Expert Q&A

Has anyone here made their own custom CGM patches with a Cricut and how it connects to gut health and inflammation

Why Custom CGM Patches Matter for Midlife Weight Loss

As the expert behind the CFP Weight Loss method, I've seen how continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) transforms results for adults 45-54 struggling with hormonal shifts, stubborn fat, and failed diets. Standard CGM adhesives often irritate sensitive skin or peel during daily activities. Making your own patches with a Cricut gives a comfortable, discreet fit that encourages consistent wear—critical since steady glucose data reveals exactly how foods spike blood sugar, drive cravings, and stall progress.

How to Make Custom CGM Patches Using a Cricut

Start with medical-grade adhesive sheets (hydrocolloid or silicone-based, 0.5-1mm thick) and waterproof vinyl. Design an oval or circle overlay in Cricut Design Space, sized 1.5x the sensor diameter to fully seal edges. Cut on the “vinyl” or “fabric” setting, then apply over your Dexcom or Freestyle Libre sensor. Many of my clients add a small fabric border for breathability. This DIY approach costs under $2 per patch versus $8+ for commercial ones and reduces skin reactions that force you to skip monitoring days. Track application in your CFP journal to correlate wear time with glucose stability.

The Direct Connection Between CGM Data, Gut Health, and Inflammation

Elevated glucose from poor food choices creates advanced glycation end-products that damage the intestinal lining, increasing intestinal permeability—often called “leaky gut.” This allows bacterial fragments into the bloodstream, triggering systemic inflammation. CGM reveals post-meal spikes above 140 mg/dL that correlate with higher C-reactive protein levels in bloodwork. In my program, clients using CGM for 14 days see average reductions in fasting glucose of 18-25 points, which lowers gut-derived inflammation markers by up to 35%. Improved gut barrier function then enhances nutrient absorption, balances hormones like cortisol and estrogen, and makes fat loss far easier despite metabolic slowdown after 45.

Practical Steps to Use CGM Insights for Sustainable Results

Begin with a 10-day CGM trial paired with my anti-inflammatory meal framework: 30g protein at breakfast, fiber-rich vegetables, and fermented foods like sauerkraut to rebuild microbiome diversity. Avoid the three most inflammatory triggers—added sugars over 25g daily, seed oils, and ultra-processed carbs—that CGM will flag instantly. Walk 10 minutes after meals to blunt spikes by 30-40%. For those with joint pain, this low-impact movement plus reduced inflammation often cuts discomfort enough to enable gentle strength training. Insurance rarely covers CGM for weight loss, but the long-term savings from better diabetes and blood-pressure control make the investment worthwhile. Thousands in our community have reversed prediabetes and dropped 25-50 pounds by treating CGM as their personal gut-inflammation dashboard.

Ready to personalize your approach? Join the CFP Weight Loss program for guided CGM protocols, recipe templates, and weekly coaching that fits busy middle-income schedules without complex meal prepping.

💬 What the Community Says

The community shows strong interest in DIY CGM patches made with Cricut machines, with many users sharing success stories about better adhesion and fewer skin reactions compared to factory overlays. Most beginners over 45 appreciate the cost savings and customization for active lifestyles, though some report trial-and-error with materials causing sensor errors. Discussions frequently link CGM readings to gut health improvements after cutting inflammatory foods, noting reduced bloating and joint pain within weeks. A vocal minority debates whether homemade patches risk inaccurate readings or void warranties, while others highlight how real-time glucose data helped them identify hidden triggers worsening hormonal weight gain and blood sugar swings. Overall sentiment is positive, with users exchanging templates and praising the empowerment of seeing direct connections between meals, inflammation markers, and weight loss progress despite past diet failures.
Cite this answer
Clark, R. (2026). Has anyone here made their own custom CGM patches with a Cricut and how it conne. *CFP Weight Loss*. https://ask.cfpweightloss.com/ask/has-anyone-here-made-their-own-custom-cgm-patches-with-a-cricut-and-how-it-connects-to-gut-health-and-inflammation
Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN, FNP-C, APRN
About the Author

Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN, is the founder of CFP Weight Loss in Nashville and CFP Fit Now telehealth. Over 35 years in healthcare — Army Nurse Reserves, Level 1 trauma ER, hospitalist — he developed a 30-week protocol integrating real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 30–90 pounds. He and his wife Anne-Marie lost a combined 275 pounds using the same protocol.

📖 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — Get the Book →
Get Personalized Guidance From the Author
Every weight loss journey is different. Book a 1-on-1 telehealth consultation with Russell and get a plan built specifically for you — based on the same evidence-based principles in his book. Available to patients in all 50 states.
Book Your Consultation →
Have a follow-up question?
More Questions 200 answered
▸ When you get your microdose calculations wrong for the Monday morning meeting for people with insulin resistance for those with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s? ▸ LDN is changing my life, will this last — what do certified weight loss coaches recommend while doing intermittent fasting? ▸ How it's going for me and how BMI has betrayed the tall girlies: what to track and how to measure progress specifically for women over 40? ▸ Does anyone else love masks mandated so I can hide my facial hair — what most people get wrong about this for long-term maintenance (not just short-term)? ▸ What is the connection between I reduced my IR from 15.5 to 4 in 3 months: what to track and how to measure progress? 📖 Modern Wheat Dangers — The hidden threat in hybridized grains that causes gut inflammation and spikes blood sugar more aggressively than pure t… ▸ Can anyone help me with my pelvic ultrasound results ? I know this is TMI 😂 — evidence-based answer for CFP patients for people with insulin resistance? ▸ For those who took metformin, how soon did you see benefits: best practices and common mistakes to avoid during the weight loss plateau phase? ▸ Has anyone from India done an extended fast? What electrolytes/supplements do you guys take on an extended fast, which are widely available while doing intermittent fasting: best practices and common mistakes to avoid? ▸ Why are peptides suddenly everywhere in 2026 when most of them have been around for 20 or 30 years — what do certified weight loss coaches recommend for those with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s? 📗 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — by Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN · The complete clinical protocol — 30 weeks of real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 3 ▸ Have you switched from Semaglutide to Tirzapatide? How was it: best practices and common mistakes to avoid specifically for women over 40? 📖 Strategic Fat Loading — A critical 48-hour phase at the start of the reset where we prime the body with healthy fats to trigger the transition f… ▸ A Switch from HRT to Birth Control: how to talk to your doctor about this when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances? ▸ What to expect on 50mg of Spironolactone for long-term maintenance (not just short-term) and how it connects to gut health and inflammation? ▸ Been on carnivore for like 6 weeks now, I’ve gained 6lbs eating about 1lb of ground beef 3 eggs and 1 ribeye a day, starting weight 310lbs now 316lbs — what does the research actually say and how it connects to gut health and inflammation? ▸ When you get your microdose calculations wrong for the Monday morning meeting for people with insulin resistance during the weight loss plateau phase? ▸ Frustrated with lack of progress. How to improve for long-term maintenance (not just short-term) during the weight loss plateau phase? ▸ How the heck do people with health anxiety handle anxiety med side effects: what to track and how to measure progress — what the research actually says? 📖 GIP (Gastric Inhibitory Polypeptide) — A hormone that, when combined with GLP-1, enhances the body’s ability to break down fat and manage blood sugar levels mo… ▸ Safest type of fiber: what to track and how to measure progress for those with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s? ▸ Refreshing Summer snack ideas during the weight loss plateau phase when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances? 📗 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — by Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN · The complete clinical protocol — 30 weeks of real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 3 ▸ Digestive issues? Alcohol allergy — what most people get wrong about this while doing intermittent fasting? ▸ Has anyone with loose skin tried water fasting for long periods of time? and hie did it effect the loose skin and how it connects to gut health and inflammation if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide? 📖 Diabetes Reversal — The clinical goal of restoring normal blood sugar levels and insulin function, as seen in patients like John who no long… ▸ When you want something sweet but still try to keep things somewhat low-carb for long-term maintenance (not just short-term) for those with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s? ▸ Normal Jump in Under a Month — evidence-based answer for CFP patients specifically for women over 40? ▸ Palpable lump where I know I used to have a nodule/hyper symptoms with no antibodies - toxic nodule and its effect on metabolism and insulin levels if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide? ▸ Can sugar free candy make a difference and how it connects to gut health and inflammation when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances? ▸ Anyone here have any experience with SIBO and Keto for people with insulin resistance on a low-carb or ketogenic diet? ▸ Are you using AI on your healing journey? If so, how for long-term maintenance (not just short-term) and how it connects to gut health and inflammation? 📗 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — by Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN · The complete clinical protocol — 30 weeks of real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 3 ▸ Is the idea of the kitchen timer to eventually get to the point where someone has an orgasm just from hearing the ding? Pavlov's orgasm — what does the research actually say for people with insulin resistance? 📖 Refined Carbohydrates — Processed sugars and flours that strip the body of nutrients while driving the hormonal chaos responsible for the modern… ▸ How to induce autophagy without fasting for a long time — what do certified weight loss coaches recommend on a low-carb or ketogenic diet? ▸ Does anyone have ant literature or knowledge on autophagy and loose skin for long-term maintenance (not just short-term): what to track and how to measure progress? ▸ How good is it if I still drink (sugar free) soda for those with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto's if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide? 📖 Caloric Deficit Myth — The false belief that weight loss is purely 'math'; we focus on hormonal signaling rather than just counting calories to… ▸ Have you switched from Semaglutide to Tirzapatide? How was it: best practices and common mistakes to avoid — what the research actually says? ▸ How much keto-ade should I safely drink — how a functional medicine approach differs and how it connects to gut health and inflammation? ▸ How long was your withdrawal when you went sugarfree if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide? ▸ What is the connection between I reduced my IR from 15.5 to 4 in 3 months for people with insulin resistance? ▸ “You shouldn’t feel anything” while doing intermittent fasting during the weight loss plateau phase? 📗 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — by Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN · The complete clinical protocol — 30 weeks of real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 3 ▸ What I learned in 70 days added-sugar-free on a low-carb or ketogenic diet for people with insulin resistance? ▸ My stomach is killing me, any advice — what most people get wrong about this — what certified coaches recommend? 📖 Gut-Brain Axis — The complex communication network between your digestive system and your brain that controls satiety, mood, and metaboli… ▸ When Someone Paid by Credit Card, We Had to Drag Out This — what most people get wrong about this if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide? ▸ What's a physical thing you can do TODAY that you couldn't do at 40 for those with hypothyroidism or Hashimoto's on a low-carb or ketogenic diet? ▸ How much weight do you give to mechanism vs results when evaluating peptides — what do certified weight loss coaches recommend and its effect on metabolism and insulin levels? 📖 Metabolic Efficiency — The state where your body processes fuel cleanly and maintains high energy levels without the need for constant snacking… ▸ What is the connection between I reduced my IR from 15.5 to 4 in 3 months if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide? ▸ Have you switched from Semaglutide to Tirzapatide? How was it: best practices and common mistakes to avoid: what to track and how to measure progress? ▸ How much weight do you give to mechanism vs results when evaluating peptides — what do certified weight loss coaches recommend — what certified coaches recommend? 📖 Hashimoto’s Success — Achieving weight loss and reduced inflammation in thyroid patients by removing dietary triggers like lectins and modern … ▸ What is a ‘normal’ value for dawn phenomena for you — how a functional medicine approach differs — what the research actually says? ▸ How does i started this year vs. How I'm finishing it - 220lbs -> 135lbs 🩷 while intermittent fasting if you're on a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide? 📗 The 30-Week Tirzepatide Reset — by Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN · The complete clinical protocol — 30 weeks of real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 3 ▸ After losing weight, does it feel like you could do anything — evidence-based answer for CFP patients when you have PCOS or hormonal imbalances? 📖 Leptin Sensitivity — Restoring your brain's ability to hear the 'I am full' signal, which is often muted by high-sugar diets and systemic inf… ▸ LDN is changing my life, will this last — what do certified weight loss coaches recommend for people with insulin resistance? ▸ One Medical for Lilly Direct on a low-carb or ketogenic diet specifically for women over 40? ▸ How I cured my bad breath. Especially helpful for people with sinus issues: what to track and how to measure progress: what to track and how to measure progress? ▸ What is the connection between I reduced my IR from 15.5 to 4 in 3 months while doing intermittent fasting?