A Male Diabetic Goes Clean

Thank you to Sean McIntire for sharing his perspective on a diabetic approach to Eating Clean. Don't miss his yummy smoothie recipe below...

As a diabetic, my life sees highs and lows (pun intended). A low brings panic and a high brings frustration and a feeling of failure. A Clean lifestyle helps to minimize these issues because eating a balanced, healthy diet along with exercise assist in managing blood sugar. Attempting to eat healthy and exercise while working, being a father to two daughters, being actively involved in church, and being a husband can be challenging but creates rewards of its own.

When I was diagnosed with diabetes (type 1) my weight had dropped to 145 lbs. This was frustrating because I lost strength and size. By Eating Clean and exercising over the last three years I have added 20-23 lbs of muscle and have lower body fat than I did before (9-10%). I only use protein to reduce stress on my kidneys (no other chemicals). I understand high protein diets are hard on the kidneys so my kidney function is checked yearly.

My life has been made richer by cooking and exercising with my wife. We both enjoy developing a Clean menu for the week and then cooking the food we choose. The healthy food has helped me to build muscle and balance my blood sugar.

My favorite thing about the Eat-Clean lifestyle is smoothies. My favorite is a blueberry/strawberry smoothie. I mix 1-2 cups of kale, 2 cups of blue berries, 1 cup strawberries,
1 Tbsp chia seeds, 2 Tbsp flax seed, ¼ cup rolled oatmeal, 1 – 1 ½ cups milk (or yogurt and water), 1 scoop protein, and 1 tsp local honey into the blender. Let the blender go until smooth. The mix normally makes a whole blender which is great for breakfast. I then eat every two hours in the morning, which helps power me through tough lunch time workouts.

My lunch time workouts are either running three to six miles or Crossfit. The Crossfit workout is taken from WODs posted on either Crossfitendurance.com or Crossfit.com. These workouts can be dangerous if done incorrectly but are effective. I try to ignore the time and weight requirements because even without these I still see results. I like to add an ab workout every other day, too!  After work, my wife and I meet at the gym a few evenings a week for a workout.

The Eat-Clean lifestyle has helped me to manage my disease. The healthy menu and exercise regime have helped me to gain muscle, lose fat, and balance my blood sugar. Using the tools provided by Tosca and company I plan to actively manage my disease and health. I will not go quietly and will do everything in my power, and with God’s blessing, to live a healthy life so I can see my girls grow old!

Tosca and company, thank you for the tools and inspiration to be active and healthy.



Thank you Lauren, my wife, for your love and encouragement!