Baddies always balance their blood sugar because they know it makes them look hotter, feel better, and be healthier. Today, I’m sharing 5 practical and simple daily habits to keep your blood sugar levels in check.
Balancing your blood sugar is key for the ultimate glow-up, yet it’s often underrated because many people aren’t aware of it or how to address it early on.
Here are some signs that you might have blood sugar imbalances:
- Fatigue or feeling constantly tired
- Mood swings or anxiety
- Dizziness
- Difficulty concentrating or brain fog
- Mid-day energy crashes
- Headaches
- Increased wrinkles
- Hair loss
- Acne
- Dry skin
- Dark patches on the skin
- Cravings for sweets
- Increased hunger
- Weight gain
These signs can indicate blood sugar imbalances, but they’re not a diagnosis. Always talk with your doctor, for personalized advice and treatment.
If any of these sound familiar, it’s time to focus on balancing your blood sugar. Everyone can benefit from this because long-term imbalances can lead to serious conditions like type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.
Shockingly, 90% of people are pre-diabetic without even knowing it. The good news? According to the CDC, 80% of type 2 diabetes cases can be prevented with lifestyle and diet changes. It takes years for these issues to develop, so now is the perfect time to start making changes.
These tips will not only help you manage your blood sugar but also contribute to your overall glow-up. These are lifestyle changes I personally follow and recommend to you, and are backed by science.
1. Eat Your Meals at Consistent Times Every Day (Even on Weekends)
Everyone knows about our circadian rhythm—it’s our 24-hour body clock. We usually think about it in terms of sleep and wake times, but did you know it also applies to when you eat your meals? Setting consistent meal times is crucial. Starting with breakfast, you then have to decide are you going to do a 3 meal plan, 5-6 meal plan. You have to do what works for you, and also around what your goals are.
When you eat at the same times every day, avoid skipping meals and avoid constantly snacking and eating, you help regulate your metabolism, gives you steady energy through the day, and makes it easier to manage your blood sugar levels. This also helps control appetite and cravings, and supports better digestion. (Source)
On the other hand, skipping meals can lower your metabolism, leading to reduced energy, crazy cravings, excessive snacking, weight gain, overeating later in the day, and overall difficulties in maintaining stable blood sugar levels, and even reducing cortisol. (Source)
So, make sure to eat your meals at consistent, evenly spaced times every day, and stick to those times even on weekends.
2. Carbs Aren’t the Enemy—Here’s How to Eat Them Without Spiking Your Blood Sugar and even possibly reducing the calories.
Carbs often get a bad rap, but they’re not the enemy. The key is how you prepare and consume them. One effective way to enjoy your carbs without causing a rapid spike in blood sugar levels is by turning them into resistant starches.
Resistant starches are a type of carbohydrate that your body digests more slowly, leading to a more gradual release of glucose into the bloodstream. For example, studies have shown that you can turn white rice into a resistant starch by cooking it and then refrigerating it or freezing it overnight for at least 12 hours. I will store them in glass containers in the refrigerator, and you reheat like normal.
This simple step can significantly reduce the impact of carbs on your blood sugar levels. This also works for pasta, bread, and potatoes. Interestingly enough, one study showed that it can even reduce 50-60% of the calories but this has not been studied enough to be conclusive.
Don’t be afraid to enjoy your carbs—just be mindful of how you prepare them to keep your blood sugar levels stable.
3. The order you eat your food matters. Eat Your Protein and Veggies Before Carbs
For balanced meals, it’s crucial to prioritize protein and fibrous vegetables over carbs. Many people end up consuming too many carbs relative to protein and vegetables, which can disrupt blood sugar balance.
What you want to do is eat your protein and vegetables before your carbs. This might seem weird, but hear me out: consuming protein and vegetables first can slow the digestion of carbohydrates, leading to a more gradual release of sugar into your bloodstream. This helps keep your blood sugar levels stable.
Studies shows that food order makes a huge difference in balancing your blood sugar levels. AND it also keeps you fuller and more satisfied for longer which is helpful to keep your meal times on schedule. Always eat your protein and veggies first. (Source)
4. Exercise the Right Way to Balance Blood Sugar Levels
Exercise is well-known for helping balance blood sugar levels, but specific actions and types of exercise can be particularly effective.
1. Take a Walk After Meals: One of the simplest and most effective strategies is to take a walk immediately after eating. Recent studies suggest that even a short walk of 2-5 minutes post-meal can significantly improve blood sugar control. If you can walk for longer, that’s even better for like 15-30 minutes. It’s an easy, practical way to help stabilize blood sugar levels and enhance digestion.
2. Incorporate “Exercise Snacks”: Sitting for long periods like 8 hours everyday can negatively impact blood sugar levels and overall health even causing diabetes, hbp, and even some cancers. Recent research shows that incorporating short bouts of activity, or “exercise snacks,” 1min- 5min every 45 minutes to an hour can help counteract the effects of prolonged sitting. These can be either high intensity interval or low intensity activities. (source)
It’s not always about intense workouts the goal is to make smart, consistent activity throughout your day. Additionally, resistance training like body weight exercises or weight training has been shown to enhance insulin sensitivity and help regulate blood sugar levels over time. Building muscle is also another way to combat blood sugar imbalances.
5. Manage Your Stress to Balance Blood Sugar Levels
Stress isn’t just about mental well-being—it can also significantly impact your blood sugar levels. When you’re stressed, your body releases hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which can increase glucose production and reduce insulin sensitivity. This can lead to higher blood sugar levels and greater difficulty managing them. Also those w/ blood sugar imbalances typically have anxiety, irritability and worry..
This goes back to the first tip because scheduling your meal times consistently as well as sleep and wake times will help your body feel more safe, and less stressed out. Sleep Hygiene: Prioritize good sleep hygiene by maintaining a regular sleep schedule and creating a restful environment. Quality sleep helps regulate stress hormones and supports better blood sugar levels. (Source)
Other ways to manage stress: Deep Breathing Exercises: Practice deep breathing to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps counteract the stress response and lower cortisol levels. Techniques like diaphragmatic breathing or 4-7-8 breathing can be effective. Having hobbies. Spending quality time with loved ones. (Source)
Conclusion
There you have it, that’s how you level up and balance your blood sugar. These five tips aren’t just about keeping your blood sugar in check—they’re about glowing up from the inside out, being healthy, feeling hotter, more energized, and staying on top of your game.
It always comes down to your daily habits, so take a look at what you’re doing now, and what changes you can implement and add in. What habits are working against you, and not helping you feel your best? What are some of the habits that you can change, or implement into your life? Even if you can add in one of these daily habits, it’s a start in the right direction. Small changes make the biggest difference, so start where you can and keep it consistent.
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