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Advice for a newbie please

ceolmar

Newbie
Messages
2
Good evening all, apologies for the long post. I have the symptoms of type 2 but have not been formally diagnosed. I would like to ask some questions if I may.

I am in training for a 26 mile charity walk. I am not a very fit person - desk job, 16 and a half stone, rubbish diet etc. Last Saturday I completed a 22 mile walk over a period of 7.5 hours. I sweat buckets while walking but carry a 3 litre water supply on my back and drink regularly. During the walk I had several episodes which I believe were hypo's. The first episode happened after about 9 miles (3 hours in) - I felt weak, a bit wobbly on my feet, almost tripped over and couldn't seem to think straight. I stopped walking and ate a banana and a mini mars bar - five minutes later I felt better and carried on. Only four miles later I had another episode - this time I stopped, ate another mini mars bar and attempted to change my socks. I felt REALLY angry and unco-ordinated just because I couldn't get my socks on straight. Weird! I had similar episodes at 17 miles and a mile before I finished. Each time I responded to a mini mars bar, a cheese cracker and/or some peanuts.

Questions.
1) Does these episodes sound like hypo's to you?
2) Would it be better for me to constantly suck a barley sugar and supplement that with additional food say every five miles?
3) Should I be eating much more on a lengthy walk? If so, how much (I burned nearly 3000 calories on Saturday)
3) Will the repeated up and down cycle do me any long term harm? How can I even it out over the walk?

I actually recovered quite well from the walk other than general stiffness, a blister and sore joints so I was generally pleased. I aim to do one more distance practice walk before the main event so I'd like to get an understanding of any preventative action I can take.
 
Hello, first things first, have you seen your gp or any HCP to discuss or be tested for diabetes? also have you ever tested your blood glucose levels? if you have/what are they? Before doing ure walk/run? and what did you have to eat prior to doing it? During the walk/run you drank 3 litres water? ate carbs n sugar to refuel your body to continue to the end of walk/run? Have you done any 'training' prior to the 22mile walk/run? Have you had any advice or gradual build up training at all prior to doing the 22mile walk/run? I know there are a lot of questions but it does explain more. Thanks. Anna.
 
Hi there, thanks for responding. I have not been diagnosed. I did a test about 18 monyhs ago where i drank some awful drink but it came back as borderline. I have never tested my levels - i wouldn't know how! I had a bowl of porridge prior to my walk and drank 3 litres of water en route. In terms of training i have been gradually increasing my distances since March.
 
I am fairly new to all this, I play badminton in the local league, for me before a match I eat 2 hours before and constantly sip water all day and between games etc. I have never had a hypo so not sure how much use my comments will be, but I do sometimes feel worse in summer after tough matches-I put it down to dehydration. Bearing in mind we're supposed to drink 2litres of water a day is 3litres enough during exercise? Are you having enough during the day? So therefore not starting from a low hydration level anyway?
 
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