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A fond memory from my childhood was being inspired by the smiling faces of Hal Johnson and Joanne McLeod. I’d see them on TV reminding me to “keep fit and have fun!” Little did I know, the lessons they taught in their 90-second television series called “Body Break” would be life lessons. I’ve held onto those lessons throughout all my years. Body Break, which debuted in 1988, was initially broadcast throughout Canada. Eventually, it aired in many other countries! To honor its 30-year legacy and the hard work put forth by Hal and Joanne to motivate Canadians, this episode is my tribute. For more information about Body Break and initiatives by Hal Johnson and Joanne MacLeod, visit https://www.bodybreak.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/BodyBreak/   After chatting with Hal, I was inspired by his daily lunch regime. I created this salad recipe in his honor. In our house, this salad will always be known as “Hal’s Salad.” Thanks Hal! The post 024 Keeping Fit & Having Fun with Hal Johnson appeared first on Laura Gee.

You might remember Crystal Bowersox from American Idol. Perhaps you know her because you’ve been to one of her amazing shows. Maybe she’s inspired you with one of her songs like “A Broken Wing” …or maybe the story of her life with T1D is something you relate to. What is it like to be a singer-songwriter with Type 1 Diabetes? I recently chatted with Crystal about her life with Type 1 Diabetes and immediately felt connected with her. I don’t know if it was because she’s a fellow farm girl or if it’s our T1D connection. Hearing her stories reminded me that we are stronger than our minds say we are. Take a moment and listen to our conversation and find comfort knowing that it’s ok to not be perfect 100% of the time.   You may connect with Crystal at: https://www.facebook.com/crystalbowersox https://www.instagram.com/crystalbowersox https://twitter.com/crystalbowersox https://www.youtube.com/CrystalBowersoxMusic   “Make Your Own Granola” – Crystal Bowersox Toward the end of our conversation, I asked “Is there anything else you’d like to share?” and Crystal, without hesitation, commented, “Yes. Make your own granola!” Crystal shared her technique on how to make a very simple homemade granola recipe, which inspired this Homemade Granola post.  The post 023 T1D Realities with Crystal Bowersox appeared first on Laura Gee.

Chia seed & flaxseed meal are both interesting, healthy and delicious. However,I am not a nutritionist so please do your own research.For your reference, here are some articles you will enjoy reading about chia & flaxseed: What are the benefits of Chia Seeds? A little seed may be what your diet needs Here is a nutrition comparison between Chia Seeds and Flaxseeds from Chia seeds versus flax seeds: what’s the difference? Good article: worth the read! Chia seeds (2 tablespoons) 140 calories 11 grams of fiber 7 grams of unsaturated fat 18% of the recommended daily value for calcium Trace minerals  including zinc, copper, magnesium, and potassium Omega 3s 4.4 grams of protein (chia seeds are considered a complete protein since they contain all 9 essential amino acids) Flax seeds (2 tablespoons) 78 calories 4.2 grams fiber 6.3 grams fat Minerals including calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and folate 2.76 grams protein All I know is that I that I love these little seeds! AND, I’m happy that I’ve discovered a recipe that combines both of them. I’ve made this Chia Flax porridge frequently for Rob and I. It’s pretty good. I even like it… and I’m not a huge fan of hot cereals (no idea why). I love how this low-glycemic recipe starts my day with post-breakfast blood sugar control. Check out my Chia & Flaxseed Porridge recipe HERE. Did you make it? Don’t forget to let me know what you thought! More Resources: Salvia hispanica, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvia_hispanica Clinical evidence on dietary supplementation with chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.): a systematic review and meta-analysis, https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article-abstract/76/4/219/4858537?redirectedFrom=fulltext The post 022 Nutrition Spotlight: Chia & Flaxseed appeared first on Laura Gee.

This interview with Chris Jarvis, President of I Challenge Diabetes and Canadian Olympian shares so many interesting moments of his athletic life with Type 1 Diabetes. During this live Facebook Interview, we chatted about: Chris Jarvis’s Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis story What was it like to train, compete… and live with T1D as an athlete? Precautions Chris Jarvis takes to prevent low and high blood sugars during training. What motivates Chris What is I Challenge Diabetes? Who Is Chris Jarvis? Chris Jarvis is a Canadian rower. He competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens Greece and is the founder of “I Challenge Diabetes.” I Challenge Diabetes is a Canadian Charity that focuses on delivering the most engaging, inspiring, and empowering opportunities to the type 1 diabetic (T1D) community. Chris was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 13. How to Connect with Chris Website: https://ichallengediabetes.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ichallengediabetes/ The post 021 Exercise & Diabetes with Chris Jarvis appeared first on Laura Gee.

What is pregnancy like when you live with diabetes? This is a topic I know NOTHING about… nor will I ever. So, I decided to reach out to my diabuddy Grace who was happy to share her experiences about motherhood and diabetes. She also loves to be active and offers a wealth of relatable information for t1d moms-to-be. Grace answered some of my deepest questions about motherhood and diabetes including: Did you always know you wanted to be a mother? After realizing that you were going to be a mom, was your diabetes a concern? Did you have any fear of complications for you or the baby during the pregnancy? Did your blood sugar management change after becoming pregnant? What did you notice? What were your postpartum blood sugars like? Did you notice any differences? What steps did you take to ensure a smooth pregnancy and diabetes? Is there anything that made your birth story unique? What is the one word you would use to describe pregnancy with type 1 diabetes? What aspect of your diabetes management helped you the most in your pregnancy? If you could share 3 tips to women with T1D who would like to become moms, what would they be? Listen to this episode for all the deets. You may connect with Grace on Instagram @type1pace or on her blog at https://type1pace.wordpress.com/ What questions or comments do you have about pregnancy and diabetes? The post 020 Pregnancy and Diabetes with Grace Wall appeared first on Laura Gee.

Finding low carbohydrate (carb) alternatives to your favorite higher carb foods can be a challenge sometimes. In this episode, I share my favorite cooking substitutions for better blood sugars. What’s the Big Deal about Carbs? In general, it’s the carbohydrates or sugars in our food that cause our blood sugars to rise. Carbohydrates primarily necessitate the need for those living with type one diabetes to take insulin before meals. There are other factors but let’s keep it simple. Since carbs provide us energy to live, it’s recommended that we enjoy carbs in our daily nutrition regimen…. but are all carbs created equal. NO! Carbohydrates behave in different ways depending on their glycemic index. That’s why some carbs get a bad wrap! I’m not a qualified nutritionist but, just ask yourself — do you notice your blood sugar increases faster when you eat certain foods compared with other foods? For example, what does your blood sugar do when you eat a ripe banana… compared with something like spaghetti squash? I bet you said your blood sugar increases faster when you eat the banana right? Yup? Well, blame the glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load. Glycemic Index This glycemic index is simply a system that ranks foods on a scale from 1 to 100 based on their effect on our blood-sugar levels. The lower the number, the lower the glycemic index and the slower the digestion and absorption of these foods and therefore, a slower rise in blood sugar. There are many resources to help you see where each of your favorite foods fall. According to the American Diabetes Association low glycemic index food is anything rating less than 55. Both the amount and the type of carbohydrate in food affect blood glucose levels so it’s a good idea to talk with your health care team about carbohydrate counting if you haven’t started or you need some guidance. After you’ve learned how to count carbohydrates, being aware of the GI scale will be very helpful in fine tuning your overall blood sugar management. Even if you don’t live with diabetes, eating foods with a lower glycemic index is beneficial. Here are a few simple substitutions I make with my cooking to help me minimize blood sugar spikes. Let me know if you have any that I haven’t included. There are lots and it’s always fun to hear how we all tackle the blood sugar battle. Everyone is a resource. Instead of This… Try This! INSTEAD OF THIS TRY THIS Russet Baking Potatoes or Mashed Potatoes Sweet Potatoes, Cauliflower Recipes to try: Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes Low Carb Cauliflower Potato Salad by Delish Pasta Spaghetti: Spaghetti Squash*, Spiraled Zucchini*, Black Bean Pasta, Mung Bean Pasta Lasagna Noodles: Sliced Zucchini* My favorite pasta alternatives: Pasta Sauce Marinara Sauce My favorite pasta sauce alternatives: All-Purpose Flour Almond Flour, Coconut Flour, Flaxseed Meal My favorite flour alternatives: Jam Lower sugar jam alternatives Recipes: Mashed fruit, with or without sweetener (like Strawberries) Sugar Free Blueberry Jam by Sugar Free Londoner My favorite jam alternatives: Maple Syrup Lower sugar syrup alternatives Recipe: 4-Ingredient Sugar-Free Maple Syrup by Wholesome Yum My favorite syrup alternatives:      Bread, Bagels, Buns, Wraps Low Carb Bread, Buns Wraps Recipes: Homemade Cloud Bread by Spicy Perspective Homemade Portobello Mushroom Buns by Ruled.me My favorite bread alternatives. Check out the bagels by the Great Low Carb Bread Co. They are amazing!!!       Pizza Crust Recipe Homemade Low Carb Cauliflower Pizza Crust by Detoxinista My favorite store-bought pizza crust alternatives: Pancakes Recipes Easy Almond Flour Pancakes Low Carb Pancakes My favorite baking mix alternatives:        Fruit (bananas, dates, raisins, pineapples…) cherries, grapefruit, pears… Various resources exist. Harvard Medical School shared THIS resource for a bunch of common foods. Vegetables (corn, boiled carrots…) raw carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus… Various resources exist.

My husband Rob joined in on this episode of fitT1Dfoodie to discuss dating, relationships and diabetes. Rob and I met about 13 years ago. At that time, Rob didn’t even really know what diabetes was so you can imagine what it was like to introduce him to life with T1D. Here are a few questions and answers transcribed from this episode. I fully encourage you to listen (and subscribe) to the podcast to hear how we expand on these topics with our personal stories. Laura: What did you think when you saw a bucket of needles under my sink? Rob: I thought you were a drug addict. But, you just told me, “Oh, I’m a type 1 diabetic.” Of course I’d heard of diabetes, but didn’t know much about it. When I went home I did a little bit of googling to see what more I could learn. Laura: After googling Diabetes, how did you feel? Rob: I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t pretty concerned on day #1. I think when people are in the dating scene they try to stay away from people with incurable diseases, but I was I was willing to see where things were going to go. No one is perfect and basically everyone has some sort of health condition… if they don’t they’re lucky, and they probably will at some point in their lives. I was willing to look past the scary google definitions to learn more about it and if it was something that we could work through. Rob: Were you worried how I would react when I found out you had diabetes? Laura: I was beyond worried. I really liked you and I worried what would happen when you realized that I lived with type 1 diabetes. I know I shouldn’t have been worried… but I was worried a guy like you might not like a girl like me. Laura: Do you think it takes a special kind of person to date or be in a relationship with someone with diabetes? Rob: Oh yeah, I definitely think so. I put a lot of thought into whether or not it would work out between us. On some days I decided it was not worth the effort because it really takes it takes a lot of patience to handle the low blood sugars… The fact that you might be good most the time but when you miss-judge the insulin, things can go south in a hurry… I think everyone has a point where enough is enough. Laura: What would you say to another young man or a young woman (living with diabetes) whose partner is starting to have second thoughts? Rob: Well, I would probably say to first think about what brought the couple together… Diabetes is only one component of the relationship. I think the most important thing is being open and honest. Diabetes is not something to hide from, it’s something to to address.  It is part of every day every and every meal. It takes a lot patience and transparency from each person. Laura: Do you think it’s any easier if both individuals in the relationship have diabetes? Rob: I think it is easier because when I didn’t have diabetes, and you did… it was a little bit different. You had many concerns and thoughts about the disease that didn’t really cross my mind until after I was diagnosed. Laura: Would you agree that there are many (social) levels to having type 1 diabetes? Rob: Oh absolutely! I’m a scientist so I’ll be blunt and say that there’s a lot of misinformation out there too. People have a lot of preconceptions about the disease.  For example, when out with friends, someone might say, “Oh you can’t eat that…” It’s not that I can’t eat something, it’s just that I have to inject the right amount of insulin for it. Words of Wisdom Laura: we’ve been together for quite awhile now and we’ve been supportive of each other through both the highs and the lows. Rob, do you have any final words of wisdom about relationships and diabetes? Rob: Well, just to summarize what we’ve talked about, I think communication is important in any relationship. A relationship will likely fail if there’s poor communication between a couple. Diabetes need not consume the entire relationship. You may follow Rob at www.twitter.com/researcher_rob RECIPE: Chocolate Strawberry Hearts In...

Yesterday, Rob and I went to the pharmacy to pick up my insulin prescription. Right now, even though Rob and I have a fairly decent insurance plan, we still have to set aside a couple hundred each month whether to cover the cost of this insurance or the medical copays. It adds up and it makes life difficult in a time we should be padding our bank accounts for our golden years. As I stood looking at the wall of unclaimed prescriptions, I remembered a man Rob and I got to know when we lived in Nashville. We had just moved into our first apartment in Nashville and we saw a man, probably in his late 50’s or 60’s sitting outside his unit. We smiled and waved and grew to do the same whenever we saw him. He liked to sit in the sun and we liked to say hello. The Man in the Sun On one of those occasions, with our arms full of the groceries we’d just purchased, we saw him, once again sitting in the sun, this time in a wheelchair. He looked tired but we smiled and cheerily asked him how he was doing. He said, “I’m waiting to die.” I nearly dropped the almond milk. Here we were just getting started in life, happy, excited, nervous… and for the first time, we stared at this man… who had withered to a shell of the person he used to be: he was once a successful career man; a business owner; he had staff, a family and a life… and now he sat in the sunshine waiting to die. In the coming weeks we got to know him. It was hard to listen to his stories of time-gone-by realizing how fragile one’s path in life really is. He shared how he lived with diabetes and he couldn’t afford care he needed. His feet were blistered now, his kidneys were failing and he also needed medication for his heart. It wasn’t long before we didn’t see him sitting in the sun. His Legacy Lives On The man left this world quiet, sad and alone never realizing how his legacy would live on in Rob and I. We never got to know his name, but his message to us was clear. We were two young people living with diabetes, for the very first time seeing the wrath that diabetes can have. As I stared at the towering wall of prescriptions yesterday, my heart hurt knowing there are others, maybe just like him, who can’t afford the help they need. I’m fortunate to have a job that affords me good health insurance but, will I always? National Diabetes Statistics Report According to the 2017 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Diabetes Statistics Report, Diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in the United States in 2015. The average medical expenditures among people with diagnosed diabetes were about 2.3 times higher than for people without diabetes. You can review the full report at https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pdfs/data/statistics/national-diabetes-statistics-report.pdf Lifestyle Choices Simple lifestyle choices like blood sugar management, exercise and good nutrition can make a difference. I’m committed to giving myself my best shot at life, are you? Lots of research explored how we can prevent complications so I encourage you to talk with your health care team and make your life a priority. I’ve lived with diabetes for 31 years and I am doing well. It’s incredible what a little effort can do. “Every man dies, but not every man really lives” ~Braveheart, 1995 NOTE: In Episode 017 – Remembering the Man in the Sun, I highlighted my Slow Cooker Taco Soup recipe. You may access this recipe here. The post 017 Remembering the Man in The Sun appeared first on Laura Gee.

This week, I have food on my mind. I’m struggling with when to eat, what to eat, what’s right, what’s wrong… what’s going to be the best nutrition plan for my diabetes — so, if I’m totally confused I bet you are too! Big Thanks to Bluburry (the largest podcast directory in the world) for putting an end to me recording my podcast on my iPhone. Recently, Blubrry hosted a contest and I thrilled to win the Grand Prize; a Heil Pr-40 mic. I hope you can tell the difference in the quality of my audio in this and future fitT1Dfoodie episodes. You can visit Bluburry at https://www.blubrry.com Heart to Heart I don’t know whether I spend so much time thinking about food because it is such an intricate part of my diabetic well-being or if I’m just food obsessed. Sometimes, I fear food. Sometimes I’m so afraid of what certain things will do to my blood sugar that I say “no thank you” when offered something that looks absolutely delicious. And then I just feel angry (even though it’s probably healthier overall not to enjoy those yummy looking treats). Along the way, I’ve also discovered some safe foods… you know, predictable foods. My safe foods are foods that don’t do wild and crazy things to my blood sugars. I’m guessing you’ve found some safe foods too. I’d love to hear about them so do make sure you leave me a comment. Dining Out Whenever Rob and I go out for dinner… I always order roughly the same thing… a chicken cobb salad. Yeah, even though I adore chicken cobb salads, sometimes I want try something new but, I’m afraid because I don’t know what it will do to my blood sugar. Life with T1D isn’t easy and simple everyday things like what to have for dinner can cause someone living with diabetes a lot of worry. What am I Supposed to Eat? What I’m supposed to eat to give myself the best chance at this thing called life? Are you as confused as I am? In the last few months I’ve heard about all the pros involved with fasting and intermittent fasting. At this time, it’s not something I’m keen on trying. But, that’s me. Overtime, I’ve gradually developed an active low carb lifestyle. I personally prefer lean proteins and vegetables at meal time. Confused? If you’re confused about nutrition, don’t worry. I think the entire world is confused. In my lifetime, I’ve heard many things about nutrition such as how fat is bad for us…. Then, suddently it was realized that fat is good… and necessary… and that there are healthy fats… and not so healthy fats. Then, we all ended up with potato-phobia and we started to hear that carbs were bad for us. It’s now theorized that the sugars in our foods and drinks are making us fat and that we shouldn’t blame fat for making us fat. Guys like Abel James, the Fat Burning Man, have begun to tout higher fat diets and regimens like the KetoDiet have been developed. In addition, most of us have heard of the Whole 30 and the Engine2 plant based diets too. Each nutrition regimen has it’s own twist on nutrition and every day there is new research sharing sharing the pros and cons of things like coffee and red wine to our health. I’m still confused about red wine. I’ve tried pretty much every nutrition regimen out of curiosity. My Current Nutrition Curiosity Two weeks ago I decided to face one of my food fears and increase the carbs in my diet to see the effect on my blood sugar and fitness. I’ve been experimenting with a balanced nutrition program timed specifically throughout the day around my workouts. I’ve been tracking my macros and I’m eating roughly 33% carb, 33% fat and 33% protein. There is a good amount of planning, the food choices are simple, I’m only two weeks in and… I’m struggling. Why am I Struggling? The workouts are amazing. They are exactly what I need but I’m struggling because I previously found personal blood sugar safety in the way I ate before – vegetables and meat. This isn’t my normal. I’m also struggling because I don’t enjoy eating every 2-3 hours.

Happy New Year! How was your first week of 2018? Mine was great. Rob and I survived the Boston blizzard, sadly, we both caught colds and now I’m having fun making sense of my fitness and nutrition from the comfort of my iPhone. Show Notes This last year our mobile platforms have begun to surge with novel ways to help us manage our diabetes. Here is a quick review of some Diabetic apps & technology that I love and use regularly. Dexcom G5 Mobile Dexcom Follow Dexcom Clarity Reports I use the Dexcom continuous glucose monitor (CGM). It monitors my blood sugar around the clock. I can see my blood sugar trend graph on my insulin pump and cell phone using the Dexcom G5 Mobile app. In addition, I have also given my husband access using so he can also see what my blood sugars are doing using the Dexcom Follow app and get notifications if there is a problem. So, if either of us are traveling, we can each have reassurance. Yes! I also keep tabs on Rob. He lives with Type 1 Diabetes too. The Dexcom Clarity Reports app makes sharing my CGM reports with my healthcare team easy. Fit Bit As a fitness enthusiast, I adore all things Fitbit. At this time, I am using the Charge 2 Fitbit fitness tracker. It represent my whole well being. Not only does it track my sleep but I also use it to track my nutrition and fitness too. Based on my activity, my daily nutrition needs are adjusted. The only criticism I have with the Fitbit nutrition tracker is that my carb counts aren’t as easy to see as they are with other apps like MyNetDiary. Although, there are so many fantastic things about Fitbit, I can deal with that. I’m very excited because there are whispers that Fitbit and Dexcom are working on plans to pair up to allow even  better diabetes management!I’m so excited about this so as soon as the FitBit integrates with Dexcom, I’m getting a FitBit Ionic. The Fitbit Ionic is the newest FitBit version and offers even more. Fitbit Coach In addition to logging sleep, fitness and nutrition, the Fitbit Coach app is a fantastic fitness program platform. I do a daily Fitbit workout from my phone (when I get the Fitbit Ionic the workouts will be accessible from the tracker itself). Last night Rob and I did a Fitbit Coach workout together and we both ended up with plummeting blood-sugars; a sure indicator the 12 minute program did something. I also have the Fitbit Aria 2 scale to help me track my body weight and body fat percentage. As I begin my new strength based fitness program next week, it will be important to ensure that my weight increase is lean body weight from muscle mass, not fat mass. Gaining weight when starting a fitness program is natural, especially with strength training. I will be doing the new 80 Day Obsession by Autumn Calabrese. MyNetDiary I hinted about another couple apps I love. Historically, I used MyNetDiary on my iPhone for everything – blood–sugars, nutrition and fitness. It’s a very user friendly app with the ability to scan food labels to record your nutrition and servings. However, since getting my FitBit Charge 2, I have gravitated toward using my Fitbit for this. Other Apps I Love Other super cool fitness apps I’ve come across include Sweat, Beachbody on Demand and I especially love all apps by RunTastic. The SixPack add-on app by Runtastic truly helps you develop a strong core from the comfort of your phone. I have found that Runtastic supersedes MapMyRun when it comes to run tracking: I just like it better! It has a much cleaner interface. However, now I prefer to use Fitbit to record my runs. MyFitnessPal is also awesome. It has a wonderful platform to track nutrition and fitness. As you know, both are critical when you live with diabetes. I especially love the MyFitnessPal recipes on their blog. There’s always something new. Just this week, I was gawking at a the Broccoli Chickpea Burger with Spicy Cashew Mayo recipe! It’s Still Up to Me Even though we’ve come a long way with crazy amazing apps and monitoring devices...

With the New Year upon us, I thought it was time to focus on approaching 2018 with a mindset to help me set some achievable goals.  Are you experiencing a little anxiety over the fact that Christmas is over and all you’re seeing are ads about getting back in shape and New Years Resolutions? Blah! If you’re anything like me, you’re probably stressing because life with diabetes isn’t easy, let alone trying to set all these grandiose goals! I don’t like using the word resolution because most of us fail at them. Ask yourself, “What was your 2017 resolution?” I bet you can’t remember (in other words, you didn’t keep it). So, let’s not make resolutions, ok? A Fresh Start I’m looking ahead to 2018 as a fresh start. The new year allows me to think about how I’m doing, whether there’s balance in my work-life, school-life, fit-life, diabetic-life, home-life and things I’m passionate about (like podcasting, cooking & blogging). I’m also doing a lot of thinking about where I’d like to see myself in both the short term and long term. Mini Goals I tend to be in a continual pattern of setting mini goals that all contribute to my overarching goals. For example, I want to be healthy and ensure my weight is under control. I see myself having strong lean arms, legs and a core that will support me as I age. I want to feel fantastic… and look my best. It sounds like I want everything. Well, why not? I can set mini goals to help me achieve this! How I’m Setting Achievable Goals in 2018 Right now, I’m working on a few little things to help me re-balance my life and support my type 1 diabetes. I can’t remember which book I read that put a very different slant on resolutions and goals. It talked about how having goals, means you are not happy with yourself the way you are. Well, I’ve thought about this perspective a lot and I am happy with myself. To me, my wellness goals are more like an insurance plan that I pay into every day. This doesn’t mean I’m not happy with myself. My goals simply ensure I feel healthy and give my body the best environment it can have. My health never gets a day off so I want to treat my body well. With this mindset, I’m setting myself up for success. How I’m approaching 2018: I’m going to try to help myself by getting things organized around the house. I’m cleaning out drawers, the fridge and making sure that what’s in my cupboard helps me make nutritious meals for Rob and I.Personal time will be stretched in the new year so I renewed my eMeals subscription (my most favorite meal planning solution). Every week eMeals sends me dinner ideas and a grocery list. There’s a diabetic dinner option but I especially love the low carb plan. Here’s a link to eMeals (the best meal planning service I’ve found) so do check it out*. I’ve been forcing myself to have a better sleep schedule. I have to make a major effort to get quality sleep. It does not come easy to me AND diabetes complicates it further. My glucose monitor (that I’m grateful for) likes to wake me up sometimes so I’ve been adjusting my overnight basal rates to prevent issues. I have also pre-planned my 2018 workout schedule. On January 15th a new at-home fitness program is released that I’m going to do because I just can’t seem to get my butt outside in this wintery weather to run (I’m so excited!).Support is a big deal for me so I’m thrilled that Rob is going join me. This program will include strength training, cardio and even a nutrition regimen. It’s the first time I’ve done this program and I was thinking it would be fun to share this journey with you. SO, if you or anyone you know would like to join me, maybe I’ll set up a group and we can cheer each other on! Interested? Contact me and I’ll share exactly what I’m doing and how you can join. I’d love to get to know you better and be your partner as we tackle our 2018 fitness an food together. Most importantly, I’m brainstorming ways that Rob and I can be stronger together.

I thought diabetes and alcohol might be a timely topic with the holidays now upon us. I’m sure most of us will end up at some event, somewhere, with some glass in our hands, just because…it’s the holidays. I am by no means an expert on diabetes and alcohol – I’m not a nutritionist or doctor so that said, I definitely recommend that you consult yours, but I did want to talk openly about this topic. I’m pretty certain, it will be on your lips a little (or a lot) this holiday season. “An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools.” Ernest Hemingway In most situations, the holiday norm is to have a couple drinks AND there’s no doubt about it: Christmas and booze go hand in hand. I know that sometimes a glass of wine can be, sort of a “relief” after the annual insanity that started sometime in October. Diabetes and alcohol is worth a few minutes of thought for those of us who live with diabetes. Though I’ve been living with Type 1 Diabetes for most of my life, diabetes and alcohol still puzzle me. I recently took a look at a resources (see below) for more information on this subject. We’re all Different From what I gather (and have personally experienced) just  like with fitness, when it comes to diabetes and alcohol, everyone is different! Alcohol can have very different effects depending on things like your sex, your body weight and your percent of body fat. Even what you’ve eaten (or have not eaten), whether you’ve just worked out and things like your current stress level can all be factors on your blood sugar and possible alcohol effects. I personally face many more risks when drinking alcohol than people without diabetes. This is where I find it gets really interesting: Apparently, our bodies think that alcohol is a toxin and, until the alcohol is completely processed, the liver is so focused on that task that it may not be able to release sufficient amount of glucose into our blood which means… we may end up having a low blood sugar. It’s also possible that our blood sugars might initially increase from the sugar content of the beverage –  then, once our liver starts to process the alcohol, our blood sugars may end up low! This has the potential for a total diabetic catastrophe while drinking, and for several hours after! Another potential problem while enjoying those holiday bubbles is that we might not feel the symptoms of a low blood sugar and our friends might not notice (because they assume we’ve just had one too many vinos and we’re drunk!). Yikes. SO, I always recommend having a friend present who is aware of our diabetes who is willing to watch out for potential problems. It’s important that this person can recognize what a low blood sugar reaction looks like and how to help. What I do For me, when I have a beverage, I prefer a nice glass of dry red wine like a Cabernet. It isn’t so full of sugar like many holiday cocktails and I personally don’t need to take any extra insulin for it, whereas I might… if I was to indulge in white wine, dessert wine or beer. If I’m going to partake in some holiday bubbles, it’s also very important that I plan ahead to reduce the risk hypoglycemia. I never drink on an empty stomach and I always enjoy some sort of carb in advance. When I get home, I check my blood sugar while recognizing that my body is still processing the alcohol. I also make sure to check my blood sugar while I’m out to get a read on how I’m doing; this can save me a lifetime of potential dia-berrassment and most importantly, my health. I’m not the type of girl to go out and get wasted at holiday parties. I’m the type of girl who might have a couple glasses of wine while sampling the holiday hors d’oeuvres (mmm!). I’ve learned to pay attention to what my blood sugar is doing and by doing so, I can actually enjoy myself. I know to stay away from the high sugar treats while enjoying healthy carb sources, vegetables and proteins. I’ve learned to enjoy dry red wine vs.

Scroll down for Low Carb Artichoke Hummus recipe. 013 Diabetes and Alcohol, fitT1Dfoodie Podcast I thought diabetes and alcohol might be a timely topic with the holidays now upon us. I’m sure most of us will end up at some event, somewhere, with some glass in our hands, just because…it’s the holidays. I am by no means an expert on diabetes and alcohol – I’m not a nutritionist or doctor so that said, I definitely recommend that you consult yours, but I did want to talk openly about this topic. I’m pretty certain, it will be on your lips a little (or a lot) this holiday season. “An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools.” Ernest Hemingway In most situations, the holiday norm is to have a couple drinks AND there’s no doubt about it: Christmas and booze go hand in hand. I know that sometimes a glass of wine can be, sort of a “relief” after the annual insanity that started sometime in October. Diabetes and alcohol is worth a few minutes of thought for those of us who live with diabetes. Though I’ve been living with Type 1 Diabetes for most of my life, diabetes and alcohol still puzzle me. I recently took a look at a resources (see below) for more information on this subject. We’re all Different From what I gather (and have personally experienced) just  like with fitness, when it comes to diabetes and alcohol, everyone is different! Alcohol can have very different effects depending on things like your sex, your body weight and your percent of body fat. Even what you’ve eaten (or have not eaten), whether you’ve just worked out and things like your current stress level can all be factors on your blood sugar and possible alcohol effects. I personally face many more risks when drinking alcohol than people without diabetes. This is where I find it gets really interesting: Apparently, our bodies think that alcohol is a toxin and, until the alcohol is completely processed, the liver is so focused on that task that it may not be able to release sufficient amount of glucose into our blood which means… we may end up having a low blood sugar. It’s also possible that our blood sugars might initially increase from the sugar content of the beverage –  then, once our liver starts to process the alcohol, our blood sugars may end up low! This has the potential for a total diabetic catastrophe while drinking, and for several hours after! Another potential problem while enjoying those holiday bubbles is that we might not feel the symptoms of a low blood sugar and our friends might not notice (because they assume we’ve just had one too many vinos and we’re drunk!). Yikes. SO, I always recommend having a friend present who is aware of our diabetes who is willing to watch out for potential problems. It’s important that this person can recognize what a low blood sugar reaction looks like and how to help. What I do For me, when I have a beverage, I prefer a nice glass of dry red wine like a Cabernet. It isn’t so full of sugar like many holiday cocktails and I personally don’t need to take any extra insulin for it, whereas I might… if I was to indulge in white wine, dessert wine or beer. If I’m going to partake in some holiday bubbles, it’s also very important that I plan ahead to reduce the risk hypoglycemia. I never drink on an empty stomach and I always enjoy some sort of carb in advance. When I get home, I check my blood sugar while recognizing that my body is still processing the alcohol. I also make sure to check my blood sugar while I’m out to get a read on how I’m doing; this can save me a lifetime of potential dia-berrassment and most importantly, my health. I’m not the type of girl to go out and get wasted at holiday parties. I’m the type of girl who might have a couple glasses of wine while sampling the holiday hors d’oeuvres (mmm!). I’ve learned to pay attention to what my blood sugar is doing and by doing so, I can actually enjoy myself. I know to stay away from the high sugar treats while enjoying he...

It’s hard to make time for fitness sometimes. Does the statement, “I don’t have time” sound familiar? Have you ever felt overwhelmed with life, sort of depressed that you haven’t worked out in months and not sure when you can fit it in? By taking care of ourselves, we can be the person we want to be (at home, at work and with those we love). But, it’s not easy to find this balance. That’s what I’m talking about this week plus my simple Halloween recipes for my beloved Witch Hats and Hershey’s Acorn Cookies. In summary, here are my top 10 considerations to help you fit, getting-fit, on your calendar: Are your goals SMART? You may want to shed 30 pounds but that’s a big scary wide open goal. Let’s be specific and answer HOW you’re going to do it and by when. Small things add up. Set small steps to help you achieve your specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound goal. What motivates you?  As you’re getting in the right mindset to start a dedicated fitness regimen, figure out why fitness is important to you.  If you’re doing it just to make someone else happy, chances are you won’t stick with it. On days when excuses start to tamper with your fitness enthusiasm, remembering “why” you started will be key for long term success. What do you love to do? When you figure out what type of exercise and environment you love, it will be so much easier to stick with your fitness routine.  Not sure what you love to do? Don’t be afraid to experiment. Best Friends Forever? Well that depends! Take a look at the people you know or interact with the most on a daily basis. Are they fit minded or are the words health and fitness not in their vocabulary? The influence of your personal networks can actually predict your weight management routines (2). Maybe it’s time to meet some new health-minded people?   Be flexible. It really helps to select a workout style that you can do almost anywhere. For example, sales professionals have the demand of travel, living hotel to hotel and dining out frequently. This, coupled with the stress of daily life and career responsibilities often leads extra padding on the waistline before middle-age. A form of exercise that doesn’t require much preparation with awesome physical gains in the least amount of time might be a perfect solution here such as running, High-intensity interval training, at-home fitness DVDs and bodyweight exercises.  Competition kicks butt! When we’re trying to motivate ourselves to exercise on a regular basis, competition has its merits. When Rob and I first started running, we would sign up to run a race to simply keep us on track with our fitness.   Track your progress.  Commit to get fit. Make a schedule (write it down if it helps!), stick to it, and remind yourself that working out and planning healthy meals are priorities. Build your day around your workout. Just do something! Short, speedy workouts do great things for the body and mind. Yes! There are so many options.  Be the best version of you. That’s it. Simply be proud of yourself and what you HAVE accomplished. When you’re happy with yourself and proud of what you’ve done, it makes life a whole lot more fun. What strategies have you found to help you fit fitness on your calendar?  Comment below. The post 012 How To Make Time for Fitness appeared first on Laura Gee.

I crave this season all year! The air is crisp and that festive autumn vibe is in the air. Yesterday morning, I awoke with a tingle in my soul — it’s pumpkin spice season. What is it about pumpkin? Why is there a lineup at every coffee shop on every corner right now wanting pumpkin spiced lattes? Yesterday, on my page @fitT1Dfoodie I mentioned that I’m not sure if I actually like the TASTE os pumpkin or if it’s the taste of the spices that usually accompany pumpkin. What do you think? Why is Pumpkin So Great? In it’s pure form, pumpkin provides a number of essential nutrients such as iron, potassium, copper, manganese, riboflavin, and vitamins A and C.  However, pumpkin isn’t a free food — it does does contain some carbohydrate so it it can raise your blood sugar BUT, but it can pretty great for those of us living with Type 1 diabetes because of the fiber content. Right now I’m holding a can of Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin and the label tells me that there are 10 grams of carbohydrate and 3 grams of fiber in half a cup. The soluble fiber found in pumpkin can help to slow down the release of sugars into the bloodstream and that makes it easier to avoid blood sugar spikes – yay! But, don’t think that you can just start eating all things pumpkin and have great blood sugars. Pumpkin is a sneaky little treat. Pumpkin Mayhem I took a walk up to my nearby Dunkin Donuts the other day and I’ve been sad for all us T1Ds ever since. It’s so hard to go anywhere right now without seeing something pumpkin, so when I get into what I found on the Dunkin Donuts menu, by no means is meant to single out Dunkin Donuts. Starbucks, Tim Hortons and pretty much every pumpkin spiced anything you can find in our pumpkin obsessed nation is a little less diabetic friendly than we’d like to imagine.  Pumpkin Pumpkin Everywhere! Right now, there are pumpkin donuts, pumpkin swirl iced coffees, pumpkin hot coffees… if you can dream it – its available. The other day I even purchased Pumpkin Salsa from Stop n Shop! The Dunkin Donuts Large Pumpkin Swirl Hot Coffee contains 50 grams of carbohydrate and 220 calories compared with the Large Pumpkin Swirl Frozen Coffee with Cream at 176 carbohydrates and 1050 calories. We’re living in a pumpkin world so be warned. Pumpkin may seem like a harmless little vegetable but it pairs so nicely with added sugar. Visit DunkinDonuts.com for their full menu and nutrition information. My Top 10 Deliciously Diabetic Pumpkin Tips: 1. Read nutrition labels If you aren’t sure how to interpret a nutrition label, heres a link to an article I wrote that covers this. Make sure you’re aware what’s in your food.  2. Don’t get the different types of canned pumpkin mixed up Use 100% Pure Unsweetened Pumpkin when possible. Canned Pumpkin Pie fillings are usually full of sugar! I made this mistake once when I grabbed the wrong pumpkin and I soon learned that not all canned pumpkins are created equal. 3. Create your own low carb pumpkin spiced latte at home (for a fraction of the cost and calories) Just heat 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk and  1 tbsp of pure pumpkin in a small pot over medium heat. Stir until it begins to simmer and add in 1 packet of stevia, 1/8 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp pumpkin pie spice. Whisk until frothy. Add 3/4 cup of strong coffee to your mug and top with the frothy milk coffee. Pure Pumpkin YUM! Print Recipe HERE. Enjoy pumpkin spice with a low carb breakfast My low carb Pumpkin Pie Chia Seed Pudding is ah-mazing! I made a batch last night. We had it for breakfast today and BOTH Rob and I are enjoying wonderful blood sugars (no crazy spikes!) Print Recipe HERE. Chew Pumpkin Gum Frustrated you can’t find any diabetic friendly pumpkin treats? Enjoy a stick of Wrigley’s Extra Pumpkin Spice Sugar Free Gum. Snack on Pumpkin Seeds When you’re carving your pumpkin this Halloween, don’t throw out the seeds. You can make a Deliciously Diabetic snack using the seeds from your pumpkin (actually,

Scroll down for 30-second Cheesecake recipe. 010 Sleep Deprivation and Diabetes, fitT1Dfoodie Podcast The last 8 weeks of my life have been abnormal. Very abnormal. I have gone back to school to complete my degree and the accelerated 4-credit course in addition to a full-time job totally kicked my ass. These days, we are all under pressure for something. Whether it be our work, our family, our school or life. Balance is hard to achieve. During my course, I couldn’t balance it all… something had to give… and the only thing left to give was my sleep. I have now completed the course and I wanted to share what an average of 3-hours of sleep per night did to me and my diabetes. Sleep and Diabetes According to Diabetes Living, people who don’t get enough sleep often have higher levels of chronic inflammation and insulin resistance. Lack of sleep also can increase production of cortisol (which is the body’s primary stress hormone), impair memory and impair reflex time and elevate blood sugar. AND, without sleep, the body is searching for energy… through food. Appetite increases and a someone living with diabetes may experience higher blood sugars because of the insulin resistance and stress PLUS an increased appetite… and therefore more snacking (further raising blood sugars!!) and further preventing a good night’s sleep!! It’s hard to sleep when blood sugars are out of whack! Why I’m a Sleep Deprived Diabetic My schedule, for the last 7 weeks has been composed of working a full time job (with overtime) in addition to a mass quantity of schoolwork, labs, entertaining houseguests, various unfortunate events, eating at random hours of the day and getting about 3 hours of sleep a night. My husband is over-the-top supportive and during this time, he helped out around the house and stayed awake with me to help keep me alert and show support. In hindsight, he should have gone to bed. Please listen to this podcast for details on what happened to my blood sugars, insulin requirements and more! What Now? I call myself fitT1Dfoodie not to portray myself as a fitness or food expert but to share what it’s like to live with diabetes while battling the highs and lows of life. Food, fitness and diabetes have a relationship… but none of them get along with stress. Stress, such as sleep-deprivation. My course finished on Friday and I took my final exam. Thank goodness I passed and did well but grade in no way reflects the personal health sacrifices both my husband and I had to endure. I know it will be some time before I can say things are back to normal.  Lesson’s Learned If I may offer any wisdom to you, and my future self (because this won’t be the last course I take… Statistics starts later this week!) I’ll say, sleep is important. Don’t sacrifice sleep. Learn to delegate and take time for you. I’m going to approach my upcoming course with a me-first attitude. I know that whatever demands are placed on me — whether from my job or my schoolwork, I only have this one life and body and I need to treat them both well or the benefits from all this effort will be wasted on a corpse that thought she was doing the right thing for her so-called future. What Next? Since I have more courses to complete, I’m going to work on setting a study pattern with a lights-out at 9:30PM no-matter-what policy for my upcoming course. I’m also going to ensure I workout a minimum of 3 times per week to help blunt the stresses on my blood sugars and eat on-schedule instead of whenever. I’m optimistic that if I get more sleep, my appetite will get back in control. DELICIOUSLY DIABETIC RECIPE OK, so this week’s Deliciously Diabetic recipe is also deliciously simple! I’m sharing it only because I came up with it during one of my late-night study sessions and it’s awesome. Even Rob likes it! I call it, 30-Second Cheesecake. Since I was craving sweets the last few weeks I somehow found a low carb way to keep my tastebuds happy. To make a delicious 30-second Cheesecake,

The last 8 weeks of my life have been abnormal. Very abnormal. I have gone back to school to complete my degree and the accelerated 4-credit course in addition to a full-time job totally kicked my ass. These days, we are all under pressure for something. Whether it be our work, our family, our school or life. Balance is hard to achieve. During my course, I couldn’t balance it all… something had to give… and the only thing left to give was my sleep. I have now completed the course and I wanted to share what an average of 3-hours of sleep per night did to me and my diabetes. Sleep and Diabetes According to Diabetes Living, people who don’t get enough sleep often have higher levels of chronic inflammation and insulin resistance. Lack of sleep also can increase production of cortisol (which is the body’s primary stress hormone), impair memory and impair reflex time and elevate blood sugar. AND, without sleep, the body is searching for energy… through food. Appetite increases and a someone living with diabetes may experience higher blood sugars because of the insulin resistance and stress PLUS an increased appetite… and therefore more snacking (further raising blood sugars!!) and further preventing a good night’s sleep!! It’s hard to sleep when blood sugars are out of whack! Why I’m a Sleep Deprived Diabetic My schedule, for the last 7 weeks has been composed of working a full time job (with overtime) in addition to a mass quantity of schoolwork, labs, entertaining houseguests, various unfortunate events, eating at random hours of the day and getting about 3 hours of sleep a night. My husband is over-the-top supportive and during this time, he helped out around the house and stayed awake with me to help keep me alert and show support. In hindsight, he should have gone to bed. Please listen to this podcast for details on what happened to my blood sugars, insulin requirements and more! What Now? I call myself fitT1Dfoodie not to portray myself as a fitness or food expert but to share what it’s like to live with diabetes while battling the highs and lows of life. Food, fitness and diabetes have a relationship… but none of them get along with stress. Stress, such as sleep-deprivation. My course finished on Friday and I took my final exam. Thank goodness I passed and did well but grade in no way reflects the personal health sacrifices both my husband and I had to endure. I know it will be some time before I can say things are back to normal.  Lesson’s Learned If I may offer any wisdom to you, and my future self (because this won’t be the last course I take… Statistics starts later this week!) I’ll say, sleep is important. Don’t sacrifice sleep. Learn to delegate and take time for you. I’m going to approach my upcoming course with a me-first attitude. I know that whatever demands are placed on me — whether from my job or my schoolwork, I only have this one life and body and I need to treat them both well or the benefits from all this effort will be wasted on a corpse that thought she was doing the right thing for her so-called future. What Next? Since I have more courses to complete, I’m going to work on setting a study pattern with a lights-out at 9:30PM no-matter-what policy for my upcoming course. I’m also going to ensure I workout a minimum of 3 times per week to help blunt the stresses on my blood sugars and eat on-schedule instead of whenever. I’m optimistic that if I get more sleep, my appetite will get back in control. DELICIOUSLY DIABETIC RECIPE OK, so this week’s Deliciously Diabetic recipe is also deliciously simple! I’m sharing it only because I came up with it during one of my late-night study sessions and it’s awesome. Even Rob likes it! I call it, 30-Second Cheesecake. Since I was craving sweets the last few weeks I somehow found a low carb way to keep my tastebuds happy. To make a delicious 30-second Cheesecake, I just took a cracker, topped it with a thin slice of cream cheese and a dollop of low sugar jam.

One of my listeners asked me how I maintain such a positive mindset while living with diabetes. In this episode, I’m answering that very question! What tips do you have to maintain a positive mindset? Comment below. I’d love to hear from you! What do you think of this podcast? Share your thoughts HERE This Week’s Deliciously Diabetic Recipe The ingredients may sound a little crazy but trust me – this is a unique and wonderful dish for entertaining or “just because.” Enjoy! Thank you! Big thanks to everyone who has sent me private messages after listening to Episode 008: Diabetes & Surgery to see how Rob is doing. Well, Rob has returned to work, he’s doing extremely well and for the first time in 12 years, he’s breathing normally! Yeah! ALSO thanks so much for the sincere well-wishes you’ve all given me as I head back to school. It’s pretty intense (this term I’m working on chemistry and statistics!) so don’t be alarmed I go a bit off-schedule with this podcast as I adjust to being a student; I have the new joy of lots of homework and I don’t want to jeopardize the quality of this production. “Change your thoughts and you change your world.” The post 009 Mindset Matters with Diabetes appeared first on Laura Gee.

Scroll down for my Italian Chicken recipe. 009 Mindset Matters with Diabetes One of my listeners asked me how I maintain such a positive mindset while living with diabetes. In this episode, I’m answering that very question! What tips do you have to maintain a positive mindset? Comment below. This Week’s Deliciously Diabetic Recipe The ingredients may sound a little crazy but trust me – this is a unique and wonderful dish for entertaining or “just because.” Enjoy! Thank you! Big thanks to everyone who has sent me private messages after listening to Episode 008: Diabetes & Surgery to see how Rob is doing. Well, Rob has returned to work, he’s doing extremely well and for the first time in 12 years, he’s breathing normally! Yeah! ALSO thanks so much for the sincere well-wishes you’ve all given me as I head back to school. It’s pretty intense (this term I’m working on chemistry and statistics!) so don’t be alarmed I go a bit off-schedule with this podcast as I adjust to being a student; I have the new joy of lots of homework and I don’t want to jeopardize the quality of this production. “Change your thoughts and you change your world.” The post Italian Chicken appeared first on Laura Gee.

This past week, my husband Rob had surgery to repair a deviated septum in his nose. Years ago, he got injured playing soccer and hasn’t been able to breathe right since so, last Monday, Rob finally got this corrected. By no means, is this post or podcast packed with recommendations; I’m simply sharing personal experiences. If you have a surgery planned, make sure you chat with your diabetic team and surgeon to learn what you can do to help ensure you have a good outcome too. Rob’s surgery was scheduled first thing Monday morning. We had to make sure that his blood sugar was controlled in the week leading up to the surgery.  Like with any surgery, Rob wasn’t supposed to eat anything in the hours leading up to it prevent problems like aspiration of stomach contents, while under the general anesthesia. It was a worry, definitely. What if Rob had a low blood sugar the morning of the surgery? Thankfully, Rob has worked hard on his insulin regimen to prevent nighttime lows so the worry of having to snack before surgery was minimized AND I’m proud to share that he didn’t have to snack! I’d love to hear from you! What do you think of this podcast? Share your thoughts HERE This Week’s Deliciously Diabetic Recipe This recipe is so simple and a perfect way to have a wholesome dinner after a long day at work. This recipe takes less than 5 minutes to prep and you can customize it any way you like! “You were given this life because you were strong enough to live it.” The post 008 Diabetes and Surgery appeared first on Laura Gee.