You don't need a CGM

26 June 2025
Adarsh Gopal

CGMs have been the rage for the last couple of years.

Is it necessary? Nope.

Does it guarantee better food choices? Nope.

Does it give you a metric that has the potential to mislead if contextualised poorly? Yes.

What does it do? Quantify and help you visualise your body response to foods that you eat.

Is digesting a food too quickly bad for me? Not always. Especially whey, fruit and certain carbs when consumed in appropriate portion sizes.

Are all foods that are digested and release glucose gradually into my blood good for me? Not always. You can eat too much of certain grains and foods. And just because they take longer to be digested, they might give you a decent ‘read’ on your CGM. But too much energy consumed with no context can be counterproductive for your health.

Is it worth fixating on your insulin response and framing your behaviour around how your body responds to individual foods or combinations?

Nope. Not unless you are diabetic. Contact a medical professional to deal with this. Not a metabolic consultant or whatever euphemism people peddling CGMs are hiding behind. Your line of defence to improve insulin sensitivity:

Improve your body composition. 3-5 hours of strength training. An hour or two of conditioning work. Whatever other activity you enjoy relaxing with.
Maintain a stable bodyweight that looks reasonable when contextualised against your bone health, muscle mass, body composition, heart health, height and age.
Practice portion control consistently for years. Not just weeks. Lots of veggies, fruit, mushrooms, peas. Whatever grain you can consume with restraint. Carefully measured intake of oil and dietary fats.
Consistent protein intake between 1.2-1.4 grams/kg of bodyweight.
A consistent sleep cycle, water intake and regular monitoring of your health ( greater frequency as you age).

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