#1702 Defining Diabetes: S.W.A.G

Summary

Juicebox Podcast: Type 1 Diabetes

Episode #1702 – Defining Diabetes: S.W.A.G
Host: Scott Benner
Guest: Jenny
Date: December 7, 2025

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Overview

This episode of the Juicebox Podcast continues the "Defining Diabetes" series by clearly explaining the meaning and usage of the acronym "SWAG" in the context of Type 1 diabetes management. Scott Benner and Jenny talk through its origins, common interpretations, why it's such a relatable concept, and how it practically applies to life with diabetes. Through their relaxed, honest conversation, listeners gain insight and reassurance about the very real and sometimes imprecise business of carb counting and insulin dosing.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

What is "SWAG"? - Defining the Acronym

• "SWAG" stands for "Scientific Wild-Ass Guess," but as Jenny and Scott note, there are endless variations and interpretations among people with diabetes.
• Definition in practice: Using experience and intuition to estimate the carbohydrate content of a meal (or make other decisions) when there is no precise information available.

Jenny (01:31):

“I have always, eons ago, when it sort of first came into my vernacular, it has always been 'scientific wild-ass guess.' Like you are totally estimating. You’re guessing. You’re looking at that plate and you’re like, ah, I don’t know, 45 grams of car[b].”

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SWAG in Daily Diabetes Management

• Common Usage: SWAGging is typically employed in situations where carb counts aren’t labeled or easily calculable—at restaurants, family gatherings, or spontaneous social events.
• Universality: Scott emphasizes that everyone, at some point, relies on SWAG, making it an integral and shared part of diabetes management.
• Confidence and Accuracy Improve with Experience: Over time, SWAGs can become quite accurate. Past experiences inform new estimates, leading to better outcomes.

Jenny (03:06):

“With enough time with diabetes, even your SWAG becomes pretty accurate … It might be 20 grams off. But that’s pretty darn close.”

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The Emotional Reality Behind SWAG

• Caution and Error: It’s common to undercount at restaurants or unfamiliar situations, often out of caution. Jenny shares that "restaurants are commonly undercounted by a fair percent—it could be 10 to 25% that you’re undercounting by with that little subconscious hint of, I don’t know, I’ll be a little cautious.” (05:29)
• Lessons from Mistakes: Scott shares how historical patterns and corrections help refine future SWAGs. Mistakes aren’t failures but valuable data for next time.

Scott (04:09):

“I thought this was the impact of 50 carbs. It is funny. I don’t even think about it as 50 carbs anymore. I think of it as the impact of an idea … so next time I guess that same thing, I was like, well, last time it was, you know, I put 50 carbs in and I ended up correcting another unit. So let’s just throw that unit into the bolus this time.”

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Encouragement & Normalization

• Everyone Swags: Both hosts reassure listeners that even “experienced” people guess, and often. Feeling uncertain is entirely normal and commonly shared.
• Social Sharing: Jenny notes enjoying online communities where people share “total SWAG” meal results along with their blood glucose numbers as encouragement.

Scott (05:43):

“If you’re listening and you feel like, oh, no, I’m always guessing. I don’t know. I hope it’s comforting to know that that’s what everybody’s doing.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Jenny (02:45): “SWAG in general, despite it having words to the letters, it is just equal to 'I guess.'”
• Scott (03:01): “I don’t know. That looks like… 120. Like, you know, you’re at the Cinnabon and you’re like, I don’t know.”
• Jenny (03:40): “It’s fun when people also … post pictures and it does give, especially when they’ve achieved—'this was a total SWAG' and they see this lovely looking blood sugar result. And it totally worked.”

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Key Timestamps

• 01:31 – 02:45: Origin and definition(s) of "SWAG"
• 03:06 – 03:23: SWAG accuracy with experience
• 04:09 – 04:51: Learning from corrections—how “SWAG science” evolves
• 05:12 – 05:43: Under-counting and cautious estimation in restaurants

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Tone & Style

The episode maintains Scott’s trademark friendliness and Jenny’s approachable expertise. Their practical outlook and candidness foster a sense of camaraderie: “SWAG isn’t a failure; it’s a fact of diabetes life.”

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Summary Takeaway

“SWAG” is a humorous but deeply practical concept in diabetes management, representing the reality that sometimes all we can do is make our best, most educated guess—and that’s good enough. With shared stories and gentle humor, the hosts demystify and normalize the art of the guess, encouraging listeners to accept imperfection and learn as they go.

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For further clarifications or deeper dives into basic concepts, listeners are encouraged to check out the "Bold Beginnings" and "Small Sips" series on the Juicebox Podcast.

Transcript

[A]

Welcome back, friends. You are listening to the Juice Box Podcast.

Managing diabetes is difficult, but trying to do it when you don't understand the lingo, that's almost impossible. The Defining Diabetes series began in 2019, and today we're adding to it. Go to juiceboxpodcast.com up in the menu, click on Defining Diabetes and you'll see a complete list of all the terms that we've defined so far. If you're new to type 1 diabetes, begin with the Bold Beginnings series from the podcast. Don't take my word for it. Listen to what reviewers have said. Bold Beginnings is the best first step. I learned more in those episodes than anywhere else. This is when everything finally clicked. People say it takes the stress out of the early days and replaces it with clarity. They tell me this should come with the diagnosis packet that I got at the hospital. And after they listen, they recommend it to everyone who's struggling. It's straightforward, practical, and easy to listen to. Bold Beginnings gives you the basics in a way that actually makes sense.

While you're listening, please remember that nothing you hear on the Juice Box Podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise. Always consult a physician before making any changes to your healthcare plan or becoming bold with insulin. Jenny, can we define swag, please?

[B]

Oh, that's a fun one. I've heard as an acronym, which is what it is, right? I've heard people say different words for the letters of the acronym. I have always, eons ago, when it sort of first came into my vernacular, it has always been scientific wide gas, scientific wide scientific wide ass guess. Like you are totally estimating. You're guessing. You're looking at that plate and you're like, ah, I don't know, 45 grams of car.

[A]

This one is. It's interesting because we do have a. A small sips episode about this where we actually break down like dozens of different meanings that people have. But it doesn't exist in the Defining series. So people have been asking for me to put it here. I think the way you hear it, the way you've heard it over and over again, it is interesting. It makes you realize that other people have heard it a different way. I've always heard scientific wild guess wild, but there are no end of options. We just want you to understand that when you see it online, when somebody's saying, oh, I swag that meal, they just mean, I looked at it and I guess the carbs entirely.

[B]

It's a guess swag in general, despite it having words to the letters, it is just equal to I guess. And I guess, like it was a gas. Yeah, Yeah.

[A]

I don't know. That looks like.

120. Like, you know, you're at the Cinnabon and you're like, I don't know.

[B]

Right.

[A]

That kind of thing.

[B]

Although the funny thing about it, I think with enough time with diabetes, even your swag, it's good. Becomes pretty accurate. Right. I mean, it's not like 100 gram difference. It might be 20 grams off.

[A]

Right.

[B]

But that's pretty darn close when you're considering.

[A]

I think it's just a fun thing that people have been saying forever and ever to get across to the person they're talking to. Like, I had no idea how many carbs are in this. I really just pulled this number straight out of my butt.

[B]

I think it's fun when people also. This is where I like to see people post pictures and it does give, especially when they've achieved. This was a total swag and they see this lovely looking blood sugar result. And it totally worked. And that's why I said before, it's like a lot of that swag is historical information kind of coming together in your brain to be able to actually pinpoint a number to start at guessing with.

[A]

Yeah. So I found in the beginning that when I was guessing and then Arden would have higher blood sugars, I started, you know, I mean, you've heard me say like, use more insulin probably a million times. Like, I started guessing heavier. And then it was funny what it taught me, honestly. Like, you know, I thought this was the impact of 50 carbs. It is funny. I don't even think about it as 50 carbs anymore. I think of it as the impact of an idea. And it wasn't right because she's still 170 when it's over. So I, I corrected down from 170 and the next time I guess that same thing, I was like, well, last time it was, you know, I put 50 carbs in and I ended up correcting another unit. So let's just throw that unit into the bolus. This time it got me somewhere, you.

[B]

Know, and is that more. I think it's a good place to. Even within swag, where do people often swag? A restaurant. Right. Or a meal out at, you know, grandma's house or a cookout or something like that where there really isn't a bag or a package or there's just not time and they're like, I don't know, it looks like this.

[A]

Right.

[B]

But I think in that realm it's a good thing to say that most people, if they're going to undercount, it ends up being in an environment where there isn't information and there's still that feeling of cautious estimation.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

So restaurants are commonly undercounted by a fair percent. It could be 10 to 25% that you're under counting by with that little subconscious hint of, I don't know, I'll be a little cautious.

[A]

Right. Right. Yeah. I don't want to find out in the car on the way home that I overestimated this kind of an idea. Yeah. So if you're listening and you feel like, oh, no, I'm always guessing. I don't know. I hope it's comforting to know that that's what everybody's doing. So. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. I appreciate it. You're welcome.

Okay, well, here we are at the end of the episode. You're still with me. Thank you. I really do appreciate that. What else could you do for me? Why don't you tell a friend about the show or leave a five star review? Maybe you could make sure you're following or subscribed in your podcast app. Go to YouTube and follow me. Or Instagram TikTok. Oh, gosh, here's one. Make sure you're following the podcast in the private Facebook group as well as the public Facebook page. You don't want to miss, please. Do you not know about the private group? You have to join the private group. As of this recording, it has 74,000 members. They're active, talking about diabetes. Whatever you need to know, there's a conversation happening in there right now and I'm there all the time. Tag me, I'll say hi. If you'd like to hear about diabetes management in easy to take in bits, check out the Small Sips. That's the series on the Juice Box podcast that listeners are talking about like it's a cheat code. These are perfect little bursts of clarity. One person said, I finally understood things I've heard a hundred times. Short, simple, and somehow exactly what I needed. People say Small sips. Few feels like someone pulling up a chair, sliding a cup across the table and giving you one clean idea at a time. Nothing overwhelming, no fire hose of information, just steady, helpful nudges that actually stick. People listen in their car, on walks, or while they're actually bolusing anytime that they need a quick shot of perspective. And the reviews, they all say the same thing. Small sips makes diabetes make sense. Search for the Juice Box podcast, Small Sips wherever you get audio. If you have a podcast and you need a fantastic editor, you want Rob from Wrong Way Recording. Listen, truth be told, I'm like, 20% smarter. When Rob edits me, he takes out all the, like, gaps of time. And when I go and stuff like that, and it just. I don't know, man. Like, I listen back and I'm like, why do I sound smarter? And then I remember because I did one smart thing. I hired [e-mail].