Personal report: “Diabetes transformed the relationship with my body for the better” –

Check out, below, the exciting account of the psychologist and nutritionist Bethânia Martins (@betha_rodrigues_martins), upon discovering that he had developed diabetes:

“When they tell you not to stress so much for professional reasons, take it seriously. An unpleasant situation at work ended my emotional state and made me develop a health problem that revolutionized my routine forever: type 1 diabetes. I found out when I was 29 years old, after weeks of suffering from the symptoms (slimming, thirst and tiredness). On the day of the diagnosis, I was only 45 kilos – a weight I had never reached – and I was hospitalized as soon as the exams came out.

When talking to the doctor, I was in a state of shock. What did I know about diabetes? Absolutely nothing! All he knew was that it needed to be controlled and that it could cause people to go blind or amputate body parts. Imagine the fright! I cried a lot and denied my condition in every way. For a year, I injected insulin before every meal, but it did nothing else to improve my health.

Until I started researching the subject and discovered that sports and good nutrition would make a difference in my quality of life – more than that, they would ward off the risk of the condition getting worse. The main problem at the time was that, despite being thin, sugar and carbohydrates dominated my menu.”

Upon discovering the disease, Bethânia Martins had two options: surrender to the problem or face a new routine with exercises and a more balanced diet. She chose the second. Today, at the age of 45, the woman from Minas Gerais celebrates her health under control. “For starters, I replaced the noodles and the bread (there were six units per day!) for the integral versions. I also adhered to the light options of sweets and soft drinks and started working out three times a week.

– (Natália Mitie Caneshiro/)

Soon my fat percentage dropped from 22 to 19%, but I was still very dependent on insulin. A nutritionist, then, helped me to reformulate my menu: we cut back on chocolate, pasta and sugary drinks. I also learned several recipes to prepare my own meals – I even took a fit cooking course.

Since my taste buds were still craving sugar, I found swaps to replace it, like a avocado shake for breakfast and fruit and yogurt for an afternoon snack. When cravings get too much, I make a healthy cupcake. The lunch dish also gained more colors and whey protein was included in everyday life. When dining out, I trade drinks for juice and order the lightest dish in the restaurant (salad, salmon with vegetables or grilled chicken).

My fitness routine also got a boost: dance classes turned into two gym sessions a day (one hour on the bike, treadmill or stairs in the morning and then weight training in the evening). I don’t stop, not even on weekends, when I meet my personal trainer or go for a run outdoors. There is no trip, work or any emergency that makes me give up exercising – I even took advantage of this photo session with , in São Paulo, to go to Ibirapuera Park.

These changes did transform the way I viewed diabetes – in addition to making my body fat percentage reach 14%. Today, I still need to inject insulin every morning, but at least it lasts all day as the physical activity and healthy eating help control blood sugar. I no longer suffer from the symptoms of the disease and even my exams show perfect health.

Of course, going through this whole process was difficult – and it still is, since I have to stay alert all the time –, but diabetes doesn’t stop me from being happy. If I could give a tip to people in the same battle, it would be: do your part, put yourself first and not for a second give up on a full and wonderful life.”

RECIPE: BETHÂNIA’S FIT CUPCAKE

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs;

• 1/2 cup of cocoa whey protein;

• 1 tablespoon (soup) of cocoa powder;

• 1 cup of culinary sweetener

• 1/2 cup rolled oats;

• 1/2 cup coconut oil;

• 1/2 cup chopped Brazil nuts;

• 1 spoon (soup) of yeast.

Method of preparation:

Mix everything in a mixer (leaving the chestnut and baking soda last) and transfer to cupcake molds greased with coconut oil. Let it bake for 12 minutes.