Joey Thurman embraces a health and fitness challenge that turns heads. When he shared his plan to undertake a 24-hour Dunkin’ Donuts challenge with a continuous glucose monitor, I jumped at the chance to join him. As a Chicago-based fitness expert, Thurman has trained a range of clients, from WWE wrestlers to hedge fund managers, all while pushing his own limits to better understand the human body’s response to different diets.

“I’m my own human experiment,” he remarked. “I like observing what occurs in my body and how I feel.”

For this challenge, he intended to consume only Dunkin’ Donuts menu items for a full day while monitoring his blood sugar levels. This included an assortment of sandwiches, wraps, donuts, bacon snacks, and coffee. I participated to add a female perspective to the metabolic experiment. Armed with continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) and a food log app, we explored whether resistance training, walks, and apple cider vinegar could mitigate any negative effects, or if our blood sugar levels would surge uncontrollably.

What the Numbers Revealed

I targeted around 2,000 calories with a goal of 100 grams of protein. However, achieving this at a donut-centric establishment proved tricky. My final log showed just under 2,400 calories: around 94 grams of protein, 202 grams of carbs, and 129 grams of fat. Joey, on the other hand, consumed 4,500 calories, with a much higher protein intake, aligning with his greater muscle mass.

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My blood sugar began at a stable 85 mg/dL but soon resembled a roller coaster ride. After wearing the CGM for 10 days, I was familiar with my typical patterns; usually, meals would raise my levels to 95-98, rarely exceeding 100 unless dessert was involved. Yet each meal from Dunkin’ propelled me beyond 100.

Joey’s results were similarly striking. His glucose levels hovered in the triple digits all day, peaking at 160 mg/dL.

These spikes didn’t just indicate extreme highs; the frequency was alarming. To meet our protein targets, Joey and I had to eat about every three hours, resulting in a metabolic dilemma. Our bodies had to release insulin repeatedly, not experiencing sufficient time to return to baseline levels after each meal. This constant insulin release created a challenge for our bodies to manage blood sugar effectively. Be sure to check out his video where he recorded the entire day, even including a control day to examine Dunkin’ Donuts’ effects without activity.

Understanding Bioindividuality

The observations we made revealed the significance of bioindividuality. While my blood sugar didn’t hit extreme levels, it lingered longer post meals. Joey pointed out that this could be attributed to the high fat content of our meals. “These higher fat meals slow gastric emptying,” he noted when I mentioned my sluggish glucose clearance.

A fascinating difference occurred overnight as well. My blood sugar data stabilized in the 80s mg/dL while Joey’s dipped sharply to 73 mg/dL at 3:15 a.m. This reading was the lowest he’d experienced all day, followed by a rebound spike to 140 mg/dL shortly thereafter, likely due to a liver glucose release.

“I dropped down to 73 [mg/dL] at 3:15 AM, and then at 3:45, it jumped to 140 [mg/dL],” Joey shared while reviewing his sleep data. “I woke up exactly at 3:48. That timing was not a coincidence.” For athletes and fitness enthusiasts, this stark glucose shift emphasizes how dietary choices and meal timing can affect recovery and overall well-being.

Calories vs. Hunger

Hunger was another striking aspect for both of us. Despite his consumption of 4,500 calories, Joey felt insatiable. “The hunger was intriguing,” he observed. “I felt more full on days with half that caloric intake.”

I experienced similar feelings, and both of us felt “hangry” throughout the day.

The likely culprit was the minimal fiber content on the Dunkin’ menu. On our challenge day, Joey ingested only 11 grams of fiber, significantly lower than his usual intake. Although fat can slow digestion, it doesn’t provide the same satiety signals as fiber-rich foods. We continued eating but never felt genuinely satisfied.

Movement’s Role in Blood Sugar

From an exercise perspective, our experiences varied. Joey appreciated the surge he got from carbohydrate loading and kept his workout straightforward. He did three working sets of back squats, bench presses, and cable rows, completing around 12-15 sets. “My workout felt fantastic. I tend to be vascular, but I was particularly pumped and ready,” he expressed.

My experience was less enjoyable. I engaged in a lower-body HIIT circuit. Although I could lift, my legs felt heavy, and energy fluctuations made focus difficult. By dinner time, the combination of bacon and donuts produced what felt reminiscent of a pharmaceutical yo-yo effect in my energy and mental clarity.

However, Joey’s post-meal workouts and increased step count had a significant impact. Throughout the day, he tracked over 14,000 steps. “I maintained relative stability in my levels from that brisk walk a few hours before,” he noted. “Movement is a crucial game-changer, and a brisk walk is one of the fastest and easiest strategies.”

I also credit his muscle mass for acting as a glucose sponge, effectively pulling sugar from his bloodstream without relying on insulin.

Key Takeaways

What can you learn from this metabolic journey?

First, consider taking a walk. Walking after meals is a straightforward yet powerful tool for stabilizing blood sugar. As Joey aptly stated: “Just five to ten minutes post-meal, three times a day. That totals 30 minutes of movement without an intense workout.”

Protein is beneficial but isn’t enough when combined with high fat and sugar. Although we both achieved our protein targets, we still felt undernourished, and blood sugar spikes remained frequent.

Fiber is essential for satiety and balanced energy. The substantial decrease in fiber from our typical diet left us feeling hungry all day.

Meal frequency counts. Eating too close together without allowing glucose levels from previous meals to stabilize kept blood sugar complications elevated.

The Psychological Aspect

The psychological factors were nearly as significant as the physical ones. Joey’s take on indulgence, as opposed to guilt-based restriction, provided valuable insight: “If you’re planning a day of indulgence, mentally prepare yourself. Understand your personal triggers and responses. If a cheat day leads to excessive self-criticism, steer clear of it.”

He encourages viewing “cheat days” as strategic opportunities around active periods. “Plan them around intense workouts, like leg day.”

Final Thoughts

Indulging in donuts is not sustainable over the long term. Although protein and exercise helped mitigate glucose spikes, the combination of fat, sugar, and low fiber negatively affected our focus, hunger, and recovery.

The challenge confirmed our hunches: exercise is beneficial, but it does not serve as a free pass. Post-meal walks can make a significant difference, but they cannot completely offset the metabolic impact of indulging like a child at a birthday party for an entire day.

Ultimately, this experiment reinforced that sustainable health hinges on informed choices and understanding consequences. Sometimes, that means embracing planned indulgences around activity days. Other times, it requires stepping away from the donut case entirely.