# Measuring Fasting Glucose and Reversing Fatty Liver **URL:** \ **Category:** Medical Q&A \[Moderated\]\ **Created:** [March 28, 2018, 11:58pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/measuring-fasting-glucose-and-reversing-fatty-liver/1385 "2018-03-28T23:58:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MorganIsm](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/morganism/32/644_2.png) [@MorganIsm](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/MorganIsm)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2018, 11:58pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/measuring-fasting-glucose-and-reversing-fatty-liver/1385/1 "2018-03-28T23:58:14Z")
Hi Austin had helped me before with some advice about fatty liver and my slightly elevated IFG (with normal A1C). That thread is closed but I have some questions which I put in bold. I am working on adding in conditioning to my training as well as changing my body composition in order to get my fasting glucose down to an average of 90 or less. I am always working on getting stronger but my primary goal in the short, medium and long term is my health. I have a lot of people depending on me for their livelihood and well being! I have a good diet, but as well as adding in conditioning I have cut my alcohol consumption down to zero. I hope I can have a drink now and then at some point but it seems stupid to drink until I know I am reversing any potential liver damage **does that make sense?** I purchased a glucometer, which as far as I can tell from my experiments is pretty accurate. **How long would you expect it to take to make a lasting change to my liver/glucose/insulin resistance?** I realize this can probably be confounded by other things so here is more information; Due to other health issues I have had an extremely comprehensive set of labs done and all my other markers from cancer markers to inflammation to lipids are very very good. I know people underestimate their body fat so I won’t try but I am currently 71 inches tall and weigh 197 lbs, my waist has gone down to 36 inches at the navel and I am wearing 33 waist pants. I am starting to see some vascularity and muscle separation and I actually look “fit” which I haven’t in years. I can’t imagine I am over 20% but as I said I understand it is hard to guess and really doesn’t matter. **Is measuring my own fasting glucose a good way to track this?** I like to track and measure everything, isn’t that a shock! So 6 weeks ago I was getting an average reading of 125. I always do it first thing in the morning when I wake up which is at 545 am. It is currently averaging around 114 after adding conditioning and cutting out alcohol completely. If not good to measure then I guess you can forget these questions: **How often should I measure?** **How long is “fasting”?** The last thing I eat is usually around 10 pm so it is close to 8 hours, I don’t know if that is really long enough? **Anything else you would recommend to help me control this?** My one caveat is I am not going to take medication, I don’t like medication and don’t feel I am having problems that would warrant it. **Is there any way to target “visceral fat”?** I am not sure if you just lose fat generally or if you can target that belly/organ fat. **Is it really true that you “lose strength” if you are “not fat enough”?** I read way too many stupid articles and forums but I have heard all these stories of people who get their fat down and then suddenly they are weaklings, then again we have Charles the amazing charlatan Poliquin who has 1% body fat and can squat 875 kilos and if you can’t you just need to earn your damn carbs you weakling. Or there is a large subgroup of people who just say “GET BIG = GET STRONG”…you may have heard that somewhere :-). I of course have been indoctrinated enough to have thoughts of being an insectile girly man now that I dropped down under 200lbs! Please help me clarify this! \*\*Is it okay if I am 187lbs and have good blood glucose? Can I still be strong? (\*\*I don’t need to be super strong, just as strong as a healthy me can be.) Thank you so much for everything you all do! ---
**Author:** ![Austin\_Baraki](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/austin_baraki/32/1095_2.png) [@Austin\_Baraki](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Austin_Baraki)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 1:16pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/measuring-fasting-glucose-and-reversing-fatty-liver/1385/2 "2018-04-02T13:16:46Z")
1. Sure, reducing alcohol intake makes sense. 2. I can’t predict how long it will take, but you can make significant changes within a few weeks / months. 3. Checking Fasting glucose is a reasonable way to track this. You can check as often as you’re willing to prick your finger. 8 hours is definitely still considered “fasting”. 4. “Anything else”? Is a broad question, but if you’re doing the strength, conditioning, and nutrition interventions, while reducing alcohol intake, you’re on the right track. 5. Getting extremely lean (like \<10-12%) tends to result in some strength loss for most. Conversely, carrying lots of body fat tends to come with health consequences, even if you’re strong. I don’t know what you want me to tell you regarding whether it’s “okay” to be 187 lbs, as this is not a decision I can make for you, but it’s certainly possible to get strong in your situation. ---
**Author:** ![MorganIsm](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/morganism/32/644_2.png) [@MorganIsm](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/MorganIsm)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 1:37pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/measuring-fasting-glucose-and-reversing-fatty-liver/1385/3 "2018-04-02T13:37:40Z")
Thank you Austin. I appreciate it. Once I have this more under control is there a recommendation on alcohol intake for someone with this kind of history? I’m sure I can be strong I was perhaps being a bit dramatic. 🙂 I don’t know if I have the response to get hyoooge but I’m stronger at 47 than I ever have been and in still getting stronger while losing weight. ( **Especially** now that I’m learning to program in appropriate volume/hypertrophy/rpe) ---
**Author:** ![Austin\_Baraki](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/austin_baraki/32/1095_2.png) [@Austin\_Baraki](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Austin_Baraki)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 4:44pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/measuring-fasting-glucose-and-reversing-fatty-liver/1385/4 "2018-04-02T16:44:47Z")
I’d go with the standard alcohol intake recommendations of \< 1-2 drinks per day, while continuing to monitor health parameters.