From Walking to Wandering: Why I'm Evolving My Exercise Approach (And You Should Too!)
A few months ago, I shared my journey of naturally lowering my cholesterol, blood pressure, and A1C through strategic lifestyle changes. Here is a link to the article.
The results were nothing short of remarkable—and frankly, a little surprising even to me. But here's the thing about success: it's not a destination, it's a launching pad.
The Success Story (A Quick Recap)
When I first implemented my natural approach, I was determined but realistic. I eliminated red meat and processed foods, said goodbye to high-fat dairy and added sugars, and embraced a daily routine of 10,000 steps plus 30 minutes of gym time. The focus was simple: whole foods, consistent movement, and mindful living.
The results? Better than I dared hope:
Lisinopril dropped from 40mg to 2.5mg (that's a 94% reduction!)
Rosuvastatin went from 40mg to 10mg (75% reduction)
LDL cholesterol at 58 (optimal range)
Total cholesterol at 144 (excellent)
Blood pressure around 110/70 (textbook perfect)
A1C below 6.0 (non-diabetic range—yes, you read that right!)
Living with type 1 diabetes for over 40 years has taught me to celebrate victories, but also to keep evolving. Which brings me to why I'm shaking things up again.
As I detail in my new book "Eat, Move, Heal," this transformation taught me that optimal health isn't about managing individual problems in isolation—it's about understanding how everything connects and optimizing the whole system together.
The Problem with Perfection (Or: How I Almost Became a Gym Robot)
Here's what nobody tells you about successful health routines: they can become a prison of their own making. After months of religiously hitting 10,000 steps and spending exactly 30 minutes in the gym daily, I noticed something troubling—I was getting bored.
Not bored with the results (those were still amazing), but bored with the routine. The same treadmill staring at me like an old nemesis. The same weight machines that I could operate blindfolded. The same walking route where I'd memorized every crack in the sidewalk. My body was thriving, but my mind was starting to wander to thoughts of... well, actual wandering.
And if there's one thing I've learned in four decades of managing diabetes, it's that sustainability trumps perfection every single time. Also, life's too short to have a relationship with exercise that feels like Groundhog Day, but with more sweat.
The Exercise Evolution: Why I'm Trading Steps for Freedom
The original plan worked because it was simple and measurable. But simple doesn't have to mean monotonous, and frankly, I was starting to feel like a very efficient exercise hamster. I realized I was limiting myself to a narrow definition of "exercise" when what I really needed was a broader approach to movement and activity.
Enter my new philosophy: 60 minutes of movement + 500 calories burned daily.
In "Eat, Move, Heal," I write about how I discovered that "movement" isn't the same as "exercise"—it's about honoring the fact that your body is designed to move in countless ways, not just on predetermined machines in climate-controlled boxes.
Why This Change Makes Perfect Sense (And Why My Apple Watch Agrees)
Flexibility Without Chaos: Instead of being married to steps and gym time like some sort of fitness fundamentalist, I can now choose from biking, rowing, swimming, hiking, or yes, even dancing badly in my living room (my family has... opinions about this). The key is hitting both time and intensity targets.
Quality Over Quantity: Five hundred calories burned isn't just about duration—it ensures I'm working at a meaningful intensity. You can't sleepwalk through 500 calories the way you might through 10,000 leisurely steps while scrolling social media.
Technology as My Personal Trainer: My Apple Watch becomes the perfect accountability partner, tracking both metrics automatically. No mental math, no guessing whether that enthusiastic stroll counts as "real" exercise, just clear feedback on whether I'm hitting my goals.
Seasonal Adaptation: Want to ski in winter? Paddleboard in summer? This approach adapts to life's natural rhythms, rather than forcing me into a gym year-round, like some kind of vitamin D-deficient cave dweller.
The Science Behind the Switch (Or: Why Variety Isn't Just the Spice of Life)
Let's talk turkey (the lean protein kind, of course). The original walking and gym routine worked because it provided a consistent cardiovascular stimulus and muscle engagement. But variety in exercise actually offers some unique benefits that my inner science nerd couldn't ignore:
Muscle Confusion: Different activities challenge different muscle groups and movement patterns, potentially improving overall fitness more than repetitive routines. It's like cross-training for your entire body, rather than being really, really good at walking in a straight line.
Mental Engagement: Novel activities require more cognitive involvement, which can improve adherence and enjoyment—critical factors for long-term success. Plus, learning new movements keeps your brain young, which is a nice bonus when you're trying to remember where you put your car keys.
Reduced Injury Risk: Varying activities prevents overuse injuries that can derail even the best intentions. Because nothing kills workout motivation quite like explaining to people that you're sidelined by "chronic treadmill syndrome."
Metabolic Flexibility: Different exercise types (aerobic, anaerobic, resistance) train your body to efficiently use different energy systems. Think of it as making your metabolism more like a Swiss Army knife and less like a single-purpose gadget that you forget you own.
As I explain in "Eat, Move, Heal," I learned that exercise is perhaps the closest thing we have to a magic pill for metabolic health. A single session of moderate exercise can improve insulin sensitivity for up to 48 hours. But here's what's exciting: you don't need to become a marathon runner or spend hours in the gym.
Making the Transition (Without Throwing the Baby Out with the Bathwater)
I'm not throwing out everything that worked—that would be like canceling a successful TV show just because you want to try new episodes. The nutritional approach remains exactly the same, because those food changes were the real game-changer for my blood values. But I'm allowing my exercise routine to become more... well, fun.
This week, I tried rowing for the first time in years and rediscovered muscles I'd forgotten I had (hello, lats!). Yesterday, I dusted off my bike and remembered why I used to love cycling before I became a gym devotee. Tomorrow? Maybe a hike with my family, where the scenery changes and the conversation flows better than staring at a TV screen while walking nowhere.
The beauty is that as long as I'm moving meaningfully for 60 minutes and burning 500 calories, I'm staying true to the metabolic demands that created my success. It's like having a flexible work-from-home policy, but for fitness.
The Deeper Lesson (That Applies to More Than Just Exercise)
Here's what I'm really learning: sustainable health isn't about finding the perfect routine and sticking to it forever like some kind of wellness monk. It's about finding principles that work and then allowing those principles to evolve with your life, interests, and circumstances.
The rigid approach got me results—excellent ones. The flexible approach will help me keep them for life. And isn't that really the point?
Your Turn (No Pressure, But...)
If you're following a successful health routine that's starting to feel staler than last week's bread, consider this your permission slip to evolve. Ask yourself:
Are you hitting your core objectives (movement, nutrition, stress management)?
Could you achieve the same results in a more enjoyable way?
What activities have you been curious about but avoided because they didn't fit your current routine?
When was the last time you looked forward to your workout instead of just grinding through it?
Remember, the best exercise program is the one you'll actually stick to. And sometimes, sticking to it means changing it up before you start making excuses to skip it entirely.
The Bottom Line (And a Shameless Book Plug)
My cholesterol, blood pressure, and A1C didn't improve because I walked exactly 10,000 steps or spent precisely 30 minutes in the gym. They improved because I moved consistently, ate thoughtfully, and managed stress effectively.
Now I'm taking those same principles and giving them room to breathe, grow, and adapt. Because health isn't a destination—it's a journey. And journeys are a lot more fun when you're not walking the same path every single day, no matter how well-marked it might be.
Stay curious, stay consistent, and remember: your health routine should serve you, not the other way around. Life's too short for boring workouts and exercise plans that feel like punishment.
If you want to dive deeper into the complete system that transformed my health—from the specific nutrition strategies to the mindfulness practices that made it all sustainable—check out my new book "Eat, Move, Heal: How I Naturally Transformed My Heart Health, Blood Sugar, and Energy." It's the full story of how someone with 40+ years of Type 1 diabetes achieved better metabolic health than most people half my age. And yes, there's a whole chapter on why I think the fitness industry has been selling us the wrong story about exercise.
What changes are you considering to make your health routine more sustainable? Share your thoughts in the comments below—I'd love to hear about your own evolution!
