After a surprise diagnosis, Brandon reversed his diabetes in 6 months.

By Brandon, on Virta 7 months.

I didn’t expect to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at 37 years old. I only found out because I had gotten some blood work done at my primary care office late last year. To my surprise, my A1c was at 7.2% and I was immediately put on metformin to help manage my blood sugar levels. I knew I had to make healthier changes to my eating habits and lifestyle, and I especially wanted to stop needing to take diabetes medications.

A couple days later, I received an email from my employer, NOV, about Virta being offered as a free benefit for employees. The timing could not have been better since my health was at the top of my mind, and I learned that Virta could help people like me reverse type 2 diabetes and lose weight. 

The first few days of eating low carb foods was an adjustment, but I was able to reach out to my health coach when I had questions. I also spent time on the Virta app watching videos and reading articles about how low carb eating helps lower blood sugar levels. In addition to asking my health coach, there were also a ton of resources and recipes on the app that helped me figure out what to eat. 

After adjusting to the changes, eating this way became easy. I work in sales, and when I’m on the go, I end up eating out a lot. I do like having variety with my meals, so I’m always looking for easy swaps I can make. I typically like to swap out the bun on my burger for a lettuce wrap or ask for extra veggies on the side of my meals. I also like snacking on “pizza toppings” like pepperoni and cheese. Just a few months on Virta has taught me how to keep my blood sugar levels healthy.

At my 6 month check-up with my doctor, I found out that my A1c had dropped down to 5.4%, which was even below the level for prediabetes. I was also completely off metformin and the simvastatin I had been taking for my cholesterol. I have lost 82 pounds since starting Virta, and it’s nice to be able to easily climb the 2 flights of stairs up to my office at work without being completely out of breath.

At my 6 month check-up with my doctor, I found out that my A1c had dropped down to 5.4%, which was even below the level for prediabetes.

My family and friends are both excited and shocked to see how much progress I’ve made on the program. I also have a 1 year old, and I’m thankful for how much my health has improved in only 7 months. I’m very glad that NOV was able to offer Virta as a benefit for me. I went into this program wanting to improve my blood sugar levels and get off my medications, and Virta helped me do just that.