3 TIPS to Lower YOUR A1c (What to Eat in a Day)

If you want to achieve a non-diabetic A1c like me, getting a few key things right is essential. This is exactly what we teach in our coaching program, and it's helped people like Tina, Raj, and Heather achieve remarkable drops in their A1c levels—from 10.6% to 5.4%, from 7.4% to 5.2%, and from 9.2% to 5.2%, respectively.

In today’s blog post, I’m going to do something I’ve never done before: share exactly what I ate in a day, along with some recipes you might enjoy even more than my exact meals.

I’ll also share the principles I follow to maintain an A1c of 5.5%, and they can help you achieve similar results whether it's for lowering your blood sugar, improving your time in range on a continuous glucose monitor, or even reaching your ideal body weight.

This post covers my day of eating on Friday, May 10, 2024. My total carbs for the day were 647 grams, which is 22 times more carbs than what a low-carb eater would consume in a day. But what do you think happened to my blood sugar? Was it all over the place, or did I need to inject a large amount of insulin? Let’s dive in!

A Note on Insulin Sensitivity

Right now, my insulin sensitivity is on the lower side for me, mainly because I’m taking a break from Ironman training. For those who aren’t familiar, Ironman races involve swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles, and running a full marathon (26.2 miles) without any breaks, and I completed all three of my Ironman races under 12 hours. In one race, I missed qualifying for the World Championships by just 1 minute!

Anyways, the reason I mention this is because insulin sensitivity can change quickly depending on factors like exercise and training intensity – but there is always a baseline that we should all aim for. Even when my insulin-sensitivity is on the lower side like right now, I am still meeting that baseline for a very healthy A1c.

Starting the Day Right

I started my day with meditation, physical therapy, and a short run. I meditated for 25 minutes and did close to an hour of physical therapy. Next, I went for a light 30-minute run (and you’ll see in the video that I took a moment to stop and document the incredible tomato field I’ve been watching grow for months). I find it easiest to make these things happen in the morning, before I get into the busyness of the work day. I use an app called Focusmate to help me stay accountable, and it’s been really helpful for me.

Meal 1: A Simple Salad

My first meal of the day was a fresh, delicious salad. It’s super basic, but it includes fruit and a variety of greens. As you might know, I’m kind of (definitely) obsessed with fruit and I feel my best when I make it the basis of my meals–but I don’t recommend that for everyone! There are many ways you can eat and follow the Mastering Diabetes Method. So if you want something warm or a little more hearty for breakfast, here’s are some great alternatives you can try: Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Oatmeal or for a savory option, Mini Potato Hash.

Meal 2: A Smoothie on the Go

For my second meal, I had a smoothie while driving to a meeting. It was the perfect quick and easy thing to eat on-the-go – my version of “fast food”! Here’s an example of a smoothie recipe you could try, or chia pudding is another meal that you can grab-and-go if you make it ahead of time!

After my meeting, I went for a short walk around town, and even found some fruit trees along the way! I was able to try a few cherries that were almost at peak ripeness, and found a huge mango tree too.

Tip #1: Include Greens or Non-Starchy Veggies at Every Meal

Looking at my meals so far, you’ll notice that both included greens. When transitioning to a low-fat, plant-based diet and adopting the Mastering Diabetes Method, it’s crucial to include greens or non-starchy vegetables at every meal—and yes, even at breakfast!
This is my first tip for lowering your A1c: include greens or non-starchy vegetables at every meal, including snacks. If you follow the Mastering Diabetes Weekly Meal Plan, we make this easy for you. We’ve already done the thinking for you, ensuring the right combinations and amounts to maximize your results.

Meal 3: Zucchini Pasta

For my third meal, I had a light and refreshing zucchini pasta dish. It’s incredibly simple but packed with flavor. Having a good sauce turns a meal into a masterpiece.

For a cooked zucchini dish, you could try our Garlicky Zucchini and Sweet Potato. Many of our coaching clients also love to make big batches of soup to eat throughout the week. If that’s your thing, our Tuscan White Bean Kale Soup is a great choice.

Later in the day, I went for another walk. The fresh air and sunshine felt so good!

Tip #2: Incorporate Walks Into Your Day

Even on a day where I had three hours of driving, I found the time to include some short walks. While I had already done my main exercise for the day in the morning, I still try to incorporate short, easy walks periodically when I can. This is because movement—even movement like walking that doesn’t take much effort, and even movement for just a short period of time—helps stabilize your blood glucose. So that is tip #2: Incorporate walks into your day! You’ll see a difference, I promise.

Meal 4: A Delicious Dinner Salad

For dinner, I had a delicious salad made with mixed greens, mangos, tomatoes, and bell peppers. Again, I eat super simply and for me, it works great. If you’re looking for an alternative, try the Veggie Quinoa Fiesta. It’s another great option made from easy, accessible ingredients!

Tip #3: Reduce Your Fat Intake

Okay, let’s talk about my third tip for improving your A1c: reducing your fat intake. Excess dietary fat is one of the main causes of insulin resistance. We recommend no more than 10g of fat per meal, which sould equate to no more than 15% of your total daily calories. All the meals I showed you today were low in fat, and they contributed to my stable blood sugar levels.

How My Blood Sugar Responded

Even though my meals were high in carbs and low in fat, my blood sugar stayed stable throughout the day.

I’m living with type 1 diabetes and wear a Dexcom G6 continuous glucose monitor (CGM) and an Omnipod 5 wireless insulin pump. My time in range (TIR) for the day was 99%, which is much higher than the 70% goal that most people with type 1 diabetes aim for. My blood sugar stability, as measured by my standard deviation, was 17%—similar to those who don’t have diabetes! These results are typical for me and I’m both very grateful and very proud for the blood glucose control that I have.

You Can Do It, Too!

This was a fantastic day of eating nutrient-dense foods, enjoying every bite, and keeping my blood sugar stable. I followed three key principles: incorporating greens and non-starchy vegetables at every meal, fitting in walks throughout the day, and keeping my diet low in fat. It was successful for me, and if you follow this advice, these things will be successful for you, too. Whether you want to lower your A1c or just have a better quality of life, I encourage you to give these tips a try!

If you want to get access to all of our recipes, organized into an easy-to-use meal plan that keeps you organized and on top of your nutrition, you can check out our meal plan.
In the meantime, keep eating fruit, friends!