GOING THE E FOR A DREA 200 word top/anchor
top A woman who was diagnosed with diabetes as a teen has taken back control of her body after life-changing treatment left her facing a daily struggle to get fit.
Khyle Pennie, now aged 28, was just 13 when she was told she had with Type 1 diabetes.
Having spent her entire teenage years injecting insulin, Khyle, from Renfrew, was given an insulin pump — which she said “changed her life”.
However, while the pump dramatically changed how she dealt with her condition, it left Khyle struggling with other side effects such as her weight and fitness level.
Khyle said: “It was lifechanging. I’d never give my pump back.
“But what it did in helping me to better manage my diabetes, it caused problems in weight gain.
“Up until my late 20s I’d exercised regularly, going to the gym and other exercise classes, always dealing with the challenges that presented – hypos, and chasing blood sugars afterwards.
“So my blood sugars were never great. But after I got my pump, I suddenly had much better control of my diabetes, and I just didn’t want to rock the boat by trying to exercise.
“As a result, my weight gained – I went from maybe a size 8 to a 12-14 – and suddenly found it was hard to lose that.”
Determined not to let it get the better of her — Khyle signed up in a 100km cycling event to raise cash for Diabetes Scotland.
The Pedal for Scotland race saw Khyle take on a gruelling route through Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park, raising £730 for the national charity.
Determined Khyle was able to complete the challenge thanks to a training programme by Dave Hill from Lochwinnoch-based Castle Semple Outdoor Centre.
She faced a number of mental and physical challenges while taking part in the event, which she said left her feeling “embarrassed” by her condition.
She added: “It was really hard. I can’t describe how hard it was.
“The training I could manage, and I could do long stretches on the flat, but the race was the toughest thing I’ve ever done.
“Every time I hit a hill, I would have a hypo.
“I was halfway round, and thinking I’ve had six hypos in three hours – and I still had the other half to do.
“Unless you know someone or live with someone with the condition no one really knows what it’s like to have to deal with it.
“So there are all these other racers cycling and I’m having to stop and take my blood sugars, and eat, and all I could think was they must think I’m really unfit having to stop all the time.’”
“It’s such a challenge and people don’t really know enough about how hard it is to live with the condition 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.”
But while it was a struggle for the young woman, she said she was motivated to get fit before her marrying her fiancé Jamie.
Khyle, who was delighted to fit into her wedding dress, said: “I wanted to lose weight to fit into my wedding dress.
“I’ve gone from a size 16 to a 12 in the last year.
“It has changed my mindset on