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Is exercise cheating the reading

C

charon

Well-Known Member
Messages
201
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
After meals that I know will affect my BG I make sure I do some exercise which I know will lower the BG - often making the postprandial lower than the pre. Exercise bike, weights, sit-ups.

This means it is good for the BG readings and I rarely go above 6 mmol/l.
It does seem though that I'm not getting a representative reading of what the food is doing. On the other hand low BG must be good. It feels like I am tailoring exercise to the monitoring.

Does anyone see any issue with this?
I guess a problem would be if I didn't exercise after all suspect meals and only tested when I had exercised but I tend to test after every evening meal (sorry nurse).

Do others do anything similar?
 
Check out my last question in T2.

I went from 9.3 to 6.0 in just 20 minutes of moderate cross trainer exercise. So it does or can make a difference.

Now, what you have to ask yourself, is what is your normal life style. If a plate of chips an a hard exercise regime is 'normal' before your postprandial test, then that's fine. But if you are doing it to 'flatter to deceive' then who is it deceiving?

I'm going through the same dilemma myself. What is normal activity that I want to adjust meds to? And what is excessive and getting in the way of 'life'?

Interesting conundrum.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
 
To be honest, however you get your good readings is not too important in my opinion, the fact they rarely go above 6 is the main thing. As previous poster suggested however, if this regime is there to enable you to eat chips and chocolate then long term you may suffer with other health problems. I still think your plan is at least producing positive results. Many do not even follow a plan.


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Exercise is not cheating it is an integral part of good management of the condition


Diagnosed Type II 1998 1 x 80 mg Gliclazide, 4 x 500mg Metformin and 1 x 100mg Sitagliptin - HbA1c - 48 mmol/mol
 
No chips or chocolate.
Bacon/kippers/mackerel and poached eggs
Meat slices with lettuce - a few snacks during the day or maybe salmon salad. Also spring onions, apple raspberries, blueberries to snack.
Beef/steak/lamb/chicken with cabbage, broccoli, leek, mushroom, maybe a baked potato followed by raspberries, blueberries, apple.

While I'm doing this the only thing that bumps the bg is the dinner (usually around 8-9 o'clock). I'm usually around 5 before and can go up to 7 without exercise but use this to keep it down to 6 or less.
Also exercise a bit in the afternoon.
Early stages so a bit obsessive and was fortunately able to give up work to concentrate on this. Might start work again which might change things - my focus in the past has always been work (because I enjoyed it) but hopefully I will continue to consider my health more important.

Probably never eat chips again and won't miss them.
Chocolate yes, but not the large bars of milk chocolate I used to eat 3-4 times a week. Maybe the odd square of high cocoa dark chocolate - which I prefer but thought would be bad for me (doh!).
 
@Charon, seems like you have pretty much got things well under control. Well done ! Exercise also has many other benefits, apart from lowering BG so it's something many more should make a regular part of their diabetes management.


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Yes, it causes you to buy new clothes.
Lost 4 inches round the waist and 1 inch round the neck in the last couple of months.
Finally had to admit things don't fit.

Hope this isn't just an initial burst and I can keep it up.
I find the diet a lot more satisfying than the (many) sandwiches I used to rely on and once you get used to it cooking doesn't take long.
 
Something odd that I've just noticed.
I used to drink a fair bit of coke zero when I was first diagnosed.
I have a litre and a half in the fridge which is untouched for the last couple of weeks. I keep seeing it but now have no inclination at all to drink it.

Fluid intake is water - about 6 cups of tea a day (twinings: 3 green, 2 english breakfast, 1 assam) and a cup of hot milk before bed.
The green tea is a substitution but I've always liked it - just never made it at home before.
Also if out instead of a latte and muffin I'll have an americano - and find I quite like it.

I don't find any of this a hardship - wish I'd tried it decades ago. Not only helps with my health but also I think makes me a much more pleasant person.
 
I'm a type 1 and I use exercise to keep my bg within range, just had my evening meal with a reduced dose of insulin and will be walking the dog later for around an hour, it's far from cheating Charon as exercise has many health benefits besides keeping bg low.
 
It's not cheating if it's an active health choice and part of a lifestyle.

If it's being used as an excuse to allow you to eat unhealthily I'd have to question your motivation.

You need to be honest with yourself.

Love the attidue Charon :thumbup:
 
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