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Returning to running (ahem...jogging) with interesting BG results

Smallbrit

Smallbrit

Well-Known Member
Messages
284
Location
Cardiff, Wales
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I am naturally a sloth. But a reasonable weight, so I could be mistaken for a non-sloth. I do the walk/pick up from school, which is 50 min walking a day. And that is my exercise covered.

However, I went for a 25 min run yesterday lunchtime - though it could have looked like a jog and there might have been some walking involved - for the first time in 2 months.

I've been monitoring BG levels for 2 weeks. And last night was the first time my pre-meal numbers were below 6 (5.4). And this morning, it was the first time my wake-up number was below 7 (6.5) :) It may not be directly correlated, but I'd like to think it is... and that may motivate me to do it again ;)

(I did the 9-week couch to 5k programme last year, for recuperating strength reasons rather than blood glucose reasons - it's well worth it for natural sloths like me, even though I never managed to get to 5K)
 
Smallbrit said:
I am naturally a sloth. But a reasonable weight, so I could be mistaken for a non-sloth. I do the walk/pick up from school, which is 50 min walking a day. And that is my exercise covered.

However, I went for a 25 min run yesterday lunchtime - though it could have looked like a jog and there might have been some walking involved - for the first time in 2 months.

I've been monitoring BG levels for 2 weeks. And last night was the first time my pre-meal numbers were below 6 (5.4). And this morning, it was the first time my wake-up number was below 7 (6.5) :) It may not be directly correlated, but I'd like to think it is... and that may motivate me to do it again ;)

(I did the 9-week couch to 5k programme last year, for recuperating strength reasons rather than blood glucose reasons - it's well worth it for natural sloths like me, even though I never managed to get to 5K)
Click to expand...

I have no cartilage in my knees so I am starting by breaking down the Couch to 5K on a treadmill that I have in my conservatory (!) and a similar break down for a spin bike .... I think the most I have managed is up to about 17.5 minutes!

Seeing what I can manage before next trip away starting tomorrow
 
Exercise can be the magic bullet you need.
Many won't like it, but it bangs your insulin resistance down, works your muscles so they are sucking that sugar out of you, gets your heart beating and working properly.
I used to be a 'coach' potato, sitting down all the time.
Now I'll make a point of getting some exercise in, even of it's jogging around the truck in a car park somewhere.
But for real exercise, I go off heart rate, always double resting, spiking to triple as a peak. Then repeat.
Beats lying on the bunk watching videos anyway.
(I do that later)
 
I was a former 400m hurdler and I occasionally terrorise a tennis ball ... jetlag, my late mother's anniversary of her passing and prepping my website for the Winter Olympics stole some time from me these past weeks... plus I somehow pulled my achilles in Australia which made running on the tready in the appartment gym room tough... so hoping to get into a decent routine now I have finally caught up with the demon expenses.
 
Smallbrit said:
(I did the 9-week couch to 5k programme last year, for recuperating strength reasons rather than blood glucose reasons - it's well worth it for natural sloths like me, even though I never managed to get to 5K)
Click to expand...
Do you have a parkrun anywhere near you? I find them fantastically motivating - even though I don't often manage to do one, I am always training for them and checking the records for my age group in the hopes of one day beating them.
 
What do you guys eat before exercising to increase energy?

And do you test your blood levels before, during and after exercise?

Just curious to know!
 
RFSMarch said:
I have no cartilage in my knees so I am starting by breaking down the Couch to 5K on a treadmill that I have in my conservatory (!) and a similar break down for a spin bike .... I think the most I have managed is up to about 17.5 minutes!

Seeing what I can manage before next trip away starting tomorrow
Click to expand...
17.5 is impressive
 
i am 71 & i go running at least 3 times a week & am currently at the halfway stage of a Half Marathon training plan. Currently running 28+ Kilometres a week.
I at a ketogenic diet & most of the time do my shorter runs before breakfast & my longer 10K plus 2 - 3 hours after breakfast.
I very rarely test before or after exercise, however as my BG's are down to between 4.4 & ^ with very little deviation.
If you are keen to start running then as suggested joining a parkrun is a good idea as you can run or walk the course.
 
NewTD2 said:
What do you guys eat before exercising to increase energy?

And do you test your blood levels before, during and after exercise?

Just curious to know!
Click to expand...
Because I typically do my workout in the morning - I tend not to have anything - I do have water to hand though, and I scan my libre before and after exercise.

When I first started I would drop quite a way and would just have a protein shake straight after... but if the drop is quite small (especially as it tends to follow a liver dump first thing in the morning) then I don't worry about it.

Will see if that changes as the exercise mounts up though.
 
RFSMarch said:
Because I typically do my workout in the morning - I tend not to have anything - I do have water to hand though, and I scan my libre before and after exercise.

When I first started I would drop quite a way and would just have a protein shake straight after... but if the drop is quite small (especially as it tends to follow a liver dump first thing in the morning) then I don't worry about it.

Will see if that changes as the exercise mounts up though.
Click to expand...

Do you experience hypo?
 
Although I'm a life long sloth I have a rather unusual incentive to exercise. My main diet is 1600 cal a day . But if I go for a long walk (typically 5mile) I'll use Google Fit on my mobile which tracks distance by gps and has a calories used option. The 5 mile walk then gives me 12 toffees without guilt
 
Alexandra100 said:
Do you have a parkrun anywhere near you? I find them fantastically motivating - even though I don't often manage to do one, I am always training for them and checking the records for my age group in the hopes of one day beating them.
Click to expand...

I actually live about 10 mins walk to the start of my local parkrun, and it's on my bucket list to get the confidence to go along and be one of the slower people. I took my 11-year-old daughter to the local 2K junior parkrun, and was considering running alongside her for a bit. And then she sped off and came 3rd in her age category and would have left me for dust...

I'm not convinced we have any related genes ;)
 
NewTD2 said:
Do you experience hypo?
Click to expand...
The Libre has me going low quite a lot - not necessarily around training in the morning but at times during the day... I noticed it a lot in Australia especially in the first week when I was in and out of Press or busy with content and didn’t get a chance to have lunch or dinner for hours.

I am ‘not supposed to’ go hypo with Metformin but I know in myself when I don’t feel right.
 
Smallbrit said:
I actually live about 10 mins walk to the start of my local parkrun, and it's on my bucket list to get the confidence to go along and be one of the slower people. I took my 11-year-old daughter to the local 2K junior parkrun, and was considering running alongside her for a bit. And then she sped off and came 3rd in her age category and would have left me for dust...

I'm not convinced we have any related genes ;)
Click to expand...
Yes, each time I do a parkrun I have that humbling experience of being definitively passed by midgets a tiny fraction of my age.
 
Alexandra100 said:
Yes, each time I do a parkrun I have that humbling experience of being definitively passed by midgets a tiny fraction of my age.
Click to expand...

EXACTLY Why my park... is my conservatory treadmill... reputation to protect and all that!
 
RFSMarch said:
EXACTLY Why my park... is my conservatory treadmill... reputation to protect and all that!
Click to expand...
Luckily for me I haven't any reputation to protect. Although very fit and fast women of my age do exist, fortunately most people and even most runners don't know that. When they see a woman who is over 70 they are full of amazement and congratulations that she is standing up, never mind running. It is a win-win situation and I am longing to get back to parkrunning in order to exploit it to the full.
 
RFSMarch said:
The Libre has me going low quite a lot - not necessarily around training in the morning but at times during the day... I noticed it a lot in Australia especially in the first week when I was in and out of Press or busy with content and didn’t get a chance to have lunch or dinner for hours.

I am ‘not supposed to’ go hypo with Metformin but I know in myself when I don’t feel right.
Click to expand...
I get the impression from reading Dr Bernstein that we diabetics should keep to a cast-iron timetable of the utmost regularity. Same amount of food containing same amount of carbs & protein at the same (far apart) intervals. IMO on top of our having to give up everything not on his "allowed" list, this is a bit much. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to live my life with such admirable regularity, control and predictability. A robot might do better! But maybe that is what it takes to have no spikes or lows, which would indisputably be the best for our health.

My understanding of Metformin is that it stops the liver dumping glucose in to the blood. Does this mean that we don't get a boost of glucose when we actually need it, as the price for not getting rogue boosts when we don't, as in the dawn phenomenon?
 
walnut_face said:
I have no problem with yougsters passing me, it is the veterans that get my goat
Click to expand...
Well actually I don't like to have anyone pass me. I'd so much rather be first home, but one has to be a bit realistic. I sometimes manage to be record holder in my age group category, due to the shortage of VF75s, and that more than makes up for being passed by almost everyone on the day.
 
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