Exercise

Agree

 

I agree with the mantra that you're more likely to keep it up if you enjoy it but as a trainer I'd add the following in relation to exercise and type 2!
1) the aim of your diet and exercise might be to improve your insulin sensitivity. Try:
- building some muscle so that your body can use more of the glucose that you eat (big muscles to work are chest, legs, back and shoulders)
- walking, cycling or running AFTER you've eaten so that your body can fuel itself with any carbs you've eaten rather than having to push out excess insulin to take your blood sugar down...Eventually as you eat less bread, rice, pasta, potatoes etc. you will use fat as your main 'fuel' if you decide to take the low carb approach.
Even those who are of normal weight can store a little excess fat in the wrong place (around the liver and pancreas) so just losing a little from around your waist may reduce your insulin resistance and hence normalise your blood sugars.

Hope that helps you to get started!

 

I swim a mile 5 to 6 times a week. One thing I read is that I need to keep my workouts at minimum intensity. If you have real intense cardio workout the liver will dump sugar into your system to compensate for things. This does not mean that you take it easy, but it does take time to figure things out. Yes I am big proponent of walking, if I do like the numbers after a meal I will take a thirty minute walk to get them down.

I hope this helps .........

 

I walk 15 minutes after every meal, weight training four days a week, something different on Sunday, hike a trail or do some sprints. I also float around in the pool, but that doesn’t really count lol

Weight training has had a huge impact on my metabolism and blood glucose levels

 

That is alright I had roommate's definition of swimming was setting in a lounge chair and drink a beer ........

 

Never been a walker but since March I have tried to walk for at least an hour in the woods close to me at least 5 times a week. Having vestibular hypofunction as well it's really helped as negating branches and tree stumps is great for balance! I'm usually between 12 stone and 13 and weighed myself yesterday and I am down to 12 dead on. If I can get below that it will be the first time since the 90's I would be in the 11 stone bracket! HBA1c came down from 58 in December to 51 in July and my arthritic hip doesn't give me as much pain either since I started walking. So just walking somewhere you like is a great start.

 

IMO A temporary liver dump due to high intensity does not negate the benefits to your heart health and metabolism in general. Your body will bring the glucose down and tbh even as a type 1 when this happens it also corrects itself when my next insulin drip goes in!
I am not saying there is anything wrong with low intensity steady state stuff like walking and swimming or gentle cycling but that you need both in your weekly routine and in my experience many older adults will stick to the low intensity stuff because it feels more comfortable or they don't know how to push themselves with the high intensity stuff.

 

Let me clarify my point what I meant by high intensity like training for the Olympics there has to be a balance between the two.

 

Before lockdown I did Aqua aerobics three times a week. Obviously it is not happening now but I have not had any difference in my blood glucose tests.

 

I'm cycling again but gently as diabetes is newly diagnosed. I did 10 miles yesterday. Really steady and it was lovely to cool down in the rain.