Cycling

[claire7419]

Over the months I have seen the benefits of exercise on BG levels. It took me a while to build up to a little rowing and then some cycling on an exerciser. Recently however, I have been doing much more on the bike and have felt able to train harder, though I am hardly a cyclist. It's just 2 x 15 mins per day but cycling fast and made to feel 'that's enough'. The effect on BG levels has been significant with readings now frequently between 4.2 and 5.4. Most morning readings are 4.8 to 5.2.

Are any members who are familiar with cycling as a form of exercise able to comment on this? Is cycling a particularly effective form of exercise? I'm still eating a couple of slices of rye bread, porridge, wholewheat pasta and bananas throughout the day. My diet hasn't changed, but there is a noticable drop in BG levels and an increase in energy levels.

Running and cycling will also help to lose thigh fat.

 

[Charles Robin]

After too long away from Cycling I got myself a bike again a year and a half ago, and it has seen huge improvements in my diabetes control. Once I got over the pain that comes with sitting for long periods in a saddle it has been great. My daily ride tends to be around 13-14 miles, although occasionally I cover 30-35 miles if I have some extra time on my hands. A friend of mine is talking about us doing a long distance cycle in a few months (At least 90 miles in a day, possibly more if we are up to it). I just wondered if anyone had attempted this sort of thing, and what steps they took to prevent hypos. I am a 26 year old type 1 on a basal/bolus insulin regime.

 

[Thommothebear]

I'm type 2, 57yo and I have done the same thing. i used to cycle and do a lot of other outdoor type activities (sailing, climbing, hillwalking, kayaking) a lot back in the past but due to work pressures and extensive travel requirements had to give it up. As my health took a bit of a nosedive I left my job last year and am now retired, although I will probably try and change that to semi retired in a couple of months, wont be going back to what I used to do though.

I started to get back into regular exercise almost a year ago now, started with rowing which I love but I then dusted off the bike, had it serviced and started out trying to get back to where I was 15 years ago with the distances. Haven't quite got back to where I used to be yet, but I can manage 30miles and I love it.

I have a non diabetic friend in his mid 40's who nearly died just about a year ago, multiple heart attacks and had to be revived seven times in just one day. He took up cycling as part of his rehabilitation program and has taken to it with a vengeance, both on and off road, in fact he regularly covers 50 miles and I understand he's doing a 68mile road circuit next weekend. It really seems to have helped him and I'm totally delighted for him as he is one of the nicest and most genuine people I know.

In my case the benefit of exercise has been much improved BG control and reduced cholesterol levels (coupled with low carb diet), but also I just love being out and about, so much better than being in a gym, I really feel a joy of life again. The numb bum bit passes after a while, your bum adapts!


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[ElyDave]

After too long away from Cycling I got myself a bike again a year and a half ago, and it has seen huge improvements in my diabetes control. Once I got over the pain that comes with sitting for long periods in a saddle it has been great. My daily ride tends to be around 13-14 miles, although occasionally I cover 30-35 miles if I have some extra time on my hands. A friend of mine is talking about us doing a long distance cycle in a few months (At least 90 miles in a day, possibly more if we are up to it). I just wondered if anyone had attempted this sort of thing, and what steps they took to prevent hypos. I am a 26 year old type 1 on a basal/bolus insulin regime.

Charles, I did 50 miles on Sunday, and have been up to about 60 since diagnosis, more before but I'm focussing on running this year a bit more.

For long runs or rides my strategy is
1) dose reductions - if I'm going out after breakfast, basal (levemir) cut by 50%, QA (novorapid) down to 1 unit - Sunday was 1 unit to 50g carbs
2) test regularly - I started at every half hour, now taking that out to every 45 minutes by experience
3) keep the carbs coming in - a mix of quick release and slower release. I work on 45g/hr for steady paced work (HR in the 140s), going up to 60g/hr as the HR rises with the workload. I always take enough for expected duration at 60g/hr just in case, plus an allowance for extras
4) don't forget the cafe stop - you'll easily work off the carbs in the cake.
5) watch for the delayed hypo, keep testing every hour after you stop for three or four hours, and take some carbs after you stop as well. I find about 30g in addition to my normal meal is enough. BG may rise, but will then coem back down again

It's all a bit of trial and error, so I suggest you just get out there and have a go

 

[Charles Robin]

Charles, I did 50 miles on Sunday, and have been up to about 60 since diagnosis, more before but I'm focussing on running this year a bit more.

For long runs or rides my strategy is
1) dose reductions - if I'm going out after breakfast, basal (levemir) cut by 50%, QA (novorapid) down to 1 unit - Sunday was 1 unit to 50g carbs
2) test regularly - I started at every half hour, now taking that out to every 45 minutes by experience
3) keep the carbs coming in - a mix of quick release and slower release. I work on 45g/hr for steady paced work (HR in the 140s), going up to 60g/hr as the HR rises with the workload. I always take enough for expected duration at 60g/hr just in case, plus an allowance for extras
4) don't forget the cafe stop - you'll easily work off the carbs in the cake.
5) watch for the delayed hypo, keep testing every hour after you stop for three or four hours, and take some carbs after you stop as well. I find about 30g in addition to my normal meal is enough. BG may rise, but will then coem back down again

It's all a bit of trial and error, so I suggest you just get out there and have a go

That's great, thanks for the advice. The cycle paths near me are all flooded at the moment so I have been hiding from the weather indoors on an exercise bike. I can't wait to get back out there and try some longer distances though .

 

[jaj24680]

Over the months I have seen the benefits of exercise on BG levels. It took me a while to build up to a little rowing and then some cycling on an exerciser. Recently however, I have been doing much more on the bike and have felt able to train harder, though I am hardly a cyclist. It's just 2 x 15 mins per day but cycling fast and made to feel 'that's enough'. The effect on BG levels has been significant with readings now frequently between 4.2 and 5.4. Most morning readings are 4.8 to 5.2.

Are any members who are familiar with cycling as a form of exercise able to comment on this? Is cycling a particularly effective form of exercise? I'm still eating a couple of slices of rye bread, porridge, wholewheat pasta and bananas throughout the day. My diet hasn't changed, but there is a noticable drop in BG levels and an increase in energy levels.

 

[jaj24680]

Over the months I have seen the benefits of exercise on BG levels. It took me a while to build up to a little rowing and then some cycling on an exerciser. Recently however, I have been doing much more on the bike and have felt able to train harder, though I am hardly a cyclist. It's just 2 x 15 mins per day but cycling fast and made to feel 'that's enough'. The effect on BG levels has been significant with readings now frequently between 4.2 and 5.4. Most morning readings are 4.8 to 5.2.

Are any members who are familiar with cycling as a form of exercise able to comment on this? Is cycling a particularly effective form of exercise? I'm still eating a couple of slices of rye bread, porridge, wholewheat pasta and bananas throughout the day. My diet hasn't changed, but there is a noticable drop in BG levels and an increase in energy levels.

 

[jaj24680]

Hi,

Over the months I have seen the benefits of exercise on BG levels. It took me a while to build up to a little rowing and then some cycling on an exerciser. Recently however, I have been doing much more on the bike and have felt able to train harder, though I am hardly a cyclist. It's just 2 x 15 mins per day but cycling fast and made to feel 'that's enough'. The effect on BG levels has been significant with readings now frequently between 4.2 and 5.4. Most morning readings are 4.8 to 5.2.

Are any members who are familiar with cycling as a form of exercise able to comment on this? Is cycling a particularly effective form of exercise? I'm still eating a couple of slices of rye bread, porridge, wholewheat pasta and bananas throughout the day. My diet hasn't changed, but there is a noticable drop in BG levels and an increase in energy levels.

I'm type 2 and have been concentrating on getting my weight down, I've lost 31lbs over the last 6 months with another 12 lbs to go, my HbA1C is down to 6.5 but have just had another blood test so am waiting for the results to see if it's fallen further. I haven't followed any particular diet except to stop eating sugar - any kind and all the fun stuff - no chocolate, fruit, cakes, melon, pineapple... you know the story. I've reintroduced apples so it will be interesting to see what's happened. I've also been out on my bike again after 2/3 years, I'm just coming up to my 60th so I thought I would creak a bit but it's been brilliant. I have a 10 mile circuit with lots of ups and downs out and about on country lanes, it takes me about 65 minutes on a mountain bike, at the beginning I used to have lots of stops to recover but now I can do the whole thing in one go and I've started to time myself and push harder to shave off a few minutes. I feel energized by this and have a goal to do this at least 3 times a week which is quite difficult with the recent weather conditions. When we all dry out a bit I'll increase this to 5 times and extend the rides on weekends, I must admit to coming home completely muddy, but it's been invigorating, I get into the fresh and I burn calories. The circuit works for me, I can get out, get back home, shower in about 1.5 hours and not eat into the entire day.

If you're achieving 30 mins a day and can keep it up that's great, well done. For me getting out on a bike as opposed to an exercise bike means the cycling is varied and having gone uphill I get to have fun going down the other side, you can see and hear what's going on around you. How about getting out onto the road?

 

[FantomPoet]

I am type 2 , with the cycling I do I manage to wake with BS between 4.2 and 4.8 most mornings. I normally look at doing around 10 miles a day either on my bike or on a spin bike if it is grumpy outside. I have been diagnosed for around 18 months and once diagnosed started cycling as a way to lose weight. Initially I could only manage a few minutes at a time but have now done the London to Brighton in the summer and planning to do a 100 mile sportive this summer (albeit very slowly ). In the 18 months I have lost over 50Kg with my BS now in control (Hba1c was 9.7 now 5.2). I normally low carb with around 20g a day and find I need no extra carbs unless I ride more than 30 Miles at that point you'll find me noshing on flapjacks. My doctor and dsn both believe that it has been the cycling and weight loss which has kept me off any meds so far. In the summer it's great to get out in the sunshine but in the winter its a case of watching DVD's whilst sat on a spin bike

 

[Yorksman]

For me getting out on a bike as opposed to an exercise bike means the cycling is varied and having gone uphill I get to have fun going down the other side, you can see and hear what's going on around you. How about getting out onto the road?

I am building up to it. I do either 3 x 20 mins or 2 x 30 mins per day now since I got a Tacx trainer with a PC. I'm building a trekking bike for the warmer weather but won't be cycling around these parts. The Tour de France comes through this area precisely because it is hilly. If I cycled around here, it might be 2 hours once per week. I shall get a cycle carrier and drive off to less challenging terrain for weekends in the spring and summer.

The real life videos control the brake units on trainers so you still get the uphill/downhill feel as well as some nice scenery

 

[Yorksman]

Initially I could only manage a few minutes at a time but have now done the London to Brighton in the summer and planning to do a 100 mile sportive this summer (albeit very slowly ). In the 18 months I have lost over 50Kg with my BS now in control (Hba1c was 9.7 now 5.2).

An outstanding achievement. When I started I could just about manage a few mins floor exercises and it took me many months to build up to cycling. I lost 30Kg so far and aim for another 20. I think the trick is to find something that you enjoy doing, so it doesn't seem like a chore and to find something that fits into your routine easily.

London the Brighton seems like a lot of bad tempered motorists to me though I hope to investigate Yorkshire's cycleways in the spring.

 

[Charles Robin]

Managing my diabetes is one thing that keeps me cycling, but I have another more embarrassing reason too. Like I mentioned before, I am 26. I am currently 12 stone, and as I am 5'11" I am in a healthy weight range. My father (non diabetic) is in his mid 60s, and decided to invest in a bike when I mentioned I was getting one. He weighed more than a stone more than me and was not big on exercise. We live on opposite sides of the country, so I did not see first hand the cycling he was doing. He came down to visit, and we went out biking together. I thought I would be waiting for him all the time, as I expected him to be unfit. What I was greeted with was a very fit cyclist who now weighed 11 stone and had to slow down to wait for me plenty of times. So my biking is partly to be healthy, but also to make sure I can keep up with my dad!

 

[ElyDave]

sounds like you're both doing well JAJ and Poet.

That weight loss is phenomenal for both of you, quite mind bogling to me in some ways when I only weigh 67kg to start with.

Keep it up and I'm sure you'll reach your goals. It's definitely hard getting out the door this time of year, but it will pay dividends in the long run.

 

[hawnet]

Hello, I have just had a knee operation and am currently waiting for the recovery to end so I can get back on my bike, I love cycling for pleasure but would find some of your country roads a destroyer of fun lol, they are serious hills and you would do well to get that bike carrier and find yourself a road along a valley that's kind of flat. I wish I could explore with you. My wife and I ride along the Thames estuary on footpaths with our mountain bikes its usually flat along water!! we do around 30 miles sunday mornings when the weather gets nicer (I hate winter). Cycling is awesome and a fantastic way to lose weight and burn sugar that's being stored in your muscles, and burn that fat too. Good choice. It will be interesting to see how my bg levels perform when I get back in the saddle.

look out for the free rides that local councils lay on, they used to be sky rides but I think the sponsor has changed now, but they are usually around your local city's places of interest.

take care.

 

[Thommothebear]

For me cycling is a great sport. But how much distance should to do

That depends on what your objectives are really, can you tell us what you want to achieve? Do you prefer road or off road?


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[Luna21]

I'm too apprehensive of the traffic on the roads to cycle , and it's all hills near me, so I content myself with using my exercise bike indoors and walking outside with the dog. I do find that cycling gets my blood sugars down faster though.

 

[Yorksman]

Managing my diabetes is one thing that keeps me cycling, but I have another more embarrassing reason too.
......
So my biking is partly to be healthy, but also to make sure I can keep up with my dad!

LOL reminds me when my son was about 12 and we had a basetball hoop in the garden. He used to play with his mates. One day I had a go and casually slam dunked the ball in the net. His expression changed from anticpated laughter to one of shock and horror.

Christ, if kids knew what their Dads have got up to in the past ....

 

[Thommothebear]

I'm too apprehensive of the traffic on the roads to cycle , and it's all hills near me, so I content myself with using my exercise bike indoors and walking outside with the dog. I do find that cycling gets my blood sugars down faster though.

I'm slightly visually impaired (nothing to do with diabetes), obviously can't drive and don't have good peripheral vision so I'm the same, hate busy roads. We do have miles of off road routes here though both along the beaches and along the royal military canal so I can get quite a long way avoiding traffic. In fact I can get most of the way from Folkestone to Rye without being in traffic. We have plenty of hills but no cycle routes through them which are safe for me in traffic.. Sadly Mrs Bear traded in her Land Rover for a convertible sport car so can't even sling the bikes on the back of the car now.

Cycling and rowing both get my BG's down fast.




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[Yorksman]

I'm too apprehensive of the traffic on the roads to cycle , and it's all hills near me, so I content myself with using my exercise bike indoors and walking outside with the dog. I do find that cycling gets my blood sugars down faster though.

I use a turbo trainer in the shed all the time. The roads where I live are way too busy, hilly and its too cold with a wind chill factor. It has to be fun and not a chore.

I hope to get out in the warmer months but I'll be getting a bike carrier for the car and driving off to one of the many cycleways. There's loads about and it's a nice way to see a bit of the countryside.

 

[Yorksman]

For me cycling is a great sport. But how much distance should to do

As Thommothebear states, it depends on what you want to do. You might just want to help your BG levels, or you may want to get fit, or you may want to lose weight or you may want to become a sportsman.

To simply improve your blood chemistry directly, any daily amount will do but a maximum of 1500 kcals per week, ie 220 per day will drop BG, VLDL and reduce de novo lipogenesis substantially. Less than that will still help but more than that won't help much directly. More than that and you are training for other things, eg cardio vascular fitness, weight loss etc.

I started off on a rower with 5 mins per day and worked upto 2 x 15 mins per day. I am now on 2 x 30 mins per day cycling and I'll be burning about 350 kcals, at least according to these fancy digital read outs. 2 x 20 mins per day is probably, for my size and weight, burning off 220 kcal per day. beyond that I don't get a direct benefit on my blood chemistry, though I do get an indirect benefit because of improvements elsewhere such as improved muscle insulin sensitivity. By direct benefit I mean that the exercise itself releases hormones which in turn trigger the production of various enzymes which act directly on the blood chemistry. But, the effect of these hormones drops off after 24 hours, so it really needs to be daily exercise, to keep it nicely topped up as it were. It does work. I was 5.5 when I had breakfast. Two hours later after porridge and 25 mins on the bike and I am 4.7. I'll do the same exercise late afternoon.