Q.Age
32
Q.Where are you from?
Charleston SC
Q.What do you do with your time? (Job, Pastimes, Family life etc.)
Chiropractor (Own Mobility Spine and Rehab) Former professor at College of Charleston, ALLMAX Nutrition – Content contribution and athlete.
Q.Tell us about your diagnosis?
When it started, I was actually in college. I was playing college football at Michigan State University, which is a Division One program, and it requires a lot from you, physically. Somewhere towards the end of my sophomore year, into my junior year, I just started feeling off. I didn’t feel right. I was really tired, lethargic. I was losing weight despite eating more food than anyone on the team, (lineman included.) I saw doctors here and there, they didn’t really know what was going on at the time. By my senior season, when things had gotten pretty bad, I had lost 20-something pounds, looked anorexic and was constantly thirsty. I was diagnosed shortly after playing in a bowl game…..Team Doc ordered fasting bloods and I was in the 400s….he called me the next day and said you need to go to the emergency room right now. I was in the middle of a summer job sweeping up some floors…. at that point I could barely sweep 10 feet without feeling out of breath, sick and in need of a break. Once I arrived at the hospital my blood sugar was approaching 800. They kept me in the ICU for a couple days before discharging me.
Q.Pens or Pump? Any preference?
NO preference but I have never used the pump and feel the pens create more awareness of what you are eating, e.g. I’m less likely to have seconds if I have to pull everything out and shoot lol.
Q.How often do you check your blood glucose?
I check blood glucose before every meal so 6-7 times a day for that along with intermittent checks post odd meals, strange feelings, or new activities so probably between 6 and 12 times a day.
Q.Recent A1C?
Recent A1C 5.4 at one point I had an A1C of 4.8.
Q.How often do you train?
At present, I am training three to four days a week and focusing on work and content creation. However, for the majority of the year, I train 5-6 days a week.
Q.What is your daily calorie and macro breakdown?
Average calories when not competing probably range between 3k-4k calories, macros at 40p/40c/20f
Q.What food do you love, but messes with your blood sugar the most?
Pasta because of the carb and sugar variance in the sauces.
Q.Current workout split?
- Quads/ Calfs
- Chest/ Triceps
- Shoulders/ Arms
- Back/ Hamstrings
Q.Have you any body composition or performance goals over the next 12 months?
Gain density in chest and quads.
Q.3 Things diabetes has taught you in life?
- Life can change in an Instant – Be grateful
- The majority of diabetics are ill-prepared or not informed to manage it properly.
- To not be afraid to share what makes me different, as people are very supportive – Everyone has their own “Stuff”
- To look at everything in life as a blessing as it either slows you or grows you and Type 1 has caused me to grow emotionally, physically and spiritually.
Q.Top 3 tips for managing diabetes?
- Know exactly what you are eating….no guessing.
- Check often.
- Be consistent by building daily habits.
Q.Biggest fitness myth dispelled?
You are limited in your ability to be a great athlete as a Type 1!!!
Q.What is the single best piece of mind-set advice you could give someone who’s been newly diagnosed with diabetes?
Don’t be afraid to LEARN LEARN LEARN…. information and opinions are always changing. You don’t have to go it alone. Find a mentor and study from those who have been successful.
Can you give a short concise review of the Diabetic Muscle and Fitness Guide and outline what was your biggest takeaway.
Currently, in the early stages of the book but thus far I love the layout, the differentiation between type one and two, the depth of the science and the fact that almost EVERYTHING I would want to highlight is bolded and made large.
Get in Touch
Instagram @BrettKahn
Coaching contact: KahncretePhysique@Gmail.com