Struggling With Belly Fat? Over-The-Counter Glucose Monitors Can Help (2025)

Any time we try a healthy new way of eating, it’s easy for doubt to creep in. Is it really working? Is it worth it? Does it even matter if I give up? “That’s why a continuous glucose monitor, or CGM, is such a game changer,” says New York obesity specialist Tro Kalayjian, D.O., who personally used a CGM while shedding 150 pounds. “It lets you see how your body is responding to what you eat in real-time, which is extremely motivating.” So much so that a 2022 study in the journal Foods showed people burn three times more sugar-related visceral belly fat while wearing a CGM. And devices from brands like Stelo and Lingo are now affordable and available without a prescription. Pennsylvania sales exec Suzy Demeester used approach to take her results to the next level, shedding 69 pounds. Keep reading to see if a CGM might be right for you.

What are CGMs and how do they work?

The first step to using an over-the-counter CGM is to insert a sensor in your arm. The sensor is just a tiny filament; it’s attached to a transmitter in a plastic case that’s about an inch in diameter. You choose an area on the back of your upper arm (a place you won’t bump too much), clean it with alcohol and then grab the preloaded applicator. We tested the Stelo brand monitor, and it really was easy to use. You just “stamp” the device where you want it. There’s no pain, not even a little pinch. You secure the device in place with an adhesive patch that is provided. You’ll also download the corresponding app to your phone and follow instructions to pair the app with the device in your arm.

Once everything is set up, the device begins sending blood sugar readings to your phone. You’ll see how sleep, stress, diet and exercise impact your levels. You can experiment to find sugar-stabilizing techniques that work best for your body. “People love it,” says Dr. Tro. “I think everyone should use a CGM at least once.”

The cost: Over-the-counter CGMs are about $45 to $55 each online or at pharmacies and they last 14-15 days. The good news? They’re HSA/FSA eligible, and insurance may pay for an Rx version if you have blood sugar issues, so ask your doctor. Dr. Tro loves Stelo by Dexcom. Another great option is Lingo by Abbott.

CGMs were originally created to help people with type 2 diabetes manage their condition, “but we’ve found that patients who aren’t diabetic are able to lose excess pounds faster if they wear one,” shares Dr. Tro, host of the Low Carb MD podcast. And that’s particularly true if you struggle with fat pressed against vital organs in your midsection, also known as visceral belly fat.

Why visceral belly fat is hard to lose

In case you didn’t know, both kale and Doritos contain carbs that the body will turn into blood sugar to use as fuel. Gentle rises in blood sugar are natural after meals, says Dr. Tro. What isn’t natural: Harvard research shows 42 percent of our calories now come from highly processed carbs like Doritos, white bread and cola—foods that lack nutrients to slow their conversion to blood sugar. “So instead of gentle rises, we get sharp spikes,” the doc notes. These spikes trigger a surge of insulin, the hormone tasked with keeping sugar at safe levels. It sends some sugar to muscles to be burned; the rest goes to insulin-friendly visceral fat tissue around our middle. “Like so many people, I personally once had a ‘sugar belly,’” admits Dr. Tro.

“Sugar bellies” can be hard to lose. That’s because frequent sugar spikes cause damage that makes insulin stop working properly. Insulin then tends to over-respond “and lower your blood sugar too much, which is a very potent signal to eat more carbs,” says Dr. Tro. Malfunctioning insulin also turns virtually all blood sugar to belly fat. It even blocks stored fat from burning. Yikes!

Eating to prevent sugar spikes

Dr. Tro is a fan of the keto diet, which keeps sugar so low, the body burns mostly fat as fuel. To try his approach, just reduce carb intake to 20 to 40 grams per day. Using a CGM? Aim to keep post-meal sugar readings under 120 ml/dL.

Luckily, if you use a CGM to stop the spikes, you can reverse the problem and see belly fat disappear about three times faster. Is a CGM your only option? No. But the device makes it easy to see what does and doesn’t work you’re your exact body chemistry to keep sugar steady. Expect surprises, says Dr. Tro. A food that seems healthy (like oatmeal) may send levels sky-high, while one that seems unhealthy (like pork rinds) has little impact.

Exact reactions vary from person to person, and a CGM is a window into your specific body chemistry. That said, after analyzing more than 10,000 CGMs, Dr. Tro has found patterns that steady blood sugar whether you wear one or not.

3 ways to maximize the benefits of a CGM

In general, the fewer carbs you eat, the better your blood glucose level and the more sugar belly you’ll burn. To maximize benefits, Dr. Tro recommends the following strategies:

1. Skip this fat. Most dietary fat triggers GLP-1, a hormone that lowers blood sugar and kills hunger. The exception: highly processed vegetable and seed oils in packaged and restaurant food. “A switch to olive oil and butter is an easy way people see improvements on their CGM,” says Dr. Tro.

2. Walk off stress. “Stress hormones will increase your blood sugar without any food, especially in the morning,” reveals the doc. “A quick walk reverses the effect right away.”

3. Be an early bird. “Late-night eating is linked to higher blood sugar,” Dr. Tro says. “Try to eat earlier and go to bed earlier.” Good sleep also improves sugar. “Anything you do to keep your blood sugar level is good for you and makes weight easier to lose!”

Real-life success stories with CGMs: Suzy Demeester blasts belly fat

Taught to avoid fatty foods as a chubby kid in WeightWatchers, Suzy Demeester spent decades “getting heavier and sicker,” shares the Pennsylvania sales exec, 61. So when a colleague began slimming down, “I asked about it and did some research. That’s how I found Dr. Tro.” At first, Suzy just cut carbs. “I had success, but I still had weight to lose and health goals to meet.” Dr. Tro suggested a CGM.

“It’s so interesting to see what makes your levels rise,” says Suzy. “It might be stress or poor sleep. Or it might be Starbucks egg bites, which I didn’t realize were made with sugar-spiking potato starch.” Suzy also found that ‘natural flavoring’ and pasta sauce led to spikes for her. “A CGM is great about helping you find hidden sugar.”

Since Suzy started her journey to improve her blood sugar and transform her body, she’s had more than a few surprises along the way. “A big one is that when I eat keto, I’m not hungry all the time. I usually only eat two meals a day now,” she says. She also has a lot more energy—and an unexpected appreciation for exercise. “Even 5 minutes of walking after a meal can get my blood sugar down. And moving for a couple of minutes every hour makes a nice difference too!”

Suzy wears a CGM “anytime I’m stuck and want to improve my results.” It’s worked like a charm. She lost 60 pounds in six months and 69 pounds in all. “I went from a size 20 to a 10, so that’s a nice difference in my waist.” She also reversed her fatty liver and got off blood pressure meds. Is she always perfect? No. “But when you’ve seen how different choices affect your CGM, it gets much easier to do what’s best for your body!”

To order CGMs and get free resources from Dr. Tro, log on to Toward.Health.

Additional reporting by Cailey Griffin

This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan.