Diabetes and fitness – 5 things you can do to close the gap

Does diabetes slow me down? Yes, absolutely yes. But that’s okay. Did you hear what I said? I’ll say it again. THAT’S OKAY!

My story (abridged)

Like all of you, diabetes robbed me. It robbed me of some of my very favorite things. It robbed me of my peace of mind, indulgent meals, a LOT of money, and my fitness routine. I’m a cyclist. Riding my bike has always been something I love. I think of it as my therapy time. As an angsty teenager I would go on a 30 mile bike ride nearly every day after school. I took all my frustration out on the road and channeled that energy into my ride. Or I could meditate on the bike. I would just focus on spinning the crank at a specific cadence or maintain a certain speed. For me, cycling is health and freedom. But then I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Going out on long bike rides was incredibly risky. When a healthy cyclist rides hard and their glucose goes low they call it a “bonk”. It’s a dreaded term in the cycling world. What is considered a bad day from a bonk for most cyclists is potentially life threatening to a diabetic. I just couldn’t ride anymore. I lost a huge part of my identity, and nothing ever filled that gap.

Enter the CGM (cue fireworks and fighter jets flying overhead in V formation)

WOW, what a difference this has made in my life! I don’t want to bore you with a detailed novel of all my ups and downs that you all live through and know about already, so I am going to cut to it and share with you the things I have found that empowered me to take back most of the life I felt robbed of.

5 things you can do to bridge the gap:

  1. Get a CGM (if you can). 

My Endocrinologist got me on Abbott’s Freestyle Libre on the very first day it was available in the US. From day one I have been a huge fan and advocate. I HATED pricking my fingers and I never did it enough. So this was from the get go right up my alley. For the first time in years I felt more in control of my diabetes, I felt more confident, and I felt empowered.

CGM’s give us data. The more data we have the better we can learn and manage our diabetes. I can see in nearly real time what specific foods do to my body. I can see how quickly my body burns fuel when I am on an extended workout, I can watch for oncoming lows and manage them before they arrive. Now when another cyclist bonks I feel a slight sense of vindication. WELCOME TO MY WORLD SUCKER (insert evil laughter).

You can do all these things without a CGM, but that level of monitoring takes a lot more work without one and your fingers will suffer. 

  1. Build your confidence.

Do not just rush into ultra-endurance. Take your time with shorter rides or shorter runs. Watch what your body does over many workout sessions and gradually work up from there. The data you gather and work with will give you the knowledge to stay safe for longer workouts.

  1. Find quality carbohydrate sources. 

For myself, I always ride with a variety of options. My personal favorites are Clif Energy Bloks, GU Energy Gel, and Built bars. You may prefer other ready-made options or make some yourself.

  1. ALWAYS let someone know what your plans are.

Before every ride I tell my partner my general course plan and we have our phones set up to be able to find each other. It gives us both peace of mind that should something happen or if I stop responding she can always find me.

  1. Give yourself a break.

You all know as well as I do that some days are good, some days are bad, and some days are really bad. On top of that, our recovery times can be generally longer than people without diabetes. It is okay if your diabetes slows you down sometimes. Just don’t let it keep you down.

In ending, I would like to share with you some of my personal accomplishments (pats self on back). I have been building up to this for a long time and I have recently been able to go on several 50 mile rides and a 100 mile ride by myself and unsupported. My CGM and all the practice building up to these gave me the confidence to do it. I feel more empowered than I have in years. Every ride I go on requires more planning than the other riders in my local club, but I know I can do them and it feels amazing.

Happy riding,

Daniel Bledsoe

For more updates on my progress you can follow me on Diabetes App & Instagram: @dbt1d

Daniel Bledsoe
Hi, my name is Daniel Bledsoe and I’m going to talk about me… J/K, kinda. I’m going to briefly share with you some of the experiences I have had, the challenges I have faced, and the solutions I have found that I consider to be game changers.

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Our Complicated Relationship with Food
My diagnosis story.

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