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jtuddy

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hi folks ive just joined a gym before i get on any equipment is there anything i should. do i have t check blood levels thing like that do can someone help pls
 
It would be a good idea to check your BG beforehand. Once you're used to burning x amount of carbs during a workout you can start to take pre-emptive action in the form of sugary drinks etc. Make sure you have easily accessible glucose - sweets, maybe isotonic lucozade.

Just like non-diabetics make sure to drink plenty of water, otherwise the dehydration could make you feel as if you're high/low when you're not.
 
You might find that your blood glucose levels increase after exercise sometimes, especially to start with. Someone did explain this to me, but I don't understand it well enough to explain it here, but aerobic exercise (swimming, cycling, running etc) affects the body differently to the kind of exercise you get when focusing on muscle strength (eg weights)

I have had some of my lowest readings after exercise, and I have also had some very odd readings after exercise too. Odd in that they were higher than expected, but I was eventually able to put that down to variations in my menstrual cycle.

If you start off your exercise with high blood sugar - over 8 I think (I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong) - it may increase further :?

If you are execising to lose weight, I think you may be dissapointed, muscle weighs more than fat. However, if you are exercising to burn glucose and to improve your cardiovascular function you probably won't be dissapointed if you do it regualrly :D Exercise seems to wake up the insulin receptors in the body and enables them to use glucose more efficiently :D

take it easy to start with, if you are in the gym ask one of the staff to help you set up an exercise program and monitor it. Make sure you tell them you are diabetic. Don't overdo it to start with, you don't want pulled muscles and bad backs to add to your ills!
 
jtuddy said:
hi folks ive just joined a gym before i get on any equipment is there anything i should. do i have t check blood levels thing like that do can someone help pls
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Allways a good idea to check bs levels BEFORE doing exercise and also after until you get used to how the gym affects your bs!
I can only say how it affects my bs but for example I was over 12 before gym yesterday and 8.2 after,that was an hour or so cardio(treadmill walking,crosstrainer,rowing machine) plus two sets of 15 reps around the weights room(fixed equip) light weights.
I cannot stress how beneficial the "gym" is to ME regards bs levels,low mood and of course fitness.
Bear in mind your current level of fitness and allways warm up.You do not specify your gym objectives so hard to give individual advice(weight loss etc) however if you are not used to the gym enviroment "shall we say" then start slow and gradually increase activity especially if you are overweight!!
 
Hi

The other advice I would also add in addition to all the fab advice given is to make sure you have some ID on you when exercising - i.e Medic Alert or SOS Talisman for example.

If anything untoward should happen and you need assistance at least anyone who comes to your aid is aware you have Type 2 Diabetes.

Enjoy the gym.

best wishes

Txx
 
All depends on the type of diabetes and your medication. I found that with my 1 x 500mg Metformin dose I always came out of the gym with a higher BG level than when I went in.
 
I go to the gym and swimming pool twice a week and hiking at least once more. One of the effects of my reduced carb diet( for about 2 years now) is that exercise doesn't affect my BG as much as it used to. I check fasting( aiming for around 4.5 - 5.2) and have someting like cold meat or an egg for breakfast and I'm fine.
I started at 5.3 and some cold chicken this morning and did 45 minutes aqua exercise in a pool that was too cold for me, followed by an hour of chair exercise, which is more strenuous than it sounds.
I have had cauliflower in scambled egg for lunch and will have mozzarella and tomato salad for tea and won't now check again until tomorrow's fasting. I would if I had enough strips, but I'm saving, because I buy my own.
 
Let a member of gym staff know you're diabetic, especially the first few times, in case you get different hypo symptoms when exercising, or mistake a hypo for simple tiredness. Especially do this if you don't get good warning of hypos. Or take a friend who knows your symptoms and what to do.
 
I go to the gym 3 times a week and even with cutting my lunch time insulin in half I still go hypo after a 45 min session (30 mins cardio and 15 mins weights) I am now at the stage of having to eat 1 hour before working out just to stop me going hypo. Any advice would be greatly appreciated Rach
 
I would make sure l eat an hour before working out anyway- even if its just a good snack- a veg omelette would be perfect! It would help keep your BS level stable.
 
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