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Low carb & exercise??

R

rubecula

Member
Messages
23
Location
Newent on the Gloucestershire/Herefordshire border
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi All, apologies if this question has been answered elsewhere. I've looked here and in the fitness section but can't spot the topic. So here goes: Do you exercise and if so what is your strategy for avoiding hypos on a low-carb diet?

My exercise regime (cardiac rehab) is 10 minutes each on treadmill, cross trainer, rowing machine and upright bike with short weight sessions in between. When I first started cardiac rehab there were no problems as I was doing very little but as I've got fitter and work harder its got much more of an issue.

The only way I've been able to manage is to halve my Novorapid injection and have toast and marmalade for breakfast (hardly low-carb :roll: ). That pushes my BG to 12-14 which comes down to 5-7 when I've finished. If I start with a lower reading and take carbs/dextrose/lucozade during the session my BG shoots up when I have finished and takes an age to come down.

Any ideas gratefully received,
Thanks
Robin
 
Hi Robin

In your position, I'd consider reducing my basal/background insulin on days when I exercise.

I believe our muscles will try to refuel their glucose stores over a period of up to 2 days. I usually find it to be up to a day but I think harder exercise can increase the length of time to refuel the muscles.

Because of this, we can be at more risk of going hypo for up to 2 days after hard exercise, watch out especially for any night time hypos after a good session of exercise.

There's another way you can raise blood glucose levels just before starting exercise, which is to take a 10 second sprint. This triggers a release of glucose into the blood.

A sprint as short as 10 sec can increase plasma glucose levels in nondiabetic and T1DM individuals
Click to expand...
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22962428

Hope some of this helps

Ed
 
Hello

I am 26 and had diabetes since I was 14. I am using Lantus in the Am and then Humalog at lunch dinner and before bed. I need some advice on my dieting and fitness.

I weigh 78 and I want to lose weight and drop to arouns 74/75.I am very active with going to the gym 4-5 a weeks and it really helps my bloody sugars. The only problem is that my levels keep going low and Im having to eat lots of carbs and sugars to bring my level up. This isnt helping me dieting.I need to be eating the right things and I know at the moment im not. I know that there are books but I need someone who is really into fitness & has diabetes and know what i mean?

Is there any help out there with this?

Cheers

Billy
 
Hi Robin,
I normally do exercise before breakfast and use my dawn phenomenon instead of having any sugar. I'll then give myself one unit less of short acting insulin for breakfast. I'll also reduce my bolus that day by 10/20% depending on how intense the exercise is.

The effect of exercise wares off after 48 hours so i'll put my Lantus back to what it was.
 
Ed and Sam, thanks for your responses. I don't have access to a diabetic nurse and am a bit nervous about changing the basal whereas I tinker around with the bolus all the time.
So I'll try Sam's suggestion first and if that doesn't work I'll try reducing the basal.
Thanks Guys
Robin
 
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