Exercise
Strength training with Type 1 diabetes: why I don't max out every session
Mornings build strength, evenings build the engine. Here's a real session from my training diary, what my Dexcom did, and why training is training.
In short
- Not every session is a max-out. Most of my training is steady, planned work I can repeat.
- I split my day: strength in the morning, cardio and metcons in the evening.
- My glucose stayed steady through this session: about 11 at the start, drifting down to 9.5 and flat.
I'm a competitive CrossFitter. 19th in the world in the 2022 Open. 13th in the world in 2023.
I've also lived with Type 1 diabetes since I was five.
People see the rankings and assume every session is all-out. Heaviest weight, fastest time, flat on the floor at the end.
It isn't.
Training is training.
Monday morning, from my training diary
I record an audio diary after every session. This is Monday, word for word turned into a table:
| Part | What I did |
|---|---|
| Warm-up | 20 minutes of warm-up and stretching |
| Chest press ramp | 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 kg |
| Working sets | 6 sets of 7 reps at 60 kg |
| Finisher | Toes-to-bar, 4 sets of 5 |
No personal best. No max. Just good reps at a weight I can own.
What my glucose did
My Dexcom showed the whole morning:
- About 07:25: around 11 mmol/L.
- Just after 08:00: a small peak, around 12.
- By 10:25: 9.5 and flat. No lows. No spikes.
That's one session, not a rule. Your body, your insulin and your food are different from mine. But it's a good example of what steady, planned strength work can look like on a CGM.
Why I don't max out every day
- Strength is built with repeatable work. Sets I can do with good form, week after week, are what move the numbers on the bar.
- Recovery is part of training. I train twice a day. That only works if most sessions leave something in the tank.
- Predictable sessions are easier to manage. Intense, all-out efforts can push blood sugar up for a while. Steadier work usually brings it down. Both raise your risk of a low later on, for at least 24 hours.
- The goal isn't today. It's the next session, the next month and the next Open.
The goal is not to max out all the time.
How I split my day
- Morning: strength. Lifting, set by set, with plenty of rest.
- Evening: the engine. Cardio and metcons, the fast, sweaty CrossFit workouts.
- Glucose checks around both. Before I start, during if anything feels off, and for hours afterwards.
AM = strength. PM = engine.
Quick answers
Can you do strength training with Type 1 diabetes? Yes. Lots of us do. Check your glucose before you start, keep hypo treatment within reach, and talk to your diabetes team about your insulin around training.
Does lifting weights raise or lower blood sugar? It can do either. Hard, intense efforts can push it up for a while. Longer, steady work usually brings it down. Watch your own CGM to learn your pattern.
What if I go low during a session? A hypo is usually below 4.0 mmol/L. Stop, treat it with fast-acting carbs, and don't start again until you've recovered.
Your challenge
Training is training. Turn up, do the work, watch the numbers.
Sources
Pre-register for the book
My book, The Conscious Diabetic, tells how 100 days of training changed my life with Type 1. Sign up to be first to read it.
Be first to hear when The Conscious Diabetic is out, and get my free 7-Day Challenge straight away.