Big Blue Test Archives -

If we are fighting diabetes then consistent exercise (combined with a reasonably healthy diet) is how we punch our adversary in the throat. That is the gem of wisdom that I have distilled from this first week of testing, getting active and testing again-every day for at least 15 minutes. It’s simple. It’s not always easy or convenient but it’s about getting back to basics.

Its no secret that the last several months have been challenging for me diabetes wise-which of course trickles down to every other aspect of life. The BigBlueTest has given me an opportunity to really get back on my feet in this fight and build momentum. So far this week I haven’t been scaling rock faces (for the most part; I did deviate once and wind up the side of a cliff). Most of my BigBlueTests have been really mundane things like…walking. Taking some time to push away from the computer and put one foot in front of the other.

Just walking…nothing fancy.

Im also at the end of my lease here at my apartment, so that means I have to find somewhere else to live. It’s stressful, but there is some benefit in the exercise. I place a lot of value in spectacular places and experiences, but ultimately one has to be willing to take the small steps that get you from one place to the next. Everything happens in stages, in cycles. Rising and falling. Some days are harder than others and that is ok-its part of the process. The BigBlueTest has given me an opportunity to get back up and start riding the next wave, filled with limitless potential.

The weather here bas been magnificent and it’s a struggle to tear myself away from planning the “next big project”. I keep looking at these amazing objectives…big walls, boulders, overhanging limestone…it all speaks to me. At the end of the day I can’t get there by sitting here and talking. Doing is always more effective than talking-and just doing a little is where all the big things start.

Rob, helping me search for good ideas, somewhere in the abyss…

Where will these small steps take us? No way to know without just getting out there and trying. Fifteen minutes a day isn’t a lot but it’s a start. I’d love for you to join me-three weeks left to do the test and log it at www.bigbluetest.org. What you do matters-and you have the chance to share it and help others!

LivingVertical has partnered with the Diabetes Hands Foundation to promote the Big Blue Test-this is an awesome initiative that empowers people with diabetes through exercise-of any kind, combined with targeted blood glucose measurement. Your participation will help YOU (and others when you share and promote the Big Blue Test) AND will generate a $5.00 donation to life saving diabetes charities for every entry logged!

What’s not to love about this? You don’t even have to have diabetes to participate-see the photo above!

Speaking personally, the idea of empowering people with diabetes through exercise is what prompted me to live out of my car and establish LivingVertical through Project365. Recently, I have been in need of motivation to get back into a training cycle and take better control of my blood sugar (climbing mountains doesn’t mean I don’t have slumps!) and the Big Blue Test is just what I need to get back on the horse-and to step my game up a little bit!

There is a lot more to adventure and climbing than what people label as “extreme” and over this next month, I am going to be showing how taking your diabetes on an adventure is something that anyone can do-through videos, photos and blogs! That is how I am going to be doing my Big Blue Tests-with simple, functional fitness. Please join me in taking steps to change lives through participating in this initiative-every day from now until November 14th, World Diabetes Day!

Of course, you know that I can’t simply swear off my rope and rack for a whole month-so I am planning a special World Diabetes Day climb for the culmination of the Big Blue Test-it’s going to be something special! Diabetes is what we make of it. Let’s take advantage of this opportunity to make our world better for living powerfully with this condition, one step at a time.

For Day 1 of the Big Blue Test, I took my Diabetes up to the summit of Angels Landing in Zion National Park. No ropes, no harnesses, no technical climbing. Just putting one foot in front of the other. Join us!

Week one done (bigbluetest)!

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