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How Matty Adler went from diabetic to stable blood sugar in 90 days

October 15, 2016

In early June, Matty Adler received bad news from his doctor. His blood sugar test confirmed he had developed Type II diabetes and he would need immediate medication to treat his condition. As he sat there listening to the diagnosis, he knew his life was about to change forever, and he needed to start living a healthy lifestyle. But what happened over the next 90 days was nothing short of amazing, and it proves exercise and healthy living play an important role in the prevention and treatment of serious diseases like diabetes. 

Matty had previously tested as pre-diabetic, but in June his blood sugar levels skyrocketed well into the Type II diabetic category, and when his doctor explained he now had diabetes, the first question he asked was if the condition was reversible. “He told me yes, it was absolutely reversible. With a healthy diet and exercise program, I could see healthy blood sugar levels again, but I expected it to be a long, difficult journey that I was not looking forward to.” So before he left the doctor’s office, Matty agreed he would take the medication, try to lose 30 pounds and come back in three months to see if any progress had been made.

Directly after Matty left the office, he called me and signed up for my 12-week body transformation. We set him up with a trainer and a detailed program that included weight training, cardiovascular training and healthy diet guidelines. He began at the beginning of the summer and made quick progress. He worked out three times a week with weights and started with only eight minutes of cardio, but each week the program was strategically changed to slowly challenge him while building stronger, leaner muscles and burning unwanted  body fat. By the time the program was over, Matty had lost an amazing 53 pounds in 12 weeks and was way beyond the original goal he had set for himself.

As promised, Matty returned to his doctor to get his blood sugar levels retested, and while he was there several interesting things happened. “As I was waiting for the doctor to come in, I could hear him asking his nurse if a mistake had been made on my chart because there was no way I lost 53 pounds in just 90 days. As he opened the door, I was like ‘here I am’ and he could immediately see that it was true and was very pleased at the progress I had made.” However the best news was yet to come. When the doctor read the blood test results, he was shocked. Not only did Matty’s blood sugar levels drop from the Type II diabetic range, but they also skipped the pre-diabetic and went back to normal blood sugar, showing no signs of the disease at all. “My doctor said that in all his years of practicing medicine he had never seen this happen before. He also explained that in the medical community that once you test in the diabetic range it follows you for the rest of your life, but he said that if I come back for my next check-up and test with normal blood sugar again he would argue the case that I should be considered diabetes-free. “

In addition to losing 53 pounds and stabilizing his blood sugar, Matty’s blood pressure also dropped quite a bit too, none of his clothes fit him anymore. “I had to buy an entirely new wardrobe from my shirts, pants, underwear and T-shirts. I was even swimming in my flip flops and had to get a new pair, which I hated because I had to throw away several pair.” 

On a personal note, I have to say this is one of the most rewarding transformations I have ever been involved with. Everybody loves a great before and after picture, but to see someone completely change the course of their life with hard work and dedication is truly inspirational. There is no doubt that genetics is a major cause of disease and medical issues, but I think this story is a great example of how a healthy lifestyle can manage or reverse many of the dangerous conditions that people in America face today.

  • Chris Antonio is a personal trainer and former world-class weightlifter. He has been lifting for more than 20 years and has trained a wide variety of clients ranging from All-American athletes to the average person trying to get into shape. To send a question to the Ask the Trainer column, email Chris at chris@antoniostraining.com or check out AntoniosTraining.com.

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