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Exercise

Listlad

BANNED
Messages
3,971
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
As I understand it, exercise can help quite a lot when it comes to diabetes. When I was younger my activity levels were much higher than they are now and my current work and lifestyle means virtually no exercise. For this reason I am a bit worried that my next HbA1c reading might have gone up. I work from home and find little time to spend exercising, unfortunately. Whereas 18 months ago I was walking to work and back each day taking 20 minutes each way at a brisk walk.

Late last year the nurse at my local GP set me up on a 12 week offer of use of the local gym and pool for free. I thought the NHS had paid for it but it turns out it was an introductory offer by the local YMCA who own the pools locally and the gyms. I found I couldn’t use it as much as I would have liked. It expired in November and then nothing but .... they have offered me a years membership for £275 which sounds a lot and is a lot but of course spread over a year is more bearable. I would probably pay it by credit card for the year ahead.

Does the forum believe that exercise is beneficial for those with diabetes or prediabetes or does it only make a minor difference?
 
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I'm an exercise-phobe apart from a few months early on in my journey when I had lost a fair amount of weight and got an energy boost... joined the gym/pool went regularly for 3 months then got bored with it and stopped going. Since then just walking the dog daily so I personally don't think it's necessary although maybe beneficial. Diet and maybe some fasting will control T2 and Pre far better in my opinion.
 
Yes I find the gym boring.
 
I am here not excercising. I reduced my A1c by more than half in four months without a moment in a gym or pool and I don't have a dog. I am not saying that physical activity isn't great but as a wheelchair user I think I've done OK.
 
My view, as someone who is still awaiting the correct diagnosis of which type of diabetes I am, is that excercise can help me get down my levels quickly. For example sometimes in work my levels will shoot up to 15 and I take that opportunity to walk up and down 10 flights of stairs in work and that brings me down quite quickly. Therefore I’m not sure if a gym membership is entirely necessary as walking does the trick for me. Each to their own though!
 
Thanks @SB.25

I was having a Skype conversation with a colleague of mine today who’s is a life long Type 1. She suggested walking as if it made a difference. So it’s interesting to note your input.

And you say it brings you down quickly too...
 
Yes, the walking does seem to help me. Not that I’ve tried doing any hardcore excercise since diagnosis as my consultant has advised not to until I get a correct diagnosis.

In work I often tell colleagues I’m going for a mad 10 minutes to get the sugars down and just walk quickly up and down all 10 flights. Even when being home in the evenings if I feel myself going high a brisk walk seems to starting bringing me down.

Good luck with it all!
 
The Chief Medical Office says regular exercisers (150 mins moderate or vigorous exercise weekly) have 40% less chance of getting type 2 all other things being equal.
But if I were advising a client (I am a trainer) I'd always say changing your diet will have the biggest impact on your glucose management. Exercise is great for a number of health reasons though including creating bigger storage depots for carbs (muscles) and burning off carbs after a meal. The trouble is most people aren't out hewing coal or ploughing a field afer breakfast, lunch and dinner and we have a snacking culture.
So if you are not a lumberjack and you are prone to insulin resistance then it makes sense IMO to cut back on carbs.
Not everyone is a gym bunny and this is fine as there are many ways to be more active : get out of breath a few times each week and lift up something heavy twice a week....
 
Very interesting. Thanks.
 
Thanks for that. Interesting post.
 
I notice a big difference if I walk after a meal. I do this mainly at weekends with my partner but I also joined a gym around my diagnosis. I do weights but I love to do a power walk on the treadmill, particularly in this cold weather. The money going out of my account is very motivating!!
 
I exercise.
There are many reasons for this, helping with diabetes management is one.
Others include mental well-being, muscle strength, bone strength, cardio strength, money saving (it’s cheaper to walk 30 minutes than drive for 10 and spend another 10 finding a parking space), socialising, ...
But there are many ways to exercise with the gym only being one option. I always say the only exercise worth doing is the exercise you enjoy. If you don’t like the gym, you are not likely to maintain it.
This page (https://www.diabetes.co.uk/exercise-for-diabetics.html) tells you more.
Which brings me to my final point: there is much much more to diabetes.co.uk than the forum. Go to the Home page and take a look around.
 
Ive wasted a lot of money on gym membership over the years. Without a doubt walking after a meal helps and it’s free. Stairs do too. A cycle ride probably would too. I’d say all movement helps. The more you do probably the better BUT do it because you like it otherwise it’ll fall by the wayside and cost you a bomb in the process. Dancing around the lounge on your own to music works as well as a class. I love dance but hate formal exercise classes.

Statically I think weight based exercise helps best for diabetics but that doesn’t have to mean the gym. Lifting the **** washing basket, the baby, the dog or the recycle bin counts. A few bean tins can act as weights. Gardening, decorating, dog walking, football, badminton, swimming, yoga, energetic floor washing, sex, running after the kids, anything at all that makes you move.
 
I agree. And you know what Monty says 'Give up your gym membership and get yourself a compost heap', works every time!
 
Yes exercise is beneficial.

It does help with diabetics and I had that confirmed by two independent medics yesterday. If we are honest then exercise is good for us anyway so it’s certainly not going to hurt.

A brisk walk, swimming, treadmill, certainly some light weight training (as was recommended to me yesterday) is all good. The muscles use glucose when they work so there is less of it in your bloodstream...which is a positive.
 
Like I said I do find using the gym boring. Same as swimming up and down the pool. But once done I do get a sense of benefit from it afterwards. I also like the idea of compartmentalising exercise so that the sweat is confined to somewhere else other than the home (a rowing machine in a spare room would be great though but we do not have that kind of room in our house).
 
Tophat1900 said:
What do you plan on doing in the gym?
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Nothing too strenuous. Mainly the treadmill, cycling and the other cardio vascular equipment to work the heart. I think the rowing machine is out for me right now. I will aim for variety to break the boredom.

This is what I was doing before Christmas before the temporary membership expired.

A few years ago I used to cycle to work but the flies in the summer and the weather in winter can knock back the most enthusiastic amongst us.
 
I love walking and love swimming , at the moment I have joined to swim as often as i want at the local centre, but we do have a pool in our garden but right now its broken and waiting for it to be repaired, when that get fixed i will cancel the membership.
i can't stand the gym not for me at all.
 
The right diet is more important than exercise to control BS but exercise is always important for overall fitness. Gym's are expensive. I pay around £600 for a year's membership
 
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