Stay in Target – SET

Let’s catch that hare.

This page is basically diabetes management built on the same boring-but-beautiful principles of healthy living.

Before I tell you exactly what to do, here’s a quick recap to set the scene.

Why does insulin need a head start?

The portal vein thing, remember?

But what if the arrows are trending up or down, still 20 minutes before?

Exactly. This is what the S of SET is all about. Here’s the idea in one graphic:

Will I go hypo if I give my meal insulin 35 minutes before eating when I’m 12.0 mmol/L (215 mg/dL) and rising?

Very unlikely — but not impossible.

These timings are guides built from years of clinical experience. They work for me, and they’ve worked well for the first hundred children we’ve educated. But remember:

The Glucose Never Lies

If you go low using the chart, knock five minutes off each suggestion.

If glucose doesn’t come down far enough before you start eating, add five minutes to each suggestion.

Grace and Jude, I’m actually looking forward to running these experiments with you. Over time, we’ll build your personalised version of the table.

Eat three balanced meals and do ten minutes of activity after eating?

I’m not going to re-run my rant from the Three Balanced Meals page.

The short version: at least 80% of the time, eat three well-balanced meals, then do ten minutes of moderate activity afterwards.

This graphic sums up why SET keeps glucose steady and keeps high knees on furlough.

What types of activity “count” for SET?

Anything that gets you moving but not sweating. You’re aiming for gentle, consistent muscle work — not a workout session.

Here’s how I currently do it:

• After breakfast: Walk to the train station, or a family walk at weekends.
• After lunch: Walk around Birmingham at work, or play on the drive with Grace and Jude at weekends.
• After evening meal: Baby Zumba with Grace and Jude, playing in the garden/drive, or gardening (not my first choice).

Grace and Jude, this is how I see it working for you:

• After breakfast: Walk to nursery/school, or a family walk at weekends.
• After lunch: Playground games at nursery/school, or playing on the drive with mum/dad (or each other) at weekends.
• After evening meal: Baby Zumba with mum and dad, then pottering in the garden or on the drive.

Dani, yes — this needs skin in the game from us. But we’re parents. That’s literally the job description.

What about high-carb or high-fat meals?

Once you veer away from balanced meals, you need a different playbook. That’s why I wrote the Mealtime Insulin Guide.

Next step: MATCH.