Sarah’s author bio: Sarah Mann lives in Norwood, MA with her husband, Michael and 6 year old daughter, Beckett. For the past 3 years she has been a Barre3 instructor and has found a real home in her body through movement and community. Having lived with T1D for 9 years now, Sarah has a broader understanding of her body, its abilities and where she can seek to break new boundaries. Through teaching fitness classes, hiking with her family, exploring new places, or just waking up every morning, life always has a way of keeping her on her toes no matter what.
Barre3 is a full-body balanced workout combining strength conditioning, cardio, and mindfulness.
I had the pleasure of leading fellow members of the diabetes community through movement during virtual slipstreams the past year.
The following are my greatest takeaways from my time at slipstream and doing Barre3 with type 1 diabetes over the years.
Sarah
Body Positivity
Barre3 is for everyBODY. I have done numerous types of exercise in my 32 years in this world and nothing has brought me more joy than Barre3. I love that it is a safe space for all walks of life and persons to come together and respect their bodies and minds. Regardless of what you look like, where you grew up, what clothes you decided to put on your body that day, you belong to my home studio and every studio I have experienced in the Barre3 world is inclusive and welcoming because of YOU, not anything aforementioned. For many (if not all) of us with type 1 diabetes there are so many moving parts when it comes to exercise, even before we enter a room or put on our workout pants. So many gadgets and gizmos that can make their way into having us feel like we’re sticking out like sore thumbs. Wearing my CGM on my upper arm and clipping my pump to my hip has been an evolution through my time in fitness. I would be lying if I said I never hid my robot parts, but I am proud to say that I no longer feel like I need to hide. When it comes to Barre3, the workout celebrates and encourages you to adapt and do what feels right in your body at that moment in time. We encourage you to come as you are.
“Exercise is Medicine”
This is something that has become a catchphrase in the fitness world, especially in the past year as mental health has been brought into the spotlight. I’m not a medical professional but through my years and experience with exercise, I know movement brings me to a new space in my mind and body. I am able to better understand the rise and fall of my blood sugars in class, and therefore have a broader sense of where other activities will take me throughout my day. Sure there are definitely blood sugars out of left field that leave you feeling less than stellar about your management that day but to that I fall back to practices I remind people of in class: your body is not failing you, you haven’t failed your body, THINK, how can you adapt to make this work for you presently?
When we choose to exercise our bodies we are also exercising our minds. There is so much positive that comes from allowing our brains to process activity different from our everyday tasks and jobs. The movement itself is an exercise in letting my mind shut off from external thoughts and turn my focus inward. I could have woken up after a night of crap blood sugars, or just been awake with my daughter and I’m reminded that the movement I am going through is not punishment, it is an antidote per se, a way to catalyze the rest of your day into a positive light. I find this to be the most helpful when I remove expectations, meet myself where I am that day, and understand that pushing it isn’t always what my body needs. I try my best to smile, too.
Movement and Type 1 Diabetes
We all know by now that movement and diabetes are crucial. We are reminded of it every day by someone (like I just did), but doing what your neighbor does might not give you what you need as a whole. This is just like many aspects of your type 1 management. I think this is easily broken down into simple terms. As your friend I find Barre3 complimentary to my diabetes management, others may feel walking is their best way to serve their bodies, others weight lifting! To all of those, I say YES! Finding movement you love and keep coming back to is important. Putting pressure on yourself to move a specific way simply because someone else does it can be more detrimental to your mental and physical health. Fitness is not one size fits all. Some trial and error may be necessary to figure out what really feels good for you as an individual as well as complimenting what you need for your overall health. Movement should give you joy and add to your day. Ask yourself the question: “Is this movement intentional (serving a purpose for you)? If it is, does it make you proud?” Moving confidently in your body, in a comfortable and supportive space can take some time to carve out, but the journey to find what works for you may just be what you need to find out something new about yourself.
Taking Modifications
This one is simple: DO IT!! Exercise is meant to be fun but also as a Barre3 instructor I understand we all want a great workout. We have been told forever that turbo is the only option for “results”, but have we taken a chance to acknowledge that results are not just surface level? Like I mentioned above there is much to be said for meeting your body where it is in the present moment, rather than pushing it beyond what it is capable of that day. By all means, if you wake up that day feeling strong and ready to rock then go for it! For many of us, choosing to take a moment to evaluate our energy level not just physically, but mentally can allow us to find success in our workout right where we are presently. Remember, by never choosing to modify a workout we might never discover what our body is truly capable of – often modifications allow you to dive deeper into your strength. Success in fitness shouldn’t be defined by the number of reps you achieve or the amount of sweat you wipe up. Success is showing up for yourself and your body, something that Barre3 has woven so well throughout the workout.
For so long exercise has been shown as a way to “punish” or “get your body back” when in reality your body has gone nowhere and should be celebrated for achieving its own personal level of success each and every day. When we remove the thought that every single workout needs to be crushed and leave you in a pile on the floor we can feel empowered to construct similar thought processes in our daily lives. To simplify our expectations, creating a larger picture of our success. There are so many societal pressures we as Type 1 diabetics face each day and the last thing we all need with or without a chronic illness is more layers of comparison. Removing the stigma around not picking up heavy weights in a class, or not squatting as low as your neighbor, or maybe just not as low as you did yesterday will change your mindset surrounding fitness for years to come. Pivoting your focus to the present feeling in the moment you are living.
Breathe
The final moments of the Barre3 class are peaceful, mindful, calm. It is a true culmination of the entire time spent in class. I like to best describe it as the big bow wrapped around the present you have made for yourself in this time you have spent in class, something you can tangibly ‘take with you’. Reminding yourself that the breath that carried you from the start of class is also something worthy of focus. Especially after you strip away the added choreography and mental cognition required of you in the other parts of a Barre3 class. That your breath alone can make huge changes in the neurological pathways in your body/mind connection. This is such a complex takeaway from class that translates directly for life, not just Barre3 in real-time. Personally, I am always working on my breath, in ways to calm my mind and body in times of stress, when I need to focus clearly and find solutions to everyday things. I say that like it’s simple, it’s not, it takes practice, just like exercise. The journey with one’s breath is not linear, just like any of our journeys with movement. Having grace for our ability to have joined in movement and choosing what is best for ourselves. I always make a point to remind those in class with me that any time in your day when things just feel tough, find a second to breathe and realize how much power you have to impact your own mind and body.
