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Diabetic and exercise

J

JohnCopus

Well-Known Member
Messages
57
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Is exercising a good thing because I've been thinking during exercise you burn sugar could this not cause a hypo ?
 
Hi John
I go to Zumba five times a week and sweat like mad but exercise is good for you plus I have a snack before I go and take my glucose tablets with me just in case
Good luck


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Thanks for the info I'm going to try and get fit once and for all I've always wanted to try and build some muscle
 
Your welcome
Just make sure you drink plenty of water too
Plus if your gonna join a gym with a fitness programme might be worth mentioning that your diabetic just in case
Forwarned is forearmed :-)
Also exercise raises your endorphins so its all good


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It could affect your blood sugars so worth testing before and during exercise to see where you blood sugars go and having a snack/lucozade as required. If I remember I put on a medical alert wristband.


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Exercise is definitely a good thing, why would you not want to be fitter overall? ADA, BMA etc all say it reduces mortality and complications overall.

It also improves overall insulin sensitivity over time, so if you exercise consistently you may be able to reduce insulin needs if you are a T1, or may not need to increase your dose so soon. I have very low doses now, and I attribute that at least in part to being pretty fit.

What you need to be aware of though is how exercise affects you as an individual. Get hold of a copy of Think Like a Pancreas if you can, a must for T1's adn helps you understand exactly how your insulin needs may be affected in certain situations including exercise. You will burn sugars, the issue is to understand how and manage it appropriately; test, test, test while you are exercising
 
I agree with testing before and after to see what different types of exercise do to you. In a few other threads on the same topic some people found their BG went UP because their liver dumped sugar but it varies a lot and that is a short term result as opposed to a long term result, which could be increased insulin sensitivity as aforementioned.

Could be a bit hit and miss. Keep a snack on hand just in case you go low anyway and have fun exercising :3


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I generally find if the exercise is low intensity but prolonged, e.g., 45mins or more, BG drops. If workout is higher intensity or "competition" then BG rises due to body producing adrenaline. As with everything diabetes though, we're all different. The general good advice though is test before, during and after. I would not commence exercise if lower than 7.
 
mo1905 said:
I generally find if the exercise is low intensity but prolonged, e.g., 45mins or more, BG drops. If workout is higher intensity or "competition" then BG rises due to body producing adrenaline. As with everything diabetes though, we're all different. The general good advice though is test before, during and after. I would not commence exercise if lower than 7.
Click to expand...


Quite interesting to read this I have never tested before or after exercise sounds like I should be doing though
Especially the way I sweat lol
Thanks :-)


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Netty, I love you avatar BTW ! very energetic lol ! hope you're testing ;-)
 
mo1905 said:
Netty, I love you avatar BTW ! very energetic lol ! hope you're testing ;-)
Click to expand...

You should see me doing Zumba
Not worth doing if you don't give it 110%
But this weather is killing me you could wring me out at the end lol
Think I will test before and after my class tomorrow just to see :-)


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Netty70 said:
mo1905 said:
Netty, I love you avatar BTW ! very energetic lol ! hope you're testing ;-)
Click to expand...

You should see me doing Zumba
Not worth doing if you don't give it 110%
But this weather is killing me you could wring me out at the end lol
Think I will test before and after my class tomorrow just to see :-)


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
Click to expand...

my daughter is a Zumba instructor. I love the music and it's a cracking workout ! keep it up and keep testing ! knowledge is power lol !
 
mo1905 said:
Netty70 said:
mo1905 said:
Netty, I love you avatar BTW ! very energetic lol ! hope you're testing ;-)
Click to expand...

You should see me doing Zumba
Not worth doing if you don't give it 110%
But this weather is killing me you could wring me out at the end lol
Think I will test before and after my class tomorrow just to see :-)


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
Click to expand...

my daughter is a Zumba instructor. I love the music and it's a cracking workout ! keep it up and keep testing ! knowledge is power lol !
Click to expand...

Music is what makes it so good..... Party time :-)
Your right about the testing had to do it quite a bit recently, mornings a nightmare lol


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Netty70 said:
mo1905 said:
Netty70 said:
mo1905 said:
Netty, I love you avatar BTW ! very energetic lol ! hope you're testing ;-)
Click to expand...

You should see me doing Zumba
Not worth doing if you don't give it 110%
But this weather is killing me you could wring me out at the end lol
Think I will test before and after my class tomorrow just to see :-)


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
Click to expand...

my daughter is a Zumba instructor. I love the music and it's a cracking workout ! keep it up and keep testing ! knowledge is power lol !
Click to expand...

Music is what makes it so good..... Party time :-)
Your right about the testing had to do it quite a bit recently, mornings a nightmare lol


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
Click to expand...

I love Zumba! I don't have time for classes anymore, but I have the game on my wii and do dance workouts on there!
 
hale710 said:
Netty70 said:
mo1905 said:
Netty70 said:
mo1905 said:
Netty, I love you avatar BTW ! very energetic lol ! hope you're testing ;-)
Click to expand...

You should see me doing Zumba
Not worth doing if you don't give it 110%
But this weather is killing me you could wring me out at the end lol
Think I will test before and after my class tomorrow just to see :-)


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
Click to expand...

my daughter is a Zumba instructor. I love the music and it's a cracking workout ! keep it up and keep testing ! knowledge is power lol !
Click to expand...

Music is what makes it so good..... Party time :-)
Your right about the testing had to do it quite a bit recently, mornings a nightmare lol


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
Click to expand...

I love Zumba! I don't have time for classes anymore, but I have the game on my wii and do dance workouts on there!
Click to expand...

Wherever your keeping fit and doing Zumba is all good for me
Plus my hubby works nights so its like a night out five times week lol :-)


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I started running about 2 weeks ago. I expected higher sugars (thats what I read about adrenaline) but my sugars drop very quickly. Im still trying to work out how much carbs i need before my 20/30 mins run and it looks like about 30/40g. It seems a lot to me but maybe its because Ive just started so my body is not used to running.
Anyway exercise is good and makes you feel happy and healthier :D
 
ewelina said:
I started running about 2 weeks ago. I expected higher sugars (thats what I read about adrenaline) but my sugars drop very quickly. Im still trying to work out how much carbs i need before my 20/30 mins run and it looks like about 30/40g. It seems a lot to me but maybe its because Ive just started so my body is not used to running.
Anyway exercise is good and makes you feel happy and healthier :D
Click to expand...

Happy and healthy sounds good to me :-)


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Yes, exercise is definitely a good thing. Just adjust your insulin accordingly and make sure you have something sugary with you in case. I always tests my levels first and, depending on what they are, I'll have a banana or something before I go.

I exercise six times a week. I feel lousy if I don't and my sugars really suffer as a result.


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Weight lifting can make your sugars go up whereas cardio can make them go down. I was told on a DAFNE type course to think of it as anything below the waist (ie running cycling etc) reduces your sugar levels, whilst anything above (ie lifting weights) raises your sugar. I know this is not perfect, eg what about squats! But might help some people to think of it like this.

It is always a good plan to test before, during and after and to carry glucose or lucozade.

When you exercise may also have an impact on your sugar levels. Eg morning, afternoon or evening does affect some people.

Diet can after sugar levels and exercise too. I found that when eating carbs I would have to drink an entire bottle of lucozade (small 1!) for a 30 min run and even then I would still get lows. Now I am low carb I can get away with a 30 min run with no lucozade and rarely go low.

I also adjust my insulin according to exercise. Now I have a pump I reduce my basal for at least 6 hours to 80% if I have done a lot if cardio. However when I was MDI I would reduce my lantus by a couple of units on the day I exercised (I had a split lantus dose so I would do this after the exercise).

Unfortunately you are just going to have to adjust your insulin / meds and find what works for you.

A really good website to pick up info about diabetes and exercise is runsweet.

Good luck!


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Ps it may seem a bit of a pain adjusting everything just to exercise but it is worth it as once you sort out the adjustments you need to make it can make you feel healthier, more energetic and help with sugar levels.


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