Dealing with diabetes: training and competition help this fitness dynamo stay in control

Muscle & Fitness/Hers, April, 2003 by Kim Seeley

most people think living an unfit lifestyle causes diabetes, but that's only partially true, because there are two types of the disease. I have Type 1, or insulin-dependent, diabetes, which occurs when the body's immune system attacks insulin-producing cells in the panceas and destroys them.

Insulin helps the cells get glucose from the blood, and Type Is don't make it at all; we must inject insulin for survival. In my case, I wear an insulin pump, which acts as an external battery-operated pancreas, if you will. No more shots.

I've had insulin-dependent diabetes for 20 years. At the time of my diagnosis at age 13, my physicians didn't know how to help a potential athlete like myself prepare for sports competition. I ended up sitting on the sidelines most of my young life. I built a psychological wall of excuses why not to exercise based solely on the fact that I was diabetic. I look back on those times and regret them more than anyone could know.

Attitude Adjustment

It wasn't until I turned 27 that I made a serious commitment to improve my appearance and, more important, take an active role in controlling my diabetes. Finally, I realized that diabetes wasn't a valid excuse for letting life pass me by. My having the disease wasn't anyone's fault, and it wasn't going to go away. In fact, my health was going to decline if I didn't get my act together. Attitude was my first adjustment; I'm a firm believer that one's success is 90% mental.

Six years ago I was a 5'4 1/2", size 7, "skinny-fat" woman weighing 125 pounds. I wasn't overweight, but I definitely was not healthy. I had skinny arms and a soft, round lower half covered with cellulite. I was about 26%-27% bodyfat. Even worse, my disease was totally out of control. I'd been pretending that if I acted like my diabetes didn't exist it would go away, and I'd been living with a vicious cycle of high and low blood sugar for so long that severe muscle wasting had taken its toll. I had infections that weren't healing, my vision was hazy and I always felt run-down. I was a mess.

Flipping for Fitness

At first I lifted weights twice a week and ran 4-5 times a week, 30 minutes apiece, for cardio. It didn't take much to make me sore or wear me out, and I had to learn how to change my levels of insulin based on my exercise load. (Exercise lowers blood glucose levels.) Dealing with the highs and lows of blood sugar was nearly overwhelming. About a year later I added another day of weight training per week and split my workouts so I trained each bodypart once a week; my cardio stayed the same.

Another year went by and I was pleased with my progress, but I really wanted to add size to my frame. I began lifting four days a week, mostly heavy sets; stopped running in favor of walking or using the elliptical machine on an incline; and began eating every 3-4 hours. I had a rocky few months with glucose management but saw great results. When I decided I wanted to compete in fitness in 2000, I added gymnastics to my schedule, cut out all cardio except precontest and boosted my calories to build even more muscle. Using creatine just added to my glucose-control nightmare. Many days I wanted to throw in the towel.

Even today--at 130 pounds with 14% bodyfat--I have good days and bad days. Yet after years of dedication, as well as a lot of trial and error, I'm fit and healthy. I've competed in fitness for the past four years and have done well, even placing first in five events in 2002. My friends call me a musclehead, but I don't mind a bit. I look and feel the best I ever have. My diabetes is in tight control and I'm even learning to do backflips at age 33.

My most important lesson? Never give up. If there's a wall in your life, find a way to climb over it, dig under it or poke a hole right through it. No excuse is good enough to keep you from being a better you.

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