The Challenge Phase 2:
Hydration challenge
You’re not bad at diabetes.
You might just be dehydrated.
When you don’t drink enough water, the same glucose is floating in less fluid. Your blood becomes more concentrated. Insulin has a harder time moving. Highs stick longer. Corrections feel weaker.
Hydration is not a wellness trend.
It’s metabolic support.
Duration: 8 Weeks
Target: 8–12 cups daily
Focus: Lower friction, smoother numbers, better energy
STOP WALKING AROUND THICK
The problem
Most adults average about 2.5 cups of water per day.
People with type 1 diabetes lose more fluid than average because high blood sugar pulls water out through urine. That water loss concentrates glucose even more. It becomes a loop:
High → Pee → Dehydrated → Higher → Repeat
Dehydration also:
• Raises vasopressin, which increases liver glucose output
• Raises cortisol, which increases insulin resistance
• Slows insulin absorption
• Increases kidney stress
• Reduces cognitive performance
Mild dehydration alone can push glucose 50–100 mg/dL higher.
That’s not a willpower problem.
That’s fluid volume.
The Plan
We are not chasing extremes.
We are building consistency.
Establish Your Baseline
Track how much you currently drink for 3 days.
Add Three Glasses
Most people are under-hydrated. Adding ~3 cups daily moves you toward the minimum protective range.
Spread It Out
Morning.
Midday.
Evening.Not all at once.
Build Toward 8–12 Cups
This is the sustainable range for most adults unless your clinician has told you otherwise.
No gallon challenges.
No punishment.
Just filling the tank.
Your tools
Simple. Mobile. Friction-free.
• “Why Hydration Matters” PDF
Clear. Science-backed. Straight to the point.
Understand what dehydration actually does to your blood sugar, insulin absorption, and energy.
• Mobile Water Tracker Image
Set it as your lock screen.
See it every time you check your CGM.
Track without thinking about tracking.
Everything is designed to live on your phone.
No apps.
No complicated systems.
Just daily repetition.
Hydrate. Check. Repeat.
Quick Hacks
Make hydration automatic.
• Drink 1 glass immediately after waking
• Drink 1 glass 30 minutes before meals
• Drink extra when blood sugar is elevated
• Keep your bottle visible at all times
• Use sugar-free electrolytes during heavy exercise, illness, or persistent highs
Plain water is the foundation.
Electrolytes are situational support.
What You’ll Feel
Within a couple of weeks many people notice:
Smoother highs
Faster insulin response
Fewer stubborn spikes
Better focus
Less fatigue
More predictable workouts
Hydration will not replace insulin.
But it makes insulin’s job easier.
And easier matters.
Success Snapshot
You finish eight weeks.
You’re drinking consistently.
Your CGM graph looks less jagged.
Highs resolve faster.
You don’t feel like you’re chasing numbers all day.
You didn’t overhaul your life.
You just stopped running dry.
Share your progress and tag us. Let’s build momentum together.
Share that on victory on Instagram and tag me in your story at @thebetes so we can all celebrate together!
Week 1
Over January and February, we’re focusing on one practical goal: fewer low blood sugars that wreck your nights and bleed into your days. Nothing complicated, nothing overwhelming—just clear actions, real follow-through, and momentum that actually sticks.
Week 2
Week Two is about locking in one small habit that makes everything else easier: treating lows with glucose before the pantry gets involved. This video walks through why that shift matters—shorter lows, fewer rebound spikes, clearer mornings—and invites you to practice it without aiming for perfection. If you’ve ever started a low calm and ended it negotiating with snacks like it’s a hostage situation, you’re in the right place. Watch, try it for the week, notice what pulls you off course, and count “glucose only, survived” as a win.
Week 3
Week Three zooms in on nighttime lows—the ones that hit when you’re exhausted, half-awake, and least interested in making thoughtful decisions. This video introduces a simple “night script” that replaces panic-buffet energy with a plan you’ve already decided on: glucose within reach, everything else out of arm’s way, and a short pause to let it work. The goal isn’t willpower at 2 a.m.; it’s setting up your environment so you don’t have to think. Rewrite the script at night, and daytime lows start feeling a whole lot easier.
Week 4
Low blood sugars are stressful enough without turning into a public performance. This week is about keeping your dignity (and your plan) intact—using a simple script and easy-to-grab glucose so you can treat the low quickly, calmly, and on your own terms, without explaining your pancreas to a room full of well-meaning snack pushers.
Week 5
Progress with lows rarely looks dramatic—it looks quiet, quick, and kind of boring. This week helps you learn to spot and celebrate those “nothing happened” moments in your CGM data, because smoother, faster recoveries are real wins, even if they don’t come with fireworks or brag-worthy graphs.
Week 6
Week six is about learning where progress actually hides. Before big lab wins ever show up, change shows up as shorter lows, softer rebounds, and fewer exhausting roller-coaster days—small shifts that mean your body and brain are carrying less stress, even if the week itself felt aggressively “meh.”
Week 7
This week is about separating emergency fuel from actual enjoyment. By letting glucose do its job during lows and saving comfort foods for when you’re steady, you protect tomorrow’s blood sugars and your relationship with food—no panic eating, no regret spiral, just better timing and more respect for both your body and your joy.
Week 8
This final week is about owning the win. You didn’t just “try a tip,” you built a real system—glucose where you need it, words ready when things get awkward, and proof you can change long-standing habits—so this isn’t a finish line moment, it’s a foundation you carry into the rest of the year (sticker fully earned).