How I Lowered My A1C and Fought Pre-Diabetes Naturally in 30 Days
I was recently diagnosed as pre-diabetic, and I was like, “Man, what am I going to do?” I could do nothing, I could take medication, or I could try to beat it with diet.
I’ve learned that type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes is a diet disease, so I wanted to show you all what happened after doing my plan for 30 days.
How Do You Reverse Pre-Diabetes Naturally?
You can reverse pre-diabetes by improving your diet, lowering carbohydrate intake, exercising regularly, getting good sleep, and staying consistent. Many people can lower their A1C and improve blood sugar levels within weeks by making simple lifestyle changes without relying on medication.
What Happens When You’re Diagnosed Pre-Diabetic?
This journal entry might be a little more sober; not just for me but for those of you that are dealing with health issues.
I’ve always been proud of my health and my lifestyle and preached that if you just get to a healthy weight, more than likely you’re going to be healthy. Now, I’ve never said that if you’re a healthy weight you can’t be sick or you’re not going to have any issues. Never said that. But anyway, health will usually follow getting to a healthy weight.
Then I applied for some life insurance, and it required me to have a nurse check my blood, urine, and lots of other things. Everything came back perfect: normal. Blood pressure, LDL, HDL, triglycerides, bilirubin (whatever that is). There was no nicotine in my blood. I don’t smoke.
But one thing came back not normal.
My A1C came back at 5.8.
If you know anything about A1C, there’s a normal range (anything up to about 5.7) and then 5.7 to 6.4 is pre-diabetic. That put me in a pre-diabetic place.
Some people would be like, oh, maybe not feel like it’s a big deal. For whatever reason, it’s kind of a big deal to me.
Pre-diabetes is a serious health condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough yet to be diagnosed as type two diabetes.
Ninety-eight million American adults (one in three) have pre-diabetes. And here’s the kicker: of those with pre-diabetes, more than 80% don’t even know it.
That was me.
How Common Is Pre-Diabetes and Who Is at Risk?
If you’re watching this, that’s probably you, because if you’re overweight, more than likely you’re pre-diabetic.
I certainly didn’t think I was, because I’m at a healthy weight, I exercise, and I eat better than most people. But I had my A1C checked, and it came back pre-diabetic. That woke me up.
Does it really matter?
Yeah, if you want to live longer.
Man, that diabetes stuff… it messes with everything. Every organ in your body is affected if you’re diabetic. If you’re pre-diabetic, it’s on its way, and it’s already affecting a lot of things, even your nerves. You’ve got too much sugar in your blood. It attaches to your DNA.
This is serious.
And so many people have no clue they even have it.
What Should You Do If You’re Pre-Diabetic?
So the next question would be: what do you do about it?
I’ve got three potential responses.
One is nothing.
Quite frankly, the day I got that number, I looked at it and I changed nothing. That night I ate ice cream like I had been doing every night for months. Still did it.
However, I did go out and get a test because the nurse did it, and I said, “You know what, I’d kind of like confirmation.” So the next day I went and got a test and I tested myself, and it was actually higher: 5.9.
That night I changed some things.
So what can we do?
First, check it. Get your A1C checked. You can buy a kit and do it yourself. You can go to your doctor and do it. But I would encourage you to check that number because the A1C is taking basically the average of your blood sugar over the last three months, so it’s a pretty reliable reading.
So what can we do?
We can do nothing.
We can take meds.
Or we can kick its butt.
I’m not a doctor. Talk to your doctor. Do what they tell you. But what they’re often going to tell you is based on the assumption that you’re not going to change your habits.
So they’re like, well, you’re not going to change, so I’m going to give you medication.
That’s not how I’m going to do it.
Pre-diabetes picked the wrong person on the wrong day!
I’m going to kick its butt.
My Plan to Lower My A1C Naturally
So now I’ve started to do my blood glucose twice a day, and I’ve got a plan.
The things that most affect whether you’re pre-diabetic or not, and how to get out of it, are:
Are you getting good sleep?
Do you exercise?
And the one that’s biggest by far is your diet.
So do what you can to get good sleep. Make sure you’re exercising. But my biggest focus is diet.
I already sleep well. I already exercise. My diet was relatively good, but at night it was normal for me to have over 100 grams of carbs.
The big change for me is to have less than 100 grams of carbs all day. I went from about 300 carbs a day to under 70, and that’s the big deal.
Why Mindset Matters More Than Diet
But let me be clear about something: This is not the answer.
The real answer is a mindset change.
This will only be temporary unless something changes in your mind and heart.
The ice cream was big. The thoughtless snacking during the day has to now be thought out. If I go to a drive-thru now, I think about it.
And one of the things people get tired of is thinking.
“I don’t want to think about it.”
So you have to ask yourself: Are you willing to embrace a new life?
Why Most People Fail to Reverse Pre-Diabetes
This is similar to people that want to lose weight.
They lose and they gain it back because they started doing the same things again.
I’ve had tons of people in my program over the years (we didn’t focus on diabetes, we focus on losing weight and getting healthy) come off all their diabetes meds.
One lady said her doctor took the word out of her chart.
That can happen.
But people quit:
Because it’s “not normal.”
Because it creates tension.
Because it feels too slow.
Because there’s less enjoyment.
And eventually it’s:
“Forget this. Just give me the meds.”
How Much Can A1C Drop in 30 Days?
When they diagnose you, they use your A1C number. It’s an average of your blood sugar over three months.
I did this in one month.
I was 5.9 and tested again after 30 days.
It came back at 5.3!
In one month, I went from 5.9 to 5.3.
Trainer Joe is happy!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a normal A1C level?
A normal A1C level is typically below 5.7. Levels between 5.7 and 6.4 indicate pre-diabetes, and 6.5 or higher indicates diabetes.
Can pre-diabetes be reversed?
Yes, many people can reverse pre-diabetes through diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes, especially by lowering carbohydrate intake and maintaining consistency.
How fast can you lower your A1C?
Some people can see improvements in blood sugar within weeks, but A1C typically reflects a 2–3 month average. However, early changes can still show measurable progress.
Do you need medication for pre-diabetes?
Not always. Many people can manage or reverse pre-diabetes through lifestyle changes, though medical guidance is recommended.
Can You Reverse Pre-Diabetes Without Medication?
You do not have to be pre-diabetic. You can do something about it.
Remember, you have three options:
You can do nothing.
You can take meds.
Or you can fight.
I’m choosing to fight. What about you?
I hope you’ll at least try for 30 days.
It’s already affecting your body even if you don’t feel it yet. And, honestly, I believe we can all do it, and I want to invite you to do it with me.
Need Help Making Changes to Your Diet and Sticking to It?
Book a Personal Health Consultation
You can book either a 30-minute or 60-minute call with me to navigate your personal health situation and figure out a plan that will best work for you.
Book your personal health consultation today
Join a 21-Day Weight Loss Transformation
Every month, hundreds of like-minded people band together for our 21-Day Weight Loss Transformations. You’ll be in a community of encouraging participants going through the same struggles as you, while walking through a tried and tested plan with regular live sessions from Trainer Joe.