This a friend and fellow betes pal! Needed to share with everyone!
DIABETIC FEMALE VERMONTER WINS POWERLIFTING MEET
(Burlington, VT) - Ginger Vieira, 23, a Type 1 diabetic, Champlain College graduate, freelance writer, personal trainer and yoga instructor, entered her first powerlifting meet in Fair Haven, VT on May 2nd, 2009, and left as the winner. Competing in the Women’s 148lbs Junior and 148lbs Open divisions, Vieira won the title as Overall Best Female Raw lifter, breaking seven records within both divisions of the World Powerlifting Association.
Having had diabetes for over ten years, Vieira the is the spokesperson and co-creator of a website designed especially for teenagers and college students with Diabetes (Type 1 and Type 2). The website, www.diabeteens.com, is owned by The HealthCentral Network. Both the site, and Vieira, have been featured in The Washington Post and Reader’s Digest.
Vieira’s athletic accomplishments are significant considering her disease which requires her to balance food, insulin injections and exercise in order to maintain normal blood sugar levels. Vieira says, “I’ve studied my own body and my diabetes intensely so I can pursue these other goals and never find diabetes getting in my way.”
During the event, Vieira’s records were a 265lbs squat, a 170lbs bench press and a 300lbs deadlift. All three lifts set the records, and her combined score was 735, which is the record total score for the Women’s Junior Raw division.
Vieira began training less than two years ago at Vermont’s Sports & Fitness Edge with her trainer, Andrew Berry, who she says has taught her more about her diabetes and nutrition than any doctor. “If I wasn’t able to balance my blood sugar, I would never make it to this level. Powerlifting is a huge motivation for me to keep such a close eye on my diabetes.”
The main purpose of Vieira’s work on www.diabeteens.com is to help teenagers and college students educate themselves about nutrition, insulin, blood sugar and exercise, all complicated factors to balance while being diabetic. Most importantly, the site is intended to provide a safe place for young people to ask for help, to express their frustrations and to give support to others who have a chronic medical condition.
“A lot of people with diabetes think so many things are out of their reach because of their disease,” Vieira explains. “I want them to know they can do anything. It sounds corny, but it’s true that having the right attitude and believing in your ability to reach a goal is the first step.”
Vieira plans to compete again later in the summer, and hoping to score over 800 at her next meet.
“I absolutely didn’t know I was going to win, but I can tell you I spent the entire month before the meet telling myself I was going to! Telling myself I could do this. I daydreamed about calling my parents in Arizona to tell them, ‘I won the whole thing!’, and that’s exactly what I got to do.”
Vieira was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at age 13. She received a Professional Writing degree at Burlington’s Champlain College. In addition to being an Advice Columnist for www.diabeteens.com, Vieira works as an I.S.S.A. certified Personal Trainer, Ashtanga Yoga Instructor, and trains as a powerlifter at Sports & Fitness Edge. For videos of the powerlifting event, visit http://gingervieira.blogspot.com/
For more information on www.diabeteens.com and/or to schedule an interview, please contact Ginger Vieira at (303) 947-7212.