Searching for a printable blood sugar chart that is easy to use? Look no further! This blood sugar log printable is a free download that you can literally start using today.
And best of all, you can print as many glucose logs as you like. That way you can look for patterns over time and make more informed decisions with your doctor about your diabetes care.
PRINTABLE BLOOD SUGAR CHART
After 30+ years of living with type 1 diabetes, I have done my fair share of blood glucose logging. I started out using a blood glucose meter when I was first diagnosed. And I checked my blood sugar four times a day. Now I use a continuous glucose monitor (CGM devices) on my upper arm, and I read my blood sugar on my mobile device. But it’s still nice to track a bit and visually see numbers all together on a page if you ask me!
That’s why I developed these printable blood sugar chart templates. There are four different layouts to choose from. Track blood glucose levels only, track readings along with notes, track pre- and post-meal numbers… whichever layout you choose!
YOUR PRINTABLE BLOOD SUGAR CHARTs
Let’s take a look at the different blood sugar log options in this download. You’ll get all four in the download, but then you can choose which one you prefer.
Blood Sugar CHART #1
Printable blood sugar chart #1 below (on the left) is a 30-day tracking layout all in one page. Just print one page for the month, and you’re good to go for several weeks. This monthly glucose log allows you to track pre- and post-meal blood sugars each day.
Blood Glucose CHART #2
Printable blood sugar chart #2 below (on the right) is very different from chart #1. This is a chart for someone who checks many times per day, as there are only two days per page on this template. This blood sugar log also allows for tracking of carbs and medication. Plus, there is room for notes for each entry.
Printable Blood Sugar CHART #3
Printable blood sugar log #3 below (on the left) is different yet. This glucose log allows you to track multiple days per page, however many times you check your glucose. There is also room for notes with each reading.
Printable Glucose CHART #4
Blood sugar chart #4 below (on the right) is a weekly blood sugar log. This glucose log is unique because it allows you to average your blood sugars for the week based on day and also time of day.
BLOOD SUGAR PRINTABLE DOWNLOAD
Scroll to the bottom of the post to download your free printable blood sugar chart.
What is The Target Range for Blood Sugar?
You might think I could just give you a straight number as an answer and we’d be done with this question. But it’s not that simple. It actually depends on the scenario.
According to Mayo Clinic, if your glucose level is tested at a random time of day, anything about 200mg/dL points to diabetes.
If you have a fasting blood sugar test, sometimes called a plasma glucose test, it’s a bit different. Here are the fasting blood glucose numbers:
So if those are the numbers for diabetes diagnosis, what is the target range for someone with diabetes? Obviously, someone with diabetes will see blood glucose levels above 126, but our target is to find ourselves within the “normal” or “prediabetes” range as much as possible. The more we keep a normal blood sugar level, the more likely we are to avoid complications of diabetes. More on that below.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says the target before a meal is between 80-130 mg/dL. Two hours after a meal, the goal is less than 180 mg/dL. This is for nonpregnant adults and varies for pregnant women, so be sure to consult your healthcare provider.
BLOOD SUGAR AND A1C Levels
Along with a blood sugar test, your health care provider will likely want to do another blood test to check your Hemoglobin A1c levels. This test is also called glycated hemoglobin or HbA1c. This is a non-fasting test that shows your average blood glucose over a period of 2-3 months. A test result of 5.7% to 6.4% indicates prediabetes. A result of 6.5% or greater in two separate tests indicates diabetes, according to Mayo Clinic.
What do the percentages mean? Here’s a blood sugar level chart showing the A1c test percentages relative to blood glucose.
In case you’d like to try calculating it yourself, the American Diabetes Association says the formula is: 28.7 X A1C – 46.7 = eAG. Or you can simply use their calculator online. For a more complete breakdown, here’s a downloadable PDF form.
Your doctor may order an oral glucose tolerance test also. This is a fasted test (often used to detect gestational diabetes). With this test, you drink a sugary drink and healthcare professionals test your glucose level after two hours to check the amount of rise in blood sugar.
Why Keep Blood Glucose in the Target Range?
The short answer is that keeping blood glucose in target range can help lower risk factors for serious problems and long-term complications of diabetes. The American Diabetes Association lists these complications as cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, eye disease, heart disease, high blood pressure, neuropathy, stroke, and more. Obviously, no one wishes for these health conditions. So avoiding them is the key. And we do that by managing blood glucose as best we can.
The other thing I can say, after three decades with type 1 diabetes, is that I legitimately feel better with good blood sugars. I feel improved mental clarity, energy, mood, and more. I just feel healthier. And that’s because I am healthier when my blood sugar is stable and in a healthy range.
When my blood sugars rise and I’m struggling for a few days, I start to feel sluggish, tired, unmotivated, and I just want to sleep. And that’s not good for our insulin. We need to move our bodies to help promote insulin sensitivity!
TIPS FOR CHECKING BLOOD SUGAR
The American Diabetes Association offers several tips for checking blood sugar with a meter. They include some of the following and more:
- After washing your hands, insert a test strip into your meter.
- Use your lancing device on the side of your fingertip to get a drop of blood.
- Touch and hold the edge of the test strip to the blood sample and wait for the blood sugar test result.
- If you use your fingertip, it’s a good idea to stick the side of your fingertip when you finger prick to avoid having sore spots on the frequently used part of your finger.
- With some meters, you can also use your forearm, thigh, or fleshy part of your hand.
All meters are slightly different, so you’ll want to read the user’s manual for general guidelines before you check. If you have questions, you can always reach out to your diabetes educator.
TREATING HIGHS AND LOWS
It’s important to know your blood glucose results so you can prevent or treat high and low blood sugar levels that fall outside of the normal range for someone with diabetes.
With a low blood sugar level (less than 70 mg/dL or 3.9 mmol/L), you need fast acting sugar to raise the level of sugar in your blood. (I personally love these glucose gummies.) Generally speaking — consult your doctor for the best treatment for you.
With high blood sugar levels (greater than 180 mg/dL or 10.0 mmol/L), you generally need either some exercise or insulin/medication via syringe or insulin pump. Again, follow your doctor’s orders for your diabetes treatment plan.
A BETTER BLOOD SUGAR TRACKING TOOL
I know from my 30+ years with type 1 diabetes that managing blood sugar well is about more than just glucose readings. Monitoring blood glucose is good. Don’t get me wrong! But I have learned that it is incomplete.
Better diabetes management is about understanding the bigger picture of your health and how it impacts your diabetes. It’s about looking at trends from the various factors that affect blood sugar. It’s about gathering information and asking good questions to improve your health.
Does this sound like you?
- You try to count carbs and take meds as best as you can, but your blood sugars still ride a roller coaster after meals.
- You don’t want to visit your endocrinologist because you can’t explain what’s happening with your blood sugars and you don’t remember what you ate last Thursday that put your glucose over 250.
- You are open to trying something more meaningful that could get you better results.
- You’re looking for something eye-opening that may explain your blood sugar fluctuations.
- You want to live a long, healthy life and learn more about how all of life affects diabetes (and vice versa).
EVERYTHING AFFECTS BLOOD SUGAR
Have you seen the memes about the book that lists all all the factors that impact blood sugar, and it shows a book bigger than has likely ever been printed?
Well, it’s true!
Everything from exercise to the timing of medication, and from sleep to stress (plus TONS more) can affect blood glucose levels.
And tracking our blood sugar readings is helpful, but it only gives us part of the picture.
So, why do we only track blood sugar? (THAT’S PART OF THE PROBLEM!)
Take BETTER Control of Your Health, One Page at a TimE
In this comprehensive workbook I created, you get a step-by-step guide to tracking blood sugar and other common factors that affect blood sugar over a six week period in order to identify trends and live a healthier life with diabetes.
This 100+ page workbook provides you with instructions on how and what to track. There are places to take notes, list goals, and compile a weekly summary sheet at the end of each week as well.
Yes, this blood glucose log book is designed to help you track your blood glucose levels, but it will also help you track key lifestyle factors that can significantly influence them.
By paying attention to these various things, you can start to uncover patterns you may not otherwise see.
What You Can Track in The Ultimate Blood Sugar Log Book
Here are several lifestyle factors you can track in this book in addition to blood glucose readings:
- EXERCISE plays an important role in insulin sensitivity and helping your body use insulin more effectively. Frequent physical activity, even light movement, can lower blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of long-term complications related to diabetes.
- COUNTING MACROS gives insight into how different foods impact your blood sugar levels. Tracking the balance between carbs (fiber), fat, and protein can help you see trends and plan meals that result in a more stable blood sugar.
- POST-MEAL BLOOD SUGAR helps us see the fluctuations of our blood sugar after eating and/or taking medication. It can also help us with the proper timing of medications.
- SLEEP QUALITY impacts more than just our mood. Poor sleep can increase insulin resistance and raise blood sugar levels. Tracking your rest helps identify potential connections between sleep and blood sugar changes.
- STRESS (physical or emotional) can cause blood sugar spikes because of the release of cortisol, a hormone that increases glucose in the bloodstream. By tracking your stress levels, you can gain insight into how your mental and emotional state affects your blood sugar and your health overall.
- AND MORE!
Once you start tracking these values, you can start to see patterns and work with your doctor to make informed decisions for more stable and consistent blood sugar levels. And don’t forget to celebrate progress as you go!
And if you use a CGM, you can easily transfer the readings of that blood glucose data to this form so everything is all in one place. Sometimes it’s so helpful to see everything at once.
LOOKING FOR BLOOD SUGAR TRENDS – The Game Changer!
You may start to see trends develop as you track day to day. Another easy way to see trends is on the weekly summary pages. As you start to compare days side by side on this page each week, new insights may appear. This page also encourages you to celebrate goals you met and consider adjustments for the following week.
Do you have to track everything in this log book? No. You can certainly use whatever parts of it you want. And if this level of detail is overwhelming, start with what makes the most sense to you. You may be surprised what you find even if you’re not utilizing this book to its fullest extent.
My goal in creating this resource is to help you take a deep dive into several of the common factors that affect blood glucose. You can also share this information with your healthcare team. Consult with your doctor before making any changes.
This book was ultimately created to provide you with six weeks of intense tracking in order to look for trends and share with your healthcare team to help you in your diabetes management. And that can help empower you to make better choices and live a healthier life with diabetes!
Don’t Follow My Mistakes!
I spent so many years (read: decades) only tracking blood sugar readings and counting carbs. That was it. And my blood sugar would fluctuate and I didn’t know why. As far as I could tell, I was doing it right! Can you relate?
But I wasn’t looking at the (much) bigger picture.
I know now, after more than 30 years with type 1 diabetes, that managing blood sugar well is about more than just glucose readings.
It’s about understanding the bigger picture of your health and how it impacts your diabetes.
And it’s about looking at trends from the various factors that affect blood sugar.
It’s about gathering information and asking good questions to improve your health.
Here’s to not just living with diabetes, but thriving!
GET YOUR FREE PRINTABLE BLOOD SUGAR CHART:
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NOTE: I am not a doctor or medical professional. Nothing here should be taken as professional medical advice. Any information provided should be used as a general guideline only. Please consult your healthcare team before making any changes in your diabetes care.
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