Rylee Arnold is a charismatic and tenacious force on Dancing with the Stars, but it’s her openness with fans that has earned her an engaged and enthusiastic online following. The pro dancer has led the charge on bringing in viewership from her generation to the long-running celebrity dance competition. Arnold’s penchant for honesty, even when discussing her own health, like how she manages her Type 1 diabetes while competing, has been inspirational for fans who may be dealing with their own chronic diseases.
Key takeaways
- Arnold shares how she balances her blood sugar levels during rehearsals and on show day.
- How Arnold managed to go on stage despite having high blood sugar.
- The pro dancer explains why she’s so open about her journey as a dancer with Type 1 diabetes.
Arnold On Having Type 1 Diabetes And Competing On DWTS
In a Get Ready With Me (GRWM) TikTok video, DWTS’ Arnold shared with fans the strategies she uses to manage her Type 1 Diabetes during the competition series. Her post was in response to questions she received under a previous video where she explained that she doesn’t intentionally hide her Dexcom G7—a wearable device that allows her to check her glucose levels throughout the day on her phone. She stated that she places hers on her lower abdomen and not her arm to avoid it getting accidentally pulled off while she’s dancing. It’s typically covered because of the cut of her costumes.
In the video’s caption, Arnold asked her followers to leave more questions about being a dancer with diabetes on a fast-paced competition series. Eager to hear about her experience, they commented, and she made another post opening up about how she uses her Dexcom and insulin pens to manage the disease.
Managing Diabetes During Rehearsals And On Show Days
The pro self-administers her shots throughout the day, and her routine is easiest to manage during rehearsals.
“Rehearsals are super under control for me for my diabetes,” she shared. “I feel like, for me, I have a lot of time in rehearsal to go and look at my phone and check my blood sugar often. But also, I kind of scheduled my meals. I will usually eat my meals way before rehearsal, so I never have to worry about going too high at rehearsal because I didn’t give myself enough insulin for my food. Or worry about going too low. I can just go to rehearsal with food in my belly, feeling super good, and [have] a good blood sugar.”
But show days are a completely different beast. Arnold aims to eat high-protein meals on those days with minimal carbohydrates. This is due to the stress associated with competition and the limited time she has to manage her blood sugar.
Luckily, each celebrity-pro dancer pair has a coordinator to help them. Chuck, Arnold, and Scott Hoying’s coordinator has a family member with Type 1 diabetes, so he’s aware of what she needs, like access to her phone. He also carries her insulin for her and stays nearby so it’s in reach, and her phone isn’t disconnected from her Dexcom.
READ: Strict DWTS rules include intense schedules and dress code.
DWTS Hasn’t Changed Dance Order For Arnold
Arnold has gone out on the DWTS stage when her levels were off. She’s performed while her blood sugar was low, but the worst she says is “going out super high.” Last season, she and her celebrity partner, Stephen Nedoroscik, did a dance when her blood sugar had spiked. Her first move, which she described as “just walking,” gave her a cramp in her calf that she couldn’t shake the whole routine. But the pro is doubtful there would be any accommodations on show day for this kind of issue with her diabetes.
Answering a fan who asked if the powers that be would adjust the dance order if her levels aren’t good, she said, “They have not done that and probably won’t. It’s a live show, and the show just keeps going. There is no pausing; there is no adjusting.”
Arnold did say that she’s been better able to manage her diabetes this season, thanks to her meal schedule and the way she’s nourishing her body, while also having her insulin on standby. However, she was frank about the difficulties of having Type 1 diabetes and being on the show.
“It’s definitely not an easy thing to manage Type 1 diabetes while being on Dancing with the Stars, a high-demand job. But I do think it makes me stronger in so many ways. And I’m so grateful that I have Type 1 diabetes while doing this. Type 1 diabetes has only made me stronger, and the fact that I can manage my diabetes while being on the show Dancing with the Stars is just so amazing to me. It’s really just small victories every day. When I look at my Dexcom app and I notice that I managed my diabetes well that day. It’s really, really awesome to feel.”
An Inspiration To Others
The pro’s GRWM video answering questions about managing her diabetes likely won’t be the last she shares about what it’s like being a working dancer with a chronic illness. She intends to be an inspiration just like the people who inspired her after her diagnosis.
“My favorite thing is that I can be an inspiration to others. I just remember when I was first diagnosed, and I would see someone with Type 1 diabetes living a completely normal life, it always gave me hope, and it always gave me a light into the situation that I was in. So that is my main reason why I’m here and why I want to do this. It’s because I want to help others and their journey. I know it is not easy.”
Arnold also credits her diabetes for her ability to do her job on DWTS. She acknowledged that it “sounds kind of crazy,” but having a chronic disease makes you mature. She explained that having full responsibility for your health and life requires you to get through adversity. Being on a competition series that demands so much of its participants isn’t something Arnold feels she could have done without going through everything she has since her diagnosis.
Closing her video, she shared: “I’m so grateful to be a part of the Type 1 community even though it is so hard at times, and I wish I didn’t have it. I am so, so grateful for it. Know that whatever you want to do in this life, you can accomplish [it]. No roadblock [and] no disease can stop you from doing that.”
Watch Rylee Arnold compete with her celebrity partner Scott Hoying on Dancing with the Stars. The series airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and simulcasts on Disney+. Next day streaming is available on Hulu.
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