Type2. How Agressively Do You Exercise? www.FixingDad.com

[Living-by-the-beach]

I thought I'd start off this thread with how much I exercise.

Most days I cycle for 90 minutes after a very late lunch at around 3- 3.30pm and try and get home before the sun goes down at the end of the day. If I'm careful after exercising with what I eat I normally get 106-120 mg /dl reading for FBG. Some nights after coming home I do go lift weights for 30-50 minutes in a gym up the street. During the summer I'll start later with more sun in the sky but 90 minutes does give me a good workout.

I'm asking the above question because Geoff from Fixingdad.com supposedly reversed his T2DM by essentially cycling. My cycling is always about 18 miles and on some nights its even a tougher ride with clocking in 20-21 miles of a jaunt. I am definitely healthier than I was but no remission so far. Any good ideas / good fortune for anyone else? So most importantly how is your battle progressing?

Best LBB

 

[NoCrbs4Me]

I don't exercise much. I achieved normal blood glucose levels with a low carb/high fat diet. Lots of red meat, eggs, bacon, and cheese. No grains, root veg, rice, sugar, or starchy food.

 

[Indy51]

At my age, I stick with exercise I hope will be sustainable for life - walking in other words. I try to walk every day, but not particularly briskly or extensively - about 40 minutes or so. I've concentrated more on diet to bring my BG under control. Remission has never been a goal - if it happens, great; if not, c'est la vie.

 

[Tabbyjoolz]

The bare minimum for me is 10,000 steps a day in all weathers. I usually manage more than that. I supplement this with two or three gym visits a week and a LCHF diet. In recent weeks I've been recovering from an operation and my blood sugars are slightly higher as I've not been doing as much exercise. Hopefully, next week I'll be back to full form and back in the gym.

 

[Freema]

I only excercise 3 days a week and those days I do excercise 4 hours and besides weight training at least 1200 calories burned in endurance training. The other days I try to have a walk
I also hope to reverse my condition , But till now that hasn't happened. I am on a low calorie diet as well .
The days I do NOT excercise I eat 1000 calories and the days I do excercise I eat more .But never more than 1600-1800 calories. I have lost 50 pounds till now and want to loose another 40 pounds.
I did fast the first 4 months from 19 o'clock till next midday at 12 o'clock But lately I have been eating breakfast and my morning numbers have been creaping upwards

I've red a lot of the subject and there seem to be evidence that all over body fitness especially when all the larger muscles are in shape and weight trained , that that alone can better insuline sensitivity with as much as 30%

So I would derinitely say weight training and low carb and the long brisk walks after meals are the best combination and if that is NOT enough lowering ones calories every day

 

[yiannis_]

I've been in the gym 6 nights per week for the last few months . We have a home gym and I was working with a powerlifting (531) routine until the last few weeks . This was low volume but very heavy . I lost 17kg with that , but I'm now on week 7 of the 800 calories per day Newcastle reversal diet which seems to be sapping my strength . I've had to switch to more volume and lighter weight which isn't good for the ego but I've lost another 15kg in the last 6 weeks . Off metformin at the moment and waiting for hba1c results .

 

[MikeTurin]

I don't exercise much. I have ditched the bus pass and walk at least 4 km every weekday. If it's raining I take the bus with a single ticket.

I have to confess that bening the nerdy guy I never liked the gym and the mood you find there, especially the aerobis or whatver with some horrible music. I prefer to exercise outdoors and listen classical music or jazz.

 

[Brunneria]

I walk the dogs and do a few stretches to prevent getting stiff.
Trying to re-indroduce some kettle bell action again, but really finding it difficult.
It is almost as if my unconscious is deliberately making me forget.
I have hyper mobile joints that have dislocated regularly all my life, and my knees seem to dislike most things I do unless it is flat walking. Squats, hills and stairs are torture, and do not improve with practice. They just get worse and worse til I can't stand up out of a chair.

Walking (with dogs) is a joy, and I am lucky to live somewhere with about 20 enjoyable walks within 10 mins car drive, so it works out well.

Like @zand I find hard exercise is not good for the adrenals.

 

[walnut_face]

I have been fairly active all my life. I have used a gym regularly 2-3 times a week, since 2010. Up until 2015 my weight increased despite this. I was guided by the 'eatwell plate' and all the other propaganda spewed out. From diagnosis, a lower carb eating regime, the weight started to fall, exercise became easier (the law of diminishing returns) so exercise was increased. Some of the weight loss was muscle, so I too had to lower my ambition regards weight training, but cardio activity increased, both in speed, and time.

I am of the view that diet is 80% of BG control, and Exercise the other 20. Exercise accelerates the delivery of the dietary benefits IMHO.

As too reversal, I guess if Insulin Resistance is the only issue, you stand a chance, but if the pancreas is malfunctioning, I don't think there is much you could do

 

[bulkbiker]

I haven't really changed my exercise levels at all since diagnosis apart from a bit of swimming in the summer..(that was brought to a halt by the school holidays). Diet is so much more important in my view. I found the fixingdad documentary a bit annoying in that it didn't really go into any detail about dietary changes although I am pretty sure that carbs were cut significantly. It was as though a few cycle rides could cure you, which as we all know is ****. On the whole more tearjerker than informative.

 

[serenity648]

virtually not at all, I have ME. Diet alone has brought down my blood sugar levels.

 

[Bluetit1802]

I achieved normal BS levels and reduced my BMI from 31 to 21 (maintained for 2 years now) by diet only. I haven't increased my exercise at all. I walk the dog, but always have done. I do the housework (sometimes) but always have done. I do wonder sometimes that our exercise ought to be sustainable, much like our diets. The older we get the harder it gets, and what happens during illness or injury? Exercise is good for our general health, but I don't believe this means excessive exercise unless this floats your boat.

 

[13lizanne]

I too exercise by walking - twice daily for 40 mins each time, at the weekends we try to plan at least one long walk of 1hr to 2hrs, I also run up and down the stairs at home but my joints and mobility is good. Respect to those who exercise despite low mobility and/or pain! I do find walking impacts my bg levels, I also low carb healthy fat when my IBD allows

 

[Squire Fulwood]

I walk at least once a day and it is never for less than a total of one hour. I find I can knock a couple of mmol off my blood sugar with quite a short walk so the three mile one in the morning is just for exercise. So that other bits of the body gets some use I do a few static exercises before setting off for my walk.

The walking is not for weight loss. Most people who claim to know everything say that losing weight by exercise is like using a lever by holding the short end. My weight loss was entirely due to diet.

 

[douglas99]

Quite aggressively.

I found exercise was key to losing the insulin resistance, and made a great improvement on the BG.
The aggressive low calorie diet took care of the excess weight.

I didn't find the loss of muscle tone particularly high, but if there was any, I must have recovered it after the Newcastle diet.

My T2 appears to be reversed now, but I do still play and exercise hard, calorie count, (by eye anyway), and eat a balanced diet.

 

[jonbvn]

Personally, I think exercise is a significant part of my health regime. It assists in BG control, and is essential to my weight loss and improved BP. I would hate to make an estimate of how much it contributes to any one of these factors compared to diet changes.

 

[Mbaker]

I am sold on the HiiT protocol for both cardio and resistance workouts when I embark on my outside of my gym training. At the gym I do 30 and 40 minute cardio / circuit session 2 or 3 times a week. Most times I am effectively training 2 or 3 short sessions in a day. Overall I train on average about 60 - 90 minutes, 6 or 7 times a week; apart from this week where I am on a Fitbit "Workweek Hustle" challenge.

 

[Living-by-the-beach]

I am sold on the HiiT protocol for both cardio and resistance workouts when I embark on my outside of my gym training. At the gym I do 30 and 40 minute cardio / circuit session 2 or 3 times a week. Most times I am effectively training 2 or 3 short sessions in a day. Overall I train on average about 60 - 90 minutes, 6 or 7 times a week; apart from this week where I am on a Fitbit "Workweek Hustle" challenge.

@Mbaker

There's so many posts here I'll reply to a few of them. I've Schwinn Airdyne. Which is great for HiiTs . I found from my experience that I get more from a longer session. (Like one can't cheat nature). I was doing the HiiTs on the Airdyne until used a steep hill close to my home and could bike up and down that 10 times and I'd be exhausted in 10 minutes. It would take about 20-25 seconds to go up but then cruise down and start over. In 15 minutes I could lower from 118 mg/dl to 110 mg/dl. Either on the Bike with the hill or on the Airdyne it was effectively the same workout. IMO over time I came to realize this workout wasn't enough. See here

I've now moved to a new locale. I've got two safe bike rides now that are either 90 minutes or 2 hours. I'm off on the two hour ride this afternoon. I am fitter for these rides but from what I got from FixingDad was that he was on the bike for about 7 months to get reversal. He had Charcot's foot. So his diabetes must have been quite severe. I saw that movie but since I get neuropathy in my feet anyways I am more than motivated to get to exercise each and every day. As for my diet yes I've altered it substantially. No bread rice pasta or potatoes. I do own up to some apple pie from time to time but that pie is always followed up with some serious exercise. My BMI as of this morning is 23.9 and it does fluctuate a bit. I try maintain the weight loss of 50+ lbs since diagnosis. My FBG is usually 6- 6.5mmols/L or 108-120mg/dl.

My knees won't allow me to do squats but I do use machines over at the gym when I go there. So that's part of the reason why I've been doing so much cycling. My body is no longer the body of a 30 yr old. So while I'm asking questions do any folks use a recumbent bike either?

@bulkbiker I'd agree that Fixingdad was a bit of a tear jerker but just this past weekend, I talked to the wife of someone who passed in February . He was massive but it was reported to me that he died of pancreatitis (as well as suffering from T2DM) . I am sure that the 21+ stones didn't help his diabetes either. So its important to reach out to folks who have issues and encourage them to try a little bit harder...

 

[douglas99]

@Mbaker

There's so many posts here I'll reply to a few of them. I've Schwinn Airdyne. Which is great for HiiTs . I found from my experience that I get more from a longer session. (Like one can't cheat nature). I was doing the HiiTs on the Airdyne until used a steep hill close to my home and could bike up and down that 10 times and I'd be exhausted in 10 minutes. It would take about 20-25 seconds to go up but then cruise down and start over. In 15 minutes I could lower from 118 mg/dl to 110 mg/dl. Either on the Bike with the hill or on the Airdyne it was effectively the same workout. IMO over time I came to realize this workout wasn't enough. See here

I've now moved to a new locale. I've got two safe bike rides now that are either 90 minutes or 2 hours. I'm off on the two hour ride this afternoon. I am fitter for these rides but from what I got from FixingDad was that he was on the bike for about 7 months to get reversal. He had Charcot's foot. So his diabetes must have been quite severe. I saw that movie but since I get neuropathy in my feet anyways I am more than motivated to get to exercise each and every day. As for my diet yes I've altered it substantially. No bread rice pasta or potatoes. I do own up to some apple pie from time to time but that pie is always followed up with some serious exercise. My BMI as of this morning is 23.9 and it does fluctuate a bit. I try maintain the weight loss of 50+ lbs since diagnosis. My FBG is usually 6- 6.5mmols/L or 108-120mg/dl.

My knees won't allow me to do squats but I do use machines over at the gym when I go there. So that's part of the reason why I've been doing so much cycling. My body is no longer the body of a 30 yr old. So while I'm asking questions do any folks use a recumbent bike either?

@bulkbiker I'd agree that Fixingdad was a bit of a tear jerker but just this past weekend, I talked to the wife of someone who passed in February . He was massive but it was reported to me that he died of pancreatitis (as well as suffering from T2DM) . I am sure that the 21+ stones didn't help his diabetes either. So its important to reach out to folks who have issues and encourage them to try a little bit harder...

I used to use a recumbent bike at the gym, but switched to a normal style machine, simply to exercise more joints.
It's surprising how they do free up if you persevere at it.
But I am focusing on legs and stamina at the moment, and want to do a few tough runs next year.

 

[bulkbiker]

@Mbaker

@bulkbiker I'd agree that Fixingdad was a bit of a tear jerker but just this past weekend, I talked to the wife of someone who passed in February . He was massive but it was reported to me that he died of pancreatitis (as well as suffering from T2DM) . I am sure that the 21+ stones didn't help his diabetes either. So its important to reach out to folks who have issues and encourage them to try a little bit harder...

Agree it needs to be said.. but IMHO diet does a lot more to assist than exercise (plus I'm a lazy git as well) so I think that the dietary changes made in the programme didn't feature anywhere near enough and from what I recall of it didn't merit a lot of attention. As I say in my opinion that was where the reversal came from not from the exercise. From my anecdotal experience exercise is maybe 10% ( I would say less in my case) diet has by far the largest impact.