Varying exercise

[moonchip]

Up to now, my exercise since diagnosis (approx a month) has been maily walking - anything from 3 to 9 miles a day

I'm going to add swimming occasionally and the cross trainer at the gym

These are obviously all aerobic exercise - does anyone lnow if anaerobic exercise (sit ups, pull ups, press ups, weights) are also OK, or should I remain with aerobic exercise only ?

Thanks in advance for any replies

 

[Ian DP]

I do some anaerobic exercises nearly every day, and they seem not to affect my BG levels.
Whenever I do indoor exercise bike my BG levels drop.
With me I think my BG levels drop whenever I get warm / sweaty.
If I jog when cold my BG tend to rise
If I go swimming they rise
If I walk for 45min + (enough to start getting warm) my BG drop
My biggest drop ever was after a 3 hour brisk walk

 

[Bebo321]

Up to now, my exercise since diagnosis (approx a month) has been maily walking - anything from 3 to 9 miles a day

I'm going to add swimming occasionally and the cross trainer at the gym

These are obviously all aerobic exercise - does anyone lnow if anaerobic exercise (sit ups, pull ups, press ups, weights) are also OK, or should I remain with aerobic exercise only ?

Thanks in advance for any replies

Sounds like you're doing a great job @moonchip. That's a decent bit of walking you're doing! Raising your heart rate up a bit more does seem to give even more health benefits so if you feel you're fit enough the occasional bit of anaerobic exercise will be a good thing. You can expect to see a rise in BG levels with anaerobic exercise however, so it's good to mix it up a little bit and vary the intensity. Take a read through this and it might help explain a little more what happens with anaerobic or intensive exercise: http://www.teambloodglucose.com/TeamBG/Questions_-_explained_Vigorous.html

 

[Baruney]

Up to now, my exercise since diagnosis (approx a month) has been maily walking - anything from 3 to 9 miles a day

I'm going to add swimming occasionally and the cross trainer at the gym

These are obviously all aerobic exercise - does anyone lnow if anaerobic exercise (sit ups, pull ups, press ups, weights) are also OK, or should I remain with aerobic exercise only ?

Thanks in advance for any replies

Hi Moon chip

Yes go for it. I believe that the general consensus is that any activity is good for us. Yes in general aerobic is good and burns fat or build endurance keeps bs low and nice and even. Anaerobic will build muscle which over time which will draw a bit more sugar out of the old bloods. But you probably will have a short term spike though your bs will come down quickly and the more anaerobic the more carbs you are burning.

Why not get an inexpensive heart rate monitor off eBay and 'go with the zones'? For example what happens to your bs after:

1 - 3 mile walk brisk pace
2 - X minutes of your desired anaerobic exercise.

So now you have your base layers what happens to your bloods if you combine

1 followed by 2
2 followed by 1
1 incorporating 2 - a fartleg if you like?

Have fun working out what works for you and what's practical. I can't do anything about the rise in bs after a game of racketball - it shots right up but over time I've found a slow run before and a brisk walk after keeps things under better control and lowers bs for longer.

 

[cath99]

i do walking an hour per day were permitting/ and have started lifting weights it helps alot and varies it gets boring doing the same all the time x

 

[moonchip]

i do walking an hour per day were permitting/ and have started lifting weights it helps alot and varies it gets boring doing the same all the time x

I love walking Cath, whatever the weather (love fog, rain, shame it wasn't snow -- absolutely love snow) but my little doggie prefers it on the drier side.

Today was just shy of 4 miles but it was bitterly cold so we walked home low level rather than our usual 'high level' route back home. Warmer generally but sadly more tarmac -- much prefer the centuries-old paths we normally use

 

[Andrew S]

I am starting to mix it all up with my exercise. I have been going ice skating regularly and maintain my usual 15 to 30 minute walks in Kensington Gardens in my meal breaks at work. Once in a while I jog for 5 to 10 minutes to or from a Tube station and I am still doing regular pressups. I want to add in my old cycling routine which is a 9 mile commute from Hounslow to the Royal Albert Hall, maybe not every single day I travel but say two to three times a week. Also I want to add the odd swim, mainly for relaxation. It seems like a lot, but these are all things I enjoy doing.

 

[stuffedolive]

Definitely go for the weight training.
As Baruney says increased muscle mass is great for controlling the BS. Its also one of the best exercises to do if you want to stay mobile and active into older age.
Start with one session a week (get advice) and build up to 2 sessions for best benefits.

 

[moonchip]

Thanks Baruney & stuffedolive, your replies are really appreciated

Yesterday we went on 2 walks - a low level 4 mile and later a higher level 6 1/2 miles - little doggy was 'creme crackered' after it, and I wasn't far behind him !!

I'm still a member of the gym (which I joined in a half-hearted attempt to loose weight before I was diagnosed with T2), so I'll wander on down and have a look at the weights. I stayed away from them before and concentrated on the cross-trainer & sit ups, but I can understand what you're saying about muscle.

I've also bought a cheap rebounder as the health benefits of this seem worthwhile pursuing.

Once I get trim again I'm going to restart bouldering & climbing ...... seems a shame not to do more of it living where I do (the epicentre of moorland grit)

I can't stand jogging so I'll stick with my walking. Might try swimming again ......... hopefully the swimming pool attendants will have forgotten about me by now (long story !!!)