Hey there, I'd appreciate if some exercise oriented people could look over this approach I am taking to get to "base one" of better physical conditioning. Over the years I have tried many things and had setbacks for a few, specific reasons. I'd like to try again and see if I can forge through.
I'll try and set it out logically to show how I got to where I am. Sorry if this is boring, it's the only way I can think to get to a useful point here.
First:
What am I trying to achieve with exercise?
Better health. From most important to least:
- better metabolic conditioning (for better absorption, better sensitivity, less tendency to fluctuate rapidly) This is a huge issue. I take over twice the TDD I "should", according to estimates. I slip around like an ice skater all day long.
- weight loss, I am 93kg and 188cm tall, making my BMI in the middle of "overweight". I used to be comfortable at 83kg. There is too much around the belly, plus high cholesterol.
- Rehabilitate my left shoulder/back. Been a problem for years, I can strain it very easily and this brings on all manner of headaches, TMJ, strange head effects. I have an osteo who can alleviate it but attempts to rehabilitate it usually end in exacerbating the problem.
- Mental positives, physical stamina etc, all important.
Second:
What are the issues I need to deal with?
CFS. I have had energy and fatigue issues ever since getting diabetic 15 years ago. I have been diagnosed with CFS when 20 and again at 28. I have worked hard with lifestyle, diet, gentle exercise like walking etc to improve this: it has improved, but I still "hit a wall" very very easily that leaves me exhausted for days.
The good news is I am very aware of that wall and am in the habit of being "just behind it" when exercising. Still, it means buildup must be very slow and cautious.
Diabetes. I have always had very brittle diabetes. Absorption, sensitivity, etc all vary greatly day to day. It also interacts with the CFS, I believe, making it sometimes seem an impenetrable unbalanced system. I am very sensitive to fluctuations, I feel lousy as soon as I am out of range. (which is multiple times, daily, despite best efforts). The pump has shown that a lot of this problem is due to strong, shifting, basal requirements through the day, and possibly dramatically different I:C ratios through the day. The pump has also helped me divide my CFS symptoms from my fluctuation BG symptoms. Hooray for progress
In particular with exercise, though, I get extreme fluctuations if the exercise pushes me. I need to try as hard as I can to have presence of mind and be prepared to aggressively lower my basal beforehand, boluses nearby, and have lots to correct with on hand, etc. This problem has often given my "regular exercise" efforts the death knell, especially as I bounce to the other extreme, so easily.
Left shoulder. Whenever I use it repetitively or with any strain it "goes", causing flared up pain, headaches, fatigue etc. I find it hard to predict when it will go. It seems mainly the muscles you feel on the shoulder blade when you begin a shrug. It is incredibly annoying because I have so much I want to do that depends on my arms!
continued... thanks for reading, it won't be much longer
