What does exercise with Type 1 Diabetes really look like?
For many people, it can feel uncertain, complicated – even risky. It raises questions about insulin, food, timing and what might happen if things don’t go to plan. For years, the conversation around exercise with diabetes has often been framed by caution.
But what if we looked at it differently?
In this episode of The Long View, a podcast about Type 1 Diabetes, I speak with Phil Southerland, CEO and co-founder of Team Novo Nordisk, the world’s first all-Type 1 professional cycling team. And what becomes clear very quickly is that this team is not just competing in elite sport.
They are powerfully changing the narrative.
More than a team
On the surface, Team Novo Nordisk is a professional cycling team competing internationally. But spend even a short time listening to Phil, and you realise that racing is only part of the story.
This is a team built on purpose.
Every race they enter, every mile they ride, gives a message far beyond the peloton. They are showing the world, and particularly people living with Type 1 Diabetes, that exercise is not something to fear.
It is something to understand, to work with, and ultimately to embrace.
For anyone wondering how to exercise with diabetes, that visibility matters more than we often realise.
The power of seeing what’s possible
During our conversation, Phil told me that for him the most important thing they do is the impact they have on people with Type 1. .
He told me about the families that come to races with children newly diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. They’re still trying to make sense of what life will look like. And then they meet the team.
They see athletes testing their glucose, adjusting insulin, fuelling their bodies and then going out to compete at the highest level of professional sport. and at that moment, something shifts.
They see what’s possible and they know that their diagnosis doesn’t mean they can’t achieve everything they dream of.
This is what it means to be an ambassador for exercise with type 1 diabetes. Not just explaining it, but living it, visibly and consistently.
Education through action
What makes Team Novo Nordisk so unique is that their education doesn’t come in the form of instructions or guidelines, it comes through action.
Managing exercise with diabetes is not straightforward. It involves constant decision-making about insulin, food, timing and intensity. There is no universal formula, no single approach that works for everyone. And that’s exactly what the team demonstrates.
Some riders start a race with higher glucose levels because they know it will drop. Others begin lower, anticipating a rise. Technology plays a role, but so does experience, instinct and deep self-awareness.
For anyone searching how to exercise with diabetes, this is perhaps the most important lesson of all: it is individual and it is learnable.
From elite sport to everyday life
Most of us are not professional cyclists. We are not racing for hours at a time or competing internationally, but that doesn’t mean the lessons don’t apply.
Because whether it’s a walk, a gym session, or simply being more active, the same principles are there – preparation, awareness, flexibility, and patience.
Listening to Phil, I was reminded that exercise with type 1 diabetes isn’t about perfection. It’s about understanding your body over time, learning from experience and building confidence step by step.
“Diabetes Only Chooses the Champions”
There was one moment in our conversation that stopped me in my tracks.
Phil said: “Diabetes only chooses the champions.”
It’s such a striking phrase and after living with Type 1 Diabetes for 50 years, I recognise the truth behind it. Not in the sense of achievement or success, but in the skills and qualities diabetes demands of us.
Resilience. Discipline. Adaptability. Persistence.
These are not optional. They are part of daily life.
And perhaps that is what Team Novo Nordisk represents so powerfully – not just elite athletes, but what you can achieve when you develop these qualities.
Changing the conversation around Type 1 Diabetes
For a long time, the story of Type 1 Diabetes has been one of limitation. 50 years ago my mum was told I’d never have children, never be able to drive or even hold down a job. But fortunately that’s really changed.
And through their presence in elite sport, Team Novo Nordisk is helping to reshape how we think about exercise with diabetes, not as something exceptional, but as something entirely possible.
And that shift matters. Because it influences how people approach their diagnosis, how families support their children and how confidence is built over time.
A different way to think about exercise with diabetes
If you’re looking for a clear-cut answer to how to exercise with diabetes, this episode may not give you one. But it offers something more meaningful. A way of thinking about exercise that is grounded in experience, shaped by resilience, and open to possibility.
It reminds us that while Type 1 Diabetes adds complexity, it does not remove capability.
Listen to the full episode
If you’re interested in:
- Exercise with Type 1 Diabetes
- Real-life experiences of living with diabetes
- The work and achievements of Team Novo Nordisk
- A podcast about Type 1 Diabetes that explores both challenge and possibility
then this episode of The Long View is well worth your time.
You can find Team Novo Nordisk on LinkedIn here: (26) Team Novo Nordisk: Posts | LinkedIn
And the film about the Team on YouTube, Ride for Your L1fe is here: Team Novo Nordisk: Ride For Your L1fe
🎧 Listen to the podcast now and discover how Team Novo Nordisk is helping to redefine what it means to live with Type 1 Diabetes.
Find it here on Spotify: Ep 7: Sam Walsh – Parenting Type 1 Diabetes, one step at a time • The Long View – Living with Type 1 Diabetes
And here on Apple: Ep 5 – Phil Southerland – Diab…–The Long View – Living with Type 1 Diabetes – Apple Podcasts
Or click on “Podcasts” at the top of this page.