Over the past years, intermittent fasting (IF) has slowly become a mainstream diet. One that many are surprised to find feels more liveable and much less restrictive than traditional diets such as keto, calorie-counting, and many others.
Because of IF’s wellness benefits, which improve overall health, reduce disease risks, and increase metabolic health, IF is also appealing to those who are not necessarily looking to lose weight.
For us at Hello Inside Intermittent fasting is particularly interesting because there’s substantial research available suggesting that IF can improve  glucose management and insulin sensitivity.

Whatever the approach, IF involves restricting the window of time when you eat. The most popular approaches are 16:8, 20:4 and 5:2. The numbers refer to “fasting to eating” hours in a day (16 to 8 and 20 to 4) or to “eating to fasting” days in a week (5 to 2).

So how, exactly does IF work to promote health and longevity?

There isn’t one standard protocol for IF. But many plans limit the total calorie intake. This makes the food quality a top priority.

We recommend squeezing in the most nutritious meals and snacks. That means mixing processed foods and focusing on fresh, healthy, colorful foods. Yes, you can eat cake, but eating it as a snack after a meal rich in fiber, protein and fat, instead of on an empty stomach when breaking a fast makes it so much better. You will see this in your blood sugar balance and feel better overall.

Besides the limited calorie intake, the idea is that when you’re not eating, your insulin levels  will go down and your fat cells can then release their stored sugar, to be used as energy to maintain steady glucose levels. You could say that your body flips a metabolic switch.
If you’re constantly eating your body won’t need to access this storage, because it has energy in the form of glucose floating around – its preferred fuel. You can read more about this in our blog post on weight control and blood glucose.

Eating less frequently can also help to reduce inflammation, which is great because it also decreases insulin resistance. Here’s why:
If you’re constantly eating, especially a diet high in carbs, your body releases insulin constantly triggered by the glucose intake. Over time, as insulin builds up in the body cells can’t use it effectively as before- a phenomenon also known as insulin resistance. The cells get “numb” in using insulin which is important to store the glucose away. This in turn leads to higher blood glucose levels  and inflammation.
So squeezing calories intake into a smaller window AND eating healthier foods can decrease the risk of developing diseases. 

The way you break your fast matters. 

A “breakfast” rich in carbs can put you on the glucose roller coaster for the remainder of the day. It really sets the tone. If your first meal contains fat and protein (before your carbs) your blood sugar will be more stable, 

As mentioned above, intermittent fasting has become extremely popular. Particularly skipping breakfast and eating two more-substantial meals. However intermittent fasting may not be the best diet for every woman.

Firstly, in women with hormonal imbalances, especially PCOS, a good breakfast is really important for bringing down insulin and testosterone and improving ovulation. This is important not only for fertility but also for long-term health.
Secondly, intermittent fasting can trigger disordered eating as women may tend to overeat during the eating window. Which deserves special attention, since studies found that up to 23 percent of women with PCOS tend to suffer from disordered eating.

Along with having a savoury and substantial breakfast a gap of at least 12 hours between dinner and breakfast the following morning, can improve the insulin sensitivity.
How can this look like in real life? A 12- hour gap shouldn’t be too hard to achieve. For example, a woman could choose to fast between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. She would need to finish her dinner before 7 p.m. and wait until 7 a.m. to eat breakfast but would be asleep for much of the time in between.  

And since we’re already talking about women. IF is probably not a good idea for pregnant and breastfeeding women as well. The natural calorie restriction that happens because of IF can have a negative impact on fetal development. Also, since the mother’s diet is largely dependent on what the mother eats, a restricted diet during breastfeeding may result in less nutritious milk and thus influence a newborns development.

One other benefit of IF worth mentioning is that it boosts our natural circadian rhythm. Deep in everyone’s brain there is a master clock that, taking into account external data such as sunlight, stimulates our bodies to perform certain activities.

This so-called circadian rhythm is comparable to a smartphone that has a whole day of alarms preset – get up, eat lunch, etc. – only much less annoying. Our circadian rhythm also includes a glucose/insulin timer. Sensitivity to insulin decreases throughout the day.

It takes our bodies longer to process a piece of bread at 9pm than it does at lunchtime. So having your dinner earlier in the day (for example, by sticking to a 16:8 schedule and eating only between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.) increases the circadian effectiveness of insulin.

This circadian rhythm also explains why someone’s blood sugar goes up and down during the night. Even though they’re not eating. Besides the circadian rhythm, other factors may impact our blood sugar over night:

By definition, the word “diet”  refers to the food and drinks that are regularly consumed by a person. However, the word diet is also associated with a restriction of calories, carbohydrates, fats or other nutrients in order to achieve a goal, which is frequently related to health or weight loss. 

Common reasons for following a diet include:

More than 50% of people make New Year’s resolutions every year. Many include cutting back on sugar, eating healthier, or losing weight. This may sound like a logical consequence after all the treats of Christmas. Unfortunately, by January 19th, over 80% of people have abandoned their resolutions already.

So let’s make sure that no matter your resolution, and even if you don’t have any, you understand the power of blood sugar when it comes to your healthy weight. 

Most think eating less and moving more are necessary to drop extra kilograms. But if you’re already doing everything “right” and can’t seem to lose weight or are even gaining it, controlling your blood sugar may be of special interest, and you won’t need to eat less or work out more. Sounds like a win-win, right?

Here’s why. 

Let’s start with some basic information about hormones. 

Hormones are your body’s chemical messengers that travel in your bloodstream. They work slowly, over time, and affect many different processes. Hormones are very powerful. Only a tiny amount of too much or too little causes big changes in cells or your whole body.

To control your blood sugar, one hormone is of special importance: 

Insulin is a hormone produced by beta cells in your pancreas. 

Every time you eat or drink anything but water, your pancreas produces insulin. This hormone helps your body access your food’s energy by “unlocking” your cells. Insulin’s main task is to move the sugar (aka glucose) inside the cells, where it’s used for fuel.
Its side effect is to: impact your fat metabolism (inhibit fat “burning”). Because as long as carbs are in excess, insulin levels are high, and your body won’t burn fat. This happens because your body will always prefer carbs over other energy sources. So it is important to give your body some time between meals (ideally more than 3 hours) to allow your insulin to bring your blood sugar down and your body to access fat cells for energy. Otherwise, your body will gain additional weight. 

The long-term consequence of high blood sugar levels or additional weight is insulin resistance. 

Think of your body as a car. Fill the trunk with your luggage for a month-long vacation. Your car will need more gas to power the engine. And now, imagine that insulin is the gas line between the fuel tank and the engine. Insulin resistance squeezes it, so it’s harder to get when you need more fuel. Controlling your weight or losing some kilograms can slow the development of insulin resistance. Similar to the fact that you would not want to travel around with your vacation luggage all the time. 

Since it’s tough for insulin-resistant cells to take glucose from your blood, sugar levels build up. Over time, this may lead to diabetes, damaging your blood vessels and yield more weight gain. That’s because extra blood glucose signals to your pancreas: “Make more insulin!” But the more you churn out, the easier weight piles on because insulin encourages your body to store the extra sugar as fat.

Besides insulin, another hormone influences your blood sugar:

Cortisol is also known as the stress hormone.
Stress kicks off your fight-or-flight response, which prompts the body to produce less insulin and release more glucose. This extra glucose is your body’s way of ensuring you have enough fuel in case you need to fight off – or flee from – a threat. This was a great mechanism back then when we had to outrun a tiger in search of food. But our modern stressors, such as meetings or deadlines, aren’t the same physical threat as a hungry tiger. 

Additionally, many people tend to reach for unhealthy food when they’re stressed. So, in addition to the physiological function of stress, how many people cope with stress makes it harder to lose or maintain weight. 

Monitoring your blood sugar will support a healthy weight. 

You will notice that your glucose levels are higher when you’re stressed. This high blood sugar requires plenty of insulin to bring the glucose down. But high insulin levels inhibit fat burning and weight loss in the long run. In other words, stress blocks weight loss. 

So you may want to rethink your New Year’s resolutions, and even if you don’t have any, think about ways to reduce stress and learn to cope with it – without using food or alcohol.
This will make it easier to lose or control your weight. 

As an inspiration to get you going, we recommend getting plenty of sleep each night, walking as much as possible during the day, and adding stress-relieving activities such as breathing exercises, yoga, or meditation. And of course: Monitor your blood sugar levels. 

Fat sometimes gets a bad reputation. Many people think that eating fat will make them gain weight. They don’t know that we need dietary fats to absorb fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Also, fats are necessary for our hormones. It’s not all bad but being mindful is important.

Another important piece of information is that healthy fats include unsaturated fats like monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, and omega-3 fatty acids. These fats are less likely to promote insulin resistance, inflammation, and fat storage. That’s good. Additionally, omega-3 fatty acids are said to promote heart health. Some healthy fats include olive oil, avocado and avocado oil, nuts, and seeds.

On the other side, unhealthy fats lead to negative health outcomes such as type 2 diabetes. You can find these unhealthy fats in butter, palm oil, ice cream, and lard. So choose smart combinations of macronutrients and balance your meals for a healthy diet.

Include Omega-3s everyday
Choose one of the following every day: fatty fish, chia seeds, flaxseeds, nuts, or seeds. This simple will help boost your omega-3 intake and keep you full.

Include nuts in your recipes 
Nuts are a great healthy fat. They add crunch and protein to your recipes. Remember 1 handful per day is the recommended serving size for nuts.

Exchange butter with olive oil
Increase your healthy fats (mono- and polyunsaturated fats) by using olive oil in recipes.

Go for homemade salad dressings
You can use olive oil or pumpkin seed oil as a base for salad dressing. Mix two parts oil to one-part vinegar with herbs and add it to your salad. Many packaged dressings are high in unhealthy fats (and sugar)

Add avocado to your meals
Avocados are filling and can help with weight loss. Have you ever tried one in your green smoothie?  This can help to keep your blood sugar more balanced.

Remember to use healthy fats in moderation. Just because they are healthy fats does not allow you to eat without limits. Ideally, you aim for 60-80 g of healthy fats per day, that’s about 6-8 tablespoons.

The New Year is a chance for us to reinvent ourselves. A chance to set new year’s resolutions. Leave behind your old bad habits and embrace a healthier, better and newer version of yourself for the year ahead. Or at least, that’s how it’s supposed to work.

The hard truth of the matter is that despite our best intentions, hardly any of us manage to actually stick to the new year’s resolutions that we set out to achieve. In fact, studies have shown that over 90% of us fail to make them last. And most of us break them within less than a month.

We want to help you to not just repeat the same old resolutions, which are doomed to fail – but to make 2023 about a new year’s revolution to achieve the (health) goals you have been working on all this time.

In this article, we will:

In this article, one of our dear users shares what she could learn from using the Hello Inside app. Martina’s story shows how individual our bodies react to diet and exercise, and she shared some of her most interesting insights with us.

Martina: Shortly after I made the decision to understand my body even better, I already held the package from Hello Inside in my hands. I was very excited, but also a little nervous, because the sensor was attached to my upper arm with a small needle. The needle doesn’t stay in, but only a thin thread, but still I was skeptical about how this would work out. After carefully reading the instruction manual, I first cleaned my upper arm, checked the area for moles, and then I was ready to go. Wham! I pressed down the applicator (the one with the needle) and attached the sensor to my upper arm almost painlessly… almost, it tingled a bit at first. But this feeling disappeared relatively quickly, soon I no longer felt the sensor. Which makes sense, because the sensor is only the size of a 2-euro coin. After the sensor had calibrated itself within an hour, the four-week glucose journey could begin.

For a long time, I only knew continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) from people with diabetes. In recent months, however, I have heard more and more often that even healthy people can track their glucose metabolism – not only to prevent health risks, but also to get to know their own body better. I was also curious to see what I could learn from real-time and long-term monitoring of my own glucose levels about certain foods, sleep, exercise, stress, and my cycle.

Is the sensor waterproof? Since I go swimming once or twice a week and wakeboarding from time to time, I didn’t want to limit myself in these activities. During the first swimming sessions, I wore a waterproof patch. Since this patch did not stick very well for me and came off relatively early, I simply left the patch off. The result: An hour in the water does not affect the sensor and even sauna visits without a patch are possible. What you should know, however, is that the adhesive of the sensor can loosen during longer water activities and thus also fall off at some point. I ended up using a tape that kept the sensor in place during sports activities. (Note from Hello Inside: We are currently looking for a supplier for Hello Inside patches, so you don’t have to organize patches yourself).

That was clearly my morning cocoa with oat drink. I did not expect such a high spike (peak = rapid increase in glucose level). I decided to not use cow’s milk for various reasons, but the oat drink apparently also has its downsides. At least for me. (Note Hello Inside: Many other users also report a strong increase in blood sugar when consuming oat drinks, even without added sugar).

For me, the journey into the world of milk alternatives was just beginning, because I did not want to stop with these results. So I bought all kinds of milk alternatives from pea drink, rice drink, coconut drink, almond drink to oat drink with zero percent sugar. Bottom line, the pea drink was my personal blood sugar winner. It has little impact on blood sugar due to its higher protein content and lower carbohydrate content. Coconut milk and almond milk only slightly elevate blood sugar and do not create a spike. The rice drink as well as the oat drink cause a relatively high and rapid glucose rise. The biggest surprise for me, however, was the oat drink with zero percent sugar. I really hadn’t expected a blood glucose value of 180 mg/dl (see Figure 1).

A pizza as well as pasta are known to be loaded with carbohydrates. One day I had a pizza and a chocolate pudding for dessert and had a glucose spike soon after (see Figure 2). Nothing surprising. On another day, I had carbonara with red wine, pistachio and vanilla ice cream and the blood glucose remained constant (see Figure 3). Initially, I thought this might be due to the cycle phase. On the other hand, upon closer analysis, I realized that while a pasta carbonara contains carbohydrates, it also contains a large amount of protein and fat (from egg, bacon/ham, cheese). The pistachio ice cream also contains quite a bit of fat… and then there’s the effect of the alcohol. So this combination of proteins, fats and carbohydrates plus alcohol seems to have been okay for my blood sugar at first glance.

It seems that my blood sugar is more stable during my luteal phase as well as my menstrual phase than during the proliferative phase. Since I ate the same breakfast every day, consisting of gluten-free oats, almond paste, wild blueberries and date syrup, I could see clear differences here. During my luteal phase, this breakfast had hardly any effect on my blood sugar. On the other hand, during my proliferative phase, I could see a stronger increase in blood sugar. But to make this determination with more certainty, I would have to run the Hello Hormones program a second time. Then, I would be able to determine even more precisely which foods in which phase have what effect.

The four-weeks of continuous glucose measurement gave me a good first insight into the influence of certain foods, sleep, sport, stress and the menstrual cycle on my blood glucose levels. I also became aware again of how complex the human and especially the female body is. It showed me once again how individual each person is. What works for me may not work for my friends. This “looking into oneself” is a wonderful example that standard nutrition recommendations are very generalized but may not be applicable for each individual. It was also during this time that I really became aware of the fact that the individual cycle phases deserve much more attention, as different glucose reactions can occur depending on the hormones. But the most important thing is not to drive yourself crazy, but to make conscious decisions. Because sometimes I just feel like having coffee with oat drink, vanilla ice cream or a glass of wine.  

So thank you for letting me try the Hello Hormones program. I was able to find out what my body likes or dislikes, and which factors influence my blood sugar and to what extent.  

Martina Zollner, sports scientist and athlete, shared her experience with Hello Inside in this interview.

Feeling sleepy after eating is a common problem. Many people notice this, especially in the afternoon, only a short time after lunch. That’s why it’s also called the “afternoon slump.” You may have noticed that you or your colleagues wander around searching for sugar and coffee. Both are tempting because they can offset afternoon fatigue.

Yet there’s a better approach to boost your energy than sweets and coffee. For example, structure your meals in a way that helps sustain your energy. Below we’ll look at just how to do this, plus foods to limit that can zap your energy.

You’re most likely to feel this way after eating a big meal, especially one high in low-quality fats, starches, and/or sugar.

One of the leading causes of feeling tired after eating is a drop in blood sugar (glucose).

After you eat starches or sugars your blood sugar rises quickly, and it won’t take too long for the levels to fall as your “blood sugar crashes”. This can cause feelings of brain fog, cravings, and fatigue/tiredness. Although the severity of these symptoms varies from person to person.

In addition to those feelings, sugar starches also cause more serotonin to be released. Serotonin is a “happy chemical,” but it can also make you feel relaxed and tired.

Other reasons you feel sleepy after eating include how your parasympathetic nervous system works and your circadian rhythm.

Your parasympathetic nervous system is the part of your nervous system that is in charge of “rest and digest” processes. It responds to you eating a meal by making you feel more relaxed.

Eating also calls for additional blood activity in your digestive system to speed up digestion. You may have never thought about it, but breaking down the food you eat is a lot of work for your body, which requires a lot of energy.  

Besides the physiological process, tiredness can also result from your “internal clock” (circadian rhythm). It’s considered natural and “normal” to feel a little tired in the afternoon, usually around 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., which is a couple hours after most people’s lunchtime.

To find out what you can do to support your body with its processes and feel less tired, we’ll share a few tips with you next. 

You sometimes need the extra energy boost in the afternoon, right in the morning or after exercising. There are many options you have probably heard of. From energy drinks, to power bars and sports gels. 

Unfortunately, these products may be efficient and suitable for elite athletes that need high amounts of quick sugar during or after their workout. But for the rest of you they will likely cause a quick glucose rush (a fast increase of glucose) that is followed by a glucose dip after. This fast up and down will make you feel more tired, moody or hungry than before you enjoyed this gel, bar or drink. 

At Hello Inside, we consider a good energy booster as something that won’t put you on this rollercoaster of highs and lows. These foods provide sustainable energy and won’t cause any spikes and dips.

Self-care is important. Now more than ever. And spoiler alert: doing self-care together is even more fun and has many benefits. But let’s start at the beginning.

We at Hello Inside are the biggest advocates of taking care of yourself on every level: health, fitness, nutrition, sleep, mindfulness, appearance.
We believe by trying to be the best version of yourself you don’t just feel better, you can also do better and be better.

However, many of us still struggle to indulge in well-deserved time-out for our mental, physical and emotional health. Mainly because self-care has turned into a bit of a buzzword in recent years that implies looking after yourself is a rather selfish act.

But self-care is much more than just “Me, Myself and I”. It’s nice to learn how to prioritize yourself in certain moments, but doing so doesn’t have to be a long and lonely road.

In fact, relationships are one of the essential key areas of the six lifestyle pillars that can directly affect your overall health and indirectly affect your blood glucose levels. Spending quality time with others can help you cope better with stress and make you feel more energized. Doing so allows you to stabilize your blood glucose levels and create a better life for yourself in the long run.

You can measure the impact of relationships and other habits on your health by monitoring your blood glucose levels with a Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) device.

In this blog post, we’ll take a look at what makes doing self-care together more enjoyable and how you can implement it in your life. But before you start swiping through those dating apps for a match made in heaven, a quick reminder: You don’t need to be in a romantic relationship to benefit from doing self-care with somebody else.

Now that’s sorted, here are six reasons why we’ll help you get over your social anxiety and text your friends/partner/family immediately. 

A squared, yellow sea sponge once said: “F is for friends who do stuff together….” and let’s be honest, he was onto something.  

Whether you’re trying to get the hang of a new habit or have an honest conversation with your best friend, sharing some laughs along the way makes even the toughest parts of self-care easy. 

Also, keep in mind: A deep-rooted belly laugh triggers the release of endorphins, lowers your stress hormones, and increases your overall sense of well-being.

Getting up an hour earlier in the morning just to do something good for yourself, like meditating or working out, sounds like a paradox at first. In what world is sacrificing sleep part of self-care? 

First of all: Don’t give up sleep for anything or anyone, rather establish a new pattern. (Listen to our podcast to learn more about the importance of sleep)

Second of all: let’s be honest here, rearranging your schedule and creating a routine that prioritizes self-care takes quite a lot of effort at first.

But, if you do it with somebody else you can motivate and encourage each other when the going gets tough. 

Third of all: If you just can’t make morning workouts work for you, afternoons are an option, as are evening walks. These may be easier to fit into your and your partner’s schedules.

Along with motivation comes: accountability. You’ve made plans to go to a yoga class after work, but once the evening approaches all you can think about is going home and watching TV.

While self-care looks different for everyone, consciously taking time for activities that improve your overall health can make a big difference. If you have trouble sticking

to your schedule and abandon any form of active self-care faster than light moves, asking a friend or a family member to join you may be the solution. 

This might not be for everyone, but if you thrive on competition (in the healthiest way possible!) and need a little push once in a while, then a lighthearted contest could motivate you to follow through with your self-care plans.

Open your calendar, set a goal for you and your partner, and get started.

The key to a good relationship is communication. You’ve probably heard that before.

We know how much of a struggle it can be to find the right words at the right time (or even any words at all), but expressing how you really feel can change your interpersonal relations for the better.

Sharing the emotional part of self-care allows you to get to know each other on a more vulnerable level. It can help you shift patterns and strengthen the way you communicate with each other.

Whether you decide to go for weekly walks or change up your diet, once you include your loved ones in your plans, you want to be able to trust them.

We are not just referring to the physical trust that a person will show up (=accountability) but also, that he/she/they can emotionally hold space for you and set healthy boundaries when needed. 

Self-care together allows you to explore the dynamic of personal spaces and to learn how to respect each other.

Now that we’ve established the reasons why self-care together just makes sense, let’s put theory into practice. 

As mentioned, we want you to be able to track the effects of your self-care journey. Get yourself and your self-care companion a CGM device, give the following tips & tricks a try and do something good for your mind and body based on reliable, scientific data: 

Nothing affects your blood glucose levels more than your diet. Make individual meal plans that suit your lifestyle and hold each other accountable by monitoring the drops and spikes of your blood glucose levels.

It may also be fun to try one of our experiments in the Hello Inside App together with your partner or friend. This allows you not only to learn about how your body responds to food, but it can also show you how individual everybody’s response to different foods is.

Physical activity helps to process the glucose in your blood and supports your insulin metabolism. Create a new habit together, get your energy flowing for the day and keep each other motivated while sweating it out.

We have already learned that stress can lead to increased blood glucose levels. Try to get comfortable with your CGM device, take note of your levels anytime you’re tense or anxious. Meet up with your self-care buddy and talk it out. Ask questions, compare your responses, and get ready to be surprised.

Rinse and repeat.

See if you notice any positive changes in your data. 

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to self-care. While little challenges and competitions can be fun, you should never compare yourself to others. Everyone is different and what works for you might be completely wrong for someone else. Your Hello Inside App in combination with a CGM allows you to explore, where you and your partner differ and in which areas your reactions are more similar.

Spend time with your loved ones, measure your blood glucose levels and figure out together how unique you are. Have fun exploring together!

Late dinners, long family gatherings with great treats, or those snacks before bed, whatever it is, you feel tired and ready to go to sleep afterwards. But do you really sleep well after a dinner just before bedtime?

Some experts will tell you that it’s normal to feel sleepy after eating.

We are going to warn you that a big meal, especially with lots of carbs before bed will disrupt your sleep. And the reason for that is the unique relationship between food, sleep and your metabolism. 

For starters, dozing off right after a large meal will lead to digestive issues. That’s because an upright position — whether sitting or standing — is better for digestion in general. 

The way we metabolize food varies at different times during a roughly 24-hour cycle, and mostly it slows down the closer you get to your bedtime. 

Sleeping after eating also lowers your arousal threshold (making it more likely that something wakes you), increasing sleep fragmentation (causing you to wake up during the night). This will affect your sleep quality and depth. 

Although large late-night meals tend to be problematic for the reasons above, it is important to note that also the foods have an impact on your sleep.

Foods that are high in glucose and carbs, will put you straight into the glucose rollercoaster, making you feel wide awake because the energy kicks in, but you don’t need it any more. 

Plus, that little glass of wine you enjoy with dinner may also affect to your sleep quality.

A consequence of poor sleep is also that you have increased glucose levels the next day and can observe stronger fluctuations. This in turn can cause you to experience cravings and you end up on the glucose roller coaster again. So not only are you tired and unfocused, but you’re hungrier too. (Have you ever observed that if you eat dinner late, you’er hungrier then usual the next morning?)

A balanced diet of vegetables and fruits (the latter during the earlier hours of the day), whole grains, nuts, and lean proteins is said to help with getting a higher quality sleep. A recent literature review in June 2022 shows that a healthy diet is associated with better perceived sleep quality.

Also we recommend that you wait at least 2-3 hours before you go to bed after a meal.

Learn more about what works for you in our new Hello Sugar Program. 14 days to explore your personal reaction to food, exercise and stress. Find your sweet spot!