Fasting Bs - Before Or After Exercise?

[Jacquiking]

I was diagnosed in April with T2 Hb1ac 48. Three months later Hb1ac 38. I lost 21lbs. My fasting BS was regularly around 5.4

I did no exercise during this time but decided I should start. I choose swimming. Now I find that my fasting BS is nearer 8.

I swim in the morning and take my BS once finished, but before my breakfast.

What am I doing wrong??

 

[Deleted Account]

When we exercise, our bodies do two things affecting our diabetes:
- our livers release glucose to give us extra energy.
- we become more efficient at using insulin so need less

It is the balance between these two reactions which determines whether our BG goes up or down.
There are some typical rules of thumb but they don't always happen.
For example, longer exercise usually results in a lower BG. Short stop/start exercises usually result in higher BG.

However, as I am writing this, I wonder if you know that the exercise is causing the rise.
Have you tried taking your fasting reading before getting in the pool out of interest?
The rise may be related to dawn phenomenon (liver dump to give you energy to start your day).
It could be useful just to discount this as the reason.

 

[Jacquiking]

When we exercise, our bodies do two things affecting our diabetes:
- our livers release glucose to give us extra energy.
- we become more efficient at using insulin so need less

It is the balance between these two reactions which determines whether our BG goes up or down.
There are some typical rules of thumb but they don't always happen.
For example, longer exercise usually results in a lower BG. Short stop/start exercises usually result in higher BG.

However, as I am writing this, I wonder if you know that the exercise is causing the rise.
Have you tried taking your fasting reading before getting in the pool out of interest?
The rise may be related to dawn phenomenon (liver dump to give you energy to start your day).
It could be useful just to discount this as the reason.

Thanks for the indepth reply. I will test again tomorrow before swimming. I just couldn’t see any good reason for the rise as I kept reading how good exercise was at lowering it. I’m new and have a lot to learn that’s for sure

 

[bulkbiker]

Thanks for the indepth reply. I will test again tomorrow before swimming. I just couldn’t see any good reason for the rise as I kept reading how good exercise was at lowering it. I’m new and have a lot to learn that’s for sure

It may also depend on how strenuous your swim is. If you are going for fast laps with sprints you'll probably find you have higher BG levels than by the leisurely lengths that some do.

 

[Jacquiking]

It may also depend on how strenuous your swim is. If you are going for fast laps with sprints you'll probably find you have higher BG levels than by the leisurely lengths that some do.

I like to think I’m giving it my all but I’m sure it’s more of a leisurely breaststroke (30 mins)