Exercise

[Romola]

Exercise really does help with T2 diabetes.

I started mild exercise having never really done any. I am disabled anyway, so not able to be very active.

I started with one of those little peddling machines (not a proper exercise bike) and did two lots of 15 mins per day most days.

After a year, I moved up a notch and having lost nearly 3 stone without paying to go to a commercial slimming club, I calculated that I would have spent over £200 if I had done so. There was a half price York rowing machine at Argos for £150 - so I bought one.

After only two weeks of doing just 15 mins per day, my blood glucose readings have really dropped, eg today if was 5.1 2 hours after breakfast (which was muesli). They are conistenly within the "normal"range.

So I would urge newly diagnosed T2s to listen to the NHS advice - which we often knock here.

Please lose some weight and increase the exercise - neither of these need be dramatic changes. A little every day gets you there in the end.

Off tomorrow for a cruise - and will certainly be making use of the ship's gym!

 

[dragongirl]

Point taken, and well done on your achievement. Your bg readings presumably have lowered on account of weight loss and the lessened insulin resistance. But there is a group of us on here who can't do the exercise because we lose weight we can't afford to lose. I am at less than 8st 5lbs now and never was overweight! I started off exercising but have given up. I spend those extra 15 mins per day eating to keep some flesh on my bones! Your advice sounds good for the "somewhat overweight" T2s but not for everyone! I, for one, have had to find other ways of keeping the bs under control, and I do.

DG

 

[Dustydazzler]

Glad to hear you've found exercise rewarding romola!! I've joined the gym and the day I've been and the day after I can use HALF my normal doses of insulin! And I've lost a stone so gone from a size 14 to 12. I find it's good for lifting my mood too xx

 

[noblehead]

Romola,

I agree, exercise is very effective in both weight loss and lowering blood glucose levels. I often reduce my insulin dose and go for a 4-5 mile walk with my dog on a evening, works every-time and always come back feeling refreshed. Any exercise, no matter how little is beneficial to all round health.

Nigel

 

[Synonym]

Hi Romola

Well done on all your achievements so far. Are you now at your optimum weight :?:

I also have a few problems with doing exercises and I have used a gym and their health and fitness advisor because I just could not do anything at all to start off with.

I am one of the T2s who does NOT need to lose weight but actually wants to hang on to it! With the help of the health and fitness adviser I am working to build muscle and make my body much more efficient.

To start with health checks were made and my varying problems and abilities were carefully worked through and appropriate exercises with appropriate weights (or none!) were put in place, worked through and changed when I was ready to move on. This has been the best value for any money that I have ever spent and I would recommend anyone else to do the same if they can possibly manage it.

Sometimes you really need expertise and often you need to pay for it. Usually the people with the expertise have trained for years so that they can offer it but this expertise was made available to me within my normal gym subscription. 8)

Sometimes the bottom line is not the money but the fitness and it is worth economising in other directions to make these sorts of things possible.