The Diabetes Treadmill

If there’s one thing I don’t enjoy doing, it’s walking (or running) on a treadmill.

For me, there’s nothing more boring to spend my time doing. Life is to be lived, not be spent on a treadmill! (You heard it here first!)

This is a thing in my life that has changed though – before I used to LOVE the treadmill! I used to prefer it to walking/running in nature, or on the streets.

Every time I went to the gym, I’d see if I could run just a little further, or just do one more climb… And always feeling really proud of myself when I was finished. Just like I wouldn’t even know that there’s anything else out there to do for exercise.

Why did I feel that?! Sure, exercise is a great point, but there are about 100 ways to do that without having to set foot on a treadmill.

My point is that although a treadmill is fine for exercise, it might not be able to give you what you want, or even need.

Maybe your body type needs more weight lifting, yoga or body pump to stay in shape and reach your own goals with a great feeling of accomplishment. Or maybe you need a mix of them all?

And, most importantly, what do you prefer? Running around on a tirelessly ever-turning machine that has “worked for everyone else”? Or try another thing, the road less taken, and give yourself a chance to breathe and face less resistance?

Maybe “everyone else’s” goals weren’t and aren’t the same as yours. Not even by a long shot. Or maybe they find joy and happiness on that treadmill that you, perhaps, don’t.

This is of course a metaphor for how diabetes advice normally is given. Clearly.

But, Hanna, what do treadmills have to do with diabetes?!

More than you may think. Although exercise is of course very important in your own every day care, it doesn’t have to be done on a boring treadmill. Not at all.

Get out in nature, enjoy what you’re doing and pay attention to the amazing details that surrounds you.

The same goes for diabetes advice.

If the tried and tested advice with 60% carbs to every meal, “some” exercise and eating absolutely zero fat (aka the treadmill) doesn’t work for you– find your own way.

Get off the diabetes treadmill!

Get off that diabetes treadmill. Even if it keeps running, you don’t have to run on it anymore, if it’s not working for you.

There are always choices out there that might suit you better, that might make you feel healthier, more in control and more confident about yourself and diabetes. It might even give you a clue to the ever-green question: “What’s going on?!”, that other information sources might not have been able to give you.

I’ve picked the raisins out of the several proverbial cakes I’ve had with, on, besides, on top of, underneath and slightly to the right of diabetes, and made them into a health care system for myself, instead of the sick care I’ve been handed elsewhere.

It’s a liberating feeling, finding something that works for YOU as a person, but also YOU as a diabetic.

We both know diabetes can be exactly as varied and changing as you are. It’s the most frustrating feeling in the world. That’s why it’s so important to widen your horizons and find out what’s best for you.

(Spoiler alert: it probably isn’t the advice you’ve been given your whole diabetic career!)