A Thread for Diabetic Weightlifters, Bodybuilders, Powerlifters & Fitness Lifters

[BlueSky]

... For fat to burn you need higher sugars, I am not sure what level but I am guessing over 100 or 8mmol that should allow fat to be released for energy. ...

Are you sure you have got that right ? When blood sugar goes up, the insulin level rises. And insulin switches lipolysis off. It stops the burning of fat. The lower blood sugar is, the less circulating insulin is required. And the more likely you are to burn fat. This is why losing weight is easier when you eat low-carb.

[Sugarhead]

Blue - no I am not really sure of anything, but maybe we can work through this. The reason Blood Glucose levels raise and stay that way is because there is not enough insulin to bring them down, ie low insulin. In a non-diabetic when blood glucose levels go up after eating or excersising then insulin is released but since natural insulin only has a half life of 8 minutes its gone quickly and lipolysis can start and fat burning will start as the level decreases. I think the problem with injected insulin is the half life time, its got to be over 2 hours. So when we put a heavy demand on our bodies from weights our muscles become more sensitive to insulin and the muscles take up the sugar quickly and he Blood glucose levels drop leaving us in a hypo state or high insulin which switches off lipolysis. Next time I meet with my Endo I will ask her but that is not until the end of May. In the mean time I will use Google to see if I can find out some info. What I am suggesting however is to start the workout with slightly higher blood glucose levels so when it drops you will not be hypo but will not be so low that lipolysis shuts off. Heck it might not even be possible since you would have to know exactly what level all this stuff happens. One more consideration, the reason we are told not to excersise with higher BG is so we don't go into Ketosis when we burn to much fat. I personally check my BG about three times during my workouts, my workouts are generally 60 min (I am doing P90X). Once at the start to make sure they are at a safe level, once about 30 min into it to make sure they have not dropped to far and one at the end before I take the Post workout shake. Often I find the middle one my sugars are low dropping from 6mmol to around 2.9mmol. Then I need to take some sugar stuff to keep them up.

Diabetes really is a journey.

[BlueSky]

... The reason Blood Glucose levels raise and stay that way is because there is not enough insulin to bring them down, ie low insulin. ....

Ok, I can see where you are coming from. But I think it is important to realise that it is the lack of insulin that encourages lipolysis, not high blood glucose. High blood glucose is a secondary effect. If you are dependent on injected insulin, simply raising blood glucose by eating something won't change your insulin levels.

The best way to ensure that insulin levels are low is to not inject it . So if you want to lose weight, it makes sense to eat after working out, rather than beforehand. It would also be better to do resistance exercise first, as it has two desirable effects. One is that it tends to increase blood glucose, which you need in preparation for aerobic exercise. The other is that you will be in fat burning mode by the time you start your cardio work. Because insulin levels are low, the weight should just drop off .

[Sugarhead]

Blue - yes you are right it’s about low insulin levels not high BG. I think based on this; it makes sense to do the exercises in the morning before Breakfast. I am pretty sure that is when my insulin levels are the lowest. To bad I am not a morning person!

I actually am doing weights one day then Cardio the next. As far as weights are concerned I am doing splits.

[George83]

Hi fellow lifters, I have a question, I have a small idea of what stabilizer muscles do, but could someone explain it in alittle detail for me and what are some techniques I could use to strengthen them up.

[Scratch]

Hi fellow lifters, I have a question, I have a small idea of what stabilizer muscles do, but could someone explain it in alittle detail for me and what are some techniques I could use to strengthen them up.

What you are hearing about stablizer muscles is probably referring to muscles not directly involved in moving a weight, but are used to maintain the body's stability. For example, if I'm doing a military press, the muscles used to move the weight are mostly the deltoids and triceps to get the arms extended above the head. At the same time however, if I'm doing that standing military press, my core needs to remain steady which requires muscles like the abs and lower back holding, along with the glutes keeping the hips locked, the quads and calves keeping the legs firm underneath you.

My own opinion is the best way to strengthen those muscles for the most part is to do lifts that use them to do that very act of stablization. I think there are situations and times to perform exercises that strengthen those muscles in an isolated fashion, but for the most part people can make more efficient use of their strength training time by using lifts which utilize compound movements.

[Evermont]

...My own opinion is the best way to strengthen those muscles for the most part is to do lifts that use them to do that very act of stablization. I think there are situations and times to perform exercises that strengthen those muscles in an isolated fashion, but for the most part people can make more efficient use of their strength training time by using lifts which utilize compound movements.

I agree Scratch. If I knew someone was planning on taking up hiking but suffered from "weak ankles" where they have a tendency to roll them, I might suggest specific exercises to work the muscles on the inside and outside of the lower legs to help prevent ankle injuries for example. Boots with ankle support are a good idea too - but as an addition, not as a substitute for strong muscles. My lower legs are in better shape than a lot of folks, I think because I hike a lot. So I don't do any specific exercises for that. Hiking is best for me and I'd MUCH rather spend my time soaking in the views from the top rather than making some silly weight go up and down a lot.

[BrianSCohen]

Keith,

Good point that you may need to work stabilizer muscles themselves. Doing the major lifts may just not be enough. I find I have had to work my rotator cuff muscles separately to strengthen my shoulders. Just doing the lifts simply caused strains rather than making the those muscles (and tendons) stronger.

If you have particular movements you are concerned about, we might be able to make some more specific suggestions.

[pumper]

I have a bit of a strange question for all you diabetic bodybuilders out there, but since many bodybuilders shave their body hair, maybe it won't be such a strange question after all...

So, I've been on the insulin pump since December and I really like it.

But, since going on the pump, I've also lost weight-specifically belly fat. So, when I put in a new infusion set, I often hit a small vein or the muscle bed and then get bad insulin absorption. I still have a small bit of belly fat around my belly button, so, I've been putting the infusion set there (about an inch around the belly button) and will be switching to the shorter infusion sets (6 mm instead of 9 mm).

The problem is that I have a bit of hair on my abs so taking the old infusion set out can be really painful with the adhesive pulling on the hair.

So, I've been thinking of shaving my stomach to make it easier. My wife agrees that getting rid of that belly hair would make things easier - but she feels that waxing it off would be better (and easier in the long term) than shaving it.

A lot of you guys here are serious bodybuilders. Some of you must be shaving - what do you recommend? Shaving my abs every few days or waxing? And if waxing, which kit?

Have any of you guys run into this problem with sticky infusion sets and body hair?

This is all kind of ironic since I'm one of the least hairy guys out there...

[JadeMonkey]

I shave my infusion and sensor sites just to make the whole process easier. Not only do I get much easier removals I also have far fewer problems with the sets and sensors not staying adhered firmly. This is especially true of the tegaderm I use to cover the sensors. Trying to get one to stay stuck on an unmaintained piece of real estate is next to impossible; with a little basic landscaping I don't have any issues.

I use a Fusion Power razor, haven't tried waxing.

-Jade

[George83]

Listen to your wife, I wax my upper body, although I only went through pain the first few times, you get used to it after that, its much better as opposed to shaving, hair takes longer to grow back, but seriously the pain isnt that bad, I thought it would be worse.

[pumper]

I shave my infusion and sensor sites just to make the whole process easier. Not only do I get much easier removals I also have far fewer problems with the sets and sensors not staying adhered firmly.

Since I started this thread, I figured that I'd post a final reply on what I decided to do.

So, based on Jade's posting (and other postings), I decided to give shaving a try. So, I used a razor in the shower under running water and shaved my abs. The first time was a bit of work - even though I not very hairy. But, I've been maintaining it with a quick shave every time I shave my face - and that seems to be working really well. I'm obviously too chicken to try waxing - despite it being suggested by my wife...

In terms of removing the infusion sets - which was the reason that I've started this - problem solved!

Will say that I felt really self conscious about this on the first few days - despite being a bodybuilder, but I got used to it. Now, I just need the 6 pack abs to justify shaving as a bodybuilder...

[pumper]

Since this is a bodybuilding thread, I figured some of you would be interested in knowing that I ran into one of my favorite bodybuilders the other day, Arnold. He was in town for a Governor's conference and had stopped into a restaurant for a late lunch - which is where I saw him.

Very surprising that he's not that big of a man - neither very tall (about average hight) nor a very imposing presence. I was expecting a huge imposing man, which he isn't.

On his way into the black SUV, he turned back to the crowd that had gathered and have his signature: "I'll be back".

Kind of cool...

[pumper]

Does anyone on this thread use bodybuilding supplements? and which ones?

In the next few days, I'm going to start taking a "home-made" creatine stack composed of the following (from supphead on the bodybuilding.com forums):

German Creatine Monohydrate -5g pre -2g post
Beta-Alanine -1.5g pre-1.5g post
Bcaa -5g pre-5g during-5g post
Arginine-AKG-3g pre-1.5-post
Glutamine-5g pre-5g post
Caffeine/Tyrosine tabs 200 to 300mg caffeine-250 to 375mg tyrosine pre

Any of you guys ever used any of these? and if so, did they work? Any other supplements that I should also be considering? What about blood sugar effects?

[Evermont]

Does anyone on this thread use bodybuilding supplements? and which ones?

In the next few days, I'm going to start taking a "home-made" creatine stack composed of the following (from supphead on the bodybuilding.com forums):

German Creatine Monohydrate -5g pre -2g post
Beta-Alanine -1.5g pre-1.5g post
Bcaa -5g pre-5g during-5g post
Arginine-AKG-3g pre-1.5-post
Glutamine-5g pre-5g post
Caffeine/Tyrosine tabs 200 to 300mg caffeine-250 to 375mg tyrosine pre

Any of you guys ever used any of these? and if so, did they work? Any other supplements that I should also be considering? What about blood sugar effects?

I'm not into supplements generally. But recently I noticed that my lab results are showing a creatinine trend. I'll be asking my doctor soon what she thinks about supplementation to keep my numbers from falling below the bottom of the 'normal' window. I'm not even sure if this makes sense which is why I'll check with my doctor first, and do it based on actual blood test results.

My creatinine lab results:
0.90 11/2005 (when I had my laparascopic appendectomy)
0.84 08/2007 (just prior to Dx of T2, tweaked exercise & diet)
0.74 04/2008 (continued diet and exercise improvement)

The normal range is 0.70 to 1.50, so I'm trending out of bounds. I need to learn if supplementing is the right thing to do and if so, how much and what kind. If I get up closer to 1.50 with supplementation, can I expect to build muscle faster? I'm just not sure about all this yet.

Anyone considering supplemention should read up on the controversy and side effects like those listed here (link)

Controversy

While creatine's effectiveness in the treatment of many muscular, neuromuscular, and neuro-degenerative diseases is documented,[6] its utility as a performance-enhancing food supplement in sports has been questioned[7] (see creatine supplements for more information). Some have even proposed that its use as a performance enhancer should be banned.[8] [9] [10] Despite this, creatine remains very popular.[11]

Side effects

Short-term use of creatine in healthy individuals is generally considered safe (see Creatine supplements#Safety). Continuous intake of excessively high dosages of creatine may lead to any of several possible side effects. It has been hypothesized that consistently high doses could lead to hypertension due to increased water retention [12].

Creatine supplementation utilizing proper cycling and dosages, however, has not been linked with any adverse side effects beyond occasional dehydration due to increased muscular water uptake from the rest of the body.[13]

According to the opinion statement of the European Food Safety Authorities (EFSA) published in 2004 it was concluded that "The safety and bioavailability of the requested source of creatine, creatine monohydrate in foods for particular nutritional uses, is not a matter of concern provided that there is adequate control of the purity of this source of creatine (minimum 99.95%) with respect to dicyandiamide and dihydro-1,3,5-triazine derivatives, as well as heavy metal contamination. The EFSA Panel endorses the previous opinion of the SCF that high loading doses (20 gram / day) of creatine should be avoided. Provided high purity creatine monohydrate is used in foods for particular nutritional uses, the Panel considers that the consumption of doses of up to 3g/day of supplemental creatine, similar to the daily turnover rate of creatine, is unlikely to pose any risk".[14]

This opinion is corroborated by the fact that creatine is a natural component in mothers' milk and that creatine is absolutely necessary for brain development in the human embryo and the baby, as well as for optimal physiological functioning of the adult human body, especially the brain, nervous system, the muscles and other organs and cells of high energy expenditure, where the creatine kinase (CK) system is highly expressed and creatine levels are high.