Sports, just need to control it

I love playing sports, including cross-country, rowing, soccer, and tennis. If T1D had stopped me from participating in these, it would have made me so depressed, but no way, no way. I just learned that I need to ensure my sugar level doesn't drop. If I can control that, I can continue playing sports and actually play more, so I stay healthy. It's a great relief, both physically and mentally.

What I do is, before practice, I take a full snack, like a nutrition bar, that can help keep my sugar level from dropping during practice. If I don’t, I realize that it drops dramatically within the first 30 minutes of practice. My favorite is the Nature Valley Biscuit Sandwiches, Peanut Butter. This will maintain the sugar level for at least 2 hours of practice. The most important thing is to always check your sugar level before practice and start a bit higher than usual, because you know it will drop during the workout. I also carry these snacks and boost-up drinks in case I need to quickly boost my energy. My dietitian advised me that maintaining a calorie intake of 150 was the goal, so that is how I track it these days, and it has been working out for over a year.

Rowing game day