Holly, a high school English teacher and mother of two from North Carolina, is no stranger to the challenges of balancing work, family, and personal health. But when her glucose levels rose, and her A1C reached 5.6, she knew she needed a little help. With a family history of diabetes, Holly turned to Nutrisense for a smarter way to take control of her health. By tracking her glucose in real-time and working closely with a dietitian, she lowered her A1C to 4.9 in six months—a significant improvement, as even small reductions in A1C can have a meaningful impact on long-term health, particularly in managing diabetes risk. She also gained the tools to sustain her progress long-term—all while rediscovering her energy and confidence. Hi, Holly. Thanks for chatting with us today. Let’s start with what led you to try Nutrisense! My mom has diabetes, so I’ve always been aware of the risks. During my annual physical last spring, my doctor noticed some concerning trends. My fasting blood glucose was elevated, and my A1C had crept up to 5.6 for the first time. That was a wake-up call for me. I didn’t want to head down that path, so I decided to take action. I started by cleaning up my diet and reintroducing exercise after a long break. While researching ways to manage blood sugar, I came across Nutrisense and decided to try it. It seemed to fit my needs perfectly. What was your experience like during the first few weeks? It was eye-opening. I’m a data person, so using the Nutrisense app to see all my patterns and trends with my real-time glucose readings made such a difference. I learned a lot about how my body responds to different foods and habits, and the biggest lesson was discovering what caused glucose spikes for me. For example, I realized that sweet potatoes and hummus, which I thought were healthy, caused significant spikes. On the other hand, foods like popcorn, which I assumed would be problematic, were okay in moderation. I also learned how valuable fiber is and how much the order in which I eat my food matters—like eating vegetables or protein first to reduce spikes. These insights helped me make immediate changes, like adjusting portion sizes and timing my meals better. Having the support of a registered dietitian, along with all this data, was invaluable. Anita, my dietitian, provided thoughtful answers to all my questions and helped me fine-tune my approach based on what we saw in the data. What was the experience like—working 1:1 with your dietitian? It was so easy. Anita would send me a link, and I’d just click on it to log in for a video call. She always started by asking simple questions like, “Did you have a good day?” That helped me feel comfortable and made the sessions productive. And she has been excellent. She’s knowledgeable, supportive, and approachable. She helped me balance my fats and talked me through concerns I had, like whether I was eating too much fat, even if it was healthy fat. She explained how to structure my meals better, which was very helpful. I also learned from her about the importance of fiber in meals and the order in which I eat my food. I can take these things with me forever; they’ve made a difference in my health journey. She remembered details about my goals and story, which was nice; it felt personal and made me feel like she cared. Even now, I know I can reach out to her with questions, and having that resource is great. What’s one of the most surprising things you learned together? I was shocked to discover how some “healthy” foods weren’t great for me. Sweet potatoes and hummus, for example, caused significant glucose spikes, which I never would’ve guessed. On the flip side, I learned that foods like popcorn were fine in moderation, even though I had thought they would spike my glucose. These insights have been empowering because they’re based on my body’s responses, not just general advice. It’s one thing to read or hear about how food affects blood sugar; it’s another to see it in real time in your own body. And you mention that the things you learned will stay with you. Can you explain how the program impacted your long-term habits? It’s been life-changing. Even when I’m not wearing a sensor, I’ve stuck with the habits I developed. I’ve become much more mindful of meal composition and timing. For instance, I’ve switched to eating three balanced meals instead of grazing throughout the day, which has improved my glucose control. I also continue to incorporate strength training, knowing now how it helps with glucose management and overall health. Learning that muscles are “huge glucose holders” has kept me motivated to stick with it! Did you notice any specific changes as you changed and tweaked your habits? Absolutely. I started losing weight more consistently. By the end of the month, my glucose levels were more stable, and I had more energy. As I made all the changes throughout this journey, my A1C dropped from 5.6 to 4.9, which felt like a huge win. I’ve also lost a total of 26 pounds! While some of that weight loss happened before Nutrisense, the program helped kickstart and sustain my progress with my weight, too. Was any of the process restrictive or specifically challenging? Not really, and not with the food itself. I didn’t feel deprived because I was eating meals that kept me full—plenty of protein, fiber, and healthy fats. What I did feel restricted by was the time commitment of planning and prepping meals. It’s much more effort than grabbing frozen pizzas or takeout, but I’ve found ways to make it easier, like grocery delivery and meal planning over the weekend. My job has a pretty structured schedule, so I’ve adapted to that. I have a long period between lunch and dinner—lunch is during the school day, and dinner is usually around 7 PM. I try to have a snack around 4 PM to get me through, and I’ve become very mindful of what that snack is. It’s often something with protein and fiber to keep me satisfied and avoid spikes. And what about at home—how did your family adapt to these changes? My youngest daughter has started exercising and eating less fast food, too! Both my daughters use an app called Yuka to track chemicals and additives in their food, which has been great for awareness. At mealtime, I often make adjustments—like preparing quinoa, white rice, sweet potatoes, and regular potatoes—to cater to everyone’s preferences while sticking to my goals. It’s been a gradual shift, but they’re all more conscious of their choices now, too, as a result of all the changes I’ve been making, which is great. That’s great to hear. What advice would you give to someone considering Nutrisense? I highly recommend it! I tell people that you’ll learn so much about your body. I’ve told several people to try it because it gives you a wealth of information about what works for you.
