The Corner Booth

We joined a gym in late July and my diabetes management habits have been noticeably different since then. Combined with lower-carb eating (roughly half the time), I have noticed a dramatic difference in my blood sugars and overall diabetes management and health. Sure, there are days when I feel so much more tired. Because workouts can be physically demanding and energy-draining. But most of the time, even after working out and when my muscles are whining, I feel invigorated and more on top of my game. My diabetes data (and habits) show it's working: Insulin Use:  During the height of my gym-workouts over the past several months, I noticed that I was using roughly a third less insulin than before -- both my Tresiba basal dose decreased every 24-36 hours, and my monthly box of Afrezza inhaled insulin is lasting noticeably longer and even impacting how often I need to refill my Rx for it. BG Range: Yes, my average glucose has dropped from the low 200s into the high-100s. It...

I rode in my first-ever Tour de Cure this past weekend. Our local Indiana Tour de Cure on Saturday morning took place on and around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Central Indiana, and I was proud to be there as a Red Rider on my inaugural ride. This was only the second ride ever here in Indy, with more than 1,400 people participating from 25 states. It's now the 11th largest Tour de Cure out of the 89 rides that take place across 44 U.S. states in total. I was psyched to be one of the 83 "declared" Red Riders in Indy proudly sporting red jerseys identifying them as PWDs (people with diabetes) -- although organizers told me there were likely other PWDs riding who just didn't go through the hoops of being recognized as a Red Rider. Anyhow, it was pretty impressive that Lilly, headquartered in Indianapolis, had more than 400 riders out there and Lilly Diabetes president Enrique Conterno gave the opening remarks that morning. I was lucky enough to have ...

As I've shared in the past few months, I've been training for my first-ever Tour de Cure that takes place on June 8. Along with an expected turnout of several thousand others, I'll be starting out on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and will journey around a 31-mile area on the western edge of Indianapolis before ending up at the 2.5-mile track where the Indy 500 just took place. I've registered for the 50k (the shortest possible option), and my route is supposed to take about 2.5 hours if I go the minimum 6 mph they say I should. I'm planning to take it slow but steady, and finish the ride before my legs fall off and I crumble to the ground in a rest-craving ball of flesh. In other words, this is going to be a major physical challenge for me. My two-wheel of choice: the black, 12-speed Huffy mountain bike that I've had for about 15 years. Older ride, but it does the job just fine! We have cleaned it up, bought new tires and tubes, found a bike pedometer and ...

You might say I'm excited about exercise these days. That could very possibly be an understatement. Not in many years have I had an exercise routine like I am currently embracing, one that I'm actually keeping up with for the most part. Perhaps it's a symptom of the seasonal stars realigning for Spring, or maybe a guilty response to the realization that I'm so totally out of shape -- and how the mirror keeps reminding me of this. Whatever the reason, I am more of an exercise fanatic than I can recall since my teen years! Yes, this fitness inspiration is a relatively new phenomenon for me. But don't think I haven't thought a lot about it before. I've made those symbolic vows every New Year's, dating back a decade, to "do better" and stay more fit. Back in high school, I played sports and competitively swam -- so being lean and in shape was just the norm. As it happens, life rolled on and my college years and adult life trajectory led me away ...