My HbA1c is 6.2. Should I be trying to get it lower or just keep it there?

I wouldn't look at 7 as a number you have permission to climb up to. When I was told I had prediabetes my doctor basically explained it as an opportunity to work on things early rather than waiting until I crossed another line.

Mine was 6.1 and came down to 5.6 after I lost some weight and became much more consistent with walking.

The confusing part is that 7% is commonly discussed as a treatment target for many people who already have diabetes. That doesn't mean someone with prediabetes should deliberately stay at 6.2 or wait until 7 before doing anything.

Targets can also be different depending on the person, age, medications and risk of low blood sugar. I'd ask your doctor what target they actually want for you instead of using one number from the internet.

Mine was 6.3 when I got the warning. I took it seriously because diabetes runs in my family.

The biggest change for me was honestly not sugar. It was realizing how carb heavy my normal meals were. Rice at lunch, biscuits with chai, then rice or roti again at dinner. I didn't stop eating Indian food, I just changed the portions and added more protein and vegetables.

Last test was 5.8.

One thing I learned is not to turn A1c into a competition where lower automatically means better for every person.

My dad uses insulin and his doctor is much more concerned about avoiding frequent lows than chasing an extremely low A1c. My situation is completely different because I'm not on glucose-lowering medication.

That's why comparing numbers between random people online can get confusing very quickly.

I started at 6.0 and my doctor gave me three months to work on lifestyle before we discussed anything else. I started strength training twice a week and walking after dinner. My next A1c was 5.7.

That doesn't mean everyone will get the same result, but I was surprised how much difference fairly boring changes made.

Medication isn't necessarily something that only enters the conversation after a specific A1c number. Different doctors may recommend different approaches depending on your overall risk, weight, family history, how your numbers are changing and other health factors.

At 6.2 I would personally focus less on 'when do I need medicine?' and more on what you can improve now, then see what your next test shows.

Also don't panic over one lab result. Take it seriously, yes, but don't spend the next three months trying to be perfect every day.

When I got my prediabetes result I went completely overboard for two weeks, no rice, no roti, no fruit, nothing. Obviously that didn't last 😂

The plan that actually worked was the one I could still follow six months later.