(Cover photo: FDNY firefighters enjoying a meal together. Jordan Harmon 7 March 2019)

You’ve left the military or retired from the force.
No more early morning PT.
No one’s checking your height and weight.
You finally get to eat what you want, when you want—and sleep in if you feel like it.

For a while, that freedom feels earned.

But then you go in for your annual check-up.
The doc runs some labs, glances at the results, and says, “Your HbA1c is a little high.”

You nod like you understand. But in your head, you’re asking:
What the hell is HbA1c—and why does it matter now?

Let’s break it down.

What HbA1c Really Means

HbA1c stands for Hemoglobin A1c, and it measures your average blood sugar levels over the past 2–3 months.

Here’s the simple version:

• Your red blood cells carry hemoglobin, a protein that helps transport oxygen.
• When you eat carbohydrates, your body breaks them down into glucose (sugar).
• Some of that glucose sticks to hemoglobin.
• The more sugar in your blood, the more sticks.
• A blood test can measure the percentage of sugar-coated hemoglobin—your HbA1c.

It’s not about what you ate yesterday. It’s about how your body’s been handling sugar consistently over time.

Why It Should Matter to You

If you spent years in uniform, you probably already have a higher baseline of stress, broken sleep cycles, and cortisol that’s been working overtime.

Add in some extra belly fat, less physical activity, and a few more comfort foods than you used to allow—and it’s the perfect storm for rising blood sugar.

Even if you don’t feel it. Even if you still look strong.

And that’s the issue. Most guys don’t notice the warning signs until something serious happens.

Your HbA1c might be the first sign that your metabolism isn’t working like it used to.

What the Numbers Say

Doctors look at HbA1c in percentages. Here’s what they mean:

• Below 5.7% – Normal
• 5.7% to 6.4% – Prediabetes
• 6.5% or higher – Type 2 Diabetes

To give that some context: an HbA1c of 6.0% means your average blood sugar has been about 126 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter). That’s not immediately dangerous—but it’s not optimal either. It’s the beginning of a slow burn.

And slow burns are easy to ignore. Until they’re not.

What’s Raising Your Numbers?

You don’t have to be guzzling soda and eating donuts to end up with elevated blood sugar.

Here’s what trips up most guys post-service:

• You’re not training like you used to.
• You’ve lost some muscle.
• You eat more carbs than you think (bread, pasta, snacks).
• You’re not sleeping well.
• You’re under low-grade, chronic stress.
• You unwind with alcohol more often than before.

Each of these things chips away at your body’s ability to handle glucose efficiently.

But there’s a way out.

Strength Training: The Most Underrated Metabolic Weapon

Of all the things you could do to improve your HbA1c, building muscle is at the top.

Why?

Because muscle is metabolically active tissue. It acts like a sponge for glucose. The more muscle you have, the more places your body has to store and use sugar—without needing tons of insulin to do it.

Here’s what happens at the molecular level:

• When you strength train, you stimulate GLUT4 transporters inside your muscle cells.
• These GLUT4 proteins move to the surface of the cell and grab glucose from your bloodstream.
• This process happens even without insulin, which is especially useful if you’re already insulin resistant.
• Over time, consistent strength training increases insulin sensitivity, meaning your body needs less insulin to do the same job.

Muscle = better glucose control = lower HbA1c.

This isn’t about bodybuilding. You don’t need to be jacked. But you do need to train with intent—compound lifts, full-body workouts, progressive overload. The basics work.

Three sessions a week can completely change how your body handles food. Bonus: Resistance training also reduces inflammation and stress hormones over time.

Don’t overcomplicate it. Full-body strength training 3x/week is a solid start. Squats, deadlifts, rows, presses. Lift heavy. Rest. Grow.

Daily Movement and Smarter Eating

Strength training is essential, but so is what you do outside the gym.

• Walking after meals improves blood sugar control, especially post-dinner. You don’t need a 10-mile ruck, just walking 10–15 minutes after meals can significantly reduce post-meal blood sugar spikes. That’s low effort, high reward.
• Protein-rich meals blunt glucose spikes. (Meat, eggs, Greek yogurt, fish)
• Fibrous carbs (vegetables, legumes, oats) digest slower, giving your body more time to respond.
• Healthy fats (olive oil, nuts, avocado)
• Reducing ultra-processed foods lowers the total glycemic load you’re dealing with.

You don’t need to be perfect. Just be better than you were last month.

The Sleep and Stress Connection

When you’re sleep-deprived, your body becomes more insulin resistant.
Your cortisol levels rise.
You crave sugar and carbs.
You snack more and move less.
It’s a chain reaction—and it shows up in your bloodwork.

Same with stress.

If you never downshift—if your nervous system stays stuck in “on” mode—you’re going to have a hard time managing blood sugar. Doesn’t matter how tough you are.

This is where breath work, time in nature, cold showers, even hobbies come in. You need to downregulate.

Lack of sleep = poor insulin sensitivity. Aim for 7–8 hours. Sleep in a dark, cool room. Go to bed around the same time each night. Sleep is like a natural reset button for your metabolism.

Why Veterans and First Responders Need to Pay Attention

You spent years pushing through pain, discomfort, and lack of sleep. You’re probably still doing it.

That kind of grit has its place—but when it comes to long-term health, it’s not about pushing harder. It’s about paying attention to the signs your body is giving you.

HbA1c is one of those signs.

You don’t need medication or a diagnosis to do something about it. You just need to take it seriously—and make the small shifts that lead to big changes over time.

Key Takeaways

• HbA1c measures your average blood sugar over the past 2–3 months.
• A high HbA1c is often the first warning sign of metabolic dysfunction.
• Veterans and first responders are uniquely at risk due to stress, sleep issues, and physical changes post-service.
• Strength training builds muscle, which improves glucose control at the cellular level.
• Sleep, nutrition, movement, and stress management all play a role.
• You don’t need to overhaul your life—just tighten it up.

References

Sherwani, S. I., Khan, H. A., Ekhzaimy, A., Masood, A., & Sakharkar, M. K. (2016). Significance of HbA1c Test in Diagnosis and Prognosis of Diabetic Patients. Biomarker insights, 11, 95–104. https://doi.org/10.4137/BMI.S38440

Jansson, A. K., Chan, L. X., Lubans, D. R., Duncan, M. J., & Plotnikoff, R. C. (2022). Effect of resistance training on HbA1c in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus and the moderating effect of changes in muscular strength: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ open diabetes research & care, 10(2), e002595. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjdrc-2021-002595

Bweir, S., Al-Jarrah, M., Almalty, A. M., Maayah, M., Smirnova, I. V., Novikova, L., & Stehno-Bittel, L. (2009). Resistance exercise training lowers HbA1c more than aerobic training in adults with type 2 diabetes. Diabetology & metabolic syndrome, 1, 27. https://doi.org/10.1186/1758-5996-1-27

Brouwer, A., van Raalte, D. H., Rutters, F., Elders, P. J. M., Snoek, F. J., Beekman, A. T. F., & Bremmer, M. A. (2020). Sleep and HbA_1c in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: Which Sleep Characteristics Matter Most?. Diabetes care, 43(1), 235–243. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc19-0550