Exercise effect on BG levels advice please

I do a circuit class and an aquarobic class ,and an hour of either sends my blood sugar up by about 4 points.

Without using the word typical this is fairly common... do you monitor your blood oxygen levels as well? This may be an indicator of any underlying conditions affecting your circulation as well-before, during and after exercise....

How do you monitor Blood oxygen levels please ?

Strenuous exercise always raises my levels, and that includes heavier housework such as cleaning a lot of windows. I have discovered I need to restrict these activities to the late afternoons. They are much worse when done in the mornings.

Walking does not raise my levels, so this is my preferred mode of exercise twice a day.

Growyourflow said:

Without using the word typical this is fairly common... do you monitor your blood oxygen levels as well? This may be an indicator of any underlying conditions affecting your circulation as well-before, during and after exercise....

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Um no, it's a symptom of being diabetic...

That said, it's far more beneficial to exercise than not to exercise.....

Hi @Quirkybee ..
I believe that any increase in your level of physical activity is beneficial and will help you to control and bring down your BG levels .. and I really don't think that the type of exercise matters
For me, I play three rounds of golf a week (used to be two) .. I walk everywhere (rather than using the bus or car) and I now have a 2 mile jog three or four times a week.
I put this exercise schedule into place, together with my LCHF lifestyle, when I was dignosed on 7th Feb. My sig block (below) describes what has happened since then ...

Interesting that so many advocate muscle mass building to reduce insulin resistance. I believe I have gone as far as I can with aerobic workouts, daily walking, jogging, treadmill etc

I just dug out the old dumbells from the shed and am about to embark on this routine 3 days a week and see where it takes me.

https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/rudy6.htm

Very active exercise sends my BG high (ie walking faster than 3.5mph) whereas a steady pace of about 2.75 mph keeps it steady.

Something to do with insulin resistance and the exercising cells not being able to absorb the available glucose so they send out a message to the liver for more glucose even though there is enough available

Ultramum said:

Something to do with insulin resistance and the exercising cells not being able to absorb the available glucose so they send out a message to the liver for more glucose even though there is enough available

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Which is why exercise is better done later in the day when either the liver has been depleted of glucose or insulin resistance has improved, or at least it is in my case.

A rule of thumb to remember is:

Short burst of high intensity activity -> like lifting a heavy weight for 1-3 repetitions will have little to no effect on your blood glucose.

Longer burst of moderate to high intensity -> lifting weights for +8 repetitions and several sets (think of a bodybuilding routine, or what most people do in a gym to "tone") or moderate intensity cardio (something you can do for extended periods like 30-60 minutes) will tend to raise your blood sugar.

Long moderate activity -> longer than 60 minutes which is usually moderate intensity throughout tends to give a rise and a drop and could require some form of carbs or sugars to continue.

Something else to keep in mind is that your body conceives exercising as stress triggering a release of cortisol. Long story short this can reduce insulin sensitivity in the short term. As your body becomes fitter this stress response will become less but in any activity you try to improve yourself so chances are that your will increase the intensity and this stress response will remain. It's a nuisance but the overall benefits of exercising outweigh the short term negative effects from it.

Hi apologies to restart this thread - I was diagnosed type 2 about 6 months ago with a HbA1c of 89 - I immediately started with a LCHF diet and increased my walking - my most recent HbA1c was 43 - I was told not to test myself but obviously have done - I got my lowest readings (under 6) straight after a walk. I have lost about 2 stone but everything has stuck so joined up with a personal trainer at the gym but after the last few sessions I have been getting readings above 10 - I have carried on with all other changes - am concerned these spikes will raise my HbA1c - is what you are saying that over time it should reduce it as will generally be lower? Thanks

@Barnes44 High intensity activity over a period of time will raise your levels, your liver gets the message than you need energy, and obliges. However Insulin Resistance means your muscles don't take up this extra fuel as quickly as you make it. I find my BS rise if I hit the treadmill for 40 mins. However, gentle activity such as walking doesn't illicit the same response from the liver, so your muscles are able to take up the glucose faster than it is being dumped into the blood, and hence BS tend to fall.

Depends on the type of exercise and how fit you are.
I exercise regularly: long periods of running (over 20 minutes) lowers BG; cycling up a steep hill raises BG; cycling on the flat lowers my BG; climbing rises my BG, weights rise my BG, Interval Training raises my BG.
All lead to lower BG later.

How soon after exercise do people test their blood? Do you do it straight away or wait for a period of time first?

Drummersi said:

How soon after exercise do people test their blood? Do you do it straight away or wait for a period of time first?

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If trying to measure its effect then before I start, and then every half hour up until 2 hours after finishing

Drummersi said:

How soon after exercise do people test their blood? Do you do it straight away or wait for a period of time first?

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Depends on the type and length of exercise.
Climbing over a period of 3 hours, I test before, halfway through, as soon as I have finished and when I go to bed (2 hours later)
High intensity gym: before, 30 minutes into exercise and immediately after. Then back to usual testing regime,.
Walking: nothing special, just usual testing regime (before meals and sleep)
Cycling: depends on length of ride and how I feel.