Donna Vargas knew something was wrong when emptying the dishwasher left her so tired she had to lie down. Lab work showed an A1c of 11% and fasting blood glucose of 325 mg/dL. With family members affected by diabetes, she felt frightened about what those results could mean for her future.
Donna began learning about a different approach to plant-based eating and joined the Mastering Diabetes Coaching Program. At the time of her video interview, she reported an A1c of 6.1%, fasting glucose of 107 mg/dL, and a weight of 149–152 pounds, down from 173 pounds. She says she made those changes without taking diabetes medication.
Donna’s Results at a Glance
Result | Before | After | Header |
|---|---|---|---|
A1c | 11% | 6.1% | Cell |
Fasting Blood Glucose | 325 mg/dL | 107 mg/dL | Cell |
Weight | 173 lb | 149-152 lb | Cell |
Cell | Cell | Cell |
Results reported by Donna at the time of her interview. Since her interview, Donna has seen further improvements. Her latest A1c is 5.8%! Congratulations, Donna!
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In This Story:
Why Donna Decided to Make a Change
Before finding Mastering Diabetes, Donna felt extremely lethargic. Even a small chore could interrupt her day.
“I’d get up to empty the dishwasher, and I’d have to lie back down again.”
She went to her doctor for lab work and was frightened by the results. Donna had seen diabetes affect family members, and she thought about the years she wanted to spend with her husband and 26-year-old son. She began researching what she could do.
Her search led her first to the Mastering Diabetes book, then to videos of other people sharing their experiences. She decided to join the program and sign up for the Mastering Diabetes Coaching Program.
A New Approach to Plant-Based Eating
Donna was already eating plant-based foods, but she says her meals often included avocado, coconut oil, and other high-fat ingredients. The program introduced her to a lower-fat, whole-food approach that differed from the way she had been eating.
The change felt surprising at first. As Donna learned more about the foods in the program and began trying the meals, she found them filling and satisfying.
The Changes She Noticed in the First Weeks
Within a few weeks, Donna noticed that she had more energy. She wanted to get up, do things, and spend time with other people again. Around two or three weeks in, she also began seeing her fasting glucose readings trend downward and her weight start to change.
“The energy was going up. The numbers were going down.”
At the time of her interview, Donna reported that her A1c had fallen from 11% to 6.1%. Her latest fasting glucose lab result was 107 mg/dL, compared with 325 mg/dL earlier. She weighed 149–152 pounds, down from 173 pounds, and said she had achieved these results without taking diabetes medication.
A1c From 11.0% to 6.1%
As Donna applied what she was learning, the changes became measurable.
Header | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
A1c (%) | 11.0 | 6.1 |
Weight (pounds) | 173 | 149–152 |
Energy | Extremely lethargic | Active and energized |
Fasting Blood Glucose (mg/dL) | 325 | 107 |
Blood Pressure (mmHg) | 173/52 | 125-135/70 |
GFR (mL/min) | 80 | 93 |
Meals That Helped Her Stay Consistent
Donna appreciated having meal plans to follow instead of deciding what to cook from scratch every day. Among her favorites were Bombay Potatoes and Beans, Moroccan Squash Soup, and a Quinoa and Berry Breakfast Bowl.
Her family eats differently, but Donna says the recipes are flavorful and filling enough that she can picture eating this way for the rest of her life. She also knows that a meal at a family gathering does not have to derail her routine: she can return to the recipes and habits that work for her.
How Coaching and Community Helped
Donna speaks warmly about Coach Marco and the people in her coaching group. She valued having someone to ask for guidance and others who understood the challenges she was facing.
She also found support in the wider Mastering Diabetes community, where members and coaches shared recipes, answered questions, and talked about daily habits. Donna says some of those connections have become lasting friendships.
Looking for Help Putting New Habits into Practice?
For Donna, meal plans and coaching made the day-to-day changes easier to navigate. A free discovery call can help you explore the support available for your own routine and goals.
More Energy for Everyday Life
The changes Donna describes extend beyond her lab results. She says she can now walk farther, exercises regularly on a rebounder, and no longer thinks twice about standing in the kitchen for longer periods.
“I wake up now with energy and excitement to face the day.”
Donna also says she feels more hopeful. After the fear she felt when she first saw her lab results, she values being able to enjoy everyday activities and look ahead to more time with her family.
What Donna’s Progress Means to Her
At the time of her interview, Donna reported an A1c of 6.1%, down from 11%; fasting glucose of 107 mg/dL, down from 325 mg/dL; and a weight of 149–152 pounds, down from 173 pounds. She says she made these changes without taking diabetes medication.
For Donna, the numbers are only part of the story. She has more energy for walks, meals, and ordinary days with her family. She also found a way of eating she enjoys and a community she wants to remain part of.
“This program has meant so much to me. Not only improved my health, my quality of life, I've made some friends for life.”
Her advice to someone considering Mastering Diabetes is simple: don't wait.
For Donna, learning how to improve insulin sensitivity gave her something she didn't have when she first received those frightening lab results.
Find a Plan That Fits Your Goals
Donna’s results reflect her individual experience. If you want guidance with nutrition, blood sugar goals, and habits you can practice in everyday life, book a free discovery call to learn about Mastering Diabetes coaching.
Video Transcript: Donna Vargas's A1c, Fasting Glucose, and Weight Loss Story
Donna Vargas describes lowering her A1c from 11% to 6.1%, reducing her fasting glucose from 325 mg/dL to 107 mg/dL, and going from 173 pounds to between 149 and 152 pounds after starting Mastering Diabetes.
Original video: How I Cut My A1C From 11 to 5.8 & Lost 24 Pounds WITHOUT Medication
This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity and readability while preserving the meaning and first-person voice of the original story.
00:00 – A1C Drops From 11 to 6.1 + 20+ Pounds Lost
Since Mastering Diabetes, my A1c went from 11% to 6.1%. I weighed 173 pounds. I’m regularly now between 149 and 152 pounds, and that number is still dropping every week.
00:22 – Diabetes Warning Signs: Extreme Fatigue & High Blood Sugar
Before I found Mastering Diabetes, I knew something was wrong. I hadn’t been feeling well. I was extremely lethargic. I’d get up to empty the dishwasher, and I’d have to lie back down again. I just knew something was wrong.
So, I went to my doctor and had some labs done, and I wasn’t very happy with the results. During my research, I found the program. I had actually seen some of the videos in the past because I had been plant-based for a while, just not healthy plant-based. I was eating a lot of avocados and coconut oil and a lot of things that I know now really contribute to the problem.
When I saw those numbers on my labs, it was quite frightening. It was scary. I have people and family members with diabetes in my life, and I’m a late-in-life mom. I have a 26-year-old son, and I couldn’t imagine leaving him behind, having something removed from my body or amputated, or losing my vision. There were just so many thoughts that went through my mind, and I thought, “I’ve got to get ahold of this right away.” That’s where the research led me to Mastering Diabetes.
My research led me to the book initially, and after reading the book, I was very intrigued. There was so much science-based evidence and research. Then I got on YouTube and found the channel. The testimonials from people out there whose lives had been changed and turned around really intrigued me.
So, I joined the program, and then I signed up for coaching, which I would highly recommend. Just the sense of community and talking to people who know exactly what you’re dealing with and have the same symptoms and struggles—they’re almost like war buddies. You can bond over the things that you’ve been struggling with.
The coaching is fantastic. I have Coach Marco, and he’s just a wealth of information. He’s so helpful and encouraging. He’s definitely a very positive light in our group, and our group has bonded and become very close.
I would recommend coaching to anybody who gets on the program and staying with Mastering Diabetes University well after coaching ends because the resources are just phenomenal.
02:34 – Lower Blood Sugar WITHOUT Medication & Improved Insulin Sensitivity
Initially, the change in my diet was a little shocking, but then it became quite easy, very fulfilling, and very satisfying. The program explains in great detail why we choose the foods we do and how helpful they are for our bodies and for the symptoms.
Within just a few weeks, my energy had increased quite a bit. I was up and doing things and wanting to see people. It was really a huge transformation in just a short period of time.
I would say that within a couple of weeks, maybe 3 weeks, the numbers had been trending downward—my fasting glucose, not super rapidly, because I believe I was developing insulin sensitivity again—but they continued to move in that direction. The energy was going up, the numbers were going down, and I started losing some weight.
It just clicked. I thought, “This really works. This is amazing, and I’m not taking any medication.” Some days below. That is just truly exciting because I’m doing this without medication. This is purely the wisdom and the magic of Mastering Diabetes.
I wake up now with energy and excitement to face the day. I’ve got a lot of hope, which is something that I wasn’t sure I had in the beginning. I didn’t know if I could reverse it without going on a lot of medication or taking insulin.
My heart rate, I feel, has regulated. I was having palpitations before. I’ve got energy to walk, which only helps my numbers even more. Overall, my mood is just happy. I can’t describe it other than I just feel good about life now.
The beauty of it is that, with the increased energy and a little bit of weight loss, I’m able to walk a lot farther than I used to. I get on a rebounder regularly now. Working in the kitchen, standing for long periods of time—I just don’t even think about it anymore.
04:38 – Fasting Glucose Drops From 325 to 107 + Weight Loss Results
Since Mastering Diabetes, my A1c went from 11% to 6.1%. I weighed 173 pounds. I’m regularly now between 149 and 152 pounds, and that number is still dropping every week. My fasting glucose was 325 mg/dL. My latest labs revealed that my fasting glucose was 107 mg/dL.
My life is a lot fuller. This way of eating is fantastic. I used to eat a pretty heavily fat-laden diet, and this program has taught us that that’s really the culprit. We can eat in abundance—just the right foods.
I love the program. What I love about the menus is that the guesswork is taken out. They’re already prepared, all the macros are right, and they’re even in the Cronometer app, which is wonderful.
Some of my favorites that I still go back to are in the first 6-week meal plan. I love the Bombay Potatoes and Beans, the Moroccan Squash Soup, and the Quinoa and Berry Breakfast Bowl with—I think it’s arugula in there. They’re all just delicious. They’re satisfying and make it easy to follow the program. Like I said, if you follow the meal plan, you don’t even have to think about it.
If you’re thinking about working with Mastering Diabetes, I would highly recommend it. It’s the most encouraging program. There’s no judgment. The recipes, the coaching, and the community on the app are phenomenal.
I would say, “Run, don’t walk,” and start today because you could be on medication for the rest of your life. You could have to give yourself insulin every day for the rest of your life, and you could lose a limb or lose your eyesight. The medication may help, but it’s not addressing the real problem. Mastering Diabetes gets to the root of the problem and teaches you what to do next, how to improve your life and how to do it, hopefully, without medication.
Of course, you want to stay in touch with your doctor, but this bundle of resources is life-saving, in my opinion. When I discovered Mastering Diabetes, the community there and the people, and the testimonials of people who were reversing it within weeks, days, or months, reversing their type 2 diabetes, improving their type 1 diabetes, or whatever type of diabetes they had, and getting phenomenal results.
We always go back to our why. Why we want to do this and why we want to follow through with it. It’s just the quality of life. If I could achieve these results without medication, faster, better, and permanently, why wouldn’t I? It’s just a no-brainer.
You don’t have to just read the book and believe the authors. You can see the people. You can see video after video after video of people who have had success with this program, and I support it 100%.
This program has meant so much to me.
07:37 – How Mastering Diabetes Changed Her Health & Quality of Life
It has not only improved my health and my quality of life, but I’ve also made some friends for life from all over the world and all over the United States. I know that we will keep in touch long after—well, I don’t even want to say after Mastering Diabetes because I love it. I’m never going to leave.
It’s given me a fantastic quality of life. It’s given me, I know, more years with my son and my husband and less time with my doctor, which is phenomenal. You can’t beat that.
Eating a plant-based diet was a little intimidating at first because the rest of my family is carnivorous, I would say. But I was so surprised at how fulfilling the recipes were and how delicious they were. They’re great with spices and full of flavor. I don’t even miss eating any kind of meat or animal product at all. I can see myself easily eating this way for the rest of my life.
I don’t have to be religious about it if I’m at a family gathering and it’s not going to be perfect. It’s so easy with this program to get back on track. You just flip open the recipes again, and 2 meals later, you’re right back where you were. So, I’m thrilled with it.
Outside of my own personal coaching group, which is just amazing. Amazing people, I love them all, and we plan to keep in touch for a long time. There is a whole staff of coaches on the Mastering Diabetes app, and there are members who have been on this program for a very long time.
If you have a question about something, they will be there to answer it day or night. They share their experiences, their own recipes, things that they’ve found work for them regarding even better sleep, and other types of things that are so critical for our health. The whole coaching team is phenomenal.
Investing in Mastering Diabetes is the best thing I’ve ever done. I would rather invest in my health this way, pay for the coaching and pay for the app, than have to give that money to doctors, hospitals, and pharmacists. It’s absolutely worth every penny. I’m saving up to continue coaching because I love it so much. It’s a fantastic community.
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