Balance Your Blood Sugar Naturally: 5 Strategies That Work

Balancing blood sugar is a hot topic right now, but unfortunately, a lot of the hype is fueled by fear-mongering and products that promise a "secret formula" to stable glucose levels. The truth? Your body is incredibly intelligent, and blood sugar regulation doesn’t require magic potions—it requires science-backed habits.

If you're looking to improve your energy levels, reduce cravings, or even prevent diabetes, understanding how your blood sugar works and how to balance it naturally is key. Whether you’re pre-diabetic, managing diabetes, or simply want to act preventatively, these five strategies will help keep your blood sugar stable without the stress.

Understanding Blood Sugar: A Simplified Approach

Think of your blood sugar like fuel in a car—it provides the energy your body needs to function. When you eat, especially carbohydrates, your body breaks them down into glucose (sugar), which enters your bloodstream. In response, your pancreas releases insulin, a hormone that helps move glucose into your cells for energy.

Sugar itself isn’t bad—it’s essential for energy. However, consuming too many refined carbs (candy, baked goods, sugary snacks) can cause large spikes in blood sugar, followed by crashes that leave you feeling fatigued, hungry, and craving more sugar. Over time, frequent spikes and crashes can lead to insulin resistance, weight gain, and increased risk of diabetes.

The goal? Instead of sharp peaks and valleys, we want to create gentle, rolling hills with our blood sugar levels. Here’s how to make that happen.

5 Proven Strategies to Balance Blood Sugar Naturally

1. Prioritize Protein and Healthy Fats

Start every meal with protein and healthy fats before eating carbohydrates. This helps slow down sugar absorption and prevents large spikes in blood sugar. If you’re eating a carb-heavy meal (like pasta or bread), be sure to add a protein source to promote balanced energy levels.

Examples:

• Protein: Chicken, turkey, steak, eggs, tofu, fish, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese.

• Healthy fats: Avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil.

2. Choose Fiber-Rich Carbs Over Processed Carbs

Not all carbohydrates are created equal. Fiber slows digestion, helping to stabilize blood sugar levels. Opt for whole grains, vegetables, beans, and legumes instead of refined carbs like white bread, pasta, or sugary snacks.

Examples:

• Instead of white bread, choose whole-grain or sprouted bread.

• Swap white pasta for lentil or chickpea pasta.

• Choose fiber-rich snacks like hummus and veggies instead of chips.

3. Don’t Eat Carbs in Isolation

Pairing carbohydrates with protein or healthy fats ensures a slower release of sugar into the bloodstream, preventing energy crashes.

Examples:

• Add eggs or peanut butter to toast.

• Pair fruit with nuts or Greek yogurt.

• Add avocado or cheese to a sandwich.

4. Move More—Especially After Eating

Physical activity helps your body use blood sugar for energy instead of letting it sit in your bloodstream. Even a short 10-15 minute walk after meals can significantly improve blood sugar regulation.

Movement ideas:

• A post-meal walk.

• Bodyweight exercises like squats or lunges.

• Stretching or yoga to promote circulation.

5. Manage Stress and Prioritize Sleep

Stress raises cortisol, which can spike blood sugar levels. Lack of sleep has a similar effect. Consistently getting 7+ hours of sleep and practicing stress management techniques can help stabilize glucose levels.

Ways to manage stress:

• Deep breathing or meditation.

• Journaling or therapy.

• Engaging in hobbies you enjoy.

Who Might Need Extra Support?

While these five strategies work for most people, those with insulin resistance, diabetes, or PCOS may need additional steps. These include:

• Being more mindful of total carbohydrate intake under professional guidance.

• Strength training at least twice a week to improve insulin sensitivity.

• Exploring intermittent fasting (with caution, especially for women).

Final Thoughts

Blood sugar balance isn’t about perfection—it’s about consistency. These five steps are simple yet effective ways to regulate blood sugar naturally, leading to improved energy, reduced cravings, and better long-term health. If you need more personalized guidance, or could benefit from turning these effective strategies into life-long eating habits, feel free to reach out—I’d love to help!

Things I do as a Mom that might surprise you when you find out I’m a Nutrition Coach

For context, I have a 2.5 year old and a 4 month old (who is thriving on bottles and avocado). And while I’m not a parenting expert, but I do know a thing or two about nutrition and building healthy relationships with food, so here’s what’s working well for our household right now:

I give my toddler candy every day
I’m not exaggerating when I say that my two-year old is obsessed with lollipops. It’s the first thing he asks for in the morning and the last thing he thinks about before bed. In an effort to avoid demonizing sugar, and teach him the importance of variety and balance, he gets to pick a lollipop to enjoy after lunch every day.

I don’t make my kids finish their meals
Instead of forcing the last few bites because it’s the quantity I think he should eat, I ask, “is your belly happy or are you still hungry?” I might playfully encourage him to take another dinosaur bite to see if he’s truly full or simply distracted (as toddlers often are), but he gets to decide when he’s done - not me.

I sometimes skip the veggies
I do my best to ensure a vegetable is available at lunch and dinner, but if there’s resistance to eating it, or even trying it (in the case of something new), I don’t force the issue. I know that giving him access to vegetables and setting an example as someone who eats vegetables consistently is far more important than getting him to “just eat one bite”.

I don’t always make him eat at the table
There are occasions when we sit down as a family to enjoy a meal together and I encourage him to stay seated (even if he’s done eating), but there are an equal number of occasions when I allow him to eat while roaming, or have a “picnic” with his toys. Because it’s more important to me that he eats than follow table manners. Not to mention, I don’t always eat while sitting down, so it seems unfair that I’d ask him to (especially as a tornado toddler who rivals the energizer bunny).

What’s a mealtime habit that works well for your family? I’d love to know in the comments below!

Make Healthy Eating SIMPLE With These 6 Steps:

#1. Schedule a standing weekly grocery shopping/delivery date

Because if you don’t have access to the food you need for the week, even the best plan won’t work.

#2. Always have pre-made, ready-to-eat options on hand

Greek yogurt, string cheese, steamable rice and veggies, canned tuna/salmon, rotisserie chicken, etc.

Having a healthy alternative that’s just as easy as takeout will save you calories and cash!

3. Don’t sleep on canned and frozen produce

It’s often as nutritious and more cost-effective when compared to fresh fruits and veggies!

#4. Stop wasting time searching for the *perfect* 32-step recipe. Pick a protein and pair it with a vegetable and a favorite carb

#5. Stop overcomplicating food prep

You don’t have to be a chef or love cooking to set yourself up for healthy eating success.

Hard boiling eggs, grilling protein, and/or stocking up on steamable carbs and veggies in advance of the week is food prep. Keep. It. Simple.

#6. Slow down and sit down when eating

Instead of standing over the sink or scarfing food down in the car, make enjoying your food a priority. Sit, chew, taste, and embrace how food makes you feel.

Tune in to episode No. 305 of the Health, Wellth & Wisdom Podcast with Ali Elman to learn more about how to make healthy eating SIMPLE + enjoyable.

5 healthy habits to STICK WITH

Now that the 73 days of January have passed, it’s officially love month and according to most research, 80% of New Years resolutions have been abandoned by February.

And while, in some cases, that could be a good thing (like if your resolution was too restrictive or aggressive), here are five healthy habits you definitely want to stick with this season:

Prioritizing sleep 💤 

Skimping on sleep is a great way to ensure you’re hungry more often and feel like working out less often. 😬 So stay up late when it really matters, but make sure you’re still prioritizing sleep whenever possible. 

Gold ⭐️ goal = 7-9 hours/night

Eating veggies 🥗 

There is nothing quite like a happy digestive system and easeful bathroom trips! 🚽 Enjoy your favorite fun foods and beverages, but don’t forget your fiber too!

Gold ⭐️ goal for women = 25+ grams of fiber/day

Gold ⭐️ goal for men = 35+ grams of fiber/day

Getting steps 👣

Inside or outside, fast, or slow, walking is a healthy habit you can (and should) stick with all yearlong. The risk is low and the benefits - blood sugar stabilization, mood boosting, weight management, bone and heart health - are wiiiild. 

Gold ⭐️ goal = 8-10K steps/day

Prepping protein 🍤 

Carbs and fats are always easy to find and can usually be prepared quickly. But protein requires forethought and preparation. Make balanced meals easy by having 1-2 prepared options in your fridge at all times. 

Gold ⭐️ goal ‎ = -.7-1 gram of protein per lb. of ideal body weight or lean body mass

Planning for your faves 🍪 

You can enjoy ALL foods and still make amazing progress, it’s true. But it’s easy for foods hyper-palatable, low-nutrient value foods to add up quickly. In an effort to more easily balance them with the foods your body NEEDS (like proteins, fiber, complex carbs, and healthy fats), plan for them! 

Know weekend cocktails are your jam? Commit a drink max that will leave you feeling good but not hungover. 

Look forward to Friday pizza night all week long? Plan on eating a high protein, high fiber meal beforehand knowing you’ll get plenty of carbs and fats later. 

Need help establishing these healthy habits and ensuring you can confidently maintain them all year long?

We’re here to help.

Your Online Nutrition Coach,

Nicole Hagen

What does it mean to have a healthy relationship with food?

If you ask 10 people this question, you might get 10 different answers, but here’s what we mean @nutritionwithnicole when we say that we help our clients create healthy, confident relationships with food:

We teach them how to create long-term behavior change 

Anyone can demonstrate compliance without understanding only for old habits to resurface once the diet ends. Building a healthy relationship with food teaches understanding, addresses the root causes of eating patterns, and allows our clients to make mindful and informed choices moving forward. 

We help them address their emotional patterns 

We all eat in response to stress, boredom, and emotions rather than physical hunger sometimes. Learning to understand the emotional triggers behind those choices creates awareness that allows us to build healthier coping mechanisms moving forward.

We teach them how to irradicate food morality 

Labelling foods as "good" or "bad" creates guilt and shame around eating, which leads to a cycle of restriction and overeating. A healthy relationship with food, on the other hand, allows for balance, where all foods can fit in moderation, and reduces the likelihood of overindulging in “forbidden” foods.

We help them improve their quality of life 

Rather than being a source of stress (as is often the case with dieting), food becomes a source of nourishment and pleasure, contributing to a life without food noise, as well as improved mental and physical wellbeing. 

We help them create autonomy 

Creating a healthy relationship with food equips individuals with the tools to make choices that align with their needs and values, fostering habits that are healthier, more enjoyable, and sustainable over the long term.

Having a healthy relationship with food DOES look like eating a balance of nutrient-dense foods most of the time in a quantity that allows you to look, feel, and perform your best, but it’s also so much more than that.

If you want to address the deeper issues contributing to your current eating habits and lack of results, fill out a 1:1 Nutrition Coaching application and let us help you create true, lasting change in your diet, your body, and your relationship with food.

3 Things You Need To Know About Hormones

Your hormones aren’t the problem. Hormones are messengers in your body that react to stressors and tell your body what to do and when to do it.

Hormones themselves aren’t keeping you from reaching your goals. 🙂‍↔️

However, the stressors in your life (under eating, over exercising, poor sleep, nutrient deficiencies, etc.) could be.

Getting “more strict” or going on another diet isn’t going to solve your hormone imbalance.

In fact, it could make your symptoms worse.

Eating for hormone health involves a nutrition strategy that supports stable blood sugar and emphasizes a variety of nutrients and antioxidants from whole foods. Cutting carbs, skipping meals, and eating as little as possible does the opposite.

Supplements alone will not balance your hormones or heal your symptoms.

Healing starts by ensuring your foundational habits (nutrition, sleep , movement, stress management, etc.) are in place, not with a pill, potion, tincture, or tonic.

If you want to learn more about what it means to have happy hormones and how to balance them naturally, don’t miss this week’s Health, Wealth & Wisdom Podcast episode featuring Functional Dietitian & Women’s Health Specialist, Jillian Greaves.

Dieting doesn’t work, so, what does? (3/3)

Step 3: Think in terms of YEARS, not DAYS or WEEKS

Dieting teaches you how to transform your life in 30 days FOR 30 days, but after the diet ends so do the results you worked hard for. 

Instead of asking, “How can I lose weight fast?” you need to ask, “How can I lose weight in a way that will LAST?” 

#hardtruth, it’s going to take longer than you want it to, 

you won’t reach your goal in days or weeks. 

But when you take your time and build skills and habits you can maintain through even the toughest seasons, you’re never at risk of “falling off the wagon” and gaining all the weight back. 

Think of the version of you who has reached her goals. 

• What does she do consistently? 

• What does she NOT do consistently? 

• How does she show up when stress is high and life feels hard? 

• What skills and habits does she have that allow her to live healthy and happy?

Write ✍️ those down and then list them out in order from least to most challenging.

Start by building the skill that feels the least challenging (even if it seems too easy) and once you’ve mastered it 80% of the time, add a new focus. 

Not only does this build your proficiency over time, it also builds your confidence as you realize what a capable badass you are.

If you want to successfully lose weight without dieting this year, don’t miss our FREE Nutrition Audit Challenge where my team and I will help you identify the skills and habits you need to reach your sustainable weight loss goals. 

Starting January 20th in the Nutrition Coaching with Nicole Facebook Group. 

I can’t wait to see you inside!

How To Set A Weight Loss Resolution That Works

Did you know that more than 50% of Americans set weight loss related resolutions,

and only 9% of people who make them, complete them!?

23% of resolution makers quit by the end of week one, 

and an additional 43% of people quit by the end of the month. 

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with resolutions. It’s how we do it and what we resolve to do/not do that’s problematic. 

• We go all in starting January 1st 

• We leave no room for error or flexibility which means we quit when we fail

• We make overly challenging commitments and stack them on top of each other

If that’s been your experience, I suggest resolving to do things differently this year. 

Because it’s time to reach your weight loss resolution. Don’t you think?

Here’s how I recommend reaching your weight loss resolution: 

• Set realistic goals 

You’re not going to lose 10# in a month. You might want to, but if you’re looking to lose body fat and keep it off (vs. gaining/losing water weight over and over again), you can expect to lose .5-2# per week if you’re consistently eating in a calorie deficit. 

• Focus on behavior changes

Rather than focusing on the outcome (weight loss), focus on the behaviors you need to create in order to encourage the desired outcome. 

“I’m going to eat protein at every meal this week” vs. “I’m going to lose 5# this month” 

• Make sustainable changes

If you can’t see yourself sticking with the behavior, don’t try to create weight loss that way, because if you can’t sustain the behavior, you won’t maintain the weight loss. 

• Be patient and persistent 

Sustainable weight loss isn’t a 30 day game. It takes TIME to create results that last and you will likely encounter unexpected barriers and curve balls along the way. 

• Track your progress

Keep a record of the metrics that mean the most to you and ensure you’re tracking more than only weight. 

• Recruit support

We are more accountable to others than we are to ourselves, so whether a coach, mentor, friend, or family members, build a support system and stop trying to do it alone. 

• Use positive reinforcement

Reward yourself for the wins you achieve - no matter how small. Success begets success and when we pause to recognize what we’re doing well, we’re more likely to do those things and create additional progress.

• Be flexible 

Circumstances will change. Shit will hit the fan sometimes. Be prepared to choose the “next best thing” when the best, most ideal option isn’t available. 

• Prioritize overall health and wellbeing

There are many different ways we can lose weight. Not all of them are health-promoting, meaning that while we might see the scale go down (initially), over time, we will be left feeling poorly and costing ourselves health and happiness, which will likely lead to poor health markers and weight regain. 

Fill out a 1:1 Coaching Application 

Let my team and I help you create weight loss you can confidently maintain and a healthy relationship with food in LESS time and with LESS frustration.