I have been experimenting with a CGM for a few months. There are several types of monitors available. Some use NFC and require you to tap your phone to gather data. I have been using the Bluetooth model "G6" from Dexcom. Normally you get these via a prescription from a doctor; however, some health services such as Signos, Levels, and Nutrisense are now selling them directly. I tested the G6 from Levels and Signos and found the Signos user interface and informational information to be better.
While continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) like the Dexcom G6 are primarily used for diabetes management, they may also offer some benefits for weight loss. Here are some potential ways in which CGMs could help with weight loss:
- Awareness of food choices: A CGM can provide users with real-time data on how different foods affect their blood sugar levels. By seeing the impact of different foods on their glucose levels, users may become more aware of which foods contribute to weight gain and make more informed choices about their diet.
- Monitoring physical activity: CGMs can also track the impact of physical activity on blood sugar levels. By monitoring their glucose response to exercise, users may be able to optimize their workouts for weight loss and better manage their overall glucose control.
- Encouraging healthy habits: By using a CGM, users may become more engaged with their health and motivated to adopt healthier habits that support weight loss, such as exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet, and getting enough sleep.
It's important to note that CGMs alone are not a weight loss tool and should not be used as a substitute for a healthy diet and regular exercise. However, by providing real-time data on blood sugar levels, CGMs may help users make more informed decisions about their diet and lifestyle, which can support overall weight loss goals.
My experience with Signos was quite eye-opening. I learned what types of food and activities cause my blood glucose to rise and fall. The theory is that if you keep your glucose "in range" (typically between 70 and 110 mg/Dl), your body will not convert sugar to fat. Of course, mileage will vary, and many other factors go into the fat storage and burning processes.
After three months of monitoring, I lost 20 pounds and have successfully kept it off. Let me show you what I found in the graphics below.
The TLDR: If you stuff a bunch of sugar into your system in <ANY> form - bread, desserts, french fries, etc. - it takes DAYS for that sugar to get out of your system. The solution? Stop eating sugar. Exercise helps burn it off, but it is not the primary driver.
Wrapping up with one more example of "sugar caching":
The affects of heat and cold on CGM: Heat and cold will affect your blood glucose level. I have yet to find any scientific explanations (looking!), but I do both heat and cold therapies. I get into an ice bath (40-50 degrees F) for 5 minutes. When I do that, my sugar drops 20 points for about an hour as my body warms up. When I get into a hot tub, it spikes. My theory is that our bodies need a lot of energy to generate heat. When we heat it, the body has to do less work so it leaves the sugar in the blood for the liver to deal with. Conversely, when you get into the ice, the body works to generate heat and uses up sugar. I am entirely theorizing on this, but I'm sure I'll find a podcast or something about this. I have also read a theory that contraction/expansion of skin capillaries is the reason (slowing or increasing blood flow) and less about sugar, but - I think my first theory is accurate because after eating Keto for a few days, the hot tub does not cause a spike.
The amount that my glucose jumps when in the hot tub depends on how I have been eating. Over the holidays, I ate lots of sugary foods. After a "normal" American meal with carbs and sugary desserts, my sugar stays high for days. Even when I get it low by running a few miles, it still tends to stay high - if I get into a hot tub it jumps 15-20 points.
Once I get back into my routine (100% in range for a few days), the hot tub barely causes a spike - presumably because my body doesn't have as much sugar. Our bodies cache a ton of sugar from lousy eating, and then it gets released for quite a while. I understand that the liver stores about 500 calories of glucose and a few thousand muscles. That's a lot of sugar to burn through before you get into something like ketosis or a less finicky state.