How Over-Treating Lows Sneaks in 20,000 Extra Calories a Year
If you’ve ever over-treated a low, you know the struggle, one juice box turns into cereal, granola bars, and a fridge raid. But did you know that just 100 extra calories per day adds up to over 20,000 extra calories a year? Today, we’re...
The episode, word for word
Hey, welcome back to Our Best T1D Year! I'm Neil Greathouse, and if you've got 5 minutes, you've got time for this podcast, whether you're making coffee, driving to work, or trying to justify eating one more Reese's from the Valentine's Day clearance aisle. (No judgment. We're all doing it.)
Today, we're talking about something sneaky, how over-treating lows can add up to 20,000 extra calories a year (or more) without us even realizing it.
That's not a guilt trip, this is just about seeing the pattern and making it easier on ourselves.
We've all been there. We're low, we're panicked, and suddenly, we're inhaling whatever's in front of us.
What starts as a couple of glucose tabs turns into:
A juice box
A handful of cereal
A granola bar (because we're "still feeling low")
And, next thing we know, we've raided the fridge like we're preparing for hibernation.
Fast-forward 30 minutes? We're at 250, feeling awful, and wondering how we got here.
Here's the math:
If we over-treat by just 100 extra calories a day, that's 36,500 calories a year.
Even half of that is almost 20,000 extra calories.
And most of the time? We don't even need that extra food.
So what's the fix? A simple rule: Treat with glucose first, then wait.
Fast-acting first (glucose tabs, not a meal).
Set a timer for 10-15 minutes before reaching for anything else.
Remind yourself that lows feel awful, but they don't need to be overcorrected.
Lows mess with our brains, they make us feel panicked, desperate, and like we need to eat everything in sight. But we're not doing a bad job, we're doing a difficult job.
So if this habit has been tough to break? You're not alone. The fact that we're even thinking about it? That's progress.
This isn't about being perfect. It's about one small habit at a time.
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Alright, see you in the next episode. Remember, we got this! Nobody remembers easy, what we're doing is pretty much incredible. I'm excited to hear about Our Best T1D Year Ever.
Week 3
Week 3
5 - Feb 24
This is the script as read on the mic, lightly tidied for reading. Education, not medical advice. Talk to your care team before you change anything about your insulin.