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Type 1, exercise and no breakfast

Patch13

Well-Known Member
Messages
510
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Hi,

On Friday night I went for a curry (I'm low carb/high fat so I went for vegetables instead of rice). This was quite late and I was quite stuffed (I was a bit of a glutton!!).

So I got up on Saturday morning and wanted to go to the gym. Usually before going I would eat linseed crackers with cheese and take my insulin, however I still felt full and unable to eat. My BS were fine (5 something) so I decided to try going to the gym without eating (no food = no bolus). I did what I usually do in terms of adjusting my pump when I exercise (turning my basal rate down to 90%).

The gym session was fine and my BS were relatively stable (between 5-7, with no intake of glucose). I did make sure I didn't run though and just did lots of up hill walking on the tread mill along with lifting weights, as I was a bit concerned if I did hypo i would be less likely to feel it if I was running vigourously.

However, this got me thinking. Are there any type 1s that exercise without eating first? and how do you manage your BS if you do this / what impact does not eating have on your exercise regime?

As I said I wouldn't usually exercise without eating, but I wanted to know what others experiences of doing this have been.

Many thanks

Patch13
 
I used to muck out 6 horses, feed the calves and lambs (if right season) walk the dog at least 2 miles and also turn the horses out. All without breakfast. Not to sure if you call that exercise or not I use a pump so my basals were set to take into account my daily routine.
 
Your both lucky, if I don't inject and eat upon waking I would be in double figures within a couple of hours.
 
noblehead said:
Your both lucky, if I don't inject and eat upon waking I would be in double figures within a couple of hours.
Click to expand...
Well ok I have a coffee and some steroids Having Addison's disease means 90% of the time my blood sugar is on the low side due to lack of cortisol at that time of morning, having a pump though enables me to change a basal setting by the 1/2 hour if needed. So if I had DP then I could ramp up the insulin to cover it. My DP or in my case lunch P hit's about 12 noon when the steroid hits home so I increase then to cover this.
 

The beauty of a pump CarbsRok
 
I go to the gym before breakfast and use my dawn phenomenon instead of fast acting carbs. In fact, I usually still need fast acting insulin.

I did Chester Half Marathon without brekkie. Didn't need any fast acting glucose either. Got a time of 1:49, which I was a bit disappointed with, but probably reflects the fact I hate running, couldn't be ***** to train, plus not eating before or during it!
 
Strangely I went for a short 5k run this morning, had some breakfast but no bolus, and was 17.9mmol/l when I got home. Now back to 4.5mmol/l, but was unsure why I was so high, especially given that I have an evening running routine sorted and allows my BG to be controlled well.

I'm still learning I suppose. Plenty more time to sort out a morning running routine
 

Well you might not be too happy with that result but I'm very impressed! I would struggle to even make it half way, but I'm not an huge runner, I just run on the treadmill to relieve stress. Wished I could go in the mornings but only can at the weekend.

Good to know that others go before breakfast - I may try it again at some point and see if I can manage to run!


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 

I would definitely call that a workout



Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 

I tend to find I take the same amount of insulin when running to cover what I've eaten (bolus) but I just need to reduce the basal a little. If I didn't take insulin to cover my meals at any point in the day my sugar would go high.


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
I use my dawn phenomenon to exercise. I also have to increase my basal rates. I do something cardio and steady rate like the rower to lower my sugars into the 5s then do the weights. Sugars rise to 6/7. (8/9 if I miscalculate). Then back to steady cardio to reduce again.
Sessions with the personal trainer need an 80% increase in basal rate and quite often a bolus correction.

Forgot to say I don't eat until dinner time.
Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
Hi Patch13,
If you're going to be doing exercise over a relatively short period - 30mins to an hour, there is no need to take on board carbs before you start. You did the right thing by turning your basal right down. For longer sessions it is worth considering taking on board some slow release carb.

Really it is after approx 20 to 30mins of exercise you need to be taking on board extra fuel, as this is how long it takes before your muscles need to start taking up more glucose (as they have already burnt much of their on-board fuel) so long as you carb up regularly (up to 60g per hr for moderate exercise) you can keep going as long as you like.

High intensity exercise can raise blood glucose levels - as you may have already discovered.

After exercise, it's worth taking on board a recovery drink to help replenish stores in muscles an liver (with reduced bolus) or just eat a well balanced meal etc. Really it's just a case of allowing your body to replenish stocks, thereby avoiding a potential hypo later on in the day.

For more info, why not take a look at www.teambloodglucose.com and check out the type 1 case study.
 

Hi adamski,
It can take 20 to 30mins before your muscles are warmed up and are really beginning to take glucose out of the blood stream - up until that point they just burn up their on board glycogen stores within the muscle cells.
Consequently, if you eat just before you run, BGs will rise as normal, but will begin to drop after 30mins or so as your muscles begin to replenish glycogen stores.
Hope that helps to explain your 5k BGs.
 
Hi..

I train 6 days a week and never have any issues. M-F I'm in the gym from 7-8.30....I lift heavy weights for an hour and do 20-30 mins medium paced cardio. On a Sat AM I either run 5 miles or cycle 10. Not too good at cycling yet as it's new to me. I do all of this without eating. The moment I introduce insulin into my body I can forget about training...this Sunday I had breakfast and injected as I normally would...then went and had a kick about in the garden with the kids and was low after 10 mins...weird. Still, had a banana and then carried on. I probably could eat before and just keep experimenting with portion size and insulin BUT what I do works for me...I like training on empty.
 

Dinner time as in the evening? Or are you meaning lunch time?

I also do a mix of cardio and weights, although my sugar levels don't tend to vary too much doing this.
 

Thanks I will have a look on there.

I used to have energy drinks and sipped on them when I was exercising. However, since I have gone LCHF I don't find I need to take any extra glucose or fuel on board before, during or after exercise. My sugar levels tend to stay very level doing this. However, I was unsure if they would suddenly drop if I hadn't eaten in the morning before exercising.

Thanks again for the link.
 

Thanks for the info. Its good to know that some people don't eat prior to working out as I wasn't sure if this was a big no-no! I may experiment with doing this in the future.
 
The TeamBG advice matches my experience. I used to carb load just before and during intensive sport. I found I would just go really high during the match. The time to eat was maybe half time and definitely after the match, otherwise I would go hypo after.
 
I don't eat before exercise because I have to take a shot (NovoRapid) and it will be active for 2 hours (for me), if I do sport right after I eat and take a shot I go into hypoglycemia
 
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