Resolve, Results and Reinforcements: Diabetes and Exercise
by kerri morrone
I’m a creature of habit, a woman of routine. Every morning, I instinctively reach over for my glucose meter. I unzip the case, prick my finger and stick my finger in my mouth as I count down five seconds to my result. Once the result pops up, I react either with a nod of satisfaction, a bolus or a sip of juice. This is my routine with diabetes.
Before I sit down to dinner with my fiancé, I check my number, take a quick calculation of the carbohydrates that may be consumed, and adjust my insulin dose accordingly. This is my routine with diabetes.
And every weekday, I come home from the office, change into my workout clothes, and head off to the gym for a combination cardio/weight training routine. This, too, is my routine with diabetes.
Exercise, to me, is just as important as testing my blood sugar or wearing my insulin pump. Regular exercise helps me achieve optimal cardiovascular health, improve my circulation, reduce my cholesterol and blood pressure, and maintain a healthy body weight. A good hour at the gym also helps me deal with the chaos in my life; working that stress out of my body. And as I sit here, two months from my wedding date and involved in a very demanding career, I can use all the stress relief I can get.
However, making time to work out can be as much of a challenge as diabetes management itself. Can I get out of or get to work on time? Does a monthly gym membership fit into my budget? If I’m exercising outside, how do I manage inclement weather? And what if I just plain don’t feel like it? Now add in the intricacies of diabetes: how do I manage my blood sugars while I’m working out? Am I prepared to deal with a potential diabetes emergency during my workout? And what if I feel self-conscious about my tools (i.e. meter, juice, pump, CGM, etc).
For me, it took three things to make this habit: resolve, results and reinforcements.
About five years ago, I decided that I was spending a great deal of time on managing my numbers but not enough time focused on fitness. I wanted to look as healthy as I felt. So I joined a gym – that part was easy. It was dealing with my self-consciousness that was more of a challenge. To overcome my fear of working out (You want me to do what with that dumbbell?), I needed to firm up my resolve before I could firm up my body. Controlling my diabetes means more to me than a tight A1c – I want a fit, healthy body, as well as those numbers. Diabetes makes every ache a little slower to heal, every cold a bit tougher to kick – I owe it to myself to give my compromised body the best chance.
Kerri’s ever ready, signature gym bag – prepped for any and all diabetes-related emergencies.
Image courtesy of Kerri Morrone
Being fit and exercising regularly improves my health – I just have to do it. Exercise needs to be a priority, as much of one as going to work or wearing my pump.
After talking with Dr. Florence Brown, my endocrinologist at Joslin, and discussing ways to keep my blood sugars stable while working out (I opted to disconnect my pump while I exercise, which has worked for me for the last four years), I realized that starting and sticking with an exercise plan would take some preparation and patience. Upon signing up at my local gym and buying a jazzy new pair of sneakers, I put together what has become my signature gym bag: water bottle, sports bottle of juice, glucose meter, insulin pen, iPod and medical ID card. Bringing my diabetes to the gym doesn’t translate into “traveling light,” but armed with this arsenal of items, I was prepared for any diabetes-related emergency that could arise. I had insulin to combat a high, juice to thwart a low, and my meter to keep tabs on things.
I worked out five days a week for six weeks before seeing any concrete results. Sure, I saw myself in the mirror, sweating. I washed more socks than usual. And I was sleeping better at night. But I wasn’t skipping through my house, singing, “I need new jeans!” because my old ones were falling from my hips. I felt like my body wasn’t reflecting all my efforts. A bit discouraged, I plugged my meter into the computer and downloaded my blood sugars. And there, on the screen, was my first result: my numbers in the evening hours were steadier than they had been in years. Here was proof that exercise, and my commitment to a healthier lifestyle, were directly affecting my diabetes management.
Resolve – check. Results – check! But once the “I’m exercising – see?” euphoria wore off, how would I stick with this? How would I make this less of a passing trend and more of a permanent lifestyle?
This is when I called out the reinforcements. People like my fiancé, my parents, my friends, and my support network online keep me forging ahead when I’d rather sleep through my workout and eat chocolate truffles. When I feel burnt out and reluctant to traipse off to the gym, I lean on my husband-to-be for encouragement. When I am searching for reasons to stay healthy, I think of my parents. When I’m frustrated about reaching a fitness plateau, I ask for advice from my online support team. Good health takes a definitive level of commitment, and it’s crucial to know that I’m not alone in making this journey. I test my blood sugar. I use an insulin pump. I eat a healthy, balanced diet. And five times a week, I train my muscles and strengthen my heart. Keeping my body strong helps keep my diabetes controlled, and every effort made is worth the goal of achieving better health. This is my routine with diabetes.
