is to support others in learning about managing blood sugar levels, how it affects your body, and how to take control of that through dietary and lifestyle changes with the goal of reversing your prediabetes diagnosis.

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