Continuous Glucose Monitoring for Weight Loss

CGM-The Two Week Programme

Programme Overview 

When you wear a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) you can see what your blood sugar is doing all the time.  We all struggle to get a grip with our lifestyle, so seeing what our blood sugar is up to makes acquiring healthy habits that much easier. 

Making small changes to how we eat, exercise or sleep shows up within minutes on these monitors. So, if you have a CGM on board, after a few days, this tiny device will teach you exactly what is helping or hindering you in your progress towards your goals.  

The science behind all this – as you probably know – is that balanced blood sugar is a key to good health. A well controlled blood sugar means more energy, less chance of laying down fat or developing T2 diabetes. And it can also prevent developing mental health issues and diseases such as Alzheimer’s. But, of course, many people like to use the monitor for the time-worn task of losing weight. 

So, with this programme, after two weeks, you and I will have a unique profile of how your body reacts to stuff. Then, working together, we can design a plan that really deliver for you.  

For your real life. 

How a CGM Works 

A CGM is easy to wear being about the size of £2 coin.  It sticks like a plaster to the back of your upper arm and transmits data directly to your phone for a 2-week period. What it’s doing is – painlessly! – sampling the layer of fluid just below your skin. The numbers appearing on the phone show you and I what’s going on inside your body. For example, the effect of eating a keto lunch bowl or a large slice of cake will show up very differently.  

Users find that seeing the effect of their actions gives them an instant reward when they are “being good”. On the other hand, when they slip up, the app sends a quick “maybe that was a mistake” signal. I often find that people try to avoid this mild remonstration and so straight away they start to get some benefit from the programme.  Either way, they find that getting these instant “pings” makes it much easier to keep the promises they have made to themselves. 

How I make a CGM work for you 

First, we discuss what you want to achieve e.g. weight loss, increased energy, improved general health, etc. and then I devise a number of experiments for you to try with different foods and drink, eating times, exercise and habits. I can also help you attach the monitor and set up the app on your phone, but it is very easy to do this on your own. 

You then wear the sensor for 2 weeks during which time you send me photos of what you eat and drink and details of when you exercise. Apart from generally monitoring your sugar levels, every couple of days or so we will run one of 6 experiments.  In these “live tests”, I suggest a particular change to your routine and we both see what happens. Obviously, you can see your blood glucose levels on your phone, but I also follow along on my phone to bring my expert eye to what might be happening.   

 As you know, much diet advice is generalised. What works for one person may not work for another. But with this programme, by the end of the 2-week period you/we will know what works for you and also what does not. You/we will have enough real-time, actionable information about what moves you forward and what holds you back. But I am not giving you just “scientific” guidance here, but pragmatic actions based on how you yourself behave in real life. For example, you may decide chocolate cake is a non-negotiable part of your life. I can help you find out how to eat it so it has the least effect on your blood sugar. That’s being pragmatic… 

 Once you’ve mastered the principles of using the CGM I offer the option of a second two-week transition programme during which we look at ‘hacks’ you can introduce to optimise your blood sugar levels. This might include periods of fasting, food combinations, supplements and changes to timing of activities. Again, you and I work together to see what’s working. It’s your body, but I am a sort of co-pilot helping you navigate it to where you want it to fly. 

 To sum up, achieving your goals, especially if you have failed a few times before, is tough. Having an expert coach alongside you, and minute by minute feedback on what is working for you, will create a programme that you can really stick to. 

The CGM.  It’s a small device but a powerful friend to have on board. 

Contact me about my programme and let’s get you up and running.