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Body building with diabetes

Ansari

Ansari

Member
Messages
22
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hello everyone.

I need to know if we have some type 1 bod builders on the forum here as i need a little help and advice.

I have been going to the gym for like 6 months now. In the past 6 months i have experienced a reasonable increase in strength but not size. I am taking up whey protein supplement along with my workout but i don't see any increase in size and i have been wondering if the protein and insulin synthesis in my body is not perfectly balanced so i was wondering if someone here can guide me as to how they balance and use the supplements and insulin dosage for optimum results.

Thank you
 
First off I'm no body builder, as you can see from my avatar - I'm built like the gable end of a fiver.

Genetics have a bigger say than anything else when it comes to gaining mass - or as the kids on the street say "bulking". When a friend of mine was "bulking" he was eating well over 3500kcals per day, and a hefty amount of protein (2.2g/kg body weight).

What is your diet like?

You are unlikely to gain mass better than a non-diabetic through supplementary/specifically timed insulin injections; if that indeed is what you mean by "use the supplements and insulin dosage for optimum results."
 
6 months ago i my body fat was a little on the higher side Around 18% and as i wanted to gain lean and cut down on fat i focused on a high protein and low carb diet which has brought down my BF to 14%.

Now im Im taking like 120-130 gms of protein plus like 200 gms of carbs and moderate fat. My buddy ( a non- diabetic) literally took half of it and has some great lean gains.

You may be right as my genetics may actually be hindering my growth as i had very little strength at the time of joining the gym but not i do have a reasonable increase in strength.

Sorry the reply is getting too long but i have stared down some research and i came across this and this made me wonder whether i need insulin for protein absorption as well or not
http://www.bodybuilding.com/content/the-muscle-building-messenger-complete-guide-to-insulin.html

I have recently increased my intake of carbs and just wanted to get some feedback as to the tried and tested approaches
 
When I went to the gym a few years back for around 4 months, I only ever got stronger and not "buff". And I wasn't diabetic then, so I think it's mainly down to your body's make up.

There is no denying that insulin plays a HUGE role in building and repairing muscle, that's why it's abused by some non-diabetic athletes. Remember that you are on insulin injections for your health - not your vanity! It would be sensible to leave your insulin needs and requirements the way they are and not adjust them with the hopes of looking like an action hero.
 
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My aim is to not be so but looking for some muscle on the skeletal structure, my biceps are like 12 inches and a really small chest so you know im not looking to be a "hulk" but have a little toned and developed structure.

I hate being a diabetic now
 
There are many diabetics out there who have achieved a lot more than big biceps when it comes to fitness and sport. So don't let it stop you.

Diabetic or non-diabetic, don't expect results overnight though.
 
Thank you.
This is what motivates me to keep going
Stay blessed
 
I'm a scrawny teenager, not a bodybuilder but I do work out. I actually just finished a workout and I'm working out to get ready for wrestling. I would like to discuss this and made a thread for this down in the exercise forum
 
Happy to help. What specific questions did you have?

There are plenty of reasons why you might not be seeing the gains you're hoping for, and many of those reasons have nothing to do with diabetes.

What does a typical week look like for you in the gym and with your diet?
 
My question:

Im not seeing gains besides increase in overall strength and endurance. Is it possible that the proteins i take may not be doing much good coz of not taking insulin accordingly ?


Well my gym week;
5 days a week, a day for each muscle. Challenging weight with 10-12 reps and 4-6 exercises a day under a trainer
10 min cardio before and after
Around 72 gms from whey protein ( gold standard)
6 whole eggs
Porridge for breakfast
Fruits
Overall 4-5 meals a day.



Thanks
 
I don't see anything off with your current routine. If it were me, I'd consider dropping your reps per set and working until failure. I'm also big on building workouts around the core lifts like squats, bench press, and deadlift. That's simply because it takes a lot more than one muscle group to move 200+ pounds around.

As far as your questions around protein, I really doubt that's the issue. Obviously, if your blood sugar isn't well-controlled that's going to have a significant effect on building muscle.

I always remind people that even in the perfect circumstances you'll be lucky to build .5-1lbs of true muscle a month. Furthermore, that's almost certainly going to come with an increase in body fat as well. You can minimize the increase in body fat but it's going to slow your muscle growth.

Simply put: there's a reason many bodybuilders put on as much as 50lbs in the off season when they're lucky if 10 or that is actual muscle.

How has your body weight progressed over this time?
 
Well basically when i started off at the gym i wasn't able to you know bench or squat with the rod alone but now im able to do bench of like 33-44-55 of 12-10-8.

In order to strengthen the muscle and core my trainer shifted me to dumbbell and i did bench of 55-66-77 of 12-10-8 last week

My point being that i have gained reasonable strength in past 6 months but not size.


I have gained under 3 pounds but lost 3.5% body fat. I weigh around 157pound at 5"11
 
Ansari said:
My question:

Im not seeing gains besides increase in overall strength and endurance. Is it possible that the proteins i take may not be doing much good coz of not taking insulin accordingly ?


Well my gym week;
5 days a week, a day for each muscle. Challenging weight with 10-12 reps and 4-6 exercises a day under a trainer
10 min cardio before and after
Around 72 gms from whey protein ( gold standard)
6 whole eggs
Porridge for breakfast
Fruits
Overall 4-5 meals a day.



Thanks
Click to expand...
You also should progress gradually as you get stronger with your workouts, also you are probably getting stronger but you might be naturally not that muscular
 
mc9 said:
You also should progress gradually as you get stronger with your workouts, also you are probably getting stronger but you might be naturally not that muscular
Click to expand...

May be this is the case just didn't want to throw all the effort down the drain so thought better consult.

Thanks a ton
 
Ansari said:
May be this is the case just didn't want to throw all the effort down the drain so thought better consult.

Thanks a ton
Click to expand...
No prob, I also set up a conservation between us if you wanna talk further
 
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