Blood sugar is one of the most common topics in my sessions. Here's the plain-language breakdown I give clients who want to understand what the numbers mean.
Fasting Blood Glucose
This is the blood sugar level measured after you haven't eaten for at least eight hours. Normal: below 100 mg/dL. Pre-diabetes: 100–125 mg/dL. Diabetes: 126 mg/dL or above on two separate tests. Fasting glucose reflects baseline metabolic function — how well your body maintains blood sugar overnight when it's not being challenged by food.
A1C
A1C measures the percentage of hemoglobin in your blood that has glucose attached to it. Because red blood cells live for about three months, A1C reflects your average blood sugar over the past 90 days. Normal: below 5.7%. Pre-diabetes: 5.7–6.4%. Diabetes: 6.5% or above. A1C is considered more reliable than a single fasting glucose measurement because it's not affected by what you ate the day before.
Post-Meal Blood Sugar
Post-meal glucose is measured one to two hours after eating. A peak above 140 mg/dL two hours after eating is considered elevated for someone without diabetes. Post-meal spikes are highly responsive to what you eat — the composition of the meal, the order in which you eat foods, your activity level after eating, and stress all influence the peak.
What Influences Blood Sugar Beyond Diet
Sleep deprivation raises fasting glucose and worsens insulin sensitivity. Chronic stress elevates cortisol, which raises blood sugar. Physical activity — even a 10-minute walk after a meal — significantly improves post-meal glucose response.
Blood sugar is a window into metabolic health — and it's influenced by much more than just what you eat.
Want to understand your blood sugar numbers and what to do about them?
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