# CGM Log: Day 15 - Dead End

![Image](https://upload.cafenono.com/image/slashpagePost/20240909/221952_lKW8CwgWgi9p78Uts8?q=80&s=1280x180&t=outside&f=webp)

### Yesterday's Efforts vs. Today's Goals

Since I worked hard on eating yesterday, I thought I should work hard on exercising today. I focused on a lower-body routine with squats and Romanian deadlifts.

After the workout, I could feel how much my muscles were stimulated—my entire body felt sore, so I treated myself to a session with the massage gun for the first time in a while.

![Image](https://upload.cafenono.com/image/slashpagePost/20240909/222001_lCmhbQqzAN1j9JcfrI?q=80&s=1280x180&t=outside&f=webp)

### Post-Workout Incident

As I was taking off my workout clothes, I heard a little _"pop!"_ sound, and something dropped to the floor. Upon closer inspection, I realized it was my continuous glucose monitor (CGM) that had been attached to my left forearm.

Yes, it had been dangling since yesterday afternoon, and it finally gave way. Still, it hung on well until the morning of day 15, so I think it did its job. Actually, my interest in tracking blood sugar has decreased, and there were a few inconveniences as well, so I was planning to remove the sensor this afternoon instead of tomorrow when it expires. But maybe it worked out for the better.

![Image](https://upload.cafenono.com/image/slashpagePost/20240909/222016_oty8EhZhLhQZQxHAxK?q=80&s=1280x180&t=outside&f=webp)

### No Glucose Tracking Today

Since the CGM is off, there's no glucose data for today. I had an iced Americano in the morning before working out, and afterward, I had a protein shake. For lunch, I ate bulgogi, had a Zero Coke brownie as a snack, and for dinner, I ate 150g of rice with homemade chashu.

By my standards, this isn't a meal that would cause a big blood sugar spike. I usually maintain this kind of diet.

Since it feels like a shame to end here, let's review some past data.

![Image](https://upload.cafenono.com/image/slashpagePost/20240909/222025_AS3fep9MyyPq8scqWQ?q=80&s=1280x180&t=outside&f=webp)

![Image](https://upload.cafenono.com/image/slashpagePost/20240909/222025_VE7GqKOUrWh68VMLpn?q=80&s=1280x180&t=outside&f=webp)

### Glucose Tracking Recap

Looking at the average blood sugar over the entire period, my fasting glucose stayed in the 80-90 range, and even after meals, my blood sugar didn't rise significantly, so the average came to 97. I'd say that's a pretty healthy number.

Excluding days like yesterday when I had cheat meals, there wasn’t much variation in my blood sugar levels. Nothing particularly interesting to note.

![Image](https://upload.cafenono.com/image/slashpagePost/20240909/222050_1WllImrnUi1xfnIgpD?q=80&s=1280x180&t=outside&f=webp)

![Image](https://upload.cafenono.com/image/slashpagePost/20240909/222050_PaTBVcSUMmuXNtCTAi?q=80&s=1280x180&t=outside&f=webp)

### Personal Conclusions from This Experiment

Here are my personal takeaways:

- I am sensitive to white rice. I can handle about 3/4 of a bowl per meal.

- My blood sugar doesn't spike much even when I consume liquid carbs after strength training.

- I can somewhat prevent blood sugar spikes by walking after meals, but once I stop walking, the spike returns.

- Lowering average blood sugar doesn’t necessarily lead to weight loss. (Cue the "Have you tried it yourself?" comeback.)

I've emphasized the phrase "I" because these conclusions may not apply to you.

### Thoughts on Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM)

I also want to share a few thoughts on the CGM:

- According to the official manual from the manufacturer, blood glucose readings are unstable for the first two days, and in my experience, they become unreliable again around day 14. So, only about 11 days of reliable data were collected, which is shorter than the advertised 15-day usage period.

- You cannot use a CGM without also checking your blood sugar via finger pricks. This isn’t optional—it’s essential. You need to input calibration values at least once every 24 hours in a stable state. There were days where the difference was more than 20, and days when the error was 0. It varied depending on the situation.

### Conclusion

Thank you for reading through my otherwise somewhat pointless 15-day blood sugar diary. For me, it was a very valuable time, and it reaffirmed the idea that you can't truly know how food affects your body until you measure it yourself. 

I'll be signing off now.

Wishing you all good health!

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