The gym

Have now been going to gym initially from a gp referral scheme.

Under this scheme I get a personal trainer who writes down my pre gym level, 1/2 way through level and end level and then I have to text or phone him one hour after with my levels.

I cannot be allowed to start gym if levels are outside 4.4 to 13.8 or at any time they stray outside these perimeters.

So I ensure I go at a level of 7.3 to 8.0..

Today I had 3 mouthfuls of a pecan homemade sort of pie thing an hour before I started. Brilliant result for gym... Was 8.3 at start. 7.7 1/2 way through and 8.2 at end. Without any altering of basals or having to eat high carb food.

Was literally 3 bites.

So chuffed with myself.

I know my levels were a tad higher than I wished but the previous time I went I intentionally got them up to 8.0 and 1/2 way through they dropped to 5.6 so I had to have a gluco juice.

Dead chuffed as no faffing around and jyst 3 bites needed to keep me level... Result!!!

Plus fact I have trainer for 12 weeks and can then go without him being with me.

It is superb. I've never really liked gyms to be honest but this extra level of a trainer that really has knowledge of how long a diabetic should do, how many rpm and heartbeat etc is for a diabetic is absolutely brilliant. For the first time ever ref gym I can honestly say I can't wait to go each time.

Personal trainer also does overall workout and totally takes into account things like treadmill that I dislike but he really puts me through my paces!!

Loving it.

So many people posted previously about changing basals or eating etc that it suprised me just how good these 3 bites were for training. Didn't need a gluco juice.
Was so proud!! Without pump too made me feel normal in my skirts and sports top...

tim2000s said:

Hi dd, I'm surprised to hear a statement regarding stuff "for a diabetic". For a reasonably fit person, the target heart rate, etc shouldn't be any different from a non-diabetic. Likewise, weight use shouldn't be any different. I'm pleased that the personal training is motivating you in the gym. That's the most important piece, but I'm surprised at the idea of a diabetic needing to do anything differently!

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I think this is because of Insurance purposes.. And because to receive referrals from GPs the Instructor has to be qualufied in dealing with illnesses.. Eg a lady who has given birth cannot use gym until 3 months after birth....etc.

Ie a person going for hypertension will not be doing the same as a normal undiagnosed person.

As for checking my bloods etc that is to ensure that the patient knows that levels (may-lol!!) drop and they actually stipilulate as well that a diabetic (on insulin) should not exercise in gym 3 hours begore sleeping because of nocturnal hypo's etc.

They have to take it from the stance that a lot of diabetics are not hiiting hba1cs.. Are not aware of exercise-because they have never done any etc..

I think it is extremely good that they are considering the worst scenario for all illnesses (not just diabetes). This is why afterall the GPs are working with our gym to grt the worst patients AND the best and all of us healthier. Just that the gym must take the worst scenario scene with us to cover their bums!!

Levels with T1 above 12.0 are likely to go up rather than down when exercising.however, this does depend whether you have ate your meal and bolused etc before hand

For me, my basal rates are quite stagnant.. With a few blips if under stress...
I don't eat during day and levels below are without food until 17.07.. You will see I rose after gym.. But I had handled food-albeit just oil, wine vinegar n herbs.. I didn't think 9.0 was quite accurate..
So 15.32 was pre drive n gym, 16.10 half way thru and 16.42 after gym.
Today we did 5 mins warm up on bike, stretches, and upper body, then core exercises, then 5 mins cycle cooling down, then stretches.
Although I only had to test for my first 3 referral sessions my trainer uses me as his premium example of a T1....

On Thurs I work lower half.

I think it is good to get your basal rate checked by not eating for 5 hours before you go and then work out how exercise affects those levels.. Checking whilst exercising.

I am physical with my day job but this is only in the main up until 4pm.. So my body probably thinks its just carrying on.

I have a good recipe for a nutty thing (pecan bites) that works well with 3 bites that I will eat without a bolus if I am 4 -5 before I go to gym. These bites I feel feed my muscles rather. I go purely for exercise and toning up as I struggle to keep weight on. I make up a tommee tippee mug of glucose n water to take with me just in case...

300g Medjool dates, stoned 50ml just- boiled water
350g pecan nuts
50g almonds
50g desiccated coconut
5 tbsp coconut oil, plus extra for greasing
pinch salt
1 tsp cinnamon
50ml almond milk, rice milk or oat milk
1/2 tbsp honey

Chop up 150g dates into small pieces. Soak the chopped dates in the just- boiled water and set aside.
To make the crust, put 100g pecan nuts in the food processor with the almonds, desiccated coconut, 1 tablespoon coconut oil, salt and 150g non- soaked dates. Whizz for a few minutes. Grease a small baking tray or cake tin (approximately 23 x 35cm) with coconut oil and pour the crust mix into it; spread it over the bottom to create a 2.5cm- thick crust.

Once cooled, pour the soaked dates into the blender along with with the soaking water, 200g pecan nuts, 4 tablespoons coconut oil, cinnamon, milk and honey. Blend for a few minutes until smooth, then pour over the crust. Arrange the rest of the pecan nuts on top and pop the whole thing in the freezer for 1 hour to harden. Cut into bite- size pieces and transfer to the fridge.

I use loads of varieties of nuts for this...sometimes I add in a few chopped up cranberries. If I mess up (I can't keep to recipes... ) I'll add more coconut oil or nuts.... This is just a basic recipe - mine always varies.. Sometimes pecans, sometimes almonds n macadamia nuts, sometimes walnuts (as they seem to be the cheapest) with pecans..

There are so many ways of making this.. And no cooking!!

Its ideal for me as it is calorie intense which I need. The max I need is 3 mouthfuls about an hour before the gym if my levels are below 5.5.