Advice to improve A1c

MitsuriKanroji · Sep 6, 2025

Hello,

I’m looking for suggestions on how to improve my A1c/ glucose management. I feel as if I’ve exhausted so many of the ‘tried and tested’ solutions with no success. All the research I do online leads me to suggestions like “be less fat” and “stop eating like shit”. I am neither fat nor do I eat a poor diet. Cortisol levels are lower-normal range.
Things I’ve tried: Metformin Rx (no change to daily FBG or A1c), Berberine, Chromium, fasted walking/ cardio, consuming most carbs around the training window, low GI diet, 35-45g fibre daily, mini-cuts.
I follow the Vertical diet - with the exception of white rice which I eat less of and sub for low GI varieties when I do that don’t spike me.

Things that’ll impact my fasting sugars (increase them) are poor sleep, inflammation, menstrual cycle stages.

I maintain my weight of 64kg on 2900 calories lifting 5x per week. Output 11-12k steps daily. Currently in a deficit phase simply to try and bring my A1c down - loosing just over 1lb per week on 2500cal.
Currently not taking any peptides or AAS.
I’m not keen on using GLP-1 drugs - I don’t think it’s a productive solution for a female who’s minimally enhanced and whose goal is to gain lean mass. I would prefer to be able to have success with lifestyle changes.

I am struggling to have productive surplus phases, because I am cut short by my A1c and FBG getting too high even while my physique composition remains FINE for a female. If I go below 2900 calories I just maintain for weeks on end (progress stalls).

My A1c was 5.7 last time I tested 4 weeks ago. Prior to that (8 weeks prior) it was 5.7 too. I know it’s not terrible, but I feel as if IT should be so much better considering everything else I’m doing. My insulin is normal.

Any advice re: things other people have tried and had success with would be appreciated. I feel a lot of shame about it and like a bit of a failure. My coach hasn’t been particularly helpful, if anything they’ve contributed to me developing health anxiety about it. It’s hard when you’re doing everything you can/ are told to do, and see no improvement.

Mobster · Sep 7, 2025

Let's see the diet too

TurtleSpiza · Sep 7, 2025

Mobster said:
Let's see the diet too

This ^^^.

In the rare case diet, supplementation or compounds aren't causing it to be elevated there could be an underlying condition. But please, let us the see the diet first.

How's your labs such as CBC?

HbA1c depends on how long red blood cells circulate. An iron, b12 or folate deficiency give a falsely higher a1c reading.

Have you done a complete thryoid panel and/or a high sensitivity CRP test? Inflammation can impair insulin signalling

MitsuriKanroji · Sep 7, 2025

I test my glucose 4-hrs postprandial and on average it’s 5.7 mmol/L. So my meals itself aren’t spiking me. Most days my FBG is between 4.7-5.3. Sometimes it’ll be 5.5-5.6 but usually that’s only if both inflammation is really high due to training and sleep was poor the night prior.

Diet is as follows - I seldom eat off plan (maybe 1-2 a month). I supplement iron, folate, and b12 and come back within normal ref range in tests. CRP is <0.1.

M1 (~3 hours pre-training): 50g whole oats, 50g rice flour, 2 whole eggs, 25g whey, 25g berries, 100g plain kefir yogurt

M2 intra: 30g HBCD

M3 post-training: 150g basmati or low-gi brown rice, 150g green beans, 150g extra lean beef mince, 5g olive oil

M4: 125g sweet potato, 75g salmon, 50g spinach, 100-150g green beans or carrot, 5g olive oil

M5: ninja creami made with 30g whey, 5g collagen protein, 150ml unsweetened almond milk, 100ml high protein skim milk, 10g walnuts, 20g 90% dark chocolate, 50g strawberries

MitsuriKanroji · Sep 7, 2025

TSH 1.3, T4 14, T3 4.8. Haematology is all within range.

MitsuriKanroji said:
I test my glucose 4-hrs postprandial and on average it’s 5.7 mmol/L. So my meals itself aren’t spiking me. Most days my FBG is between 4.7-5.3. Sometimes it’ll be 5.5-5.6 but usually that’s only if both inflammation is really high due to training and sleep was poor the night prior.

Diet is as follows - I seldom eat off plan (maybe 1-2 a month). I supplement iron, folate, and b12 and come back within normal ref range in tests. CRP is <0.1.

M1 (~3 hours pre-training): 50g whole oats, 50g rice flour, 2 whole eggs, 25g whey, 25g berries, 100g plain kefir yogurt

M2 intra: 30g HBCD

M3 post-training: 150g basmati or low-gi brown rice, 150g green beans, 150g extra lean beef mince, 5g olive oil

M4: 125g sweet potato, 75g salmon, 50g spinach, 100-150g green beans or carrot, 5g olive oil

M5: ninja creami made with 30g whey, 5g collagen protein, 150ml unsweetened almond milk, 100ml high protein skim milk, 10g walnuts, 20g 90% dark chocolate, 50g strawberries

Mobster · Sep 7, 2025

Just based on a quick look have you considered more protein over carbs. Changing the ratios. I LOVE carbs and you look to be eating more than I do (I weigh between 315 and 338lbs)

MitsuriKanroji · Sep 7, 2025

Current macros are 150P/ 65F/ 300C - I am attempting to bring down my A1c quickly with these macros, have been losing 600-700g a week on this split. I’m not fat composition-wise - the weight loss just comes with the territory of my carb intake being lower. Before this I was maintaining my weight at 64-65kg on 150P/ 75F/ 400C. I could try experimenting by swapping more carb for protein and fat, maybe 10g at a time?

Mobster said:
Just based on a quick look have you considered more protein over carbs. Changing the ratios. I LOVE carbs and you look to be eating more than I do (I weigh between 315 and 338lbs)

TurtleSpiza · Sep 7, 2025

MitsuriKanroji said:
TSH 1.3, T4 14, T3 4.8. Haematology is all within range.

Hmmmm interesting, would you consider getting a fructose test from imedical just incase? I know you said Haemotology is all in range but it would be good to decisively rule it out, as a fructosamine test isn't dependent on RBC turnover.

Only other thing I can think of at the top of my head is getting a sleep study. I know you already said sleep is poor (I'm assuming in quantity of hours) but maybe you aren't reaching deep sleep and staying in that stage for a sufficient amount of time.

MitsuriKanroji · Sep 7, 2025

TurtleSpiza said:
Hmmmm interesting, would you consider getting a fructose test from imedical just incase? I know you said Haemotology is all in range but it would be good to decisively rule it out, as a fructosamine test isn't dependent on RBC turnover.

Only other thing I can think of at the top of my head is getting a sleep study. I know you already said sleep is poor (I'm assuming in quantity of hours) but maybe you aren't reaching deep sleep and staying in that stage for a sufficient amount of time.

Thank you! Good suggestions - I’ll get both done

MitsuriKanroji · Sep 7, 2025

I have a friend who micro doses GLP-1s for weight management, although she doesn’t lift. Does anyone have experience doing this, especially when I re-enter a surplus phase? Pros/ cons etc. I’m not sure if it would negatively impact my capacity for lean tissue gain during this stage.

LevButlerov · Sep 7, 2025

MitsuriKanroji said:
I have a friend who micro doses GLP-1s for weight management, although she doesn’t lift. Does anyone have experience doing this, especially when I re-enter a surplus phase? Pros/ cons etc. I’m not sure if it would negatively impact my capacity for lean tissue gain during this stage.

@MitsuriKanroji it's possible and effective to microdose but what is your experience? are you trying to cycle or what?

MitsuriKanroji · Sep 7, 2025

LevButlerov said:
@MitsuriKanroji it's possible and effective to microdose but what is your experience? are you trying to cycle or what?

I’ve not used a GLP-1 before. The idea would be to utilise a very small dose to assist in managing my a1c when cals/ carbs get high (vs me having to end another surplus phase early due to rising a1c). I will use a small amount of AAS for a short cycle at some point during my next surplus phase (either Primo or Anavar) I’d ideally stack it with GH but that’s contingent on whether I’m able to get my a1c down and keep it in-check.

LevButlerov · Sep 7, 2025

MitsuriKanroji said:
I’ve not used a GLP-1 before. The idea would be to utilise a very small dose to assist in managing my a1c when cals/ carbs get high (vs me having to end another surplus phase early due to rising a1c). I will use a small amount of AAS for a short cycle at some point during my next surplus phase (either Primo or Anavar) I’d ideally stack it with GH but that’s contingent on whether I’m able to get my a1c down and keep it in-check.

@MitsuriKanroji that's possible but really might backfire if you use it wrong.
Do you have your journal ready? training diet sleep cardio? and what is your cycle history?

MitsuriKanroji · Sep 7, 2025

LevButlerov said:
@MitsuriKanroji that's possible but really might backfire if you use it wrong.
Do you have your journal ready? training diet sleep cardio? and what is your cycle history?

Thanks! Yes that’s what I was worried about. Training and diet all on point - I’ve been running the same training programme for over 6 months with success. I don’t change my food sources listed above - maybe swap out a fruit or vegetable here and there. Sleep usually is good too, but I’m a bit disrupted at the moment due to dieting. I’m just doing 11-12k steps at the moment and still dropping weight at a good rate of 600g/ week on 2400kcal on training & rest days. My prob with cardio in a surplus is that I have to eat more to keep the scale moving in the right direction (to offset the expenditure) so it’s a bit of a catch 22.
I’ve done two 2 short (8 wk), low dose (5-7.5mg on training days) cycles of Anavar with 1iu of GH. I made really good progress with just that & my HDL and LDL both stayed in-range on that cycle, with only very slightly elevated ALT and AST. Had no other sides. A1c was actually okay during that period too (5.2).

Really appreciative of the advice btw

LevButlerov · Sep 8, 2025

MitsuriKanroji said:
Thanks! Yes that’s what I was worried about. Training and diet all on point - I’ve been running the same training programme for over 6 months with success. I don’t change my food sources listed above - maybe swap out a fruit or vegetable here and there. Sleep usually is good too, but I’m a bit disrupted at the moment due to dieting. I’m just doing 11-12k steps at the moment and still dropping weight at a good rate of 600g/ week on 2400kcal on training & rest days. My prob with cardio in a surplus is that I have to eat more to keep the scale moving in the right direction (to offset the expenditure) so it’s a bit of a catch 22.
I’ve done two 2 short (8 wk), low dose (5-7.5mg on training days) cycles of Anavar with 1iu of GH. I made really good progress with just that & my HDL and LDL both stayed in-range on that cycle, with only very slightly elevated ALT and AST. Had no other sides. A1c was actually okay during that period too (5.2).

Really appreciative of the advice btw

GOOD share

thank you! here is what we need to do, this isn't really detailed enough to say do X or Z or Y, @MitsuriKanroji but you have the basic layout of a log, can you start a NEW thread with your training and nutrition LOG so we can support you and help you more

Will take 15min of your time and will change your life, EVO family will big support you.

HOW-TO LOG?

Why is a Log Journal important?

Doing a log will actually help you way more than just dropping random updates. When you lay it all out week by week you start to see patterns in your body that you won’t catch otherwise.
Other guys here run logs all the time and there’s no privacy issue, nobody is asking for your name or anything personal, it is just training, diet, and how the compound feels.
The feedback you get is also way better because people can follow along and spot things you might miss. It also helps the next guy who is thinking about running the same compound so you are giving back while you learn.
Even if you think you might not stick with it, just starting the log makes it easier to come back and add quick notes. That way you get more out of what you are running instead of keeping it all in your head.

To really guide you we need more info from you:

Please share your diet, training, cardio, sleep, supplements etc log with us in a NEW thread, full log journal so our guidance is based on facts you provide.
It will take 15-20 minutes max.
We have 100s of years of experience between us, so you need to post a LOG Journal with your stats (weight,height,age, years training, cycle history) diet, training, cardio, supplement, sleep details. If you don't log what you eat or train now, open NOTES on phone and start recording it there and paste here. Very easy.

Advice to improve A1c

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