Do blood glucose readings follow calorie burn?

[sterling]

I am almost sure that my readings track exercise intensity.

Readings are high in the morning where there has been low calorie burn during sleep hours.

With low exercise during the morning the readings fall. Then with intense swimming (840 cals /seesion) later in the day, it falls further. It rises again during evening rest.

I enjoy a very careful low carb diet, but I can now virtually predict my readings based upon exercise taken during the day.

My results graphed below.

 

[hallii]

Sterling, your chart is awesome, a bit anorakish, but still awesome!

You have rediscovered a fundamental truth, exercise affects BG levels, and continues to do so for many hours after the exercise ceases. New research indicates that as little as 3 mins intensive exercise a day can give the same result as an hour or so of "ordinary"
exercise.

H

 

[Fraddycat]

Sterling, your chart is awesome, a bit anorakish, but still awesome!

You have rediscovered a fundamental truth, exercise affects BG levels, and continues to do so for many hours after the exercise ceases. New research indicates that as little as 3 mins intensive exercise a day can give the same result as an hour or so of "ordinary"
exercise.

H

I've heard about this but what worries me is that we still need to warm up, cool down and stretch. I go to a spin class - its 45 mins long and the first 5 mins are warm up, next 5 mins build up and the most intense bit is only about 15 - 20 mins, then its cool down and stretching. I think there is a danger that people will hurt themselves, trying to short circuit exercise. Still it just goes to show that another NHS guideline (exercise 5 times a week for 2.5 hours) is another finger in the air guestimation and not based on solid research - a bit like the 5 portions of fruit and veg a day.

 

[sterling]

Sterling, your chart is awesome, a bit anorakish, but still awesome!

You have rediscovered a fundamental truth, exercise affects BG levels, and continues to do so for many hours after the exercise ceases. New research indicates that as little as 3 mins intensive exercise a day can give the same result as an hour or so of "ordinary"
exercise.

H

Thank you, Hallii.

Yes, I'm an anorak. And that character disposition leads me to record and analyse all sorts of data.

But being an anorak and a debetic has advantages because with diabetes all sort of risks are readily measureable:

weight
calorie intake
carbohydrate intake
calorie usage (I have a wrist worn swimming computer)
cholesterol
blood sugar
retinopathy
blood pressure.

Yet micro and macro damage are not so easy measureable.

Having got most of the variables undercontrol, I have noticed that exercise (even relatively light daytime movement) is the principal component of BG variability. When I had a hernia operation and my mobility was limited, my BG readings were all over the place. The lag effect which you mention is very clear and following a period of more intense exercise my BG reading improve drastically. The dawn effect may be no more than BG rising because of the low calorie burn over night.

 

[thrivebodybalance]

The thing with recommendations of 2.5 hours a week of 5 fruits and veg, etc. is that it is a generalized suggestion for the majority of the given population, that should lead in an average of ideal health. It is not meant for children, the elderly, those with diseases, or others beyond the main population.

Anyone who monitors their health or looks more in depth at the actual mechanics as well as their own situation can fine tune things a lot better, and in the end it mostly comes down to how it makes your body feel and act (though some will be hidden so knowing the mechanisms helps).


Exercising at different intensities and durations has different effects on the body, higher intensities raises heart rates even higher, increases the ability of the heart to make beneficial adaptations in efficiency and health, and increases metabolism by more than lower intensity exercise, and increases it for longer after the workout. It also increases insulin sensitivity to a greater degree, being a big boon to those T2's out there.

There are a host of other benefits at different intensity levels and durations, which each will use different amounts or percentages of the 4 human energy systems, so they all play a part in working out. For diabetics and people with weight/metabolism/heart disease or risk thereof, high intensity can be a great tool if appropriate for your health, it isn't a matter of short circuiting or risking your body or health, though I will say that any degree of intensity should be cleared with a professional, especially high intensity as some people's body's just aren't in a position for that yet, due to illness or medication. There is nothing inherently wrong with high intensity exercises, however.

 

[PhilT]

I've heard about this but what worries me is that we still need to warm up, cool down and stretch.

Not really, 4 minutes of HIIT and the job is done. 20 seconds of running on the spot or jumping jacks, 10s rest, repeat * 8.

You don't warm up before running for a bus