-
Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »
golf
- Thread starter tambo1876
- Start Date
D
Deleted Account
Guest
The relationship between exercise and BG is complex and different for all of us.
To start with the impact any form of exercise has on our BG depends on what is normal for us. If we have some form of disability or illness, walking up the stairs may cause our BG to rise. If we run marathons, we could run 5 miles and have no impact to BG.
The next thing is the relative intensity of the exercise - for someone used to walking, running will impact exercise.
Then there is the length of time of each exercise - 20 minutes of high intensity interval exercise (30 seconds of "going for it" followed by 30 seconds of recovery) will raise my BG but a 20 minute run will reduce it.
Finally, there is the affect of any on board insulin - exercise, typically makes the body more efficient at using insulin so if you have eaten just before your exercise and you will probably need less insulin.
My experience of golf is a few frustrating evenings on the driving range and following my Dad around a golf course carrying his clubs.
If you don't play golf often, I imagine, the exertion of carrying the clubs between the holes and the short sharp intensive exercise for each swing could raise your BG. On top of that, the frustration of driving into the rough or just missing the hole could cause a bit of stress which also raises your BG.
If you play more, get used to the weight of the clubs and become more accurate and efficient with your swing, the impact on your BG will be reduced over time. In the meantime, take plenty of test strips with you and do regular tests and adjustments on your round.
One of my sports of choice is climbing - an activity where I get stressed when I get scared, I climb for 5 minutes and rest for 5 minutes and is a kind of resistance exercise for 2 or 3 hours at a time. As a result, I start my climb with a low BG, take a reading every hour and give myself more insulin each time to adjust for the BG rise and then prepare for my BG to fall over the next 5 or 6 hours.
To start with the impact any form of exercise has on our BG depends on what is normal for us. If we have some form of disability or illness, walking up the stairs may cause our BG to rise. If we run marathons, we could run 5 miles and have no impact to BG.
The next thing is the relative intensity of the exercise - for someone used to walking, running will impact exercise.
Then there is the length of time of each exercise - 20 minutes of high intensity interval exercise (30 seconds of "going for it" followed by 30 seconds of recovery) will raise my BG but a 20 minute run will reduce it.
Finally, there is the affect of any on board insulin - exercise, typically makes the body more efficient at using insulin so if you have eaten just before your exercise and you will probably need less insulin.
My experience of golf is a few frustrating evenings on the driving range and following my Dad around a golf course carrying his clubs.
If you don't play golf often, I imagine, the exertion of carrying the clubs between the holes and the short sharp intensive exercise for each swing could raise your BG. On top of that, the frustration of driving into the rough or just missing the hole could cause a bit of stress which also raises your BG.
If you play more, get used to the weight of the clubs and become more accurate and efficient with your swing, the impact on your BG will be reduced over time. In the meantime, take plenty of test strips with you and do regular tests and adjustments on your round.
One of my sports of choice is climbing - an activity where I get stressed when I get scared, I climb for 5 minutes and rest for 5 minutes and is a kind of resistance exercise for 2 or 3 hours at a time. As a result, I start my climb with a low BG, take a reading every hour and give myself more insulin each time to adjust for the BG rise and then prepare for my BG to fall over the next 5 or 6 hours.
DavidGrahamJones
Well-Known Member
Hi Tambo1876,
welcome to the forum.
As already mentioned increased BG after exercise is a complex matter, especially as we're all different. I'm pleased to say that my round of golf on a Saturday doesn't have the same effect. Maybe because I'm rubbish. LOL
The simplest explanation I saw (BG not my rubbish golf) was as follows:
When you exercise your muscles need more glucose to supply energy. ... So if you do not have enough insulin available, your blood glucose levels can actually increase right after exercise. Basically, stimulated by the demand from your exercising muscles, your body is pouring glucose into your bloodstream.
I wish I knew how that could be avoided, I usually end up googling because often something I read rings a bell and I try it out. Having a quick look I might be googling for some time.
I suppose we should ask do you carry your clubs (constant work required) or have a trolley to push (less effort?). Perhaps you should try using a buggy to drive for a round and see if that makes any difference.
All the best
Last edited:
jackois
Well-Known Member
I play regularly, using a power trolley to carry the clubs. On average the walk is around six miles over 3 hours.
I find the exact opposite to yourself. I pre-load carbs at the start of the round and try and keep my blood sugars around 7 to 8. This means nibbling on jelly babies and bananas steadily throughout the round. Above or below this wrecks my game and I find myself unable to hit the ball properly and having what can only be described as temper tantrums. After a round my blood sugar continues to fall back to 5 to 6 and I'm back to normal with no bad mood.
I've hunted high and low for methods to keep my blood sugars at the level I would like and steady for the round without a lot of success. I know this isn't what you are experiencing, but do you eat as you are going round and test every few holes? This would help you get a trend over the whole round.
Have you been diagnosed type one long? I was diagnosed at 58, and use basal/bolus to control. The first couple of months were chaotic while I got the hang of it. You may suffer from 'honeymooning' where your pancreas operates in fits and starts, again making your blood sugar bounce about.
More than anything, test, test and test again until you get a clear picture of what happens while you are on the course.
I find the exact opposite to yourself. I pre-load carbs at the start of the round and try and keep my blood sugars around 7 to 8. This means nibbling on jelly babies and bananas steadily throughout the round. Above or below this wrecks my game and I find myself unable to hit the ball properly and having what can only be described as temper tantrums. After a round my blood sugar continues to fall back to 5 to 6 and I'm back to normal with no bad mood.
I've hunted high and low for methods to keep my blood sugars at the level I would like and steady for the round without a lot of success. I know this isn't what you are experiencing, but do you eat as you are going round and test every few holes? This would help you get a trend over the whole round.
Have you been diagnosed type one long? I was diagnosed at 58, and use basal/bolus to control. The first couple of months were chaotic while I got the hang of it. You may suffer from 'honeymooning' where your pancreas operates in fits and starts, again making your blood sugar bounce about.
More than anything, test, test and test again until you get a clear picture of what happens while you are on the course.
