When to exercise

[kcwinter]

When is the best time to exercise?



There is a study that shows they found that the greatest time for reduction in bg (for type 2) is 4 to 5 hours after the last meal. BG was not reduced in people who exercised first thing in the morning or after fasting. (So much for my walking for before work at least my exercising after work did some good.)


If you?re a type 1 diabetic and your glucose is 300 or more, test bg within 3-10 minutes of beginning exercise. If your blood sugar is dropping, you may continue. If it is not dropping, stop exercising.

If your type 2 diabetics Do not exercise if blood glucose is 400 or more Knowing how to prevent low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) reactions Exercise 1 to 1-1/2 hours after eating Check blood glucose before and after exercise and follow snack guidelines

Avoid exercising during the peak of your insulin or other medication's action Avoid hot tubs or saunas immediately after exercising Always carry a carbohydrate snack with you, such as glucose tablets or juice Drinking enough fluids to maintain hydration.

Avoid alcohol consumption before and immediately after exercise. Wearing appropriate shoes and socks Having an exercise partner Once these precautions have been taken, people with diabetes can enjoy the many benefits of exercise.

Exercise can help prevent the serious complications that often come with diabetes and heart disease. Regular exercise helps reduce the likelihood of having a heart attack or a stroke, aids in weight loss and improves mood.


In type two exercise can reduce bg because your body uses more oxygen. As much as 20 times then you are at a rest. The muscles use more glucose to meet their increased energy needs.

In older people with diabetes, the decrease in insulin sensitivity that comes with aging is also partly due to a lack of physical activity. So regular exercise benefits you now, and for years to come.

[Belinda]

Oh wow so much to think about and all I want to do is get the exercise over with on most days.


No really I exercise according to my schedule.
Summer time I usually exercise in the morning but once teaching gets back in full gear it is after work for me.

[johnnylol]

best time for me to excersize is early in the morning say 6:00 am..and late afternoon or early evening....best way i keep my bs in check.. :)

[BeadieJay]

I've just started exercising ..... it's extremely low impact at the moment, as I'm agoraphobic, overweight, very unfit, and hate aerobics!!!

I've decided that I can cope with taking a walk around the block of houses that I live in (it's in a row of 4 houses, with garages behind us, a driveway to one side of the row of houses, and a footpath at the other end, so I can walk all the way around). It's not far, but as it keeps me close to home it's going to have to do for now!

Another reason I want to stay close to home, is because I am SO unfit. I used to love walking <sigh> but today, all I could manage was 4 circuits before my back started to hurt really bad, so I came back inside to recover LOL My aim is to increase the number of circuits each time I go out, and I've also got a pedometer to measure the number of steps I take, and I want to increase that each time as well.

Okay, that's the background.....now here's the question.

Should I test my bsl before and after this exercise? I'm not really aiming to lower my bsl with the exercise, rather to lose weight, and ultimately get fit again. My short term goal is to walk into the neighbouring town to where I live, a distance of just over a mile. I used to do it all the time when my kids were little. Anyway, I'm waffling, what I really need to know is how much I need to monitor things. I'm Type 2 btw, diagnosed 15th June 2004.

thanks :D

[amyjean]

I workout in the morning because if I don't get it out of the way I might not do it later.

Amy

[lgvincent]

I prefer to exercise in the morning or evening because it is cooler. I guess the time I exercise isn't of much use in lowering blood sugar either. Oh, well.

[HeatherP]

Beadie, walking is EXCELLENT excercise! Especially when you're just starting up.

I would recommend you ck your b/s before and after you walk. Any excercise can affect your b/s's for up to 24 hours afterwards, so you may notice that you need less meds/insulin. I was able to lose about 15lbs several years ago. It took about 3 months to accomplish, so don't get discouraged.

Great choice, and keep up the good work!
HeatherP

[BeadieJay]

Thanks Heather :)

I've always loved walking, so it seemed the most appropriate way to try and regain my fitness. I'm hoping it will eventually help me overcome some of my agoraphobic fears too! (well, I live in hope LOL)

Thanks for the advice about testing - will do as you suggest.

Sue :D

[MarkMunday]

Sue,

I have found that, to make exercise have a stabilising effect on my control, I have to do it every day. I tried working out at a gym 3 times a week. But that played havoc with my control. The wild fluctuations in bg were unmanagable.

I now walk for twenty five minutes a day. But I do it every day. And it is really helping me improve control. My insulin requirement has been substantially reduced. And the fluctuations in blood sugars have become a lot more predictable.

Just be aware that even modest exercise will depress your bg levels. So if you exercise in the late afternoon (as I do), you should probably have a low GI snack before going to bed.

Mark

[BeadieJay]

Thank you Mark - that's great advice. I really am going to try hard to get out and walk every day, and if it's bad weather then I'll walk around the house for the same amount of time as I would if I was outside.

I know when my children are back at school in September, that I'm going to walk with them in the morning and the afternoon - at least that's my goal! We're really fortunate where we live, as the route to school is surrounded by trees and greenery and a stream which is simply beautiful when the sun is shining on it. There are loads of birds, and ducks, voles and squirrels. It's hard to get fed up with the view, so I'm looking forward to when I've got myself fit enough to do that walk, and get away from walking around the houses LOL

I like the fact that exercise brings BG levels down - I'm just hoping it'll help me lose some weight too ;)

Sue

[johnnylol]

hi beadie ever sinced i was diagnosed this past july..i take a walk every day lol..seven day's a week for one hour..this past sunday it was raining..did not detur me i walked as i alway's do..this time with a umbrella in hand...it's wonderfull to walk almost 3 miles every day...walking like all excersize lower's your bs level's...

[HeatherP]

I forgot to mention one thing, depending on your b/s level before you go for your walk, you may need to eat a snack. Cheese is a great snack, and I used to eat Dannon light 'n fit yogurt too, sometimes if I was a little on the low side.

[BeadieJay]

thanks Heather - I'll remember that :)

[BeadieJay]

oooh, I'm all excited, dashed on here to share my news, and the flipping internet was down!!

It's back on now (obviously LOL)....I tested my blood 2 hours after lunch and it was 9.1 - a bit high, but I had some bread with it so knew it would be fairly high. Then I went for a walk - did 6 circuits of the row of houses, which amounted to 488 steps. Not a massive amount, but more than last time, and it was HOT out there.

I tested my bsl when I got back inside - this was about 25 minutes after the reading of 9.1.....and it was down to 6.7 :D I was so thrilled. This is all early days for me, if I can get such a big reduction in such a short time, it's only going to get better as I exercise more

yipppeeee.........now if only I could get rid of my housefull of kids (my 2 darlings have got friends over and it's h*ll LOL......my day will be perfect!!

[HeatherP]

:thumbsup: