Exercise does the trick

[Dexterdobe]

I have found that my BG level plummets if I do just 10 minutes gentle jogging exercise. I ate out with my wife this evening. I chose meat with a salad, but the salad had a dressing. 1.5 hours after first bite my BG was 8.6. I went out and jogged gently for five minutes. My BG re-tested at 6.1. an hour later and it is 5.9. Does anyone else get results like that after modest amounts of exercise? I should say that my HBA1C has fallen from 53 at diagnosis 18 months ago to 40 now. I do around 30 minutes of exercise (moderate) every day and an hour and a half of running (refereeing rugby) once or twice a week. I follow a LCHF diet, but I do eat out quite a bit and it can spike my BG. Am I just lucky that exercise is so effective in reducing my BG levels?

 

[Mbaker]

What gave me a clue that Type 2 was reversable was going from 8's to 4's on an exercise bike in the early stages of my diabetes (30 mins @ 90 rpm, don't go this hard unless you build up to it).

I now optimise with heavy weights to drain the blood glucose.

 

[Dexterdobe]

What gave me a clue that Type 2 was reversable was going from 8's to 4's on an exercise bike in the early stages of my diabetes (30 mins @ 90 rpm, don't go this hard unless you build up to it).

I now optimise with heavy weights to drain the blood glucose.

That is very interesting. Unfortunately, I have to be careful with weights. I went to the gym regularly when I was first diagnosed and it did help to reduce my BG levels. Unfortunately it also gave me a frozen shoulder (a common problem with diabetics apparently) so I now stick to running and cycling. The leg muscles are the largest in the body, so I guess it is almost as good as using weights.

 

[KK123]

Yes, without a doubt. I run most days and every time my glucose levels are lower straight after and throughout the rest of the day and the following morning. If I don't get chance because of work, etc then my levels go a point or two higher. You don't even need to do much I find, sometimes a slow walk around the shops or 10 minutes housework (I know, I know, I'm slovenly) or just standing up more seems to lower it. I sometimes replace the insulin I have with my meals with exercise instead and this works just as well (I only take 2 units of insulin per meal on average so I wouldn't think that would work on higher amounts etc), but it is fascinating how effective movement is.

 

[Resurgam]

I have got a trampoline - makes exercise fun.

 

[Dexterdobe]

Yes, without a doubt. I run most days and every time my glucose levels are lower straight after and throughout the rest of the day and the following morning. If I don't get chance because of work, etc then my levels go a point or two higher. You don't even need to do much I find, sometimes a slow walk around the shops or 10 minutes housework (I know, I know, I'm slovenly) or just standing up more seems to lower it. I sometimes replace the insulin I have with my meals with exercise instead and this works just as well (I only take 2 units of insulin per meal on average so I wouldn't think that would work on higher amounts etc), but it is fascinating how effective movement is.

I did quite a lot of exercise before my diagnosis, but it tended to be at the weekends. During the week 'I was too busy'. I really believe that little and often is better than a lot now and again. I try to walk up stairs at least once or twice an hour when I'm busy with my desk job. A brisk walk for 10 minutes at lunchtime is ideal. I think the message is to try to keep active throughout the day, even if you have a more intensive exercise period now and again.

 

[Mbaker]

That is very interesting. Unfortunately, I have to be careful with weights. I went to the gym regularly when I was first diagnosed and it did help to reduce my BG levels. Unfortunately it also gave me a frozen shoulder (a common problem with diabetics apparently) so I now stick to running and cycling. The leg muscles are the largest in the body, so I guess it is almost as good as using weights.

I agree that focusing on the larger muscle groups is key to glycogen depletion. My tests were longer on cardio which would see me comfortably in the mid 4's and sometimes lower for FBG. Cardio reduces my visceral fat more than weights; however, amateur mid - level weights in the evening say 2 x 10 deadlifts at 120 kgs with 1 x 15 squats at 110 kgs would see a 3.8 - 4.2 fbg for me (I can be sure). It's impossible for me to tell now if the conditioning mainly cardio did improves the weight training results (I don't actually care), but I do believe we should if possible test what works best in our situation (as you have done).

I will do a test on HiiT static cycling this week to see what a 2 minute warmup followed by 4 x 20 second sprints (all out) with 1 minute rests does. Ultimately I am not doing around 7 miles of walking a day (at 2 thirds my previous cardio speed) and heavier weight training between 15 and 45 minutes (some times twice a day).

 

[Dexterdobe]

I agree that focusing on the larger muscle groups is key to glycogen depletion. My tests were longer on cardio which would see me comfortably in the mid 4's and sometimes lower for FBG. Cardio reduces my visceral fat more than weights; however, amateur mid - level weights in the evening say 2 x 10 deadlifts at 120 kgs with 1 x 15 squats at 110 kgs would see a 3.8 - 4.2 fbg for me (I can be sure). It's impossible for me to tell now if the conditioning mainly cardio did improves the weight training results (I don't actually care), but I do believe we should if possible test what works best in our situation (as you have done).

I will do a test on HiiT static cycling this week to see what a 2 minute warmup followed by 4 x 20 second sprints (all out) with 1 minute rests does. Ultimately I am not doing around 7 miles of walking a day (at 2 thirds my previous cardio speed) and heavier weight training between 15 and 45 minutes (some times twice a day).

It just shows that we have to be determined if we want to beat this thing.

 

[Bluetit1802]

It just shows that we have to be determined if we want to beat this thing.

and we need to remember that exercise levels must be sustainable - not always possible when life, illness or injury get in the way. Diet is still the key, in my humble opinion.

Going back to your initial post, it is perfectly possible your exercise had nothing to do with that drop. Your levels may have been dropping anyway. Just a thought.

 

[Dexterdobe]

and we need to remember that exercise levels must be sustainable - not always possible when life, illness or injury get in the way. Diet is still the key, in my humble opinion.

Going back to your initial post, it is perfectly possible your exercise had nothing to do with that drop. Your levels may have been dropping anyway. Just a thought.

The point I was making is that exercise has an immediate and lasting effect on my BG levels. If I test at 8.0 after a meal, 15 minutes on my exercise bike and it's down to 5.5 and it stays low until I eat again. I absolutely agree that exercise alone won't put you into recession, but at least in my case, it is the best way to reduce BG levels rapidly.

 

[Mbaker]

The point I was making is that exercise has an immediate and lasting effect on my BG levels. If I test at 8.0 after a meal, 15 minutes on my exercise bike and it's down to 5.5 and it stays low until I eat again. I absolutely agree that exercise alone won't put you into recession, but at least in my case, it is the best way to reduce BG levels rapidly.

Seems like your response is similar to what I was getting, so provides you with a platform to work on once you are in a position to.

 

[zand]

I have to be extremely careful with exercise. Anything other than a slow walk puts my BGs up and they stay up too. I am still trying to bring them back down after 3 days of walking 9-10 miles a day. I enjoy walking but hate what it does to my BG levels. I hate what it does to my weight too..that goes up as well.

 

[Bluetit1802]

The point I was making is that exercise has an immediate and lasting effect on my BG levels. If I test at 8.0 after a meal, 15 minutes on my exercise bike and it's down to 5.5 and it stays low until I eat again. I absolutely agree that exercise alone won't put you into recession, but at least in my case, it is the best way to reduce BG levels rapidly.

Yes, I understand that completely. My point is that it shouldn't be used instead of a suitable diet or as a way of permanently lowering blood sugar levels sufficient to put us in remission.

You are lucky exercise works well for you. It doesn't for me. I can't even clean my (large) windows without seeing a rise, let alone drag the heavy hoover round the house.

 

[Deleted Account]

Don't forget there is more to www.diabetes.co.uk than the forum.
Exercise is discussed in a fair amount of detail in some of the articles and this site: starting at https://www.diabetes.co.uk/Diabetes-and-fitness.html
This talks about different types of exercise, benefits, BG impact, etc.

 

[Patrick66]

I am all for exercise but Fibromyalgia can put paid to anything too strenuous.

I do a bit of weight training twice a day, walk as much as I can and have just started Tai Chi. My job is very sedentary but I force myself up and down the stairs simply to shred a single piece of paper. Every little helps.

 

[Dexterdobe]

Seems like your response is similar to what I was getting, so provides you with a platform to work on once you are in a position to.

It certainly does, though there are times when I have to force myself to climb on the exercise bike for the good of my health. I always love rugby refereeing and never find it a chore. Unfortunately, I'm 64 and my days as an active referee are numbered. There are still times when I get there before the players, but they are getting fewer and further between

 

[Mbaker]

It certainly does, though there are times when I have to force myself to climb on the exercise bike for the good of my health. I always love rugby refereeing and never find it a chore. Unfortunately, I'm 64 and my days as an active referee are numbered. There are still times when I get there before the players, but they are getting fewer and further between

When it gets difficult I use visualisation. In my early days I used negative association such as the grim reaper being behind me and me putting distance between this entity and myself. Now is visual glucose being squeezed into the cells and I smile, mutter words of encouragement to myself.

 

[nomoredonuts]

Although I live on a beautiful part of the south coast, I'm not always motivated to go go out and battle the elements. This is when I get on my recumbent exercise bike. I usually fire up the laptop with a 120 beats per minute workout, put it on a chair then pump away on the pedals while I fiddle on my phone or read a book. The rhythm just keeps me going while I distract myself. Thirty minutes is about 11k, after which my heartrate is a ridiculous 70 bpm!
For me it's enough to bring down my BG mid 5's.

 

[ringi]

There has been research published showing that both resistance training and HIIT is better then "steady state" cardo for BG control. Both seem to be effective at removing glycogen from muscle.

Even getting people to stand up and look out of the window every hour gets results.

But I don't recall any published results on exercise that gets close to what we see with diet. As a low carb diet removes glycogen (and fat) from the liver, methods of removing glycogen from muscles complement nicely to reduce inslin resistance.

Personally I like the "Body by Science" book using gym equipment, but I also have a "water rower" and can reduce my BG for a few hours by rowing as hard as I can for 50 seconds repeated 3 times with a good recover time between.

 

[Sparkle1953]

I have got a trampoline - makes exercise fun.