The CGM Diet

A revolutionary approach to lose weight, manage Metabolic Syndrome, & improve health for the rest of your life.

This actually isn’t a “diet” plan at all.

Every human is unique with a different makeup of tissues, metabolism, & tolerances that changes with time.

So, why should you blindly follow a rigid set of universal eating rules forever?

Learn to fuel your body without overfilling it.

The Continuous Glucose Monitor, or CGM, was designed to monitor the blood glucose of diabetic patients in real-time without the need for frequent finger sticks. We believe CGMs are also a game-changer for managing Metabolic Syndrome, obesity, and many associated chronic illnesses.

The CGM Diet is a medically supervised program that allows you to learn how nutrition affects your blood glucose through self-experimentation. Our program, led by a family physician, also teaches you how other lifestyle factors (activity, stress, sleep, & more) affect your body. This takes the speculation and guesswork about what is best for your individual physiology.

Combined with counseling and other measurements of metabolic health, our program gives you innovative tools to reach and, more importantly, sustain your healthy lifestyle.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR INTRODUCTION PLANS BELOW!

Our Principles

  • SCIENCE-BASED

    We also wished magic potions existed. However, we won’t sell you fake shortcuts or snake oil. Instead…

    Our program was designed and supervised by a family physician with a deep understanding of human physiology. Using a framework of bioenergetics & metabolic dysfunction, we provide scientific tools, rather than guesswork and folklore.

  • FLEXIBLE

    The program doesn’t rely on a strict set of “approved” foods, pre-packaged meals, or broad category restrictions such as zero carbs, no red meat, etc. Instead…

    The program will teach you what foods your body will tolerate and in what amounts. This allows you to make wiser nutrition choices within any environment.

  • SUSTAINABLE

    The weight loss industry is full of “lose 30 pounds quickly” promises. This approach often sabotages success long-term. Instead…

    The CGM Diet lays a foundation for successful lifelong weight management and metabolic health. Our patients often do lose a lot of fat mass in the first 3 months, but we care more about 3 or 10 years from now!

  • MEDICATIONS-OPTIONAL

    Ozempic & other GLP-1 meds are touted as the miracle solution for obesity by many clinics and companies. Instead…

    The system works with or without drugs. We offer an option for physician-supervised management of GLP-1 and other cardiovascular meds. However, our goal is to manage problems with as few of meds as possible.

  • HEALTH-FOCUSED

    Most weight management programs look purely at the scale for success. We believe that is a grave error for many reasons. Instead…

    We will help you shed excessive body fat but is more broadly focused than “pounds lost.” Maintaining metabolic health & muscle mass is crucial, especially as we age. We want people to be healthy & strong; rather than aiming for “thin.”

  • EMPOWERING

    Most diet plans are led by dogma or a guru that demands strict adherence to arbitrary rules. This inevitably leads to “failures” and guilt, as well as waiting for results. Instead:

    The CGM Diet puts the individual in control. With instant feedback, the effects of positive choices are reinforced immediately. When people make less healthy choices, we view it as a learning experience.

Getting Started

INTRODUCTION PLANS

  • 4-week programs designed to get you started. All plans include:

  • CGM Device Education: How to apply a sensor, use the smartphone app, & interpret results.

  • Messaging with a physician through a secure portal.

  • Screening lab panel (blood work): metabolic panel (CMP), lipid panel, complete blood counts (CBC), HA1c, TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone), insulin.

  • Carbohydrate Tolerance Test: Individualized glucose challenge protocol to determine your ability to tolerate carbs.

  • Body Measurements: Weight, waist, & blood pressure on days 1 & 28 at a clinic, or instruction on doing it at home (virtual program)

Intensive Intro

  • 2 CGM sensors (4 weeks) — provided & applied at clinic

  • 2 Clinic doctor visits

  • 2 Body composition tests

  • 20% Supplement discount

  • 30% FitnessDx test (1) discount

  • $359

Moderate Intro

  • 1 CGM sensor (2 weeks) — provided & applied at clinic

  • 1 Clinic doctor visit

  • 1 Body composition test

  • 10% Supplement discount

  • 20% FitnessDx test (1) discount

  • $239

Virtual Intro

MAINTENANCE PLANS

After completing one of the introductory plans, you can choose a maintenance plan (12 weeks) based on your needs, starting as low as $50/mo. Also, Medication Management Services are available if on a maintenance plan.

Medication Management Services

GLP-1 agonists (weight loss drugs)

We prefer patients to have a learning experience during the 4-week introductory phase that is not altered by starting a new “weight loss” medication. However, we believe the GLP-1 agonist medications (Semiglutide/Ozempic/Wegovy, Tirzepatide/Mounjaro, or similar) can be helpful for some people. If deemed safe after your initial evaluation & introductory plan, we offer to start or manage these medications while on a Maintenance Plan.

This optional service includes:

  • Prescription sent to a pharmacy of choice (12 weeks/90 days Rx)

  • Virtual counseling (online portal) from our physician & pharmacist

  • Completion of paperwork required by insurance plans. We suggest patients check with their insurance plan to see if GLP-1 medications are covered for weight loss or Type-2 Diabetes. In many cases, insurance plans either won’t cover them or will require “failure” of other treatment options.

$50 per 12 weeks

Cardiometabolic Medication Management

The long-term goal of the CGM Diet and FitnessDx is to improve a person’s underlying health so that fewer medications are required. However, as a primary care practice, we recognize that many people are already struggling with high blood pressure, high cholesterol/triglycerides, Type-2 diabetes, or cardiovascular disease. This can require medications to avoid immediate or irreversible damage to the heart, arteries, kidneys, and other systems. In that case, we offer to manage these types of medications while on one of our Maintenance Plans.

This optional service includes:

  • Remote physician supervision of these chronic conditions:

    • Hypertension (high blood pressure)

    • Hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol/triglycerides)

    • Type-2 Diabetes

    • Cardiovascular (coronary artery or cerebrovascular) disease

  • Adjustments to medications related to the above conditions when clinically appropriate

  • Messaging with a physician and a pharmacist through a secure online portal

  • 90-day prescriptions sent to a pharmacy or from our clinic

  • Access to NeuCare’s wholesale generic medication program—a 50-90% savings compared to pharmacy pricing!

  • Access to discount lab work—ordered by physician when needed & appropriate

  • Orders for diagnostic testing related to atherosclerosis (ultrasound/doppler, coronary artery scans, etc.)

What does this service NOT include?

  • Clinic visits or examinations with the physician or other providers.

  • Evaluation of urgent concerns or symptoms.

  • Advice or evaluation of health or medical matters unrelated to conditions stated above.

$90 per 12 weeks

If using both GLP-1 and Cardiometabolic Medication Management, you will be given a discounted price of $120 per 12 weeks.

FAQs

  • Yes. Our program is compatible and helpful for people following a low-carb diet. We use the CGM to show your personal degree of CARBOHYDRATE TOLERANCE, rather than recommending an extremely carb restriction to everyone.

  • Yes! Preferring to eat mostly plants is not a problem. The CGM Diet gauges tolerance your tolerance of grains, fruits, and other plant-based carbohydrates.

  • Our program is safe and helpful when blood sugars are already very high or on medication(s) to control them. In fact, CGMs were designed primarily for this purpose! We can discuss your individual health history, including diabetes management, during the introductory visit.

    Other than GLP-1 medications, we do not prescribe other meds for diabetes in the introductory period, but offer med management services under our MAINTENANCE PLANS.

  • No. 100% No! While we do have some nutritional supplements available to purchase, they are not required. In fact, we prefer people eat whole, “real” foods to pills or powders. In some cases, meeting a dietary goal (ex. protein) can be challenging. So, adding something like a protein powder, shake, or bar can help.

  • No, but we believe human movement—physical activity or the dirty “e” word—is fundamental to optimum health. No amount of healthy eating can replace a sedentary lifestyle. If already overweight, we understand exercise can be difficult and painful. The CGM Diet is primarily focused on nutrition, but we do provide counseling on how to get more active which will help sugars in the short-term.

  • We are currently using the Freestyle Libre 3, but this is subject to change based on availability.

  • Our program does NOT address any hormones (thyroid, estrogen, testosterone, etc.) or prescribe “replacement” therapies. We feel this is best discussed with a primary care physician, OB/GYN, or endocrinologist if you have questions or concerns.

  • No. We do not prescribe or recommend any type of stimulant weight loss meds, including phentermine.

  • We do not contract with or bill any insurance plans. Our program requires full payment by credit card. We do provide a receipt of payment which can be submitted to your insurance plan to seek “reimbursement.” Given the many variables, we cannot know or guarantee if an insurance plan will consider the claim.

  • Yes. Our medically supervised program should qualify as an eligible medical expense under HSA/FSA rules. We can accept payment directly from most debit cards associated with HSA/FSAs, or provide a receipt to submit a claim.

  • Currently, the CGM Diet is only for adults aged 18 & older.

  • This program is helpful and safe even if a person already has hypertension or high cholesterol and taking med(s) for those conditions. Our long-term goal is to help people be less reliant on pills. We do offer to manage these types of medications through our MAINTENANCE PLANS, but not during the introductory period.

NOTICES

To participate in the CGM Diet program, you must establish care at our clinic in Lawrence, KS, or be a resident of Kansas.

Our program utilizes the Freestyle Libre 3 CGM system, which was approved for use by people with diabetes. Although safe to use in non-diabetics, there has been no FDA approval for this clinical application for Metabolic Syndrome and obesity.

Medication management services and pricing do NOT include the price of any medication(s) at your pharmacy or from our clinic. Also, given the many variables with insurance plans, we cannot guarantee insurance approval or know your out-of-pocket costs of any particular medication. However, we will try to find the most affordable, effective medication options. If a person is uninsured and diabetic, we can help you apply to an “assistance” program for free or reduced-cost medications.