Reclaim Your Rise: Type 1 Diabetes with Lauren Bongiorno

Kristin was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in 1997, right before she turned four. Like many of us, her early years were defined by parental support, and then college became the turning point where she had to learn how to truly take ownership. From studying abroad in Mexico and navigating T1D with a host family who did not speak English, to advocating for herself during surgery in a hospital system that largely understood Type 2, Kristin’s diabetes journey has been shaped by resilience and self trust.
But even with nearly three decades of experience, Kristin still hit a wall. Her A1C was sitting at 7.1, time in range was around 63 to 65%, and she felt emotionally drained from the constant highs, lows, and pressure to “figure it out.” She was working out consistently, eating responsibly, watching her numbers closely, and still felt like the output did not match the effort.
In this episode, Kristin shares what changed when she joined Risely’s group coaching program, and how she went from chasing blood sugars reactively to learning her patterns, building confidence in decision making, and feeling lighter mentally and emotionally. We also talk about the ripple effect diabetes has on relationships, why community can matter even if you already have strong support at home, and a very real story of an insulin dosing mistake that underscores how important preparation and support systems can be.

WHAT WE COVER:
Managing diabetes independently for the first time during study abroad in Mexico
Advocating for Type 1 needs in a hospital setting during surgery
Feeling stuck at a 7.1 A1C and 63 to 65% time in range despite high effort
Hormones, protein, strength training, and why “doing the right things” still can spike blood sugar
How her metrics changed: average BG (159 to 134) & time in range (up to 80%)
The impact diabetes narratives have on partners and relationships
A 20 unit insulin dosing mistake

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
1️⃣ If you feel stuck, you are not broken. You are likely missing a system.
2️⃣ Confidence comes from experimenting, not perfection.
3️⃣ Better numbers can come with a lighter mental load.

WHAT’S NEXT:

💻Apply for coaching and talk to our team so you can reclaim the life you deserve with T1D.

📧Join thousands of T1Ds reading our newsletter every Tuesday: T1D tips and encouragement, straight to your inbox.
Email us at: [email protected]   

IG: @lauren_bongiorno | @riselyhealth
TikTok: @lauren_bongiorno | @riselyhealth
YT: Reclaim Your Rise 
SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW:
If Kristin’s story helped you feel seen, especially if you have been putting in effort but still feel stuck, subscribe and leave a review so more people can find these conversations.

After 33 years of living with Type 1 Diabetes, Dori thought she was “fine.” Her A1C was steady at 6.8, her endo told her she was doing okay, and on paper it looked like nothing needed to change.
But after a rushed, 15-minute endocrinology appointment where she was told “69% time-in-range is good for 33 years,” Dori walked out thinking: There has to be more than this.
In this episode, Dori shares what it’s like to live with T1D for decades, especially when your diagnosis is tied to family trauma and fear of complications. She opens up about being diagnosed while her dad (who also had T1D) was facing severe complications, being told she’d never have kids, and spending years pushing down the anger, fear, and resentment that so many people with diabetes carry quietly.
We also talk about what changed when she finally took the leap into group coaching, and how she went from “doing okay” to feeling genuinely free.

WHAT WE COVER
The endo appointment that became Dori’s turning point
Why many diabetes appointments don’t create real empowerment
Being diagnosed during family crisis: her dad’s complications and transplant timeline
The fear of complications after losing her dad to diabetes-related complications
How “you can’t do that because you have diabetes” shaped her identity
Joining Taekwondo at 41 (and going for her black belt by 50)
The mindset shift from “A1C is everything” to looking at the full picture
Fear of lows, time-in-range, and why progress isn’t about restriction
What changed inside the messy middle: acknowledging emotions instead of ignoring them
How community support helped her stop carrying it all alone

KEY TAKEAWAYS
1️⃣ “Doing okay” isn’t the same as feeling empowered.
Dori had solid numbers, but she wasn’t getting the education, confidence, or emotional support that makes diabetes feel sustainable.
2️⃣ Unprocessed emotions don’t disappear. They just get louder over time.
After decades of being brave, Dori finally made space for the anger, fear, and grief that had been living under the surface.
3️⃣ Better numbers don’t require a smaller life.
Dori improved her results while eating out more, learning pump tools she hadn’t used in years, and living more freely, not less.

What’s next:

💻Apply for coaching and talk to our team so you can reclaim the life you deserve with T1D.

📧Join thousands of T1Ds reading our newsletter every Tuesday: T1D tips and encouragement, straight to your inbox.

Stay connected with us: 
Email us at: [email protected]   

IG: @lauren_bongiorno | @riselyhealth
TikTok: @lauren_bongiorno | @riselyhealth
YT: Reclaim Your Rise 

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW
If Dori’s story helped you feel seen, especially if you’ve been living with T1D for a long time and quietly thinking, I want more, subscribe and leave a review so more people can find these conversations.

December is busy, loud, and full of expectations even when all you want is a breath. In this end-of-year episode, Lauren Bongiorno and Risely’s Director of Coaching, Abby Cooper, slow things down and walk you through a refreshingly grounded way to reflect and set intentions for 2026 without the shame-y “new year, new you” pressure.
They talk about the biggest blocks that keep people stuck (hello, fake action and learned helplessness), why your diabetes frustrations often come from a values conflict, and how to set goals that actually match the season you’re in. You’ll also get practical tools like the Odyssey Plan exercise, the Five Minute Journal, and a simple gut-check that can change how you treat yourself in the new year. If you want 2026 to feel calmer, more aligned, and more possible this one’s for you.

What we cover:
Why New Year’s goal-setting can feel heavy and how to take the pressure off
“You don’t learn to swim by reading about water” the trap of fake action
Parenting with T1D in middle school supporting independence without damaging trust
Abby’s 2026 intention Kevin’s Rule (six micro-adventures per year) + Lauren’s 2026 themes presence, time, giving back, and nutrition that supports energy and patterns
Tools for reflection Stanford’s Odyssey Plan and the Five Minute Journal

Key takeaways:
1️⃣ Pick one thing not ten.
 Real change doesn’t require intensity. One aligned focus can shift your whole year.
2️⃣ Your diabetes struggles might be a values conflict not a willpower problem.
 When what you value (freedom, spontaneity, health, nourishment, peace) clashes with diabetes demands, frustration makes perfect sense. Clarity creates strategy.
3️⃣ Stop trying to swim upstream.
 Acceptance isn’t giving up, it’s working with reality so you can actually build momentum and protect your energy, mood, and relationships.

What’s next:
💻 Apply for coaching (1:1 or group) and talk to our team so you can reclaim the life you deserve with T1D.
🧠 T1D Strategy Sessions
A one-time, 60-minute session with a Risely coach where you’ll audit what’s working, what’s not, and leave with an actionable plan.
Note: last day to purchase is December 31 (sessions take place in January).
📧 Join thousands of T1Ds reading our newsletter every Tuesday: T1D tips + encouragement, straight to your inbox.

Dana was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at age 6 and has now lived with it for over 24 years. As an ICU nurse working long, intense shifts, she found herself bouncing from the 50s to the 300s, feeling exhausted, ashamed, and frustrated that she couldn’t “get it together” — especially as a medical professional. In this episode, she shares how she went from an A1C of nearly 11 to 6.4, what finally helped her break through the “stuck at 7” plateau, and the mindset work that let her feel in control of her diabetes for the first time. If you’ve ever felt alone, burnt out, or like your body is failing you, Dana’s story will give you both hope and tools.

What we cover:
What it’s really like to manage T1D while working 12-hour ICU shifts
The shame of being a nurse with “uncontrolled” numbers
How Dana went from an A1C of ~11 down into the 6s
Why she stopped going to her endo for a season — and what changed
Using the A1C Shift Method + coaching to finally break past 7.0
The power of pre-bolus, pattern-tracking, and reflection (not perfection)
How sleep mode on her pump changed her overnights and energy
Moving from diabetes controlling her life to her feeling in charge

Key takeaways:
1️⃣ Mindset is the first tool.
 Before anything else shifted, Dana had to move from “I can’t do this” to “I can figure this out with time and support.”
2️⃣ You can’t treat a complex condition with 15-minute visits alone.
 Endo appointments gave tiny tweaks. What really moved the needle was education, ongoing support, and accountability.
3️⃣ Small wins add up to big change.
 From celebrating a 110 fasting BG to turning on sleep mode, Dana’s transformation came from consistent small shifts, not one giant fix.

What’s next:
🔗Take the A1C Shift Method Course: https://www.riselyhealth.com/a1c-shift-method  
🔍For More on Today’s Topic: Click Here!  [Link past episode and/or free resource here]

💻Apply for coaching and talk to our team so you can reclaim the life you deserve with T1D.

📧Join thousands of T1Ds reading our newsletter every Tuesday: T1D tips and encouragement, straight to your inbox.

Stay connected with us: 
Email us at: [email protected]   

IG: @lauren_bongiorno | @riselyhealth
TikTok: @lauren_bongiorno | @riselyhealth
YT: Reclaim Your Rise 

Subscribe and review:
If Dana’s story made you feel less alone or more hopeful about what’s possible with T1D, subscribe and leave a review so more people can find these conversations.

When Shannon’s 7-year-old daughter, Raelynn, went from gymnastics practice to the ICU in DKA within 48 hours, her family’s world flipped overnight. In this episode, Shannon shares the real story behind their viral TikTok family: the trauma of diagnosis, the mental load of T1D parenting, the role of their diabetic alert dog Spy, and how she and her husband found a rhythm that gives their daughter both safety and independence. If you’re a parent navigating Type 1 — or worried about your other kids’ risk — this conversation will make you feel less alone and more equipped.

What we cover:
The day a “virus” turned into an ICU DKA diagnosis
How Shannon and her husband divide T1D responsibilities
The impact of T1D on siblings and family dynamics
What their diabetic alert dog Spy actually does day-to-day
How their TikTok community started and what it means to them
The emotional weight of screening another child for T1D

Key takeaways:
1️⃣ You don’t have to be fearless as a T1D parent — you just have to keep showing up.
2️⃣ Kids with T1D often grow up faster, and that maturity can become a powerful advantage later in life.
3️⃣ Community, tools, and support make the mental load of T1D lighter and your decisions clearer.

What’s next:
🔗 Follow along & learn more about the Bogg's journey 

💻 Apply for coaching and talk to our team so you can reclaim the life you deserve with T1D.

📧 Join thousands of T1Ds reading our newsletter every Tuesday: T1D tips and encouragement, straight to your inbox.

Stay connected with us: 
Email us at: [email protected]   
IG: @lauren_bongiorno | @riselyhealth
TikTok: @lauren_bongiorno | @riselyhealth
YT: Reclaim Your Rise 

Subscribe and review:
If this episode supported you as a T1D parent, subscribe and leave a review so more families can find these conversations