Finding the ideal amount of carbs: BG stability or average more important?

[Glink]

Yes, exercise raises me some too. All the advice is to exercise after meals to lower BG--totally wrong for my body; I learned that pretty quickly after diagnosis! I do get hungry from exercise, and never considered the potential role of higher BS in that. The whole reason I tried upping my carbs from 30 to more like 80/day was because I was feeling so weak and sluggish at the gym. I think the increased carbs helped on that front, actually, but had other drawbacks.

Re: timing: I bike to work first thing in the morning on weekdays (30 min) and again home at the end of the workday. About 3x/wk I like to go to the gym for about an hour or so; mostly weights--twice in the evenings and on Saturday mornings. I can't move my commute later, sadly. (Not that I wouldn't love to, especially in the winter when it's so dark!)

 

[Kristin251]

Hmmm. Conundrum. Could you lower the intensity at all? Take much more time and ride much slower ? I find low intensity much better but still nasty in the morning. Maybe a fat on.y bf to power you up and not add any bs fuel? Food for thought. Once you raise your heart rate you raise cortisol and adrenaline which raises bs. So keeping your heart rate lower might help keep bs lower. Not sure it's possible for you if you need to get to work fast. Have you tried fasting in the morning like coffee and cream? I don't do dairy so it doesn't work for me bu tit does for many. Coconut oil, butter, ghee , heavy cream?

I did find when I was type 2 lower intensity helped. I guess I still find that but in the morning all exercise raises me. Even washing the stupid floors!!

Resistance training kills my bs. Spike away !! I very much miss yoga but have to wonder which is worse. Not exercising or spiking. Rising bs makes me ravenous !! Even more so than dips.

 

[Kristin251]

Also to add and importantly, different macros at different times of day make a BIG difference. I need a mostly fat only bf but as the day goes on I need some veggies and protein. Less fat at dinner, more veggies and more protein. You could be opposite. Testing is the only way to know ..we are generally most insulin resistant in the morning and much more sensitive in the evening. I take the same insulin for bf x3 for 1/3 my protein and veggies at dinner.
Example Bf at 7-8 is 1/3 avocado. 3 injections of 1/2-1 until lunch. Lunch is twice as much protein and a few veg as bf and 1/2 unit, not three shots. Dinner is twice as much protein as lunch and a bunch more veggies and same 1/2 unit as lunch but triple the food.

Caffeine in the morning can spark cortisol and adrenaline and raise you too, along with the natural rise.

Not trying to bombard you but so much to consider ...

 

[Bluetit1802]

I'm another that strenuous exercise raises my levels, sometimes by up to 2mmol/l . My normal 2 dog walks keep me more or less stable, but never cause a drop. Walking is best for me.

 

[Kristin251]

Forgot to add too that some of us need to eat (drink) something in the morning to stop the rise. Or at least lower it. I NEED to eat or the rise is horrendous. Insulin acts like water if I don't have food.

Not sure if you are a breakfast eater but if not try bullet proof coffee? I don't drink it as I don't like all that saturated fat so I just have avocado.

I'm another that strenuous exercise raises my levels, sometimes by up to 2mmol/l . My normal 2 dog walks keep me more or less stable, but never cause a drop. Walking is best for me.

I NEVER drop either. When I was T2 I would. Then as I was progressing ( without my knowledge) I had to back down the intensity to a stroll. Then I just rose and never came down. Hence the insulin now.

 

[serenity648]

I find the idea of relying on HbA1c checks to be worrisome.

It would be like not knowing what is in your bank account for 6 to 12 months at a time. As if you had no statements, no idea if you are overdrawn and incurring charges (complications). No idea if your are balancing your accounts, or what is coming in and going out. And no idea if a sudden, unforeseen huge bill (illness etc affecting blood sugar levels) is causing problem in your account.

Basically, working blind for long lengths of time. And as blood tests are usually far apart, no way of knowing how the gaps have affected you, as HbA1c only covers about 12 weeks of average levels, with no spike indicators.

I prefer stability and frequent testing to keep my baseline as steady as possible.