What If I Crash at the Gym?
Episode 60, What If I Crash at the Gym? Fear of lows stopping you from moving? This episode unpacks why it happens and how to finally move forward… one snack at a time. Today, We’re Covering: Why exercise lows are so common with T1D How to...
The episode, word for word
What If I Crash at the Gym?
You're six minutes into your workout.
The music's hitting. Heart's pumping.
And then... your CGM beeps.
It's a low alert, and in that instant, your brain hits the brakes.
That's the moment we're talking about today.
The one that keeps so many people with type 1 from ever starting.
Because when you've dropped once, or even just heard the horror stories, your nervous system remembers.
It doesn't care how motivated you are. It just wants to protect you.
Hey, I'm Neil, and this is Your Best T1D Year.
I was diagnosed in Air Force flight training, and over the last three decades I've done just about every kind of workout you can think of: sprints, cycling, half marathons, full marathons... even a full Ironman.
Some of those went great.
Others ended with me curled up next to a vending machine trying to chew fast enough to outpace the beeps.
So if you've ever thought, "I want to move more... but I'm scared I'll go low"?
You're not alone. And you're not weak.
This episode is your invitation to shift that fear into curiosity.
I want to challenge you all this month to take what you're learning here and just take a simple step toward a new habit. A new attempt.
Learning how to manage type 1 and also exercise... it's powerful.
You can do this.
Let's walk through it.
When you exercise, especially anything cardio-based, your muscles start pulling in glucose.
If you've taken insulin recently, you're now dealing with two glucose-lowering forces at the same time.
Insulin is still working from the last thing you ate...
And now your muscles are acting like little glucose vacuums.
That combo can cause a fast drop, and if you've ever felt that before, your body remembers.
Even if your blood sugar stays fine next time, your brain might still panic.
That's not irrational. That's self-protection.
So yeah, this fear is real. It's earned.
In fact, a 2023 study in Diabetes Therapy found that 57% of adults with T1D reported skipping or modifying workouts specifically because of fear of going low. That's not laziness. That's survival mode.
But the good news? It doesn't have to be permanent.
Here's the mindset shift:
We're not gonna talk about a bunch of fitness goals,
We want to build some trust with ourselves, ok?
Start with a 10-minute walk.
Bring your meter or CGM. Bring a snack.
Bring whatever you need to feel prepared.
And afterward? Don't judge it. Just notice.
Notice how your body felt.
Notice what your blood sugar did.
Notice the story your brain tried to tell you.
That moment of noticing is where change begins.
Ginger Vieira, who's been living with T1D for decades, frames this beautifully:
"Movement isn't about burning calories, it's about building trust."
Trust in your body.
Trust in your insulin.
Trust that you can try something and survive it.
This month is all about experimenting.
Try a short walk.
Try checking your BG before, during, and after.
Try lowering your basal or having a snack before movement.
Try... reflect... adjust.
And if you're scared?
Bring a friend.
Or message me before you go.
Seriously, this is not something you have to figure out alone.
Movement helps soooooooo much when we manage type 1.
It is a secret power.
It's one of the biggest game changers you could possibly do.
So here's your mission this week:
Choose one simple form of movement
Bring your blood sugar tools
Pay attention to what happens
Tell someone about it, maybe even me
And remember:
A crash doesn't mean you failed.
It means your body gave you data, and now you can learn.
To help with that, I've put together a free T1D Movement Planning Guide.
It'll walk you through what to consider before, during, and after movement.
[ ](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gwITtfF8tD8wtRmkyPtsOFnRRY0g_bit/view?usp=drive_link)
You can also find it in the show notes of this episode or in my bio on
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New episodes drop every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
If you like real talk and ridiculous stories?
My new book Type 1 Diabetes, True Stories is now on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible.
And one last thing:
70% of counties don't have an endo. One in four people delay insulin.
It shouldn't be this hard to stay alive.
Blue Circle Health is proving it doesn't have to be. Sign up for free at bluecirclehealth.org
Thanks for being here.
You're not alone. You're not broken.
You're learning. You're showing up.
And no one remembers easy.
But what you're building?
That's called resilience.
Let's do this, together.
61 - July 4
This is the script as read on the mic, lightly tidied for reading. Education, not medical advice. Talk to your care team before you change anything about your insulin.