Lowering your A1c does not always require extreme changes or complicated strategies.
Sometimes, meaningful improvements come from small, intentional adjustments to daily habits that reduce blood sugar swings and improve insulin sensitivity.
In this article (and video), I am sharing exactly how I lowered my A1c to 5.7 percent in just 30 days. I will walk you through the data, the changes I made, and one diet-related adjustment that might surprise you.
These are realistic, sustainable tweaks that can help lower A1c and reduce glucose variability without chasing perfection.
Watch the video:
My background and why I decided to make a change
I have been living with type 1 diabetes since 1997. I have had my A1c measured regularly since diagnosis, and over the years, it has varied widely.
Early on, my A1c was often in the 8-9 percent range. That was not because I was careless, but because I lacked education about what an ideal A1c target should be. Once I learned that most adults with diabetes are advised to aim for an A1c below 7%, I gradually tightened my management.
For the past decade, I have aimed for an A1c between 6 and 6.5 percent, which works well for my medical team and me. One summer, however, I noticed my blood sugars were running higher and fluctuating more than I was comfortable with.
Using my continuous glucose monitor data, I saw that my estimated A1c was around 6.3 percent, and my glucose variability, measured as standard deviation, had increased to 42. While this was still within target, I wanted to do better. I set a goal to get my A1c closer to 6 percent while reducing fluctuations.
Thirty days later, my estimated A1c was down to 6 percent, my standard deviation dropped to 35, and lab work confirmed an A1c of 5.7 percent.
A quick note on A1c targets
The American Diabetes Association recommends that most nonpregnant adults with diabetes aim for an A1c below 7 percent, as long as this can be achieved safely and without frequent hypoglycemia.
Targets should always be individualized based on health status, age, and risk of low blood sugars.
My goal of staying closer to 6 percent is a personal choice made in collaboration with my healthcare team.
The five changes that helped lower my A1c in 30 days
I did not lower my A1c by simply taking more insulin or adding medications. Instead, I focused on five specific lifestyle and management changes that improved insulin sensitivity and reduced glucose variability.
1. I changed my evening routine
After reviewing my glucose data, I realized my blood sugar levels were consistently higher, starting around 6 PM. Correcting those highs often led to overnight lows, followed by rebound highs.
To address this, I made three changes:
- I reduced my dinner portion sizes
- I ate dinner earlier whenever possible
- I stopped evening snacking
I did not eat less food overall. I simply shifted calories earlier in the day to breakfast and lunch.
Cutting out evening snacking was especially impactful, as it had become more habitual than driven by hunger.
Eating earlier in the day has been shown to improve glycemic control and insulin sensitivity in people with diabetes.
2. I cut back on alcohol
Over the summer, I had developed a habit of having a glass of wine most evenings. While moderate alcohol intake can work for some people, it was not working well for me.
Reducing alcohol made it easier to stop evening snacking and helped stabilize my overnight blood sugars. I did not eliminate alcohol entirely, but I stopped having it daily.
Research shows that even short periods of alcohol abstinence can significantly improve insulin sensitivity.
3. I rebuilt my exercise routine
I had been injured for much of the summer and exercised far less than usual. Once I was able to move again, I gradually rebuilt my routine.
I started with long walks and then returned to resistance training three times per week, along with one cardio class and one Pilates class. This was still less than my typical routine, but far more than what I had been doing.
You do not need to exercise at this level to see benefits. Walking and resistance training alone can significantly improve insulin sensitivity and glucose control.
4. I reviewed my data weekly and adjusted insulin accordingly
Over the 30 days, I reviewed my glucose data weekly and focused on trends and variability.
Lowering A1c without addressing fluctuations is not ideal. High variability increases the risk of hypoglycemia and makes diabetes harder to manage. My goal was to reduce both average glucose and standard deviation.
The most surprising change I made was actually lowering my nighttime long-acting insulin. I had been experiencing frequent overnight lows, which I treated with glucose, leading to rebound highs. Reducing my basal insulin helped prevent those lows and smoothed my overall glucose profile.
And this is supported by clinical guidelines that emphasize adjusting therapy based on consistent trends rather than isolated readings.
5. I reduced fat, not carbohydrates
The final adjustment I made was dietary, but not in the way many people expect. I did not reduce carbohydrates. Instead, I reduced my overall fat intake.
From experience, I know that higher fat intake reduces my insulin sensitivity and leads to delayed blood sugar rises. This was especially true when I was snacking on high-fat foods like nuts, nut bars, and cheese.
As I cut back on snacking, my fat intake naturally decreased, and my blood sugars became easier to manage. Research supports the idea that high-fat meals can impair insulin sensitivity (this will not be the case for everyone) and worsen post-meal glucose control.
The takeaway
Lowering my A1c to 5.7 percent did not require extreme measures. It came from intentional changes to my evening routine, alcohol intake, exercise habits, insulin adjustments, and dietary fat intake.
These exact strategies may not work the same way for everyone, but they can serve as a starting point to help you identify what drives your blood sugars and what changes might make management easier for you.
If nothing else, I hope this encourages you to look at your data, experiment thoughtfully, and find an approach that fits your life and your diabetes.
