T1D Teen Finds Benefits in Weight Training
Gradually, I started loading onto heavier weights and my workout sessions got more intense. This is when I actually realized the impact of weight training. Looking back, I can confidently say that fitness wouldn’t have been such a big part of my life today if I wasn’t diagnosed with type 1. When I understood that one of the side effects of insulin was weight gain, I knew I had two options—either I could sit and get upset over this or take control and do something that wouldn’t let the thought of weight gain take over my life.
In the last three years, I’ve gone from having a very average body type to a muscular lean physique. Then I gained quite a bit of weight after starting university, but lost most of that weight and got my strength back while remaining curvy at the same time. What I’m trying to say is that it’s been a roller coaster ride and I would be lying if I said that gaining weight wasn’t upsetting. In fact, for a short period of time it was all I could think about.
One thing I’ve learnt over the past few years though is that what matters isn’t how training makes you look but how it makes you feel. What’s funny is that over the period of this roller coaster ride, I had never stopped working out and never gave up when I put on fat or lost muscle. It’s all a part of the process and even though sometimes it will take you a while to get to your goal, you will eventually get there, so stop being so hard on yourself and appreciate the journey towards your goal.
I can’t stress enough on the importance of self-acceptance and self-love. It’s hard enough for most teenagers out there, so one can imagine what it would be like for a teenage girl with type 1 diabetes! Something everyone needs to realize though, is that, everyone has those days where you’re not happy about several things but you know what? You’ll get out of it and when you do, you’ll truly understand the meaning of self-acceptance, irrespective of what people think or society says.
