Lately, I’ve been learning a lot about metabolic health, and honestly, it has been eye-opening.
I’ve always considered myself someone who lives a healthy lifestyle. I move my body daily, I incorporate strength, cardio, reformer, and teach HIIT classes two times per week. I try to eat well, and I know how important sleep and recovery are.
But a recent blood test got my attention. My hemoglobin A1C was higher than I was comfortable with. A1C is a blood test that gives you an estimate of your average blood sugar over the past two to three months. My doctor wasn’t recommending medication, but the number definitely got my attention. It made me curious about what I could do through nutrition and lifestyle to improve it and support my metabolic health.
After talking with my doctor and Alison Doak, RD, I decided to wear a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) for a month.
And boy has it been eye opening! I have learned quite a bit over this past month. Last year I bought the book, Glucose Revolution, so I took that out again, reread it, and now it makes more sense. I have also dived into podcasts with doctors who specialize in metabolic health.
The biggest thing I’m realizing?
Lifestyle really does matter.
Metabolic health is essentially about how well your body manages energy. Blood sugar, insulin sensitivity, blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides are all pieces of the picture. But I’m realizing it’s also about the everyday things we do:
What we eat. How we balance our meals. How we move. How we sleep. How we manage stress. How we recover. And knowing when to slow down.
And I’m realizing that all of these things are connected.
My CGM Has Become a Learning Tool
Wearing a CGM has given me a fascinating glimpse into how my body responds to different foods, meals, exercise, sleep and stress. One of the biggest things I’ve learned is that how we combine our food matters. I’ve learned a phrase that has really stuck with me:
No Naked Carbs.
By “naked carbs,” people mean eating carbohydrates by themselves without the fiber, protein or fat that can make a meal more balanced. I saw this firsthand when I had a kiddie-size soft-serve ice cream on a fairly empty stomach. My glucose spiked.
Now, I’m not saying we can’t eat ice cream! We can. But it was a great reminder that how we combine our food can make a difference in how our bodies respond. It made me curious about how my body might have responded if I’d had that same ice cream at the end of a balanced meal. Eating more balanced meals has become a priority for me.
So Why Do I Care About the Spikes?
One of the things I’ve been learning is that glucose naturally rises and falls throughout the day, and what we eat is one of the things that can have an impact on those fluctuations. Research has shown that food, physical activity, and other everyday factors can all influence blood glucose levels. What I find fascinating is how differently my own body responds. Wearing a CGM has allowed me to see those patterns in real time and observe firsthand how different foods, meals, and combinations affect me.
Move After You Eat
I’ve also become much more aware of movement after meals. A short walk around my neighborhood, cleaning the kitchen, squats in place or simply getting up off the couch can get my muscles moving and influence how my body handles glucose after a meal. I’ve noticed a difference on my own CGM, so I’m trying to make post-meal movement part of my routine.
Sleep. Stress. Recovery.
I knew these things were important. I just don’t think I fully appreciated how much they can affect metabolic health. I’m learning that poor sleep and stress can affect how my body regulates glucose and may play a role in metabolic health.
And sometimes supporting our health means doing less—not more. Sometimes the healthiest thing we can do is sleep, take a rest day, breathe and slow down. I’m learning that recovery is part of health, too.
What I’m Really Learning
I’m not trying to achieve a perfectly flat glucose line or become obsessed with numbers. I’m learning to pay attention. Food isn’t just calories. It’s fuel.
Movement matters. Sleep matters. Stress matters. Strength and cardio training matter. Recovery matters.
And our bodies are individual. What works for one person may not work exactly the same way for another.
That’s what makes this so fascinating to me.
Reset Your Rhythm
All of this learning is why I’m so excited about our upcoming Reset Your Rhythm program.
This program isn’t about restriction, eliminating carbohydrates or counting calories. It’s about learning simple things we can actually use in real life:
How to build balanced meals and fuel your body for workouts and everyday life.
How to move your body.
How sleep and stress affect you.
And how to create healthier rhythms that work for YOU.
For 21 days, Registered Dietitian Alison Doak will guide us through practical nutrition and lifestyle strategies to support energy, blood sugar regulation, and overall metabolic health.
You’ll get a complete 3-week meal plan, weekly Zoom calls with Alison, nutrition education, motivating emails, and the support and accountability of our private Facebook community.
September 28 – October 18 | $69
Eat well. Move daily. Reset your rhythm.
If you’re curious about your blood sugar or metabolic health, I encourage you to talk with your healthcare provider and consider working with our Registered Dietitian, Alison Doak.
And if you’re considering using a CGM, always consult with your doctor or healthcare provider before beginning one.
For me, this has been less about chasing perfect numbers and more about becoming curious, paying attention, and learning what my body is telling me.
And I can’t wait to keep learning with you during Reset Your Rhythm!
Beth Whitney
