How to Lower Your A1C With Type 2 Diabetes
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5 Ways to Lower Your A1C if You Have Type 2 Diabetes

5 Ways to Lower Your A1C if You Have Type 2 Diabetes
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Updated on April 21, 2026
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If you have type 2 diabetes, your regular A1C tests may be the most important measurement for evaluating the success of your diabetes management plan. That’s because your A1C is the strongest indicator of your risk of the most dangerous long-term complications of diabetes, from kidney disease to a heart attack.

That means that lowering your A1C is also one of the best ways to help ensure your continuing health and fight against the development and progression of diabetes complications.

Think of your diabetes as you would a job, says Gregory Dodell, MD, an assistant clinical professor at Mount Sinai in New York City. It takes work, but the time and effort you put into it can result in good control and an improved quality of life. “The key to reaching your A1C goal is trying to follow a healthy lifestyle,” he says.

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1. Start an Exercise Plan You Enjoy, and Do It Regularly

Find something you enjoy doing that gets your body moving, whether it’s taking your dog for a brisk walk, playing a sport with a friend, or riding your bike.

The American Diabetes Association recommends getting 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, says Jordana Turkel, a certified diabetes care and education specialist (CDCES) at Park Avenue Endocrinology & Nutrition in New York City. The organization calls this the “magic number” that leads to blood sugar improvements and significantly better overall health, including a reduced risk of heart disease.

You’ll get the best results, Turkel says, if you vary your exercise to include both cardio and strength or resistance training. She recommends aiming for two days of strength training per week. Any type of exercise can lower your A1C by making your body more sensitive to insulin.

Check with your healthcare provider before embarking on an exercise plan though. Together, you can come up with an individualized strategy that takes into account both your exercise preferences and your unique health status.

And if you monitor your blood sugar daily, especially if you use insulin, check it before and after exercise. Physical activity can have an immediate and significant effect on your blood sugar levels. Generally speaking, exercise leads to lower blood sugar in both the short- and medium-term: Your muscles take up more glucose from the bloodstream while you’re moving your body, and they also experience increased insulin sensitivity hours later, as you rest. In certain circumstances, though, stress hormones produced during more intense or exciting exercise can also increase blood sugar levels. In addition, other factors, such as what you eat before exercise and the timing of your workout, may also affect your numbers.

2. Eat a Balanced Diet With Proper Portion Sizes

When it comes to healthy eating for type 2 diabetes, there’s no need to overcomplicate things or reach for fad diets. Diabetes authorities recommend a flexible common-sense approach. Turkel says to fill half of your plate with veggies, a quarter with protein, and a quarter with whole grains. If you like fruit, limit your portion to a small cup, eaten with a little protein or healthy fat to help you digest the carbohydrates in a way that is less likely to spike your blood sugar.

This approach allows you to enjoy almost every type of cuisine and eating pattern, as long as you choose your foods thoughtfully.

You should also know what type of foods to limit. Try to avoid ultra-processed foods as much as possible, especially junk foods that are sweet or salty, and definitely avoid sugary sodas and fruit juice, which are high in carbs without adding much nutritional value. Saturated fats, found mostly in red meat and processed meat, won’t spike your blood sugar, but they might contribute to long-term health problems like weight gain and cardiovascular disease.

Carbohydrates have the most immediate effect on blood glucose levels, and low-carb diets have shown potential to lower A1C results — but that doesn’t mean that going low-carb is right for everyone.

 Diabetes experts, for example, almost universally recommend eating plenty of wholesome whole grains and fresh fruits. These ingredients might cause your blood sugar to go up after a meal, but in the long-term they support weight management, insulin sensitivity, and low A1C levels. Overall diet quality, calorie balance, weight management, and medication adherence also play important roles in determining A1C levels.

A diet with plenty of fiber and protein will also help you limit portion sizes automatically, by helping you feel full before overeating.

And if a new diet helps you lose weight, you can expect even bigger benefits for your A1C. Weight loss can dramatically lower your blood sugar levels. A loss of about 8 percent of your total body weight can result in an A1C drop of up to 2.5 percentage points.

And it’s always best to check with a CDCES or registered dietitian-nutritionist to determine what a balanced diet and appropriate portion sizes look like for you.

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3. Stick to a Regular Schedule

It will be easier to manage your blood sugar if you have somewhat consistent eating and exercise habits. Skipping breakfast or going without snacks between meals may seem like good ways to lower your overall calorie intake, but it also might reduce your diet quality or even lead to bingeing if you get too hungry and overeat to compensate.

There’s no need to be too rigid or eat the same foods every day, but eating similar meals at similar times can make it far easier to prevent blood sugar roller coasters, especially if you use insulin and need to count your carbs for every meal.

Checking your blood sugar frequently might help you learn that a sandwich on multigrain bread, for example, generally leads to a blood sugar rise 30 or 60 minutes after eating. You might also learn that you can counteract that rise with a short stroll in the second half of your lunch break.

4. Follow the Diabetes Treatment Plan Your Healthcare Team Recommends

Take your medications. It may seem obvious, but the truth is that the average American with diabetes misses multiple doses of their daily medications per week, and a sizable minority will stop using them completely.

 Taking your medications exactly as they are prescribed is essential for getting their full benefits.

Diabetes treatment is very individualized.

 Your doctor will consider how long you’ve lived with the disease, your outlook and preferences, and your overall health factors in devising the best treatment approach for you.
If your treatment plan just isn’t working for you, you might be in a state of diabetes treatment inertia. This occurs when you get stuck in a rut using the same medications or glucose management techniques despite a rising A1C. If this describes your situation, it may ultimately be up to you to advocate for a change in your treatment.

Collaborate with your healthcare team to help you determine which steps to take to improve your diabetes management. Always talk to your doctor before making any changes, such as starting a diet very low in carbohydrates or beginning a new exercise regimen. This is especially important before making any medication or insulin changes.

5. Check Your Blood Sugar Levels as Your Doctor Has Directed

How often should you check your blood sugar? That’s up to you and your doctor. Some people with type 2 diabetes may only need to check their fasting blood sugar every once in a while. Others will benefit from checking many times a day, including before and after meals and exercise sessions, to help them better understand the impact of their habits and lifestyle decisions.

Check-ups at the doctor’s office are the time to check your A1C levels. Testing your blood sugar at home is a critical part of managing diabetes on a daily basis, but it only provides a snapshot of what’s happening at the moment, says Dr. Dodell. The A1C test can tell you how well your overall diabetes management plan is working. If your blood sugar is well controlled and your care plan is consistent, you may only need an A1C test twice a year; otherwise it will probably be recommended that you get your A1C levels tested every three months.

You may be tempted to pick up an A1C home testing kit, but Dodell says that having your A1C checked by your doctor every three to six months is sufficient. A better idea is to use a continuous glucose monitor (CGM). He recommends using a CGM to track your time in range, a new diabetes statistic that assesses how much of your day you spend in your target blood sugar range. Your A1C score is a helpful tool, Dodell says, but it is not the only indicator of how healthy you are. Time in range does a better job, for example, of tracking the daily blood sugar fluctuations that can lower your quality of life.

The Takeaway

  • Blood sugar control has a huge impact on your health, and keeping your A1C within your target range can help reduce your risk of diabetes complications.
  • Move and eat with purpose: Aim for 150 minutes of weekly exercise, and prioritize nonstarchy vegetables and lean proteins over processed carbs.
  • Sticking to a more consistent schedule for your meals and workouts can help you prevent blood sugar spikes and maintain more stable levels.
  • Always follow your medical plan. Take your medications exactly as prescribed, and work closely with your doctor to adjust your treatment if your A1C levels start to climb.

Resources We Trust

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
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