Jogging and having a snack

corbanwolf

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Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Hey. Recently I started jogging. Online I read they advise a little snack before or during a run. And I did it, and it actually helped me to balance my sugar so it doesn't go down while running. (I also carry with me glucotabs for safety just in case). And I started tracking my route through an app which display distance, time, etc burned calories. And today when I got home I felt defeated and started thinking. What's the point for me to run to burn calories if I HAVE first take calories dues to my god **** diabetes. Or I burn calories while run, but then those calories which I burnt, I have to take again because I do not want my blood glucose to drop. And we're in square one.
FIY, I run only if least around 3h 30min passed from my last insulin injection. And even then, my glucose is going down while jogging. It is just so annoying that I want to burn calories, but my disease forces me to take calories again which defeats the purpose of running in the first place.

You are probably wondering what's the question, lol.
My question is, how do you cope with jogging and balancing blood glucose. You don't run until a certain period of time passed eg 4h? or eat slow releasing carbs before running? (which one do you recommend?)

I just feel so angry that even waiting 3;30h makes my blood glucose go down and need to correct it with some sweets. It's defeating the purpose of running. It's like vacuum a room and all carpets and then wearing shoes, jump in mud, and come back home and jumping around home again. I am just so frustrated to think that my 7km run almost went to waste...
 

EllieM

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I am just so frustrated to think that my 7km run almost went to waste...

Congrats on running 7km. It won't have gone to waste even if you had to take some carbs for it. (I know I feel your pain, I hate having to take glucose for hypos when I am trying to eat low carb to reduce my weight and insulin resistance.)

Even if the calories matched out (which I doubt they did) taking exercise improves your fitness levels (your heart will thank you) and generally speeds up your metabolism for hours after the exercise finishes.

Have you considered taking slightly less insulin before the exercise? Honestly, I find exercise a painful balancing act (if my bg is 8 before I exercise I need more insulin, if it's 5 I need more carbs), but I know that the exercise benefits my body, even if I have to juggle carbs and insulin to perform it.

Good luck. Keep running.
 

ert

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I run twice a day. First thing in the morning is easy. I just drink coffee and cream and have long-acting insulin on board. I can run for hours and my blood sugars don't drop below 4 mmol/l. I never snack. Nighttime is tricky. I have to have half my lunchtime insulin and none at night for dinner. My blood sugars frequently crash afterwards or run high, but more recently, I'm getting the hang of it.
 
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